It is time. TIME to really sit down and learn about macros! What they are and HOW they can be used to help YOU lose weight. I’m so excited you’re here, now go grab your favorite coffee, pull up a seat, and enjoy!
If you want to read this… welp, keep reading 😉
If you want to watch/listen to this: Click here!!
I know you want to eat your favorite foods and still lose weight, BUT…
Just kidding, there is no but – because macro tracking helps you do that! By now it’s probably no surprise to you that I am ALL about macro tracking (for most, no one size fits all approach of course), and helping you sculpt the body you want, WHILE STILL eating the foods you want. So in this blog let’s dive into what the hell macros even are and how you can use them for weight loss!
The three main macronutrients are protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Macro tracking is sort of like tracking points like WeightWatchers, but with a whole lot more science behind it so that you can actually sculpt the body composition you WANT. You know, the kind of physique that makes you feel banging, and that looks like you did it on purpose. You want to create THE LOOK, and macro tracking is the key to learning how to do so.
Yes, counting calories will help you lose some weight. But, instead of just erroneously following a calorie number, we use macro tracking to bring more intention to the process. Because when you bring macros to the table you can start to lose weight AND sculpt the physique you want (while still eating your favorite foods!) Nobody wants to look skinny fat – you want to look hot as hell! Intentional macro tracking is the tool to teach you how to get there.
But there’s more to macro tracking than just using an automated macro tracking calculator to figure out your numbers (seriously, I guarantee if you just use an online calculator it won’t work!) You need to get numbers that are specific to YOU and your goals, and that come from a reputable source *shameless plug*. So let’s go over a few of the common components of macro tracking people get caught up on, and my tips for starting macro tracking successfully.
Find the Right Macros for YOU
Macros mean NOTHING unless they’re the right macros for you. I cannot emphasize this enough! Just counting macros does NOT mean you will lose weight (or lose it in the way you actually want) – they need to be relevant to you and your goals. And I bet right about now you’re wondering HOW to find your perfect macros, and that’s a great question. Want a great answer? Hire a coach… someone who does this for a living! Trust me, if there was a magic equation, I would have included it in this blog for you, but it is much more nuanced than that!
Use an App to Make Your Life Easier
While you will have to do some work upfront, I am a firm believer in making this process easier. That means getting an app that does the work FOR YOU. While there’s about 5 zillion different options, I have been using MyFitnessPal (free version) throughout my entire journey. I love it! Bonus: From a coaching standpoint, I love that MyFitnessPal lets me actually login and see your stuff!
Eat What You LIKE
This is NOT about demonizing or omitting foods. A lot of people start macro tracking and think they have to flip their life entirely upside down. But all this does is send you into a vortex of stress and confusion, and that’s not a place that you want to be. Especially when you’re trying to change up some healthy habits and get some weight off!
Start by structuring your meals around what you enjoy and see what your macros look like throughout the day. There’s no MAGIC food – you don’t have to stay away from bread, chocolate, or sweet potato fries. Just count what you’re eating and be honest, and make changes from there. It’s about LEARNING. Just do what you do and pay attention, THEN make adjustments from there.
Keep it SIMPLE
Macro tracking is NOT about “protein is best”, “carbs are the devil”, or Keto has GOT to be a thing so I can have a ton of fat. You need to have the right balance between ALL of your macros. Think of it like salt in a recipe – the right amount enhances everything. Too much or too little, and that shit is nasty.
Macro tracking is the same – it’s about finding that right balance, and one of the best ways to do that when you’re first starting out is to keep your macros separate. Choose food where a protein is just that, only a good source of protein, and same with fats and carbohydrates. Let’s run through an example, shall we?
When making dinner, for a protein choice you could choose chicken over pork because pork is both a protein and fat source. We can then do a baked potato or some rice for your carbohydrate, then add on some butter or avocado slices for a fat. There you have all three macros represented and separate, thus making them easy to adjust… and just because we’re talking about macronutrients doesn’t mean you get to forget your veggies! Be sure to add on a side salad or steamed green veggie so you’re not missing out on those important micronutrients of course!
Keep your life easy!! Don’t pull a Hannah and spend hours on hours on Pinterest trying to find every “macro friendly” recipe out there. Seriously, when I first started out I spent about 5000 hours on Pinterest pinning every recipe that was “skinny”,” lightened”, or “macro-friendly.” You name it, I fucking PINNED it… and almost never made it [insert dramatic eye roll].
So my advice: keep things simple over pinterest-worthy and fancy!
Be Okay with Making Mistakes
It’s not about becoming an expert overnight! It’s about learning and being okay with making mistakes and getting it wrong. Trust me, I tried to do it 100% right, 100% of the time and it became an all-consuming obsession that took all the fun out of my life. Be okay with making mistakes and learning as you go!… Hell, I’ve been doing this for almost a decade and even I still make mistakes!
Macro tracking is a tool that is meant to be, just that, a TOOL, not an inflexible, rigid way of eating. It should be empowering! …if it’s not, you need to go read my last blog again! (Check it out here!)
I digress…
It’s not about what macro is more superior (Oh and fun fact, my favorite thing is when people tell me they don’t eat carbs… but I’ll tell you something that will blow your freaking mind: vegetables ARE carbs). It’s not about superiority, or eliminating all the foods you love… It’s about being strategic and finding the right balance for you, so you can lose weight, sculpt the physique you want, and still ENJOY your life.
And one more reminder: ONE day is not going to make or break it. General trends and habits over time are what will help you shape the physique you want and help you still have so much freedom.
Do you feel overwhelmed when it comes to figuring out WHAT to eat and think a meal plan would be SO much easier? Stay tuned for my next blog where I go over just that, meal plans versus macros!
You can also click here to grab a FREE copy of my eBook where I share 5 things you need if you are NOT, and I mean NOT, going to put that weight back on you worked so damn hard to lose in the first place!
Heard enough and ready to just get STARTED? Click here to apply for 1:1 coaching!
