Do you use MFP to plan your day?

24

Replies

  • Yes...

    I'm normally good for keeping an eye on counting the food at work but when I get home with an empty tommy then....
  • sofitheteacup
    sofitheteacup Posts: 396 Member
    I make a general plan at the beginning of the week (think Sunday night) and keep it in an open Notepad document on my desktop, deleting each meal or day as I complete it. It helps me plan out my grocery shopping and cooking so I know what I need to do and what I have to finish before it goes bad in my refrigerator (side note: cooking for one is lame).
    It works well for me, but sometimes I don't stick to the plan exactly, it isn't set in stone- I made chili a day earlier than planned yesterday, but then I adjust as the week continues. It works well for me.
    As far as calories, I generally scan the database to have an general idea of where I should be by the end of the day, tracking each meal at work as I eat it.
  • yoouperh
    yoouperh Posts: 68 Member
    I plan my day every day, then I pick one or two little things that I can have for a treat every day, it's so fun!!!
  • CosmicBella
    CosmicBella Posts: 195 Member
    Yup... I plan out my food diary each morning. It helps me to stick to a plan that has been working great for me! :)
  • katcj
    katcj Posts: 32 Member
    I make a plan of all of the evening meals I'm intending to do for my family for an entire week before I do our weekly shop. This helps in a couple of ways, it means I buy everything I need at the shop, it means I only buy what I need and it makes it easier to stick to eating good, healthy meals because if I know what I'm having and I know I've got all the ingredients in then I'm less likely to give up and have takeaway instead! Then, each day I add to my diary what I've had for breakfast, and then usually enter what I'm intending to have for lunch and dinner that evening too - as a previous poster says, by doing that, I'll know what I have left over for snacks so that I know I won't go over my limit. It all just helps me to keep focussed I suppose :smile:
  • Di3012
    Di3012 Posts: 2,247 Member
    Am I just a bit OCD, or does anyone else plan their eating at the beginning of the day?

    Many times I do because it is easier for me because of my shifts.
  • jagoochie
    jagoochie Posts: 218 Member
    i do mine in advance and then look at my caolries but also my protein and fat / carb amounts and figure out what i need to eat to make sure i get the right nutrients not just the right calories - sometimes ill even log a whole week beacuse if i am at work i know what i am likely to take to eat for lunch etc... then i know what i can have over a weekend :)
  • JanetLM73
    JanetLM73 Posts: 1,226 Member
    I have mild OCD and plan the night before. My husband and I are going out for dinner/movies tomorrow and I've already looked at the menu and added it to tomorrow's dinner on mfp....YEP, a little OCD.
  • snookumss
    snookumss Posts: 1,451 Member
    I used to not, but now I have to because I have to hit particular macros. If I don't plan everything for the rest of my day out beforehand I end up eating the most ridiculous dinners.

    Example:

    Half an english muffin, with 2 tablespoons of mayo and a sliced up sausage. I ate it like a pizza, with mayo sauce. Ugh!

    As you can see, I hadn't planned out enough fats! ^.^
  • andiechick
    andiechick Posts: 916 Member
    I try and plan my day in advance so I can stay within my cals and hopefully allow myself a little treat, but I don't necessarily put it into MFP before I've eaten it x
  • moseler
    moseler Posts: 224 Member
    Funny... that is exactly what I am doing right now. I log my breakfast and then log in everything I am taking with me for lunch and snacks throughout the day before I go to work... if I know what we are having for dinner before I leave... I will log that too. Otherwise, I just leave extra calories, etc. for the unexpected dinner.

    I think planning it out right at the beginning helps me combat any of those unexpected temptations... I am a teacher, so we ALWAYS have someone bringing in doughnuts or cupcakes for some reason or another... it's easier for me to walk away when I know I've packed my own healthy treats to indulge in... or if I absolutely want that red velvet cupcake with cream cheese frosting... I can check to see if I have room... if not... it's out. If I have room... YUMM-A-ROO!
  • WandaVonDunajew
    WandaVonDunajew Posts: 183 Member
    I am OCD diagnosed, but yes, I do. :wink: Mostly because if I dont, I will eat what-the-heck-ever I want.

    i do not have OCD and still do it. out of the same reason :))) I rather delete something (or...um...add something,,:grumble: ) afterwards, but its nice to see how much cals, carbs and protein my stuff has...
  • dargytaylor
    dargytaylor Posts: 840 Member
    I do! my day is already filled out with the food intake I plan on eating and it's only 8:33 am :smile:

    This way I know what I need more of, or less of
  • ajfrench
    ajfrench Posts: 323 Member
    Yep, definitely. Keeps me in check!
  • monroe61
    monroe61 Posts: 620 Member
    I try to put my whole day in after I eat breakfast, that way I know how much I have left throughout the day if I do want a little extra snack or if maybe I need to workout extra that day :)
  • _Ren
    _Ren Posts: 89 Member
    I do.
  • heathersmilez
    heathersmilez Posts: 2,579 Member
    I plan my WEEK in advance and don't consider that OCD, it's one of the most intelligent apps on your phone/itouch/ipad (when your competition is Angry Births and Bejeweled, LOL!) and beats reading a free newspaper on the train ;)
  • missjoci
    missjoci Posts: 412 Member
    Haha no, I guess I'm spontaneous. I log as I go.
  • TwinMumCork
    TwinMumCork Posts: 125 Member
    Yes I typically plug in everything the day before or the morning of. It helps me stick to my goals and makes me accountable for what I put in my body. I think it helps me focus on my final goal.

    Ditto
  • galegetsthin
    galegetsthin Posts: 1,340 Member
    I plan mine every sunday night for the upcoming week. It is easier for me to make sure I get all that I need to that way. I can make sure I plan in enough veggies, I do my grocery shopping, I premake as many meals as I can, I do a lot of the prep work for stuff, like cutting fruits and veggies, browning ground turkey, making pasta sauces, getting breakfasts together, clean out the fridge from last week....... I am a bit anal about it all.
  • spatchin911
    spatchin911 Posts: 2 Member
    I pre-plan and enter everything for the next day beforehand. I then make my lunch and bag up snacks in portion sizes. My 8 hour work day can easily become a mandatory 12 hour day. I HAVE to be prepared or turn to fast food establishments. However, I DO NOT enter my exercise since my goals and plans can easily be thwarted by mandatory OT!
  • QueenJayJay
    QueenJayJay Posts: 1,079 Member
    I plan mine every sunday night for the upcoming week. It is easier for me to make sure I get all that I need to that way. I can make sure I plan in enough veggies, I do my grocery shopping, I premake as many meals as I can, I do a lot of the prep work for stuff, like cutting fruits and veggies, browning ground turkey, making pasta sauces, getting breakfasts together, clean out the fridge from last week....... I am a bit anal about it all.

    This is a great idea! I like to plan my week, also, I just don't log it. I hate having to make more than one trip to the grocery store. You should try e-mealz.com. You'd like it.
  • renu74
    renu74 Posts: 90 Member
    I plan everything at breakfast. This way I will not over indulge in unhealthy snacks when I am craving or hungry. When I make my lunch bag in the morning, I enter it all, including snacks that I have packed, then it shows just the calories left for dinner. So far it has been working.
  • Kayla165
    Kayla165 Posts: 118 Member
    I do it every morning after my work out. I just enter in breakfast, lunch and dinner to see what I am left with and try to fill in the gaps with healthy snacks.
  • gecho
    gecho Posts: 426 Member
    I do! I pre add everything in my diary... it also helps so you know if you could have an extra things throughout the day because you can see exactly how many calories you are going to consume on your meals/snacks. :)

    this is me exactly!
  • XXXMinnieXXX
    XXXMinnieXXX Posts: 3,459 Member
    I plan the night before and tweak if needed. This helpsa me to feel in control. Most days it getsa adjusted a little though x
  • galegetsthin
    galegetsthin Posts: 1,340 Member
    I plan mine every sunday night for the upcoming week. It is easier for me to make sure I get all that I need to that way. I can make sure I plan in enough veggies, I do my grocery shopping, I premake as many meals as I can, I do a lot of the prep work for stuff, like cutting fruits and veggies, browning ground turkey, making pasta sauces, getting breakfasts together, clean out the fridge from last week....... I am a bit anal about it all.

    This is a great idea! I like to plan my week, also, I just don't log it. I hate having to make more than one trip to the grocery store. You should try e-mealz.com. You'd like it.

    I dont log it until I eat it, but I have it written down on the fridge. I have a tendency to skip meals and by me posting it there, my boyfriend will check in with me randomly and ask "how was your smoothie this morning?" or "Dont forget to take your Salmon pita for lunch!". It makes dinner making really easy too, I have as much as can be done ahead done, so it is usually just a matter of heating up a couple things and only having to cook one. And since Kurtis cooks a lot too, he helps me on sunday and plans with me and we go shopping together and do the prep together. It is my favorite day of the week. (Besides Friday after 5)
  • mrsdizzyd84
    mrsdizzyd84 Posts: 422 Member
    I plan out all my meals in the morning except for a couple snacks. I play the snacks by ear depending on how hungry I am and what I have on hand.

    I'm not just tracking calories, I'm also tracking my carb intake (<150g) and my sodium (<2,000mg). If I don't plan my day I can very easily blow right on by my sodium number.
  • I do. I believe that is an important part to keeping a food journal.
  • tagben
    tagben Posts: 72
    I do it everynight for the next day !!This way it helps me stick to it : NO guessing NO excuses
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