Who plans their meals in advance and why?

13

Replies

  • kbuelo
    kbuelo Posts: 44 Member
    Yes, because I'm OCD. I plan my dinners out the weekend before and shop on Sunday. I do really simple breakfasts and lunches so I just make sure I have things on hand. I also plan what I am going to eat before I go out to a restaraunt, if at all possible, early in the day, so I can compensate for the calories with extra gym time or lighter meals. I really do fail when I fail to plan. :/
  • whit1108
    whit1108 Posts: 94
    In the mornings I log everything for the entire day for my meals. I do not log my excercise tell night even if i workout in the morning. Logging everything in the morning for the entire day has really helped me stay on track. I don't log my excercise calories til night time because i really dont like to eat them back. But i have been eating half back if i am hungry at the end of the night for a snack. This system has worked for me. Youll find out what works for you best. Everyone is different.
  • Numptcakes
    Numptcakes Posts: 145 Member
    I tend to plan everything a couple days in advance simply because I feel more in control. Although often I still have too many calories left, or I'm too low on protein. Like today :mad:
  • kajo50
    kajo50 Posts: 12
    I plan at least my weekday breakfast, lunch, and snacks ahead of time so I can make sure I have what I need to pack them for work. I don't generally plan dinner unless I am going out and then I hunt the restaurant menu and nutritional info sites to come up with a couple possibilities.
  • SpazzyMal
    SpazzyMal Posts: 276 Member
    I've started planning mine the night before. Or sometimes I do it during the day before, while I'm in the kitchen and noticing what foods I have a lot of or is about to go bad, so I can get rid of it and not waste veggies too often. I find it keeps me from going over on my calories too, which is obviously my main goal. =D
  • Fay84Vegan
    Fay84Vegan Posts: 225 Member
    I'm actually finding it quite fun...

    I'm ajusting the food to increase my protein for the day.

    i hope i still feel as enthusiastic about this tomorrow

    :smile:
  • L00py_T0ucan
    L00py_T0ucan Posts: 1,378 Member
    I do a 'well-intentioned' rough draft but then it almost always changes.
    If I don't do a rough draft then I have no idea that I'm overeating, until afterwards.
    In theory the overeating would be preventable.


    That said, I still overeat when I do the rough draft - slow process of learning for me... :noway: :embarassed:
  • msmith2020
    msmith2020 Posts: 365 Member
    I dont plan weeks in advance but when I wake up I plan and track everything from breakfast, snacks, lunch, snacks, and If I know dinner- then dinner too I like to have some calories left over for the day just in case dinner might change etc. But I do like to plan my day out when it comes. And if i KNOW I am going to a movie, or maybe Ihope-returant etc with the family I will look that up like days- week in advance and then plan my day around it. I will usually sneak 2 apples, cut up, into the movies so that I am not tempted by popcorn or candy!! And a water of course!
  • almc170
    almc170 Posts: 1,093 Member
    I plan mine for the day after my morning workout, mainly to make sure I'm meeting my macros. Planning also helps me make sure I'm using up leftovers instead of letting them rot in the fridge.
  • Elen_Sia
    Elen_Sia Posts: 638 Member
    I do because prepping certain meals takes a fair amount of time and I try not to spend too much time in the kitchen, especially after evening workouts. And I am a control freak. :glasses:
  • dcmat
    dcmat Posts: 1,723 Member
    It limits choices and makes shopping more expensive. If I go into the store, I know what is healthy and I look at that stuff and buy what is on sale. It makes me be creative in the kitchen and it saves me tons of money..

    Had the opposite effect – shopping food bill dropped from £80-£90 a week to under £40 for a family of 5 (record was £23, and this was when I was a lardy!). Bulk buying long life staples, such as pasta, is far, far cheaper. Not too sure why it limits choice as we eat a varied & normally healthy diet and getting the children involved in the planning and preparing (only eldest allowed to use cooker) allows for some good family time after a hectic day/week at work.
  • Bubbles99207
    Bubbles99207 Posts: 17 Member
    Yes I do on the days that I go to work cause I eat then pretty much the same thing but on the weekends it does get harder. I feel its easier just do it that way and get it all done and I know what I am okay to eat. On the days that I know I am going to eat more - I just pump up my exercise and get more calories that way :-)
  • CherylAnne1988
    CherylAnne1988 Posts: 161
    everynight i decide on breakfast and lunch for the next day, i pack my snacks and everything so im totally prepared. this has helped me with my calories, and my goals - it has helped me to be prepared and make healthier choices.
  • caviarblack
    caviarblack Posts: 41 Member
    I do it, especially if I know I'm going to be eating out or drinking with friends. It keeps me accountable while I'm out and I find myself envisioning my preset "allowed" drinks or calories and sticking to it.
  • Shell_7609
    Shell_7609 Posts: 786 Member
    I do sometimes. Not that far in advance, maybe in the morning while I have breakfast I'll log what I'm taking to work for lunch, and what I'm going to fix for dinner, that way I'll know how many calories I'll have available for snacks or a small indulgence later on
  • NovemberJune
    NovemberJune Posts: 2,525 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.

    Like this
  • muppetsbear
    muppetsbear Posts: 80 Member
    I do so I know what to eat throughout the day so I can have the planned dinner. My breakfast has little variation as well as my snacks. Lunch may be leftovers which is rare as I try to make meals that are small enough that there are only 3 -4 portions in them. Will a 20 year old oil field worker its easy.
  • xMsAlly
    xMsAlly Posts: 164 Member
    Sometimes I plan my meals up to about 900 or 1000 calories. In reality I end up tweaking my diary during the day and end up with 1300-1500 calories.
  • ttaylor68913
    ttaylor68913 Posts: 320 Member
    i plan a week at a time, I live 25 min from the nearest walmart, and 45 min (im 5 minutes from a grocery store but they are over priced and i still save $$ driving to one of the bigger stores) from the nearest dillons or hyvee. and only go grocery shopping once aweek
  • wally1uk
    wally1uk Posts: 120
    Yeah I plan ahead, not just days either but normally my whole week. I tend to find that if I don't it makes meal decisions harder and I can end up over cals.

    Also, if I've planned it out, it means I know what I'm getting at the weekly shop and save me buying excess stuff or stuff that really doesn't go with anything and I start having weird meals just to use it up!! Golden syrup porridge with crab sticks anyone? :laugh:
  • stufie
    stufie Posts: 142 Member
    My husband and I always plan our meals in advance. We plan every Sunday what we'll have for suppers that week (and then we make double and take leftovers to work the next day for lunch). I find it helps us buy more specific groceries and also solves the "what are we going to have for supper tonight?" issue. I was brought up this way, and I'm sure it'll come in handy when we have kids. Saturday nights we sometimes wing it, but for the most part we do plan in advance. I also have a grocery list that follows the floor plan of the grocery store so that we don't have to run all over the store. Grocery shopping takes no time at all. I'm way too organized, I know, but it makes my life easier :happy:
  • pumalama
    pumalama Posts: 140 Member
    I like to plan ahead but it is quite difficult to follow all the recommendations regarding how much dairy, whole grains, vegetables, etc. If I am left on my own, I have a bad tendency to "forget" dairy products. If I am not traveling, I use a website called soscuisine. It is for the most part free and they provide meal plans following the recommended guidelines and for many situations such as losing weight, pregnancy, diabetes, controlling acid reflux, or just eating well in general without controlling for anything in particular. The basic meal plans and access to recipes are free but if you take a specialized meal plan you will have to pay up to 2$ a week to cover for the nutritionists reviewing the meal plans and the hard work they put into that. The meal plans are sent once a week and there is also an interactive shopping list (click what you need for the week based on your recipes, then print). Also, the CHUM recently adopted the “Heart-Healthy” meal plans of SOSCuisine (CHUM is an hospital in Montréal), so this is serious stuff I am talking about here, not some gimmick to make money. I am not related to them in any ways, I am a very happy user :)
  • hottiebikerchick
    hottiebikerchick Posts: 187 Member
    this is what I do too!
  • coopersmom2006
    coopersmom2006 Posts: 839
    I do! I find if I don't then I make poor choices and blow everything out the water!
  • Buddhasmiracle
    Buddhasmiracle Posts: 925 Member
    I don't live in the middle of no where but I do live on an island part of the year. It's about a 45 min drive one way to a grocery store so while I don't plan to the degree some other posters do, I think through at least what a dinner menu will look like for the week. I don't want to be schlepin' back and forth to a grocery store. Fresh produce is now available at local farm markets as well as some types of fish so that helps as far as spot buying goes. I don't have too much variation in my menu anyway. I like to have a drink or two or dessert when we go out on weekends so i plan around that; or I end up having a drink but not a dessert, or vice versa.
  • randilynn113
    randilynn113 Posts: 227 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.

    ^^This
  • aussie_nic_getting_fit
    aussie_nic_getting_fit Posts: 134 Member
    i tend to plan my meals a day or two in advance.

    i find that stay on track easier this way and can ensure that i have all the ingreditent required for all my meals.

    I always leave extra calories, for things that i "fee'" like eating on the day..
  • Hearts_2015
    Hearts_2015 Posts: 12,031 Member
    bump...always open to new ideas and methods.:wink:
  • Hearts_2015
    Hearts_2015 Posts: 12,031 Member
    My husband and I always plan our meals in advance. We plan every Sunday what we'll have for suppers that week (and then we make double and take leftovers to work the next day for lunch). I find it helps us buy more specific groceries and also solves the "what are we going to have for supper tonight?" issue. I was brought up this way, and I'm sure it'll come in handy when we have kids. Saturday nights we sometimes wing it, but for the most part we do plan in advance. I also have a grocery list that follows the floor plan of the grocery store so that we don't have to run all over the store. Grocery shopping takes no time at all. I'm way too organized, I know, but it makes my life easier :happy:
    Sounds like the smart way to grocery shop!! Reduces risk of impulse buying. :blushing: :tongue:
  • abnerner
    abnerner Posts: 452 Member
    I typically do not plan to far in advance, but I usually have all of my foods in except evening snack by about noon. It helps me stay accountable to myself.

    Two weeks ago I had all of my dinners put into my diary on Monday for the whole week. My boyfriend thought it was weird, but we knew what we were having, so I did it!

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