Committing Your Food

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briegirl28
briegirl28 Posts: 121 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Does anyone here write what they will eat in their food diary and then stick to it, or do you record only what you eat?

I've heard that planning out your meals in advance can help to remove the decision making process that, during hunger or stress, could result in a person choosing less healthy, more convenient foods.

I did that in the past with another person, and I feel like that may help to remove some of the constantly having to consider how eating this or that will affect my calorie and carb count for the day.

But sticking to it is also an issue, especially if I don't adequately prepare.

What works best for you in terms of sticking with your diet?
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Replies

  • TheLittleRedHairedGirl
    TheLittleRedHairedGirl Posts: 154 Member
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    I pre-log every morning. It helps me see where my calories are going and to help structure my day. I also meal prep so that meals become easier to stick to. The only 'variable' for me is dinner where I need to figure out what I'm making my husband and I for dinner. But by pre-logging I can see how many calories I can 'play' with. So if I decide to eat a higher calorie mid-morning meal I know that my dinner will be less in calories. Or if I eat light all day I can have a higher calorie dinner. More often than not though, I try to balance out my calories and macros throughout the day so that I can stay satisfied. I also pre-log my snacks. Usually the only tine I have to make adjustments to my daily food log is if I swap out a fruit for another one or if I didn't eat something.
  • MommyL2015
    MommyL2015 Posts: 1,411 Member
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    I only commit my food when it's been acting crazy. LOL J/K. I do commit to my diary if I pre-plan. Sometimes I log as I go, but I kind of treat my calories like money. I have to make them stretch as far as I can.
  • cross2bear
    cross2bear Posts: 1,106 Member
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    I do plan weekly menus, so I have a general idea of what to expect during the week, but I dont pre log on a daily basis. But I do log everything I eat.
  • jyvonne27
    jyvonne27 Posts: 91 Member
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    I meal prep my breakfast and lunches on Sundays and I plan out my dinners for the week as well. It helps me save money and calories. I feel like planning my meals helps me even more than tracking them, honestly.

    I pre log the night before and then adjust if something changes. I'm still flexible, just bc it's there doesn't mean it's set in stone but it does help me stick to plan.

    I tend to make bad decisions when I don't plan in advance what I'm going to eat. I make the worst decisions when I'm already hungry.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    Yeah, my willpower is strongest in the morning and declines as the day wears on. I pack a lunch daily, so that helps portion things out. I must pack enough so that I'm not running through all my snackies before the afternoon slump. To control dinner, I'll put out the meat packet to thaw in the morning or put on a slow cooker meal to be ready when I get home. Hubby has developed several strategies to sabotage dinner efforts.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    I'm not quite sure why and how it works, but it does! I plan all my meals, and do the things needed to follow it. That means grocery shopping, dishwashing, time management. The outlines of the meals are decided long in advance, the finer details can change up until last minute. I am learning what can and should be planned, and what must be improvised.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,902 Member
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    I generally chose between a few varieties of staple breakfasts, lunch, and snacks, and don't feel the need to prelog these.

    When I make a new recipe or meal, I often look at it for calories and macros before eating and tweak as needed, generally to bring calories down or protein up.
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,627 Member
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    i very loosely preplan (daily), and it often changes however, it does give me a guideline to work with/ around.
  • Cynsonya
    Cynsonya Posts: 668 Member
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    I do it both ways depending on the day. I've already logged completely for today, tomorrow, and Saturday's breakfast. If I don't eat something I'll remove it. But when I do it this way I rarely eat anything not already logged.
  • louubelle16
    louubelle16 Posts: 579 Member
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    I plan my meals and my shopping list before I do my weekly food shopping, and then I only buy the ingredients I need for those meals. This means I have to stick to it - I have no other food in the house!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
    edited February 2016
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    When I logged, I always pre-logged...I never really understood just winging it and logging after the fact and hoping for the best...

    Not that nothing ever changed, but I went into every day with a plan...I no longer log, but I still go into every day with a plan...winging it is a recipe for meh....

  • briegirl28
    briegirl28 Posts: 121 Member
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    Thank you, Everybody! I am beginning to think I should pre-log as much as possible, that way I will not want to go back and have to undo entries. I do need to do more weekend cooking so that I am more able to actually stick to what I pre-log. :)
  • BrandyGanus
    BrandyGanus Posts: 45 Member
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    jyvonne27 wrote: »
    I meal prep my breakfast and lunches on Sundays and I plan out my dinners for the week as well. It helps me save money and calories. I feel like planning my meals helps me even more than tracking them, honestly.

    I pre log the night before and then adjust if something changes. I'm still flexible, just bc it's there doesn't mean it's set in stone but it does help me stick to plan.

    I tend to make bad decisions when I don't plan in advance what I'm going to eat. I make the worst decisions when I'm already hungry.

    I pre-log the night before as well. I'm okay with switching things up, but this gives me an idea of where my calories are coming from and what to eat when I get hungry (I have bad cases of hangry if I let myself get too hungry and then I can't even think or make decisions).
  • Shells918
    Shells918 Posts: 1,070 Member
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    I log as I go. I only have certain foods in my house so I'm limited as to what I can eat anyway. Even when I'm out I'm usually too rushed to stop for anything more than an occasional coffee, and I hate going over my calories or macros.
  • michelleg85
    michelleg85 Posts: 30 Member
    edited February 2016
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    I definitely pre-log! I make meals for work (2 of my 3 meals) and pre-log them as I make them and pack them in my bag. Then, if I have something I wasn't expecting (like a coworker offering me a few carrot sticks), then I just add that as I go. For supper, and evening snacks, I know how much I have left and cook accordingly. Works like a charm!
    Also, if I didn't stick to my plan and ate something bigger that I wasn't planning (coworker offering me a donut - ugh!) then I can add it and take something else that was pre-logged off (and just save it to eat tomorrow).
    Pre-logging is such a good way to know what you have in store, and if you really can afford something here or there. I swear by it!
  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
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    I pre log when I can, but I'll deviate when I feel like it. Having the plan already set out lets me see if it's worth it to me to change things around - and what choices would be good substitutions.
  • seska422
    seska422 Posts: 3,217 Member
    edited February 2016
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    Spontaneity is important to me. I would feel too constrained (and feel like I was on a diet) if I pre-logged my days.

    I do pre-log immediately before I eat something. That lets me see if the amount that I want fits into my calories and macro goals so that I can make adjustments or change my mind before I've eaten. I watch my macro percentages and see where I might be lagging behind and eat some more of that macro the next time I eat.
  • glow_worm_eyes
    glow_worm_eyes Posts: 34 Member
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    louubelle16 wrote: »
    I plan my meals and my shopping list before I do my weekly food shopping, and then I only buy the ingredients I need for those meals. This means I have to stick to it - I have no other food in the house!

    Me too. It all starts with my grocery list. I buy healthy things like eggs, chicken, Greek yogurt, and tuna - all things I can use to prepare and bring for lunch and breakfast. This helps me to avoid the fast food that my husband brings home at night
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,426 Member
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    I pre-log my day of food every morning. It helps me stick to my calorie goal, get enough protein, and figure out portion sizes. If I want to change something I know I can find something with the same calories for that meal and not really mess up my plan.
    I'm eating food from home almost always so I have a limited selection of food so easy to decide what to eat. I have dinners planned and cook every day so it is easy to log that in advance.
  • ktekc
    ktekc Posts: 879 Member
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    For work days i try to prelog the night before. I write everything down in the kitchen when i'm packing and weighing everything. For dinner i tend to log what it is and leave it at 1gram then adjust later. If im making overnight oats i try to do 2-3 days at a time and log all of em in advance. ( and try to eat them in the order i logged them lol)

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