Pre-Planners how far out do you plan?

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Sarasmaintaining
Sarasmaintaining Posts: 1,027 Member
edited May 2015 in Food and Nutrition
I'm just starting to pay attention to macros/trying to hit specific macro numbers, and I'm really seeing how pre-planning will help the numbers click into place. In another thread someone mentioned that they've got their food planned out already into June. At first I thought that was a bit nuts lol, but now the more I think about it, the more I'm thinking that poster might actually be brilliant :)

If you pre-plan/write out your food diary in advance, how far out do you go? I get groceries every other week, so I was thinking of trying to do two weeks worth and see how it goes?

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  • Jruzer
    Jruzer Posts: 3,501 Member
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    I just plan for the next day,and only what I can control: Mrs Jruzer makes the dinner plans and often the breakfast plans on the weekend. Maybe I'm not really a "pre-planner?"

    I like being prepared for the upcoming day, but much more than that seems like a waste. I'm cool with shopping every few weeks, but it seems like pre-planning that far in advance is subject to so many variables that it wouldn't be very effective. Maybe others can make it work better.
  • Sephixteeo
    Sephixteeo Posts: 75 Member
    edited May 2015
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    I'm trying to each day plan/ pre-log dinner to balance my macros, depending on what I've had so far for lunch (breakfast is usually just coffees and creamer). It seems to be working somewhat, but I'm working on the protein specifically.

    ETA: I shop once a week and get a really rough plan menu going with a list before I shop.
  • CCTex78418
    CCTex78418 Posts: 7 Member
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    I plan out a week at a time...makes life easy at the grocery store.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    when I was logging I only pre-logged the next day. That said, I only like grocery shopping one day per week so pretty much my wife and I would plan out the week in advance before shopping...we just didn't know exactly what day we were going to have what.
  • Lizzy622
    Lizzy622 Posts: 3,705 Member
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    I also do a rough menu plan before I shop based on the sales circular and what fruit & vegetables are in season. I only prep & plan about 3 days.
  • agreenid
    agreenid Posts: 218 Member
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    I try to do a bulk of my cooking in one afternoon/evening. This week I did it on Sunday and prepped 5 different dishes. I kept enough in pre-portioned containers in the fridge for 4 days (lunch and dinners) and put the rest in the freezer so I can just grab and go if I need to. I think any more than a week and I get distracted!
  • Sarasmaintaining
    Sarasmaintaining Posts: 1,027 Member
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    Thanks for the input everyone! I'm a meal planner/list maker for the store, but up to now I've just focused on fitting in meals that work with our schedule, and then I tweak things to fit into my calorie goals. Never made a plan/list, focusing on macros though :)
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,426 Member
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    I do have dinners planned for the whole month and I select from that list.
    I pre-log my whole day the night before or in the morning. I don't log farther in advance than that generally.
  • ForeverSunshine09
    ForeverSunshine09 Posts: 966 Member
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    I typically do 2-3 weeks at a time for grocery budget purposes but, I sometimes move things around if it makes more sense or I just don't have the taste for what is planned.
  • ibamosaserreinas
    ibamosaserreinas Posts: 294 Member
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    I will cook ahead for about three days. (I don't like to have pre-prepared food in the fridge all week long. Sometimes by Friday it is just not that fresh anymore...)
  • Queenmunchy
    Queenmunchy Posts: 3,380 Member
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    I batch cook and freeze breakfasts, lunches, and dinners and log the day before from those. I sometimes feel like eating something else and tweak, but breakfasts and lunches pretty much stay from the freezer rotation.
  • cokefloat1
    cokefloat1 Posts: 86 Member
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    My other half plans out our weeks worth of dinners and i always have the same breakfast due to it being easy and not very time consuming so its only lunch that i have to worry about
  • 970Mikaela1
    970Mikaela1 Posts: 2,013 Member
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    One day. Used to do a few days but now I don't.
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,752 Member
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    A week.... Our macros generally change weekly so doing it more often usually creates more problems than its worth
  • Gska17
    Gska17 Posts: 752 Member
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    Usually just one day.

    However I'm eating here on the 27th. I already chose the Greek salad but haven't picked a protein yet.

    http://www.windyridgefoods.com/lunch-menu.html

    I know planning that far ahead likely sounds nuts but

    a) I don't want to be stressed while looking at the menu
    b) I want to be able to plan around it
  • rainbow198
    rainbow198 Posts: 2,245 Member
    edited May 2015
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    I plan out dinners with my guy a week in advance (dinners can always shift around or change though). This is mainly for grocery shopping.

    For myself though the night before I plan out my meals for just the next day.

    It helps me to be organized, saves time and helps me to fit in my treats and things.

    Anything further than a day is a bit much for me. Things I want to eat can change too much by then!

  • ahoy_m8
    ahoy_m8 Posts: 3,053 Member
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    Like others, 2 part answer for me:
    Dinners for the family I plan for a week at a time so I go to the store once. I'll adjust that plan for sales & seasonal stuff.
    I log 1-3 days ahead, fitting what I'm in the mood for/have calories for around the dinner plan. But if I'm crashing and need to eat more, say, at lunch, I will try to retune my plan to stay on macros for the day. Some days I just need more, and some days less. I care most about the week average.
  • Toadstool_
    Toadstool_ Posts: 120 Member
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    I plan a week ahead so that I know what to buy when I do the week's food shopping. I find it really useful
  • kickassbarbie
    kickassbarbie Posts: 286 Member
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    I plan about a week worth of meals and shop for it, meat I order once a month. (7 breakfasts, 7 lunches, multiple snacks and 7 dinners. Then plan which ones to eat on what day if something comes up sometimes cooking times etc have to change so I swap a meal around.

    Marco wise I plan my days to hit my protein and fat macros usually with 400 cal spare to do what I want with during the evening depending on what I fancy.

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