Who plans their meals in advance and why?

I can't imagine being able to lose weight without planning ahead. I do a rough plan for the week, then plan for the next day everyday. usually my lunch is some version of what I made for dinner the night before.

I plan a day or 2 ahead on weekdays. But on the weekends I wing it...but I still log everything. Planning ahead takes away the stress of worrying about what to eat when hunger drops in for a visit. If I log early..I'll know what I can choose from..even if it's not in the order I log it.

If it's on the list for the day..I'll have it.

I should note that I log stuff like..

2 hard boiled aggs
1 medium apple
An ounce of raw almonds
3 string cheese sticks

Stuff like that..that I can carry with me. I found it easier to plan, when 90% of the foods are portable.

I do, I make a lot of my meals over the weekend, and plan every day. I log most of my in the morning, if it is not logged or planned I don't eat it. This way treats are planned and are the ones I really want and feel I worked for, and not thoughtless eating which I end of with a bad case of regrets.

I do...it makes life easier for me and helps me stay w/i my calories. I do end up changing it from time to time if something comes up.

I do it the night before so I know my plan for the day and can (mostly) stick to it.

I do, because I still can't be trusted with the last minute choices

SAME HERE... If I don't have a meal planned or prepared I might start snacking on stuff that's
cheap + easy to find = mostly likely not healthy

planning makes meals less stressful and fun

I premake food on Sunday for the week.

This has been VERY helpful for me. I usually make a big batch of some kind of low fat soup in the crockpot on Sunday and then freeze individual portions to take for lunch through the week. It's a wonderful time and money saver!

I am Huge on Preplanning...Not as much on the weekend but definitely M-F...simply because it holds me accountable and I cook all my meals along with grab the snacks and bring them to work so it leave no room for excuses or errors... I had to find a system that worked for me...

I don't eat to live, I live to eat! I love knowing what I'll get to eat, so I do plan my meals for the day the night before. As a family, we plan our dinners for the week - based on the ingredients on hand and so we know what needs to be added to the grocery list.
Added bonus: we can pre-prep so dinner is easier to make each day.
Added bonus #2: if dinner is somewhat pre-prepped and easy to make, there's less chance we'll just decide to pick up fast food or order in....
Better food/meal choices all around by planning ahead of time.

I try to but usually I tend to eat more than what I plan xD

We plan for the full week ahead, but nothing to do with cals. Make a list of what you need, stick to it and save a fortune. We can easily keep a weekly shop for 5 to under £40. Bulk buying from cash 'n' carry, fruit & veg from local market.....

i usually log before hand that way i know exactly what i am allowed to eat without going over and stick to it.
i also find that i don't feel so hungry planning in advance and never have to add any suprise foods....works for me

I plan my meals normally for a week or min 5 days. It means less time in supermarket in teh week and more time for the gym, I do not go into the supermarket starving and end up making the wrong food choices either.
Planning is also good to start leafing through recipe books, varying your diet, but most importantly, you can use leftover veg/meat etc agian in other meals before it goes off and you throw it away. I have cut my food bills in half doing this, which covers my gym membership easily over the month.
The less times you go to the supermarket a week, the less temptation you have.
I also try to get all my meat and veg from the local fresh produce market where it is better quality, cheaper, and is fresher.
The greengrocers in a market can also tell you what is in season so you can experiment with more seasonal dishes adding more variation.

Good Luck!

I plan ahead for the week because then I can make sure I have the groceries that I need for the week and that I fit my meals into my macros. Before I did, we'd end up stopping for a burger because I didn't feel like cooking. This way, I can do all the food prep over the weekend so after work when I get home, all I have to do is assemble and pop in the oven.

Not planning my meals has reaped not so good results in the past. By planning I ensure that I eat a variety of foods and nutrients, that I have planned for when I am extra busy (ie I'll make something easy when I have to go out that evening, or take some leftovers out of the freezer). I can prepare snacks to take to work the night before. Lunch needs to be bought from home because there are not many very healthy choices at/near work, so this all requires planning. (Occasionally I'll treat myself to a delicious chicken and salad roll on a white bun from work, but it's not something I want to eat all the time.) I like to plan my treat meals that are a little more indulgent than usual. I like to see over the week how 'balanced' nutritionally my food is and planning helps with this.

I want to take this a step further and do some freezer cooking to make sure I have a few meals on hand ready-to-go for when I get busy later in the semester.

I do tend to log before I eat because I'm still getting a feel for values having never calorie counted or worried about macros before. It helps me keep on track, but I do wonder if I will become dependent on this. I still have trouble reaching my target calories on most days (I think this week I had a little blow out), but usually with the food I am choosing I feel really, really full so it's hard to keep eating. Once upon a time I couldn't stop eating because I always felt hungry. Food choice had a lot to do with this for me.

Oh and because I really love food and really enjoy preparing and eating it... it makes me happy to think of what I've got happening for brekky, lunch and dinner. I really look forward to meal times. This new lifestyle has not taken away my enjoyment of food, in fact it has enhanced it.