Planner or track as you go?

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Replies

  • Nicolee_2014
    Nicolee_2014 Posts: 1,572 Member
    Planning ahead for me works best or else I just go "stuff it"
  • JordisTSM
    JordisTSM Posts: 359 Member
    I log the day before, but of course allow modifications. I have to get meat out of the freezer the night before, so might as well work out what I'd going to do with it. I also just feel more in control, it's easier for me to not go ballistic with a bag of Doritos if I already have snacks etc planned out.

    Maybe closer to goal I'll relax the reins a bit, but with about 170 pounds still to go, I NEED to stay in control.
  • sympha01
    sympha01 Posts: 942 Member
    As a general rule, before I go to bed I know what I'm going to wear tomorrow. Sure, sometimes I'll change my mind and wear the flouncy white blouse instead of the cute tight red top. But in general, this helps me space out my clothes and make sure I've got reasonably coordinating outfits available until my next laundry day.

    Why would my food be different, really? Pre-planning helps me use up the food in my fridge without wasting stuff, know what I need to buy the next time I go grocery shopping, as well as stay within my macros on the regular.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    More as I go. Sometimes there are days like tomorrow where I know what I'll have for breakfast/lunch and I can prelog, but it's rare.
  • junthree
    junthree Posts: 10 Member
    I plan out and pre-log, especially weekdays. I just finished entering all my food for the next 6 days. Tomorrow I will spend a few hours cooking and prepping all my meals and snacks for the week. Then each morning I just grab and go.

    By pre-logging, I can make adjustments as needed. If my calorie count is a little high, I can cut a few calories by eating 3/4 cup of yogurt instead of a full cup for breakfast. If my calorie count is a little low, I can add an extra ounce of chicken at lunch. It helps me balance out my calories through out the day.
  • LoupGarouTFTs
    LoupGarouTFTs Posts: 916 Member
    Francl27 wrote: »
    I prelog what I know, then change quantities as I go.

    This. I have a "typical" breakfast that I build my day around, so it's a little easier on the days I stick to that meal. I'm not rigid about keeping to what I've pre-logged, though.
  • ForeverSunshine09
    ForeverSunshine09 Posts: 966 Member
    junthree wrote: »
    I plan out and pre-log, especially weekdays. I just finished entering all my food for the next 6 days. Tomorrow I will spend a few hours cooking and prepping all my meals and snacks for the week. Then each morning I just grab and go.

    By pre-logging, I can make adjustments as needed. If my calorie count is a little high, I can cut a few calories by eating 3/4 cup of yogurt instead of a full cup for breakfast. If my calorie count is a little low, I can add an extra ounce of chicken at lunch. It helps me balance out my calories through out the day.
    So glad I am not the only one who does this. I love seeing what I can fit in the day. It does change but, I plan about a week in advance.
  • kristinegift
    kristinegift Posts: 2,406 Member
    I generally pre-log. I know what I'm eating for breakfast and lunch most days, and then I can kind of swing it for dinner. Plus, I just like planning things :)
  • amoynoodle
    amoynoodle Posts: 46 Member
    I pre-log every morning or the night before... i often cant pre-log dinner as i dont know what il have, but i pack all my snacks and lunch to bring to work with me every day, so theyre all logged. I love knowing how many calories i need to burn at the gym so i can fit in some chocolate for my dessert - then i can look forward to it all day! haha. Without pre-logging i think this whole weight loss thing would be a lot harder for me.
  • Leana088
    Leana088 Posts: 581 Member
    I plan the whole week ahead. On Friday I plan out the week's menu anyway for my grocery shopping list. Might as well pre-log in MFP as well. :)
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,626 Member
    mostly pre-log.

    in the mornings when i have my coffee, i usually figure out what ill have the rest of the day. then ill confirm/adjust weights as those meals come and go.
  • Bogditzy
    Bogditzy Posts: 110 Member
    I do it mostly as I go. Didn't find any problems this way...I end up having 200 cal left to eat after all my meals - which usually turns in a treat/nuts/fruits
  • jporter1183
    jporter1183 Posts: 43 Member
    Planning ahead for sure. At a minimum I log every meal one day ahead of time. It really helps me keep within my goals and make sure I am not hungry as the day goes on. Plus it stops me from having any binges (most of the time!).
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
    I've done both. I only pre-log under these conditions:
    a) I am going out
    b) need to make something fit and work the rest of my day around it
    c) am going to be busy or lazy the next day and just want to plan things ahead of time
    d) already know that the next day I'm going to want x item (e.g. I know today I want burgers because I made burgers last night)
    e) planning my dinner on the way home that same day.

    Usually when I plan, it's half a day only of planning. I much prefer to eat "spontaneously" because.... that's how life is. I never sat down the night before and chose/planned out what I was gonna eat the entire day. For me, tracking is about pushing it as far into the background of my life as possible so that it's just something that I do without having to think much about it or put much effort into. I don't plan on pre-logging for life, so I don't utilize this method now. I do not usually eat the same thing every day. When I wake up I will go to the fridge and grab food, log it as the default weight, and then I will grab reasonable portions of everything (logging helped me learn what reasonable means) and weigh them all, then update the weight in my app. Then eat. My calories will range between 400-700 for a meal this way, and I naturally developed an eating pattern that I much prefer (eating more in the evening). Pre-logging and being too regimented made me feel uneasy and hangry, partially because I wasn't eating enough in the evening and I was eating too much for breakfast and lunch.
  • SamiDee12
    SamiDee12 Posts: 16 Member
    I pre-log every week. I do meal prep on Sundays, and have all my lunches/dinners ready to go for the week, that way I don't give in to picking something up while I'm at school or work.
  • MaryCS62
    MaryCS62 Posts: 266 Member
    Since I bring my breakfast & lunch to work most days, I pre-log because I have to make it the night before. I have a rotating set of breakfast & lunch items that I can easily make & bring with me. I also have specific snacks that I bring with me. I usually plan about 1/2 my calories for breakfast, lunch & snacks, which gives me room to add things if I want, & can adjust my dinner for how much I have left.
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