Who plans their meals in advance and why?

Fay84Vegan
Fay84Vegan Posts: 225 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I tend to eat the same breakfast everyday and then vary what i eat for the rest of the day (within my calorie limit)

Do you think it is a good idea to decide what you are going to eat in advance?

Has anyone done this?

Have you found that it has helped you keep within your calories and helped you meet your nutritional needs for the day?

Thanks

:happy:
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Replies

  • mollydubs
    mollydubs Posts: 205 Member
    I do this, up to 3 or 4 days in advance. I do it because it's fun, it takes the anxiety out of how I'm going to eat my calories, and I make sure to leave enough left over calories to not worry myself with unscheduled treats. That being said, I also make my food for the week ahead of time so it really is truly easy.

    It helped me immensely with losing weight and making my diet more custom fit to my nutritional needs. I really hated the anxiety of counting down the calories in the day.
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
    I do, otherwise I end up at dinner far short of the macros I want.
  • jennys11
    jennys11 Posts: 118 Member
    I typically plan out my meals a week ahead of time. I create a shopping list with the ingredients and then I know what I'm making for the week and know what my calories will be. There is no excuse for going over my calories because I know what I'm making and eating. Sometimes I even make the dinners for the week on Sunday/Monday for the week for my husband and I if I know I won't have time.
  • londongirl2012
    londongirl2012 Posts: 149 Member
    I try to plan the night before or on the day before i eat so i know how my macros and calls are looking and want to be as close to 0 as possible on them all! x
  • OLFATUG
    OLFATUG Posts: 393 Member
    I do. OCD makes me do it.
  • DANCHAN1
    DANCHAN1 Posts: 113 Member
    I believe they have done many studies that indicate that planning is one of the best tools you can use to stay on track. I premake food on Sunday for the week. I bring my breakfast, lunch and snacks to work it is the only way I can control what I am eating. Let's face it if it is fast it is usually bad for you other than fruit and veggies you can grab. Unfortunately we don't usually go for that or at least I don't
  • wisebadger53
    wisebadger53 Posts: 382 Member
    I typically eat one of 3 or 4 different basic things for breakfast (oatmeal, yogurt, egg substitute, whole grain english muffins), and vary them slightly or add some fruit just to get some variety. I usually pack my own food to take to the office for lunch, and if I know what my better half is making for dinner I can tweak my lunch and snacks for the day to get things in line with my goals.

    This seems to work for me most days.
  • ambie1973
    ambie1973 Posts: 5
    I do this also. Same thing as you with the breakfast. Simply because I have to get up to early for work, I usually prep my stuff the night before and have it ready for my early rise. I eat an egg-white omelette and it's usually around 100-150 calories depending on what I put in it. This was, I KNOW my morning is starting out on the right foot and don't feel so bad if I have more on my lunch or dinner.

    Also, if I start out every morning the same, I know how to sorta plan dinner. It's hard sometimes because dinner seems to be the biggest calorie sucker, but I find overall with the calorie counting, it's best if I have an idea in my head ahead of time so that I don't blow it big time. It's kinda like a checks and balances.
  • livestar
    livestar Posts: 140 Member
    I do, because I still can't be trusted with the last minute choices
  • amysj303
    amysj303 Posts: 5,086 Member
    I plan breakfast and lunch for the whole week-you know what they say-if you fail to plan you plan to fail:tongue:
  • GoldspursX3
    GoldspursX3 Posts: 516 Member
    I plan my meals for the whole week before I go grocery shopping on Sunday. Makes it alot easier, during the work week, to know exactly what I'm having so I don't get lazy and just go get takeaway.
  • Polly758
    Polly758 Posts: 623 Member
    I have done this all my adult life. I literally can't imagine doing it any other way. It's mainly for shopping convenience but also to make sure I'm eating balanced meals because I plan the veg, starch, and protien for each meal. That way you can be sure to get variety, too.
  • cyclerjenn
    cyclerjenn Posts: 833 Member
    I do this for the entire week. Monday - Friday. It help me not do the mindless search of the kitchen looking for something to eat. I know what my nutritions are every day and what I should eat when. It also makes it quick in the morning to get a lunch for work.
  • Im_NotPerfect
    Im_NotPerfect Posts: 2,181 Member
    I plan every night for the next day. It really helps keep me on track for the day and I tend to avoid "spur of the moment" eating. My choices might change the next day (like what I planned for lunch today changed because I went to a different resturant), but as long as I stay within the same general calorie range and adjust as necessary I'm good.
  • marynmarty
    marynmarty Posts: 89 Member
    I usually do plan my meals unless its on a weekend.....If I know what I'm going to eat for the day, I usually log it in so I see where I stand. I think if your able to, it works better than going on a whim but that's just me :-)
  • Kkwalker88
    Kkwalker88 Posts: 35 Member
    I plan my meals the night before. It's a easy way to keep your eating in check. I find if I don't plan my meals I tend to eat things (sometimes not the most healthy stuff) because they're convenient.
  • mixedfeelings
    mixedfeelings Posts: 904 Member
    I try and plan the night before although I'll plan in my head the week ahead in case I need to buy anything.

    Usually it's just a rough idea, if I fancy something different I'll change it but I like planning my meals so I know how many calories I have left for if I fancy a snack.
  • batalina
    batalina Posts: 209 Member
    i do, because i usually need to eat every couple hours (or i feel ill and get MEAN!) so i track the whole day either at breakfast or the night before, sometimes a couple days before (like if i find out i'm going out to lunch with a friend in a few days, i'll go ahead and put what i anticipate eating at the restaurant in my tracker for that day). this helps me get in my meals and however many snacks i end up needing. i do change it sometimes throughout the day, like if someone has candy at work and i let myself have some, i might have to change around some of my snacks and stuff, and that's fine.
  • Beezil
    Beezil Posts: 1,677 Member
    I do because it's just easier that way, but I certainly don't always stick to the plan... lol.
  • lambertj
    lambertj Posts: 675 Member
    I eat the same breakfast every day (eggs) and pretty much the same lunches during the week (with slight variations) and plan out dinners weekly. It is the only way I can be sure to stay on track. Saturdays (cheat day) I tend to just go with whatever i've got a hunger for.
  • minkakross
    minkakross Posts: 687 Member
    I plan because I have a family and I've found it's just easier for me to make a plan before heading to the store to buy the groceries. I don't necessarily set a daily menu so I feel like I have options I buy for two weeks but maybe only work a day or so in advance if I have to defrost something. For example while I have at least a weeks worth of meal plans in my pantry and freezer I won't know what I'm making tomorrow until later tonight. Breakfast is different though I just keep a lot of options around depending on my free time I might have yogurt, eggs and bacon, boiled eggs, applesauce, or a protein bar if I'm in a real hurry. I just keep them all in stock all the time so I can have any number of them as a snack too if I need it.
  • coconutbuNZ
    coconutbuNZ Posts: 578 Member
    If I'm organised yes I will plan my meals and the meals for my family but some days are rushed, no time to organise so it's off to the takeaways I go! lol and if we have takeaways, they will have mcDs and I will have Subway :)
  • Bikini_Bound150
    Bikini_Bound150 Posts: 461 Member
    My boyfriend and I plan out all weeks dinners every weekend. It really helps control our addiction to eating out (and ordering in) and it helps keep my calories in check. I like adding dinner to my diary first thing so I can plan around it instead of skimping on dinner at night because I ate too much during the day.
  • SassyCalyGirl
    SassyCalyGirl Posts: 1,932 Member
    I have the same breakfast everyday also-but if I don't plan my meals everything will be frozen and that's a recipe for disaster. So yes I plan my meals.
  • cherylnash1956
    cherylnash1956 Posts: 1
    I totally do this - each and every day. I eat the same breakfast, lunch and afternoon snack each day. It is usually a homemade soup and salad No decisions, no waivering, no if ands or buts. This leaves me with enough calories to be flexible on dinner so the hubby and I can go out on the fly pretty much anywhere. I have one day of the weekend that is my "free day". I save my excerise calories for that day. I am finding that it is working for me. I am also realizing that my toughest time of the day is evenings. I am also trying to break the emotional attachment I seem to have with food. By planning out and strictly adhereing to the plan, I am hoping to break the impulsiveness involved with my old eating habits.
    :smile:
  • jaglynn
    jaglynn Posts: 1 Member
    My husband is in charge of dinners so I work backwards... I usually know what I'm having for breakfast so I add that.. then before lunch I talk to him and see what we are having for dinner so I can add that so I then know what I can have for lunch.

    Seems to be working for me.
  • picassoadagio
    picassoadagio Posts: 407 Member
    I do. It keeps me on track, I know what I am having & can plan for any snacks or anything else that may pop up.
  • Brandongood
    Brandongood Posts: 311 Member
    I eat the same stuff every single day so I dont have to come up with a plan.
  • NomiS6
    NomiS6 Posts: 67 Member
    When at sea make my lunch before sailing, that way I'm not chasing everything round the galley. Diinner normaly has to wait till things calm down.
  • mmy127
    mmy127 Posts: 14
    I plan my food at least the night before, because I know if I don't have my day planned, I'll just eat and eat! It helps a lot to have it planned at least the night before, if not days in advance.

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