What is the best way to track your macronutrients?
The truth is, it looks a little different for everyone. Lifestyle, goals, and experience with tracking are all factors that influence how we track food.
We can look at 3 common tracking styles and find that most people fit into one of these categories. If you’re struggling with tracking, you might be using the wrong approach as opposed to, “this weighing and measuring just isn’t working for me”.
The Macro Planner
This style of tracking is all about planning ahead. It’s perfect for beginners, and folks who live a busy lifestyle. The planner will always have groceries on hand to meet their targets. Meat defrosted, veggies washed and cut and batch cooking are all fundamental for the planner. Each day is pre-tracked and sitting in the tracking app ahead of time. There is no pondering about what to eat for lunch or dinner as it’s always planned in advance.
The planner thrives with structure and often cycles through many of the same meals. If they go out to eat, they’re checking for informed dining or making very accurate estimates about the menu items.
If you’re just getting started with macro tracking, if you have weight loss goals, or if your life is very busy, being a planner will be the most suitable choice for you.
The Macro Track As I Go
Tracking as you go requires some experience. If you’ve never weighed and measured food before this is not the best approach. You need a frame of reference to track this way, and folks who succeed here were usually planners first. They know from experience how to hit their targets.
If you have tracked for at least 6 months, if your schedule is pretty flexible and allows you to grab food on the go, or perhaps cook at home while you work this approach can work for you. If your goals are more about maintenance and consistency this is a good fit. Tracking as you go also provides more flexibility for food selection for folks who enjoy more variety.
For beginners this approach almost always results in frustration and ultimately, failure. If you’re just getting started, don’t start here!
The Macro Backtracker
The backtracker is the most seasoned tracker. This is someone who has planned and tracked for an extended period of time. They have used a lot of structure to get to this point and have most of their meals and portions memorized. They can draw from their history and know which foods will get them to their respective targets. They know where they have wiggle room, and they can see a mistake coming from a mile away.
Repetition is what allows them to succeed. They have banked a lot of time and effort paying attention to their nutrition. The backtracker can hit a surplus, maintenance or deficit with their calories pretty precisely simply from their experience.
Are you interested in learning how to track macronutrients? Not too sure where you should start? Click here to book a call with me and let’s get your nutrition journey started.
