Is tracking macronutrients right for you?
If you’ve ever tried to lose weight or gain muscle mass before, chances are you’re familiar with the phrase “counting macros.”
This is because, when it comes to specific goals like these, tracking macronutrients (macros) is very effective, for two reasons:
1) It makes you much more aware of what you’re eating
2) It helps to hold you accountable, because to achieve your goals, you must hit your caloric and macro targets each and every day.
With weight loss or gain, there’s no short cut or cheating. Any one who has every done it successfully knows that you have to earn each and every pound.
And counting macros is one of the most effective tools to help you do it.
Learning how to count macros does take some time and effort, but it’s a very accessible tool that anyone can use.
All that’s required is the use of an online calculator that, with a few simple inputs, will help determine your caloric needs as well as the macronutrient (carbohydrates, fats and protein) ratio that works best for you and your goals.
From there, you commit to “tracking your macros” and all that really means is that you log the foods you eat in an app or a food journal.
Apart from giving you precise targets, what’s so great about this approach, why so many people flock to it and why I recommend it certain clients, is that you can continue to eat some of your favorite foods and don’t feel as if you have to give certain things up. This makes the journey to weight loss or gain, for some, far more doable and enjoyable.
Of course, tracking macros and calories isn’t for everyone - for a lot of reasons.
It does take a certain amount of time and energy each day. And for some, it may ignite obsessive behaviors surrounding food or fracture an already rocky relationship one might have with what they eat.
The good news is that there are lots of tools you can use to support weight loss (or gain) goals.
In fact, it’s much easier to have success with it if you’re able to find the tools and tactics that work best for you.
Figuring out what method is most appropriate, given one’s goals, lifestyle, personality, relationship and history with food, etc. is an important part of the work that I do with my clients.
If you have a specific goal like weight loss or gaining muscle mass, and don’t want to give up certain foods, need to hold yourself accountable, would like to be more mindful about what you’re eating, portion sizes, etc. and don’t mind writing down everything that you eat (it must be every last thing if its going to work), then counting macros might be the exact tool you need to get you to where you want to go.
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