If you’ve been macro tracking to lose weight for any time at all, you’ve likely come across situations where, let’s be honest, you didn’t WANT to track. Like at all.
Whether it was a girls night out, your BFF’s wedding, or a good old fashioned tailgate party, there are always situations when macro tracking sounds like a big fat bummer. And most likely you tend to do one of these two things…
- You decide to macro track anyway and resent it the entire time
- Or you go into full on fuck-it mode, eating everything in sight and regretting all your decisions the next day.
But Where Is The Middle Ground?
Can you ever let your hair down and NOT track macros even if you’re using macro tracking to lose weight?! In this blog we’re diving into aaaaall of this! We’re talking weight loss, drinking, brunch, your FAVORITE foods… We’re talking ALL. THE. THINGS. And we’re talking about how to balance it all (because you really can!)
If you’d rather watch/listen, catch my Instagram live on this very topic here: Click here!!
If you want to read this… well, you’re in the right place! 😉
So… how can you POSSIBLY have it all? How can you live your BEST life and still successfully use macro tracking to lose weight? Can you ENJOY any of your favorite things ever again?! The truth is, you can (and SHOULD) still have a life. You should still enjoy the things that you love! And it’s possible to do that while also using macro tracking to lose weight. It all comes down to finding balance and looking at your decisions based on the season you’re in.
Because the truth is, you can’t diet forever and ever and ever amen. You have to have seasons in which you aren’t dieting (for example, during a maintenance mode), and if you’re reading this blog, you’re likely looking for some guidance in the weight loss department, so you would likely need some seasons in which are ARE dieting. By breaking this concept down into the idea of seasons, we allow ourselves to have some flexibility in our lives.
Let’s Talk Social Events
The trickiest part of a diet for most people is when they find themselves in social situations that make their diet harder to follow. You know the ones – parties, brunches, happy hours… So how the hell do you navigate attending these events, enjoying them, AND still moving forward in your weight loss goals?
Your decision depends on the season you’re in and the value of the event.
For example, let’s say your best friend is getting married (Wahoo!!) and her bachelorette party is coming up. You’ve got so much fun stuff planned, including delicious food and lots of drinks. If you want to take a step back, enjoy her bachelorette weekend, and not stress about it… it’s okay to not track that weekend. It’s okay to listen to your body, eat intuitively, and ENJOY her weekend! In this example, you may be in a season of doing really well in your diet and you have an event that is really important to you, so choosing not to track might be your best choice. One way you can set yourself up for success is by staying COMMITTED to your diet during the week so you have more wiggle room to enjoy her weekend.
Disclaimer!
As a disclaimer to this example and navigating social events in general… This is NOT to say you can go to an event, drink everything in sight, eat everything with reckless abandon, and expect zero negative repercussions. That’s NOT what will happen, and that’s not what we’re talking about here. You have to be aware of your actions and be realistic about the outcome of said action when making the decision to not track. Because if you’re going to any social event, you will be faced with a choice to make, and the choice is yours and yours alone…
Do you want to stick to your program or not? Neither is the right choice, neither is the wrong choice. Your decision can and should change depending on the season you’re in and the value of the event. And that’s the beauty of it! You don’t have to have the same approach going into every situation… you can navigate each one differently to make the best choice for YOU.
So… Do I Stick to My Program Or Not?
The first thing you need to ask yourself is “Do I even want to stick to my program?”
Because whether you choose to macro track for the event or NOT, either way, you need to stand by your decision. Don’t be a Karen and show up deciding to track but then being a party pooper the ENTIRE time. You know, the person who acts miserable at the party because they can’t eat anything except the celery sticks and they’re telling everyone about it. If you decide to track, own your decision.
When you decide to track at an event, set yourself up with REALISTIC expectations, making sure that you CAN do it and that it will go WELL. If you plan to go to a party blind about what they have, and you haven’t eaten ALL day, there is no chance in hell that macro tracking will go well.
So if you have in fact decided you WANT to stick to your program and track your macros, put on your big girl pants and either figure out what food will be there to prepare yourself or bring what you need to succeed. Set up your environment so you actually have a shot at accomplishing your goal! Remember, your goals and dietary preferences are yours and yours alone. It’s not the host’s responsibility to make “macro friendly meals,” so if you’re going in with the intention of tracking, know it’s on you to make it work.
The Flip Side
On the other side of this, if you know there’s no way you’ll be able to macro track at an event, then don’t. Whether it’s a tailgate party, holiday get together, or WHATEVER… macro tracking will just feel like an oppressive thing if you really don’t want to use it. The whole point of these events is to have FUN! It’s okay to shift your brain to mindful mode so you can enjoy the event with some balance.
This doesn’t mean that you eat everything in sight, throwing all your progress out the window in one weekend (this can happen, I’ve seen it). When you’re not actively tracking, you CAN still make really solid choices that don’t result in you taking 6 steps backward in your weight loss progress. Check out this blog to learn more about tracking macros mindfully! This can simply be a moment to press pause, have a great ass time, and then slide right back into your groove when the event is over. And if you choose NOT to macro track please don’t be the other kind of Karen who complains the entire night that “I’m gonna be SO FAT tomorrow” while eating your 12th mozzarella stick.
Make a choice you feel good about and do it because YOU chose it. NO one forced you to do anything. No one is going to body slam your ass to the ground and shove food and drinks into your mouth. (If that’s the kind of parties you go to, you may want to reevaluate your social circle). But that’s not going to happen, just like people aren’t going to force you to NOT eat or drink. It’s all up to you, so take responsibility for your choices and own that shit!
Balancing Life When You’re Using Macro Tracking to Lose Weight: Tips for Success No Matter What You Choose
- Keep your wits about you! Whether you choose to track or not to track, be smart about your decision. Set up your environment in a way that will help you succeed. And if you decide not to track, don’t go into the event with reckless abandon eating everything in sight. Be mindful about it, and tell someone (maybe your favorite health coach *shameless plug*) your plan if this helps you stay accountable.
- Keep the big picture in mind when it comes to your decision making process. When you know you have a lot going on, (for example: the Holidays – there’s just sooo much going on in this season!) be able to plan ahead so when an event is really worth it, you can step away from macro tracking for that time, but stick to your program when it’s a happy hour that doesn’t mean all that much.
- Remember that just because you use macro tracking to lose weight, doesn’t mean you always have to track macros. It’s about applying the tool to the right environment and season that you’re in, in a way that feels good and helps you achieve your weight loss goals.
If you’re using macro tracking to lose weight, one of the best parts about it is the flexibility and FREEDOM it can give you. If you’re wanting to learn more about how to track macros, check out this blog here.
Heard enough and want to chat about working with me? Apply here for my coaching program!
