any one pre plan their food journals?

I was just about to ask the same question. I'm thinking I should do that, might help to keep from grabbing something I haven't logged.

I meal plan for two weeks and use that list to go shopping with.

I do. I like to snack a lot (like, on healthy things), I don't eat big meals, so this keeps me on track. I know exactly what I have left for the day. I also do well when I save some calories for the evening, so I have to plan carefully for that so I hit all my macros. My athletic abilities depend heavily on my nutrition, so I really pay attention to what I'm eating. When I want to exercise heavily I have to eat for it, so I have to plan...

Yep. But I've learned not to obsess over it. It's too much stress, especially knowing how many things can change or go wrong in a day.

It definitely helps to give yourself an idea of what you can / should be eating throughout the day though, and even leave room for treats at the end of the day if you want. Good luck!

I do- especially when I know I'm facing a potential diet buster...like meeting another family at a pizza joint to get the kids together...I know how weak I am in the face of temptation, so I check out the menu options ahead of time and plug in my "budget" for the event and then use that to help me focus the rest of the day!

I usually sit down and put in what I think I'm going to eat especially for dinner to see if it will fit into my calorie count and then make any changes needed. It seems to work better than eating and then trying to add it up. The important thing for me is to be honest. If it goes in my mouth it goes on the computer no matter how bad it is. I've managed to lose 70 pounds since last May 1st.

I do the excate same!!!

I work about 80% of my day a little after breakfast - obviously I know what I ate for breakfast, but I usually know and stick to a menu for lunch, dinner and a few of my snacks. Then I balance my calories and macros using the room left over in my calorie allowance, and eat these foods for afternoon snacks and supper.

I do to some extent. Like for example, I have the one of 2 things for breakfast and lunch so my calories don't really vary for those two meals. My unknown factor is dinner. I usually put different meals in my diary to see what I'll have left over after that. For example, if I eat right when i get home from work, then I want a snack a few hours later so I pick a smaller dinner to have calories for a snack. If I eat later, I don't want a snack. But I don't plan them out too far in advance.

Sometimes if I want something that I don't eat often, I'll put it all in early so I know how many calories I should exercise to not go over.

I do!! I plan the day before, that way I know how much I can eat or if I need to tweak anything so that I don't go over my calories. It helps me alot.

I usually sit at breakfast and plan the rest of my day, including drinks (non-alcoholic..I'm not 21) and snack food. I write it on a piece of paper, and carry it with me, that way I know what I can have as my day goes. I take my snacks with me in my purse, and I find that having my written list has really helped, especially since I can't always get to my computer to track.