Pre-logging?

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  • Lexicpt
    Lexicpt Posts: 209 Member
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    I try and pre log, but sometimes I have to tweak things. It definitely helps me plan ahead for special occasions or sneaking an unplanned treat into my goal.
  • _whatsherface
    _whatsherface Posts: 1,238 Member
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    mora982 wrote: »
    I've been logging my food the night before or early in the morning.. It really helps not to go over your calories and you get very close to your Macros!! I also meal prep so it helps me to mix and match proteins and veggies from day to day.. Sometimes I add a snack or so every day but I don't go above my calorie limit!!! I hope this helps, keep logging!!

    This.

  • galaxyeyed
    galaxyeyed Posts: 98 Member
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    I like prelogging because it allows me to make sure I'll hit my macros for the day :smile:
  • thenewme58
    thenewme58 Posts: 4 Member
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    I also pre-log and i also make my breakfast and snacks and lunch the night before--this way i know exactly what i am eating thru the day---i stick to it---no extras--i try to plan my meals out for the entire week---i see what i have in my pantry and fridge and freezer--plan my meals---saturday i make a list of what i am going to need--sunday i got shopping and cook and prep as much as possible---it makes my work week so much easier
  • squishprincess
    squishprincess Posts: 371 Member
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    i pre-log every day, the night before or every single morning while i eat breakfast. it really helps!

    mostly i log my main meals/snacks and then whatever calories i have left over are my freebies. it helps me not go over, and know how much i have left to work with in a day. and of course a little more if i exercise.
  • Asher_Ethan
    Asher_Ethan Posts: 2,430 Member
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    I love pre logging! Sometimes I forget to eat what I've already pre logged so when I'm reviewing everything at night I get a little nice surprise of 200 extra calories... It happens more than I care to admit.
  • segacs
    segacs Posts: 4,599 Member
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    I tend to pre-log my week on Sundays, and I use the log to make my grocery list and go shopping and do food prep for the week. Having my days pre-logged helps me stay on track, and I like the fun of trying to fit in foods I enjoy and make them fit my macros, like a jigsaw puzzle.

    Do things change? Sure. But having a plan is great, and if something changes at the last minute, I just go in and alter my diary.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    segacs wrote: »
    I tend to pre-log my week on Sundays, and I use the log to make my grocery list and go shopping and do food prep for the week. Having my days pre-logged helps me stay on track, and I like the fun of trying to fit in foods I enjoy and make them fit my macros, like a jigsaw puzzle.

    Do things change? Sure. But having a plan is great, and if something changes at the last minute, I just go in and alter my diary.

    phew glad I am not the only one who does this..was starting to feel a bit OCD.

    I prelog for the week as well. Typically my breakfasts are the same as well as my snacks. Dinners are done and typically my next days lunch. Friday dinners are not logged nor are Saturdays and Sundays unless I know what is going on. Weekends seem to be busy for me. I do however try hard to get in my macros.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    edited May 2015
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    For me it's crucial. I prelog in a pattern that is a little difficult to explain: I log in an OCD spreadsheet and in Fitbit - sometimes spreadsheet first, sometimes Fitbit first. I usually log the next day completely, but tweak as I go - amounts, order, or even items, for whatever reason.
    1) Will I be somewhere unusual, will I eat food there, maybe bring food? Or will I have company that makes my usual choice of food not appropriate? Mark that meal blue.
    2) I have a breakfast template - crispbread with meat/fish spread, milk, fruit and veggie. Rotate and alternate as I run out of an item.
    3) Dinner is usually a rotation of meat/fish, starch and vegetable - pick a combination that go well together. I prefer to alternate between "light" and "heavy" dinners - pork chop - soup - lamb chops - salmon... Decide if I'll have to defrost or soak something; this definitely requires that I decide the night before.
    4) What's on sale, what looks delicious, what do I fancy? What haven't I had for a while? If something unusual, I will put it into the plan some days ahead, and gather ingredients. Maybe I'll have to move it to another day, but this way I can look forward to this special dish.
    5) Are there any (planned) leftovers or dishes made for several days? "Casserole" type dinners, tuna salad, soup..? Plan to have a serving every day if very persihable, or every other day if not.
    6) Make sure I don't have too many perishable items at once, and plan to eat regularly things like cheese, fruit, vegetables.
    7) Aim to hit calorie goal, fat and protein goal (ballpark) - if not every day, every two days.
    8) Aim to have a serving of nuts or nut butter every day. Mark this item in brown. Three servings of fruit - pink; vegetables for every meal, if possible - green.
    9) Think up or google recipes to use up ingredients I already have, instead of just buying whatever for some random recipe, or freak out and give up if there's just one ingredient I can't get.
    10) Keep a running inventory list of freezer, fridge and pantry. Replenish whenever I run out. Add items to list on mobile phone, sorted by categorie for easy retrieval in store. Always bring mobile phone, something to carry groceries in when going shopping, has to feel just as natural as bringing money/card.

    This saves me money, stress, anxiety, waste. I get to eat what I like, and I have so much fun in the kitchen. It would save me time too, but I get all too excited playing with the meal plan, snooping in stores (not shoplifting haha, maybe there's a better word I don't know), and visualizing all the delicacies I'm going to make and indulge in :D
  • Carol_
    Carol_ Posts: 469 Member
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    I pre log about 8-900 calories of my 1200, then I adjust a little as I go along. Like last night, I logged more soup for lunch than I actually felt like eating today. So I deducted some of it. And that left more calories for a salad I will have later tonight. Pre logging helps me a lot.
  • Jaxxie1181
    Jaxxie1181 Posts: 138 Member
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    Dinner is the one meal I tend to accidentally over-indulge with, so I will usually pre-log my food, and portions, in the morning and stick to it.
  • PaulaWallaDingDong
    PaulaWallaDingDong Posts: 4,641 Member
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    I love pre-logging. Without it, I can be pretty impulsive.
  • spzjlb
    spzjlb Posts: 599 Member
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    I also prelog the night before. I sometimes change completely what I eat but the prelogging is a fantastic guide and keeps me accountable.
  • 89Madeline
    89Madeline Posts: 205 Member
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    Yes, it definitely helps in planning. I usually log my breakfast (it's the same every day), lunch and snacks. Pretty much my food intake between 9.00-17.00. Then I know what I can plan for dinner, if there's room for a treat or not etc. I like it! I also do it the other way around, if I know I'll be having a heavy dinner/going out for drinks, I like to add the cocktails in advance so I know how to deal with it in the beginning of the day! It definitely helps me.
  • glyphhen
    glyphhen Posts: 16 Member
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    Thanks everyone!

    I really like the idea of pre-logging for the week on Sundays and using that to build a grocery list. I think I'll be stealing that idea.

    It's also just nice to know that I'm not the only mildly obsessive person out there.
  • sandryc79
    sandryc79 Posts: 250 Member
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    I also find it crucial to prepare log my food. I do it in the morning as I pack my lunch and plan to have a certain amount left to play with for dinner. I often look at the nutritional breakdown to make sure I'm good on the macros I care about. Often dinner is a meal constructed of remaining calories and foods that fill the gaps. This is also when I see if I have room for a treat.
  • Athijade
    Athijade Posts: 3,250 Member
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    It does help me, mostly because it keeps me from ordering food in or something like that LMAO.

    I don't prelog my whole day ahead of time though. Each Sunday or Monday I log all of my dinners for the week. I will then log my lunches IF they are something I am planning ahead of time (such as leftovers). If I know I will have a specific dessert I will want to have, then I will make sure to log that so that I keep the calories for it instead of ending the day all sad because I can't have a cookie lol.

    I would say prelogging for me is much more about making sure I eat the foods I bought at the grocery instead of wasting them and more money by eating out.
  • segacs
    segacs Posts: 4,599 Member
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    glyphhen wrote: »
    I really like the idea of pre-logging for the week on Sundays and using that to build a grocery list. I think I'll be stealing that idea.

    It's also just nice to know that I'm not the only mildly obsessive person out there.

    I don't think it's obsessive. I mean, most people make some sort of grocery list when they go shopping.

    Obsessive would be if you had to stick to it 100% with no room for variance, or if you weren't able to change things up on the fly.

    I think it just makes sense to buy the things I'm going to eat, and not end up wasting food or throwing it away.
  • avskk
    avskk Posts: 1,789 Member
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    I pre-log four or five days in advance. It really helps me stick to my calorie goals, and as a bonus it helps me use everything in the fridge instead of throwing out a lot of unused stuff.
  • astralpictures
    astralpictures Posts: 218 Member
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    I pre-log in the morning many times, but don't always follow it exactly. I usually do it when I have a craving for something like a muffin or candy bar, so I can make sure to fit it in my goals. I also pre-log when I know I'm going out to eat at a restaurant, so I know what to pick and how many calories I'm left for the rest of the day (or if I know I'll go over, so I can cut back a little more on other days). It's fun for someone like me who enjoys crunching numbers :-)

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