Counting or tracking macros is overwhelming. It’s intimidating. It’s hard. It’s annoying. It’s boring. It’s tedious.
It’s really sucky to start.
But it’s also the best way to get results efficiently while learning how to create a sustainable lifestyle balance so you can adjust your nutrition even as your needs and goals change over time.
If you truly want to understand your own diet?
You need to start tracking macros.
Because I know it can be a super hard and frustrating change to make, I wanted to share 3 common mistakes I see people starting out making and what you should do instead.
But first a bit on what macros actually are and why tracking isn’t the restrictive thing we can often make it out to be.
So…what are macros?
Macros, or macronutrients, are the nutrients our body needs in large quantities they are proteins, carbs and fats.
How we dial in the portion of our calories that come from each nutrient can impact the results we get.
And we may adjust the ratios we use as our needs and goals change over our life.
Working to lose fat? You may use one ratio.
Working to build muscle? You may change ratios.
Dealing with menopause? You may select a different macro breakdown.
Working to fuel your workouts to train hard for your endurance sport? You may even adjust your macro ratios over the course of your training as your training intensifies.
The point is, when you understand macros, you can make sure you’re fueling correctly for your specific needs and goals even as they change over time!
Now…What about tracking being super restrictive and obsessive?
The simple fact is…What you measure, you can manage.
If you don’t have a clear picture of what you’re consuming, you don’t know what you need to change.
It’s why we can feel like we’re eating super “healthy” yet not seeing the physical or performance results we want!
If you were training for a race, you wouldn’t randomly run or ride what you “felt like” that day. You’d have your mileage for the week, and even month, planned out so you knew how you were going to progress. And you’d track how each run went to make sure you were progressing the way you wanted.
Why wouldn’t you want to give yourself the same data to adjust your fueling?
I think so often we feel that tracking is restrictive because we’ve only used it to count calories for restrictive weight loss diets that left us feeling like we had to cut everything out and be miserably hungry.
But tracking itself is not restrictive. Your tracker isn’t judging. It’s just giving you a picture of what you’re eating.
So stop judging yourself and realize the data is there to inform you and help you.
See it as the opportunity to better fuel your body and give it what it needs!
Of course if you do have an eating disorder you need to seek out professional help, but too often we simply use this as an excuse to not make the hard changes we need and truly invest in learning how to fuel better.
So if you’re ready to get started tracking macros, here are the 3 mistakes to avoid and what you should be doing instead!
Mistake #1: Not tweaking what you’re currently doing.
When we are motivated, we often go to extremes in an attempt to get the best results as fast as possible.
But the second our motivation and willpower fades?
We are left with unsustainable habits and end up right back where we started.
That’s why it’s best to use that initial motivation and willpower to create sustainable habits, making small tweaks to what we are currently doing.
So before you even attempt to change anything in your diet and hit any specific macro ratios, just start by tracking.
Track what you are currently doing.
Don’t make any changes. Just see where you are at. You can then start to tweak from what you’re currently doing so that you don’t physically, or mentally, rebel against extreme adjustments.
Part of why we often fall off of tracking our macros is the struggle to hit ratios that are far different than what we are currently doing.
It’s such a dramatic change it can feel impossible.
So if we instead start tracking our current diet, we can begin to make adjustments that dial everything in without feeling crazy restrictive or impossibly frustrating!
You’ll be surprised by how even simply being accountable you start to see results. Not to mention how eye opening it really is to see the breakdown of the foods you’re consuming.
Mistake #2: Not putting protein first.
The more changes we try to make at once, the more overwhelming an already complicated process can be.
Often we dive in, not only shooting for a macro breakdown far different from what we are currently consuming, but we ultimately have to adjust EVERYTHING in our diet all at once.
And that can feel impossible.
So when we can’t hit the ratio, we give up.
Instead of shooting for hitting a ratio perfectly where you have to adjust every macro at once, focus on one thing at a time.
Often the macronutrient we most need to focus on is PROTEIN.
Whether you’re plant-based, omnivore or straight carnivore, protein is often the macro we tend to under utilize in our diet.
Let’s face it, carbs and fats often taste better and make up the foods we love.
But protein is key whether we want to lose weight while retaining lean muscle, build muscle, recover faster or even age well.
It becomes increasingly important too as we get older as we become less able to utilize protein as efficiently not to mention we have a harder time building and retaining lean muscle.
So focus on hitting your protein amount FIRST. Let your carbs and fats fall wherever feels best to start.
You can then start tweaking those other macros based on your training and goals.
And by starting with protein, you can see great aesthetic changes.
You’ll find it a much easier process to get lean while feeling fueled if protein is your focus to start!
Mistake #3: Not tracking everything!
Measuring and tracking everything is tedious to start. But it’s the best way to really understand your portion sizes and the true breakdown of the foods you’re eating.
Plus, let’s face it, often we don’t want to track because we don’t want something to count.
But guess what?
Even if you don’t log it, you still ate it.
And it’s going to impact the results you get.
So while you may get more lax in your tracking over time, start by logging EVERYTHING so you know how it all impacts you and your results.
Little things do add up. It may only be a cracker here or a little taste of something there, but those calories add up more quickly than we realize, not to mention change the actual macro breakdown we end up consuming.
And it’s not just only the day that it changes. Often we don’t recognize how those little snacks and bites daily add up over the weeks and months.
So LOG EVERYTHING.
It makes you much more aware of some of the unconscious eating we do or the eating out of boredom.
Remember, what you measure, you can manage!
We can’t adjust if we don’t have an accurate picture of what we’re actually doing.
So give yourself that true data to make changes!
SUMMARY:
Creating a new lifestyle and making lasting changes isn’t always easy or comfortable.
Those fad diets that promise a fast and easy fix don’t work for a reason.
If you want to truly create a sustainable lifestyle and understand how to adjust your diet even as your needs and goals change, you need to start tracking your macros.
It may be boring and tedious and frustrating to start, but it’s far less frustrating than spinning your wheels working hard not to see the results you truly want!
Dial in your diet and your workouts to work together based on what is realistic and sustainable for you…
Thank you. This was informative and I think I’m ready to take the plunge
So glad it helps Janet!
Thank you now I understand better about macros and what I need to do.
Great post! I particularly like the first point about tweaking what you’re already doing. I can see how this could lead to larger, long term, changes ??
Hi Cori,
Can you recommend ways to log your macros? Do you use a particular app? For instance how do you measure those cheeky mouthfuls while preparing dinner? I’ve never calorie counted but I have kept a written log of what I’ve eaten throughout the day.
You and the work you do has been one of the most honest and comprehensive datasets I’ve seen to date.
So
Much
Great
Information!
Still digesting little by little.
It’s amazing how much nonsense is out there in the health industry.
Glad it helps Marisa!
So glad it helps! And yes, definitely more sustainable building off of your lifestyle!
I use My Fitness Pal. And the simple answer? If you want to know what you’re consuming, you don’t do that to start until you truly understand portion sizes 😉
Glad it helps Josh!
What macro breakdown would you advise initially for fat loss?
You say you use the MyFitnessPal App, my question then is do you use the basics package or do you pay for the premium access?
Depends on what what your training is, your age, what your current macros are…Are you tracking currently? It’s where you need to start to make small changes! And then I have clients cycle based on their workouts and progress 🙂
I use the basic.
Finding it difficult to eat so much protein, might have to get some powder. Never thought this was a healthy way to do it though! Can you recommend any?
How do I work out what my macros should be?
I just started the macro diet 40% Protein 40% carbs and 20% fat keeping a 1200 a day.
I’m struggling with keeping track of both. Should I just focus on the macros more than the calories or vice versa?
Hi Lisa. Take a day you’ve done previously and think about adding one more ounce of protein for a meal. Or swapping in some greek yogurt or egg whites. Or add edamame to stir fries…Simple tweaks add up. If you do choose to use a protein powder, I’m of course biased toward mine own – https://redefiningsupps.com/shop/
They will be based on your needs and goals among other things. I’m of course partial to my Macro Hacks for teaching clients how to adjust their macros even as their needs and goals change – https://macrohacks.redefiningstrength.com/optin-416066421596387411652?sl=blogcomment
Macros are only hit if you hit your gram totals. So you should focus on macro grams as when you hit those, you also hit your calories.
Hello Cori,
I’m a YouTube fan! LOL! I would like to purchase your cookbook, but I can’t find it online. Is there a difference between your cookbook and Macro hacks book?
Hi Reyna! Thanks! So the Macro Hacks is recipes but more about the ratios you need for results. The cookbooks are purely recipes. Here’s a link to those cookbooks too! https://rschef.com/recipes?sl=blog
Hi Cori. Do you ship the Macro Hacks book to the UK by any chance?
Thanks.
Yes I do 🙂
Thankyou so much. Very informative to a newbie at all this
Glad it helps Glynis!
I’ve watched so many of your videos over the last 2 years that I read this whole thing in your voice 🙂 Excellent advice – especially for when you’ve been tracking, seeing results and then start thinking – I’ve got this! I began to guesstimate on portions rather than actually weighing them because I figured I had a handle on it, only to realize it’s like a runaway train and suddenly what I thought was a 100 calorie portion size of peanut butter has grown to be a 250 calorie portion size! Why have all my gains started sliding? 😀 At 50+ those gains disappear a lot more quickly than they did in my 20’s and 30’s!
We’ve all been there! You get a bit “lazy” in doing the habits as you settle in….or at least I know I do at points. It’s why I always go back to tracking at times to “check in” and hold myself accountable!
Great! I’m glad I read this and you mentioned plant proteins too. But here is my issue, I can’t eat soy proteins anymore. So are there plant proteins that’s almost equal to soy? When I started working out last year I was happy with my brown rice bowls with baked tofu and greens. But then I was diagnosed with something that was scary and decided to avoid soy. I know soy is the plant protein preference as it’s a almost complete protein (I think), but is there something else? I’m finding I am not full like I was when I ate tofu or tempeh and I’m on a stupid treatment that makes me carb hungry and menopausal (hot flashes :/ ). I love carbs, but I am craving more carbs than I would like. I am not willing to eat animal proteins, that includes eggs, cheese, meats and no fish of course. I’ve been veg head for well over 20 yrs now, so changing that is not an option for me. I’m going to make hemp milk in the evening and hope that helps with my cravings. Any other suggestions would be appreciated! To be clear this stupid treatment is what is making me more hungry and I’m afraid it’s going to backfire if I don’t take back control. Thank you!
Tracking your food to even make small tweaks based on what you’re currently eating is a key place to start. And you may realize you’re under fueling or even need to adjust meal timing to help you feel fueled.
I LOVE starting with protein. I am following the Metabolic Shred and am not feeling sick like I did on Atkins,by drastically limiting carbs. I am losing weight and inches, and it’s only been a few weeks. Feeling great!
This is the best advice for getting to your goals and staying consistent
I have been tracking for 3 years now and even when my training is off or I am in holiday mode I have stayed consistent with my goal weight by tracking! It still blows me away some days when I finish logging…. I am often shocked by how sneaking in some protein during the day (like a bar ) improves even a not so good meal
Stay focused and get that protein my friends!!!
Thank you Cori for helping me understand how to truly understand how to eat for my daily needs!
WOO HOOO! Love that you’re focusing on protein and seeing those results snowball while making sure you feel good and fueled! Here to help if you need anything!
YES! It’s those little tweaks that really do add up! Love how you’ve embraced that tracking for the accountability to create that consistency and balance! Keep it up!