Do you plan your meals ahead of the time

januarygal
januarygal Posts: 336 Member
edited October 4 in Food and Nutrition
Do you plan ahead or do you just log what you just ate. I have a really hard time sticking to an eating plan, but perhaps it is the best way to stay with nutrition and calorie goals.
How much of your food is whole foods and how much is processed? Seems it is easier to calculate calories with the processed meals, but I am thinking it is not the healthiest way.
Any guidance towards easy to prepare, tasty and healthy meals or meal plans, something my family will eat so I don't have to prepare two separate meals?
Looking forward to your input:ohwell: :ohwell:

Replies

  • kellyscomeback
    kellyscomeback Posts: 1,369 Member
    I plan out my day with a rough estimate of what I'll burning doing that day's workout in mind. If you look at my diary around 8a you'll see everything there plus my cals in the red by what I plan to burn.

    It's easier for me to plan ahead, estimate your burn and sub track/add as needed.
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,228 Member
    Yes. Often. The more I lose, the lower my calorie goal and I am finding that planning ahead is becoming more of a necessity.
  • anna_jane48
    anna_jane48 Posts: 9
    I eat my first meal of the day, then log that. Usually my first meal is my biggest one. After that, I plan what I am going to eat for the rest of the day and log that in my thingy, so I know what I can eat for the rest of the day, it works brilliantly for me.
  • czechsmate
    czechsmate Posts: 556 Member
    I pretty much plan ahead each morning for the day...that way I know if I have to switch things up a bit. I have little to no processed foods other than the occasional jar of spegetti sauce or can or soup. My husband eats what I cook so he has no choice, lol. I either bake, broil or grill...use olive oil only.
  • PlanetVelma
    PlanetVelma Posts: 1,223 Member
    Heck i plan out my meals for the week! LOL I do this because it's easier when I go grocery shopping. Basically I make a menu of what we're going to have for breakfast/lunches/dinners and make my grocery list based on those meals.

    Check out skinnytaste.com there are some GREAT recipes on there for the whole family. :)
  • kouzzzz
    kouzzzz Posts: 540 Member
    Yes, most of the time it's the same every day. Protein (whey or chicken), good fats (coconut, sesame or flax oils) vegetables and nuts.
  • SDkitty
    SDkitty Posts: 446 Member
    I've noticed that when I plan ahead I am WAY more likely to stay within my goals and workout. The days that I go over are usually days that I didn't bother keeping track until the day was over!

    :flowerforyou:
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,228 Member
    Heck i plan out my meals for the week! LOL I do this because it's easier when I go grocery shopping. Basically I make a menu of what we're going to have for breakfast/lunches/dinners and make my grocery list based on those meals.

    Check out skinnytaste.com there are some GREAT recipes on there for the whole family. :)

    I may start doing this.
  • nmerley
    nmerley Posts: 98 Member
    sometimes I plan ahead sometime I dont. Depends on my mood and what I got goin on. I try and keep most my meals homemade. I can control sodium and nutrients that way. We do alot of chicken in this house. I have started usin ground turkey instead of ground beef and my family doesnt mind. ( I have a picky 14yr old and a 3yr old)
  • judkinsjenny
    judkinsjenny Posts: 220
    I think the reason I have trouble sticking with a meal plan is my body wants/needs certain things at certain times. what i plan does not sound good when its time. so have a plan that you can pick and choose form.
  • sarah_ep
    sarah_ep Posts: 580 Member
    Yes. Often. Looking at other diaries really helps me with this. I also look at other recipes sites for inspiration and may change a few things to fit my calories needs.

    smittenkitchen.com
    epicurious.com
    allrecipes.com

    These are a few of my favorites. Whatever I have the most of is my main ingredient and I work around that by looking through these sites.
  • MissFit0101
    MissFit0101 Posts: 2,382
    Always plan ahead... usually a day ahead, but sometimes a few days or a week in advance.
  • HMonsterX
    HMonsterX Posts: 3,000 Member
    I never know what i will fancy until right before tbh. I just buy 6 meals for the week, then see what i fancy each day.
  • mehaugen
    mehaugen Posts: 210 Member
    With a food scale, it is simple to log unprocessed food! That's pretty much all I eat. I plan ahead what I am going to eat. Sometimes I check the food database to see how many calories a certain portion has, like how many ounces of chicken will equal X calories that I have left for dinner.
  • LisaMarieee
    LisaMarieee Posts: 176 Member
    When I used to log, I'd do a mix of planning ahead and just logging whatever I ate. It would depend on how I felt that day. My diet consists just of whole foods, I stay away from processed foods. I personally feel better when I eat this way.
  • crzyone
    crzyone Posts: 872 Member
    I don't have a lot of variety so I pretty much know what I'm going to eat most days. I, also, cook ahead when I can so I have foods available so I don't grab something bad on the spur of the moment.
  • yashaya
    yashaya Posts: 6
    Yes I do and that seems like the best way for me to stay focused. I just seriously started and I have losed 9.1 pounds in 3 weeks. I'm really glad I have found something that can help me montior what I eat and incorporate exercise as well. I really like my fitness pal!
  • KokomoJoe
    KokomoJoe Posts: 435
    My food log is completely filled in for tomorrow and Thursday. If I change what I eat which sometimes happens as tonight I didn't want to bake a sweet potato, I just edit it to reflect what I ate.
  • yashaya
    yashaya Posts: 6
    Wow I never plan that far ahead. Maybe I will try that.
  • ScarletFyre
    ScarletFyre Posts: 754 Member
    i was the same as you as far as processed goes - until only recently. It was so much easier to find a packaged food in MFP. I also recently found that nitrates, and preservatives are one of my bigger migraine triggers so i have an extra motivation to stay away from them.

    I am sure there are other websites that do this, but i try to get recipes off AllRecipes.com - they give you an option to see the nutritional information. The other benefit of making your own food is you can subsitute healthier choices - ground turkey instead of hamburger, lower fat milk etc.

    I plan everything except for dinner ahead of time - i decide what i am eating that day, and take it to work. I can't stray now, because what i have is all i have except for some plain oatmeal...haha! I found after a couple months of eating better when i DID "cheat" and buy some yummy, rich lunch at work, i'd feel like crap the rest of the day, and actually crave my better food.

    once that day is over, i usually see how many calories are left then figure out dinner. Now it's just my boyfriend and i and he usually works late so it's easier for me to "wing" dinner than it would be for someone with kids.

    I'd definetely check out some of the recipe websites and see - you may find a good balance between yummy for the kids and healthy for you.

    PS - if i go out to dinner or something, i plug in choices into MFP before ordering - sometimes the amount of calores changes my mind. :bigsmile:
  • csmith4567
    csmith4567 Posts: 82 Member
    Yes and no ... I try to stock the freezer with a variety of veggies, chicken, ground turkey, turkey sausage etc .. so that I have basics on hand for quick low cal meals.

    I truly plan when I know something bad is coming ... going out and having cocktails, or definately not cooking so we're having take-out.

    I also keep protein shakes on hand (zoic and EAS advantage) that are about 100 calories because often when I'm hungry, a protein fix will do it, and I can save my calories for a "bad" night out.

    But truly, I've changed how I shop and my portions on carbs, etc. I eat what my family eats. Often then don't realize or care that I've substited something healthier (i.e. olive oil in lieu of butter ... whole and long grain rice in lieu of white ... baked potatoe in lieu of mashed ... grilled in lieu of fried ... etc etc etc),

    In fact, my overall goal has been for this to be a lifestyle change, not a diet ... and 90% of what I am doing for myself is shared by the family, including have large salads with dinner (I often fill half the plate and choose an expensive balsamic in lieu of bottle dressing of any kind, this truly helps me "eat what they eat" but stay within the calorie goal and get a grip on portion sizes).

    I just can't get it together financially or time wise to eat off a meal plan ... (cottage cheese once breakfast, yogurt the next, etc and each day a different fresh fruit).. I buy what is on sale and eat it every day or two until it is gone .. I figure the meal plans are to get your mind around what constitutes a healthy meal .. great for training and I do read them, but unrealistic to stick to in the long run, unless you live alone, and have the time and money to make it real. I'm sure they work, but I just don't have the lifestyle to make it real.
  • Anonymity
    Anonymity Posts: 5
    personally i go through phases where i plan and don't plan. i can tell you that it is a lot easier to eat healthy if you plan for at least 3 reasons;
    1- if you plan it's easier to stay on track & meet your goals
    2- if you know what your going to make/eat for dinner you wont snack yourself to death or stop to get connivence food/fast food
    3- planning snacks helps prevent overeating

    right now i'm on a planning phase :) each sunday my fiancé and i sit down and plan the dinners for the week and make a grocery list so that we have the odds and ends for the meals. (we usually eat left overs for lunch). i have been using google calendar to plan my meals, i include a link to the recipe if it's on-line and full instructions when i can.

    i have found some great recipes on food network and from cook yourself thin. the latter is great b/c at the very least calories/serving is always disclosed.
  • jenniferhe
    jenniferhe Posts: 52 Member
    Here's a few websites that have helped me.

    1) www.tasteofhome.com
    2) http://www.momswhothink.com/easy-recipes/easy-dinner-recipes.html

    I've found meal planning worth it both in calorie counting and budgeting :)
  • it_be_asin
    it_be_asin Posts: 562 Member
    I plan my dinners ahead for the week, then at the start of the day I log what I will eat for the day and work out how to try and make my macronutrient goals. I will change what I eat around a bit prior to the end of the days - substituting small snacks in and out and changing the timing of when I eat them, changing around dinner or lunch if I am eating out and have changed my mind. It seems to work for me.
  • swimmchick87
    swimmchick87 Posts: 458 Member
    I try to plan out my day the night before. I tried to do dinners a week in advance and it just didn't work- by Thursday whatever I thought I might want on Sunday never sounded good anymore. I type in what I'm planning on eating and my excercise and make sure it's within my limits. It really helps me a lot. Today, for example I planned everything out and realized I had about 200 calories left, so I knew I was able to have an afternoon snack at work today. Had I not planned it, I wouldn't have realized I was under until nighttime, and then you don't want to overeat at night...it just works out well for me! If for some reason my plans change I simply edit my diary.
  • SDkitty
    SDkitty Posts: 446 Member
    PS - if i go out to dinner or something, i plug in choices into MFP before ordering - sometimes the amount of calores changes my mind. :bigsmile:

    I started doing this about a month ago and it drastically changed my mind about certain restaurants/meals! Very good idea!

    :flowerforyou:
  • buckaroos30
    buckaroos30 Posts: 127 Member
    I also plan a whole week ahead for supper menus I search the receipe sites www.skinnytaste.com,www.eatingwell.com,make the list for things that I don't already have. I only make fresh foods no processed foods for us. good luck
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