If you just set up your macronutrients using our free calculator and are overwhelmed by tracking your food, then this article is for you. Today, we are going to explore a beginner’s strategy to working with macros.
Tracking your intake can seem like a lot of work, but it is necessary (at least in the beginning, until you can accurately portion food by eye). Eating food for a goal without tracking is like driving down the road without a speedometer or paying bills without a budget. While you can still achieve your goals without a speedometer or budget, you are much more likely to hit your target with them.
Most people will use a popular free food tracking app like MyFitnessPal. But, if tracking all of your daily macro goals and hitting them perfectly seems like too much to start with, you aren’t alone.
You probably know someone who has tracked their calories in attempt to lose fat or gain muscle. But, the downside of just tracking calories, is that your macronutrients (carbs, fats, and proteins) can be way out of whack. But, what if you just had to worry about total calories and hitting your protein goal each day? This seems like an easy step before diving in to tracking the remaining macronutrients and will get you to your goals nearly as fast!
Tracking just your calories and protein allows you to get in the habit of eating correct portions and build some momentum hitting your goals without having to stress out about hitting your macronutrients perfectly.
This strategy, just like any other, does have its drawbacks! If you were to eat Sour Patch Kids and chug protein shakes, you could still hit your calories and protein goals, but you are going to feel like crap. Or, if you are someone who would get obsessed with tracking and take it to the extreme, this may not be the best strategy for you.
Remember, the BEST dieting strategy is the one you can SUSTAIN long term. Have a question? Send us an email to info@midwestmeals.com and a NASM Certified Fitness Nutrition Specialist will help!