TIPS FOR TRACKING (MACROS)
As a nutrition coach, I believe tracking macros can be a really helpful tool, but it’s one that should be temporary for most of us. (It’s definitely not the be-all, end-all way to understand more about your intake, either, and there are other strategies to use.)
It can be a great way to gain understanding and awareness around our eating patterns and portion sizes, can help us to better understand nutrient balance, and can teach us how to best fuel our bodies depending on needs and goals. For some, it can increase accountability and help us tune into habits that are more aligned with our values and goals. Ideally, we use it for a period of time to help weave into our foundations of nutrition and nutrition education – and those are the things that stick with us for the long haul.
But, again, it’s a temporary tool, not a permanent solution. So while it can be useful to, say, check in on fiber intake or show us how much protein we’re actually getting, it can also be easy to get lost and/or caught in the minutia of it all: which app do I choose? What happens when I can’t find the *exact* version of tacos that I just enjoyed at a restaurant? How can I be precise if I’m not in my own kitchen with my food scale?!
My goal for clients and blog-readers alike is to experience macro tracking as a way to get curious and learn more: what habits do I currently have (and how might they change when I reflect on this after a couple of months of tracking)? Do I notice any patterns? What does a day/week of eating look like when I include all of the small bites that I take off of my kids’ plates? Getting comfortable with this information allows for a path away from tracking. The process (not an exhaustive list!) usually looks a little bit like this:
So: we know the why, the who (you!), and the where of tracking. Let’s dive into some actionable steps of the how, when, and what, so that you can not only build the confidence to track your macros, but also (and more importantly) get to a knowledgeable place where you feel empowered to not track anymore!
HOW TO TRACK
Utilizing the “save” or “favorite” feature in your tracking app for the items/combinations that you most commonly eat.
What this looks like in action: find the feature in your app that saves this food as a favorite. Use this more convenient entry instead of searching for it often. And bonus: just because it is saved, that doesn’t mean you have to enjoy the same quantity every time – it can be added. An easily accessible entry can take away a good bit of friction that comes along with tracking!
When eating out, try tracking your food as an item from a popular/chain restaurant. For example, if you are having a hamburger at your local burger joint that is not in your tracking app, choose an item that is close to it. This habit can be great for practicing/solidifying the habit of tracking, and logging something (even as an estimate) is better than nothing!
What this looks like in action: for the burger in the example above, think of a chain that has hamburgers on their menu, like Red Robin. Find an entry that looks similar, log it, and move on!
Another option when eating out is “deconstructing” your meal (where possible) and logging components of a meal.
What this looks like in action: for a meal like a Club sandwich, you can absolutely find a generic Club to log and move on. You could also log the parts of it: two pieces of bread, roasted turkey, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and mayo. This can be a beneficial way to track if you made substitutions to a “traditional” version of a menu item.
WHEN TO TRACK
Prior to eating, either first thing in the morning, or even the night before (often referred to as “pre-tracking”).
What this looks like in action: take a few moments in the morning (or the evening before) to consider what you’ll eat in the coming day. This doesn’t need to be exact, and might leave some holes for snacks throughout the day, or for adding fuel before or after a workout; then, as the day goes on, you already have most of the tracking work done, and can edit details (maybe 50g of blueberries turned into 80g and you swapped a protein shake for a protein bar at the office). This strategy often works well for people who eat similar meals day after day, and can also be really useful if you know you have a “specialty” event (like dinner out with friends, for example) that might be more calorically dense and requires some additional thought put into the meals around it.
Last thing in the evening.
What this looks like in action: logging a day’s worth of food at the end of the day is another option! To be honest, it’s not always my favorite or most recommended, because it leaves the most room for error. Some ways to combat that are to take photos of your food throughout the day (ideally as it is being weighed on a food scale) or eating the same version of something you have already enjoyed. You can also keep track in a notes app or on a post-it, though I’d argue that if you have time to make a note in the moment, you probably have time to open a tracking app and record it there 😉
As the day progresses/as you consume food.
What this looks like in action: as you make your coffee, log it; as you eat breakfast, log it; as you have some yogurt for a mid-morning snack, log it; etc. As you are beginning to track, this strategy can be helpful in noticing trends, as you will have timestamps for your entries, and also because it leaves little room for error in the memory department!
WHAT TO TRACK
BLTs – not the sandwich; this refers to “bites, licks, and tastes.” These can really add up over time, and are often eye-opening to clients when they begin tracking. Bites off your kids’ plates, grabbing a quick snack from the cupboard, or enjoying that half-a-cookie in the break room at work are all okay! But we want to make sure to account for them.
What this looks like in action: as you snack and sample, record these in your tracking app. If you are at home and near a food scale, throwing your snack on it for a measurement is great; if you are out and about, plan to estimate. Either way, account for it! If you can’t find your specific snack, try logging savory things as potato chips and sweeter things as gummy bears – no, these are not as exact as the specific item, but it is a way to streamline the estimation process and throw in a placeholder for your BLT.
Alcohol, if you drink. This recommendation helps to make sure that your consumption is in line with your goals and values, as tracking alcohol can also be helpful if you are prone to mindless consumption.
What this looks like in action: as you imbibe (or take some pictures/make notes and log after the fact), track. It could also look like deciding on a number of drinks before a meal or event, logging those, and then reminding yourself to stick to that number as you are drinking. (This could take practice, and I’m here to help if creating that plan and following through with it feels challenging.)
Plenty more tips where these came from – I’ve already got some notes for a tracking tips part #2! Questions about tracking? Curious about how it can support your (current and future) goals? Questions and comments are welcome below!
