I'm like Misora. I plan only RIGHT before I eat it. I simply cannot plan out an entire day's food itinerary the day before. Basically, I get up, find what I want for breakfast (oatmeal, cereal, etc.) then I record the number of calories in my phone and THEN eat it. I don't eat and then write later. I have calorie counts for most foods I eat now memorized, and if I don't, if it's earlier in the day and I have a lot of calories left, I'll "wing it" and eat it and then later when I have time look it up on DailyPlate (and hopefully memorize it for next time), because I don't have to worry about going over since I still have many calories left. When it gets near the end of the day I base my dinner on "Okay this is how many calories I have left I can eat today" and then I choose what to put on my plate based on that and will take NO MORE. If there is an item at dinner I'm unsure of the calorie count on, I'll either take very little or won't have any at all, so I don't risk going over. So basically I just plan right when I'm about to eat, basing what I can eat on how many calories I have left to "spend" that day.

A little of both here! Most days I wing it but I have a general idea of what I intend to eat all week and shop for certain things.

You have to figure out what works for you and go for it!

I generally wing it.. but also have a basic plan in mind. I eat 5 smaller meals a day. Each has a lean protein and I think of the protein in my meal more as a side dish than the main course (helps me to keep it in perspective regarding quantities). The first meal of the day is always protein and a starchy complex carb (whole grain bagel or whole grain wheat toast, for example). Second meal the same. Third is protein, starchy carb (smaller portion this time), fibrous carb (mainly green veggies but really any veggie that isn't starchy). Fourth and fifth are protein and loads of fibrous veggies. Completely not hungry on this plan and it always seems to work out to about the same # of cals. So, I eat & track the cals online during the day as I go and don't worry about it.

I have to plan, otherwise it's too darn easy to run through the White Spot drive through on the way home after a stressful day (aka every day...mm... bacon cheeseburger, best fries in the world, and a coke... 1200 calories later...) :o
I have 3 "regular" breakfasts that I choose from, salad for lunch every day, and switch up dinners + dessert every week.

Meal planning can be a challenge since DH is a vegetarian + most soy/bean/lentil/etc products and my tummy tend to disagree violently. So, our meals tend to be based on elements that are share-able/veggie but we do our own proteins. It's kind of a pain, but prepping two meals is just not gonna happen at the end of the day, and it would be so wasteful - it's hard for us to use up groceries to begin with, without careful planning it would be a nightmare.

I used to be anti-planning for food and just relied on whatever I was craving at the time. Then I realized that this led to snarfing down fast food on the fly because it was "too much time and trouble" to go to the grocery store when I was hungry, and meanwhile the bits and pieces of meals in the fridge would go to waste because none of them would add up to a proper meal - but they seemed like a good idea when I was browsing the grocery store without a plan. Ack. Vicious cycle!

Same here plus if I tried to plan to the T I would get stressed out. I'd freak out about deviating from plan... Feel Guilty... So on. It works best for me to eat what I want when I want it just keeping to a calorie goal for the day (usually 1500) Sometimes I'm over or under it's not a big deal and I don't feel deprived or like I'm on a "diet". I try and make overall healthy choices so I have lots of wiggle room. I weigh and measure everything and enter it in my bodybugg food log immediately so I know EXACTLY how many calories I have left for the remaining meals and because I work on a specific calorie deficit I know that on high exercise days I can eat a little bit extra if I need to.

I totally wing it. My house is stocked with fantastic, healthy choices and I eat most meals at home. It would take a major fall-out for me to go over my calories for the day. I would feel terribly deprived if I had to let go of the rumination process of asking myself what I feel like eating right now.

But I don't wait until the end of the day to do my tally -- that would lead to a real "cross my fingers and hope" at the end of every day. Instead, as I'm preparing a meal, I write down all the food counts, and then go do my tally when I'm done eating. That way I also know whether I am trending too low for the day and need to eat more (which happened yesterday) or whether I am trending too high for the day and need to pare back with my next meal (which has happened today).

I plan, but my plan is flexible. I put my next day's menu into Calorie King in the evening, but when it comes to the next day, if I don't feel like what I have planned I substitute it for something else.

But what I ALWAYS do is input the food before I eat it. I can't keep track as I go, and I need to know before hand how much of a calorie impact what I'm about to eat will have.

I have Calorie King Mobile saved on my phone, and I do it on the fly if I need to. So I always have the resources I need available to me (as long as I have reception!)

I plan in the morning, then adjust accordingly when something changes. Atleast I know the gist of the day's menu. :)

How nice to find you ladies on here.

I weigh and measure everything (except when I am being bad/binging, that is another story) and my friends/family think I'm nuts!

:)

I do this too.. I generally know what I'm consuming so it's ok.. I also aim for my 1500 a day but some days it's less and some days more. I don't sweat it.