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Do you pre-log your food?

nyponbell
nyponbell Posts: 379 Member
edited November 2024 in Food and Nutrition
Now that I am back on the bandwagon of logging my food (yay me! let's see how long it lasts this time...) I figured it was high time I pose the question I've been wondering about for a while - I know that people often pre-plan their meals (I tend to do the same, even when I'm not logging; at least lunch as I need to know what to bring to university) but I was wondering if people also pre-logged their food (and not just the day of or the day before, but even longer in advance).

Any particular pros and cons? Any reason you do it/don't do it?

I have sort of played around with doing this in the past, where I would log the things I plan on eating and then adjust as I go (weights, additions, exclusions etc). So I'm mostly hoping to find someone who does pre-log and follow the plan!


This I think is especially interesting to me as I am someone who wouldn't mind eating basically the same thing every day, which in theory should make pre-logging easy.
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Replies

  • Llamapants86
    Llamapants86 Posts: 1,221 Member
    I only prelog some things. For example, if I know we are having a pizza night, I'll log that so I can adjust the rest of the day. Other than that I like just logging as I go. I've also been doing this a while so I have a pretty clear idea on calories and macros of what I eat regularly.
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    edited July 2017
    I pre log. I like knowing that I'll get to dinner with enough macros let to make a satisfying meal. I also track macros, not calories, so prelogging is easier. I eat the same thing every day during the week, sometimes for weeks on end, so technically I prelog weeks in advance...
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    Rarely. Only if I know ahead of time what's for dinner. But my breakfasts tend to be the same so it's not a big issue.
  • nicolenels0n
    nicolenels0n Posts: 1 Member
    I always pre log! With counting macros, I find it so much easier. Planning and being consistent is what has made me so successful.
  • scarlett_k
    scarlett_k Posts: 812 Member
    No, but I do a rough sketch of my week's dinners when I do my weekly shop and breakfast and lunch are smaller meals for me anyway so I don't do anything special there. I just make sure I have food in the house that gives me options to fit into each day.
  • born_of_fire74
    born_of_fire74 Posts: 776 Member
    I plan a week at a time. Helps a ton with grocery shopping. I can always shuffle things around if my mood changes or I forget to take something out of the freezer as long as I hit my macros within my calorie allowance on any given day.
  • 92joann
    92joann Posts: 67 Member
    I don't usually, but then I usually don't know exactly what I'm having until it's made. But logged today's lunch last night - was taking my son to MacDonalds, planned on having a light dinner but it worked out not so bad so haven't had to readjust
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    I prelog for the day every morning. I do not prelog several days in advance though.

  • Tabbycat00
    Tabbycat00 Posts: 146 Member
    I actually (am crazy, I know) but use a combo of MyFitness Pal and Lose it! The Lose it! app dominates on pre-logging. That said, I do it all the time. Especially when I have a lot of work to do. I like the control. I like planning. I'm one of those people who pays for calendar apps, has a day planner, keeps a journal...the whole thing. I think it's just personal preference.
  • Aerona85
    Aerona85 Posts: 159 Member
    I usually prolog breakfast, lunch, and snack (though will change things as needed). I usually don't know what I am in the mood for for dinner until it is dinner time so I usually just log that as it comes up.
  • nyponbell
    nyponbell Posts: 379 Member
    I think one of the reasons I dislike pre-logging my food (although I really want to do it) is that there's no setting in the app to "check it off". What I mean is, I would need to remember what I've eaten already, and if I need to update a weight of something. That might be a small issue, but I think I would prefer it if I could just tick a box and know that part is "done" - if that were the case, then I'd probably pre-log a lot more!

    (And why yes, I have issues. :wink: )

    @slimpig342 That is a fantastic idea about logging the treat! I too prefer to have mine in the evening (though I'm not always able to wait that long, ahem) and making sure it is in my plan (even before I make a plan) is a wonderful idea.

    @Tabbycat00 I've never heard of the Lose It! app, but I am similar to you in that I like to be ordered and plan things out (which is probably why I dislike the lack of perfection with the MFP app in the sense that I can't use it the way I want!).

    Thank you everyone for your input! I think I'm going to try and play around a bit more with what works for me!
  • smileyducky
    smileyducky Posts: 31 Member
    I eat the same thing everyday for a week so I pre log what I would like to eat before I go grocery shopping to see if it fits in my cals. Then I just log for the whole week because why not, I'm eating the same exact thing
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,179 Member
    edited July 2017
    I didn't log today yesterday, but I did log lunch and dinner after breakfast. I see that I still have calories for something else, and I'll decide what that will be later.

    @nyponbell I'd also like to have a box to 'check it off'.
  • CTcutie
    CTcutie Posts: 649 Member
    Pre-log during the work week. I make my breakfast & lunch to bring with me. If I plan to go out (or eat Oreos!), I pre-log those, too. Dinner depends on how late I get home after gym & if/what my workout was after work.
  • coralred1965
    coralred1965 Posts: 16 Member
    I pre log mainly during the week. I try and work out my protein and calories first. Normally I decide the night before what I'm having for dinner the next day so when I take meat or fish out of the freezer I log it straight away.
  • MaddMaestro
    MaddMaestro Posts: 405 Member
    YES otherwise I overeat if I don't plan ahead.
  • Luna3386
    Luna3386 Posts: 888 Member
    I prelog a few days in advance.

    I set up my food diary based on my meal times so I eat What I planned at that time and move through the day like that.
  • cangler
    cangler Posts: 104 Member
    edited July 2017
    yes all the time, saves me time and makes sure the macros work, etc.
  • Gisel2015
    Gisel2015 Posts: 4,200 Member
    As @malibu927 said, I rarely pre-log, unless I know for sure what I am having ahead of time; for example when I have left overs or a frozen meal that I prepared in bulk.

    I don't eat the same thing all the time and most of the time I don't know what I am really preparing until I get to the kitchen. I am known for changing my mind at the last moment according with the ingredients or how lazy I am. I had the same approach when in losing mode that I have now in my maintenance stage. It works for me.
  • WendyLeigh1119
    WendyLeigh1119 Posts: 495 Member
    Only weekday breakfast. Everything else varies wildy daily as well as weekly. I don't prep or do any cooking, so it's whatever I decide I'm hungry for or what's being cooked for me. Sometimes I prelog my ice cream or brownies (snacks) and especially milk/cheese/dairy so that they get priority over regular food.
  • jayemes
    jayemes Posts: 865 Member
    I menu plan dinner for the week and do all the shopping so I know what I have in the house and what dinner's going to be. I'll pre-log dinner after breakfast so I know what I need for lunch - something light, something high protein if I'm low for the day ect....
    Also I like to plan for things like pizza night so I know I'm reigning it in enough early in the day so I can enjoy a good slice once in awhile
  • Nikion901
    Nikion901 Posts: 2,467 Member
    Don't prelog ever. Just me. Like to log as I go, and use meal planning in another format to stay within bounds.
  • pdxwine
    pdxwine Posts: 389 Member
    I pre-log some items on some days. If I leave my house in the morning, and know that I have packed a lunch to take on the road with me, I will pre-log it.

    When I get home, and know what I will have for dinner, I will pre-log that. It allows me to decide what else I may have (such as a cocktail before dinner, or a dessert item after.)
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    I never did. It felt too restrictive and then I wanted to eat more.

    I found giving myself a caloric range to eat in worked well. I often logged my food as I went along and if it needed tweaking I adjusted my dinner a bit.
  • Sp1tfire
    Sp1tfire Posts: 1,120 Member
    edited July 2017
    Sometimes I log a few things I know i'll be eating the rest of the day in the morning. Sometimes I forget I logged them and see my calories left and feel sad but then I realize I prelogged 2 snacks already!!
  • Poisonedpawn78
    Poisonedpawn78 Posts: 1,145 Member
    edited July 2017
    I pre log my meals. Sometimes I will have a snack that I will add in after the fact but I usually have the same snacks so I know what I am getting into ahead of time.

    If I go to a restaurant I will look up the information ahead of time so i know what I am ordering even before i go into the place.
  • seccotine
    seccotine Posts: 8 Member
    Until very recently, I never pre-logged but was always astonished to see that I used to hit 45-50% fat in total daily consumption. Now, I have started an advanced running plan and need to make sure I have enough energy and muscles. So I got my optimal macros from iifym.com and make sure that I follow them. It is a lot harder than just watching calories and I pre-log my meals for the day to make sure that each meal is balanced. Lots of tinkering until I am satisfied with the result.
  • abovethecity
    abovethecity Posts: 42 Member
    I usually just pre-log breakfast. I change my mind too often to bother with the rest.
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