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Advance logging....Help or hurt?

RunAmock
RunAmock Posts: 95 Member
edited November 2024 in Food and Nutrition
Anybody ever try to log their food in advance, in an effort to stay on track? I did this a couple of times last week and it seemed to help me stick to the plan. Just wondering what your thoughts are. :

Replies

  • samanthajshep
    samanthajshep Posts: 14 Member
    I do this as well, and it seems to help. I am just careful to add anything additional to the log as well...
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,463 Member
    If it works for you, do it. Every time I've tried it, I end up changing everything later. Therefore for me it = 2X the work.
  • mydeloo78
    mydeloo78 Posts: 328 Member
    I'm way better when I have my food planned out for the day. its when I don't know what I'm going to eat that cravings set in, I get too hungry and end up making back choices. So bottom line, totally helps me!
  • ChickPea89
    ChickPea89 Posts: 31 Member
    Def helps me, espec when I've been naughty the day before!
  • robinogue
    robinogue Posts: 1,117 Member
    If I've pre-planned my meal for the day I will go ahead and pre-log it.
  • penrbrown
    penrbrown Posts: 2,685 Member
    I do this!

    It helps me. I know exactly how much food I can have in the day so I am sure to spread my meals thoughout the day and I tend to stick on track if I know exactly what I can eat to stay within the proper range. :)

    I highly reccomend advance logging... but be sure to go back and add anything that you may eat that wasn't on the plan.
  • Emancipated_Tai
    Emancipated_Tai Posts: 751 Member
    I do it everyday to give me an ideal of where I need to be. Especially if I want to add a "cheat". I suggest tracking it first. You will be suprised at what the outcome is!
  • stormieweather
    stormieweather Posts: 2,549 Member
    I almost always have my day planned in advance (and logged).That way I know how much leeway I have for snacks or unplanned items. It helps a great deal.
  • medaglia_06
    medaglia_06 Posts: 282 Member
    I try and do the advanced logging when I can ... definitely helps me to stay on track (especially after I've been naughty).
  • carriem73
    carriem73 Posts: 333 Member
    funny, I just posted on my news feed about how I like to log ahead for the day- especially my exercising so that I know how many calories I have for the day- it drives me nuts that the news feed makes it look like I have already done the exercising or the eating- i wish there was a "projected" button or something-

    But to answer your original question- yes, if I know what I am having for lunch/dinner or exercise, I will log ahead to know what I have to work with!
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,228 Member
    I log in advance every day, but it is constantly subject to change.
  • katzblood
    katzblood Posts: 41
    it helps me big time because otherwise I wont eat enough of one of my macros.
  • burg1801
    burg1801 Posts: 124
    It's the only way I can stay disciplined to this. I need a road map for the entire day so it certainly helps me.
  • katherinemm31
    katherinemm31 Posts: 163
    I didn't even know you could. Ha! Learn something new every day.
  • jayb0ne
    jayb0ne Posts: 644 Member
    Yeah, sometimes. But I know what I can eat for the next day to the bite anyway and anything else just ain't food ;)
  • hongruss
    hongruss Posts: 389 Member
    For food that I know I am going to be using I try to pre log. I find it gives you an idea of whats left & really helps me to meet my macros & overall goal, if I need to I will add or delete & it seems to work really well :)

    Russ
  • RetroGlitzDiva
    RetroGlitzDiva Posts: 109 Member
    Advance logging works way better for me. I can adjust all my portions before I have ate them allowing me to really ensure that my macronutient ratios are right on!
  • solarpower4
    solarpower4 Posts: 250 Member
    I don't log all my food in advance (I eat WAY too much and too varied to do that) however I DO enter items I'm contemplating for my next meal to decide if it's worth eating that particular food/combination. I often change my plans when I see how many calories and how little protein it is.
    I sometimes log my exercise ahead of time. I initially did that for the same reason - to see how many calories I would burn and would it be worth that particular exercise - but then a Friend congratulated me on my great workout and I was so embarrassed that I HAD to go do that exact workout!!! Now I use that as a motivator to make sure I go for my run (or whatever).
  • izzydino
    izzydino Posts: 254 Member
    I honestly have no idea ahead of time what I am going to eat.... I always have several options available at all times.
  • wftiger
    wftiger Posts: 1,283 Member
    I almost always log the next day after I eat supper. I don't have a lot of calories to work with so it takes some planning to eat "enough" for lunch and supper so I play around with what fits in my macros.

    If it changes a little bit I don't get too uptight about it. It is usually just one of the two meals I eat (breakfast doesn't count as I am lazy and have a protein shake).

    I have done this the entire 4+ months on MFP and it is working great for me.
  • kristinL16
    kristinL16 Posts: 401 Member
    I do this as well. In the evenings I log what I plan to eat the next day. It helps me to stay on track because it forces me to plan my meals and snacks. If I don't have things planned then I am likely to eat something unhealthy on the fly. Plus, it helps me to figure out how many calories is in a meal since I have to find that out BEFORE making it (I make a lot of new recipes due to Pinterest!). If I waiting I would most likely be over my goals every day.
  • Whitetail24
    Whitetail24 Posts: 42 Member
    In the morning I log for the day lots of times because i know what i'm having then add things in if i need to.
  • IvoryParchment
    IvoryParchment Posts: 651 Member
    I use a smart phone and log as I eat. But if I didn't, there's no way I would succeed if I was trying to remember to log later.
  • ariant23
    ariant23 Posts: 161 Member
    I don't log all my food in advance (I eat WAY too much and too varied to do that) however I DO enter items I'm contemplating for my next meal to decide if it's worth eating that particular food/combination. I often change my plans when I see how many calories and how little protein it is.

    this is what i do if the mood strikes me. esp. on days like today when i went a little crazy with the snacks, i'll log a potential dinner and see where i'm at. so for me, like most things, it depends on the day
  • Stacyanne324
    Stacyanne324 Posts: 780 Member
    I find logging in advance is a huge help at keeping me on track. I do it every morning for the day so I know how many calories I'm spending on my main meals and can fill in snacks around them as I go. The only day I'm not logging in advance now is Sunday. It's my spike day and I allow myself to indulge. I still log it and for the first few weeks I was logging in advance so I didn't go totally crazy but it takes some of the fun from the day so now I'm not.
  • BobbieLee1959
    BobbieLee1959 Posts: 605 Member
    Pre-logging totally helps me stay on track and makes me think about what I will be eating BEFORE I am too hungry to think (just kidding about that part!) I enjoy knowing what I am going to be eating ahead of time, though, it keeps me on track!
  • chrissismone
    chrissismone Posts: 116 Member
    Its like mad helpful for me because I'm on this site all day during the week and I typically will eat the same things Mon-Fri bc I cook my meals on Sunday. I will always go back and alter but for the most part it stays..
  • Joytriker
    Joytriker Posts: 7
    I think it helps me to log my food before I actually eat it. If the calories seem too much I can change what I eat. If I don't remember to log after I eat I at least have a record of what I thought I was going to eat. Anything is better than nothing at all, right? Sometimes I plan my dinner and enter everything in the morning. Then after I've logged my breakfast I can see how many calories I have left for the day.
  • firesoforion
    firesoforion Posts: 1,017 Member
    Definitely helps. One time I even logged a whole day in advance and changed things as I made alterations to the original plan.
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