Do I Have To Track Macros?
TLDR; you don’t have to track macros to reach your goals. There are infinitely many approaches depending on your lifestyle, starting point, and goals. Keep reading to learn about some alternative approaches that can help you develop nutritional awareness!
For most people, the goal of making dietary changes is to improve body composition in some way, feel and perform better, and lead the happiest and healthiest life possible for as long as possible. Macro tracking is just one approach towards reaching those goals. Yes, I’m definitely an advocate for macro tracking sometimes. For many people, it is a great way to build awareness around the foods that they’re eating and how those foods contribute to their goals. But it is NOT the only approach.
I’ll be the first to admit that macros aren’t for everyone. It depends on your lifestyle, experience, goals, and preferences. Like fitness, there is no one size fits all for everyone. What will work best for you is whatever thing you can do CONSISTENTLY! If weighing your food and logging it in an app every day is going to stress you out and make you miserable then you don’t have to do it! There are other ways to be mindful of your intake and lead a balanced and healthy life.
Though I’ll be honest… winging it isn’t the answer. Even if macros aren’t for you, I recommend finding some other technique that you enjoy and that helps you eat a balanced diet of mostly whole nutrient dense foods. There are a ton of different strategies out there and none of them are right or wrong. Try testing out a few of the strategies below and see if any of them work for you!
Macro Tracking Alternatives
Mindful Eating Habits
Many people benefit from implementing a few small, sustainable nutrition habits that help them improve their dietary intake over time. Some examples include:
Starting each meal with a protein source
Including at least 1 fruit or vegetable at every meal
Taking a sip of water every 2-3 bites
Eating until 80% full
Food Journal
Monitor your dietary intake without working towards specific goals. This helps improve awareness and accountability. This can look like:
Writing down what you eat in a notebook or in your notes app
Take pictures of your meals
Share a food log with a coach or accountability buddy
Portion Sizes
Instead of weighing and measuring every food you eat, some people use more "intuitive" portion control techniques such as:
Using your hands to determine ideal portion sizes (ex: 1 palm of protein, 1 fist of veggies, 1 cupped handful of carbs, 1 thumb of fats)
Gauge portions by filling your plate with different food items (ex: 1/4 protein, 1/4 carbs, 1/2 veggies)
Protein Tracking
You can track some elements of your dietary intake without tracking all of it
Some clients track only protein intake to ensure they're eating enough to fuel muscle growth
Some clients track protein and total calories and have more flexibility around carbs and fats each day
Remember that the first strategy that you try might not be the best fit for you and that doesn’t mean you’re a failure, it just means that you need to try out some other methods. Put on your data collection cap and start getting interested in learning what works well for you and what doesn’t. And remember that there is always extra support if you need it! If you’re looking for some extra help carving out techniques that you can actually stick to, schedule a free consult call using the button below to take the first step towards building habits that are sustainable for you!
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