{"id":69351,"date":"2020-03-11T15:08:29","date_gmt":"2020-03-11T20:08:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/emilyfieldrd.com\/?p=69351"},"modified":"2021-01-16T19:52:04","modified_gmt":"2021-01-17T00:52:04","slug":"macro-tracking-myths","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/emilyfieldrd.com\/blog\/macro-tracking-myths\/","title":{"rendered":"Macro Tracking Myths that are Stopping You from Getting Lean + Strong"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Eating <\/span>enough, aka meeting your macros<\/span> is essential for getting leaner and stronger \u2014 plain and simple. What\u2019s not so \u201cplain and simple\u201d is how you deal with that in the context rest of your real life. As birthdays, holidays, stressful situations, trips, moves and more events occur, resolve can easily give way to excuses about lack of time, knowledge, money, focus and so on.<\/span><\/p>

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But, as a macro-tracking dietitian with years of experience coaching hundreds of clients on macros, I am yet to hear an excuse that can\u2019t be overcome. Unlike other restrictive or regimented ways of eating, macro-tracking can empower anyone and everyone. (I mean, who doesn\u2019t want to eat more and get lean in the process?)<\/span><\/p>

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Here are a few commonly heard macro tracking myths I want to bust wide open…<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Macro tracking will blow my budget\n<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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On the contrary, my friend! Between Healthy Choice frozen dinners, ready-to-eat chia seed puddings and post-workout acai bowls, you\u2019re spending a lot more than you need to on food. Tracking macros will likely have you in the kitchen more often, which is almost <\/span>always<\/span> going to be cheaper than eating out \u2014 especially if you buy simple ingredients in bulk. Affordable, macro-friendly pantry items include rice, potatoes, squash, canned tuna, nuts, seeds, beans, peas, lentils and coconut products. You\u2019ll pick up freezer items like ground meat, various cuts of poultry and fish when they\u2019re on sale. And, think about all the budget-friendly frozen fruits and vegetables you\u2019ll keep on hand to round out a meal with nutrient-rich carbohydrates!<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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I have to eat the same thing every day to make it work\n<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Be honest: Don\u2019t you already do this? If you took a look at your kitchen or your grocery list from week to week, you\u2019d probably find the same 10-15 foods. You like what you like! Except for a few meals eaten out, impulse grocery buys and snacks around the office, I\u2019m willing to bet you\u2019re already a creature of habit when it comes to food.<\/span><\/p>

Unlike rigid diet plans, macro-tracking will actually afford you way more options \u2014 and probably even inspire some creativity in the kitchen. Tracking macros never tells you what to eat. Rather, itsets parameters on how <\/span>much<\/span><\/i> is appropriate for you. Choose any cuisine, any prep method, as big or small a portion as you want… and, if you want it, you can have it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

If you\u2019re still worried that you\u2019ll have to eat the same foods every day in order to hit your macro targets, it sounds like you haven\u2019t played around with food logging apps in awhile! Technology has come such a long way to provide huge databases where you can find nearly every brand and restaurant. Nothing is stopping you from adding variety to your diet while tracking macros.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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I have to be perfect to see results\n<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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What would you say if I told you that the whole macro-tracking approach isn\u2019t an exact science? Between user error in measuring food, database errors in the tracking apps and \u201cbest guess\u201d macro prescriptions \u2014 it\u2019s definitely not an exact method!<\/span><\/p>

But, even in its flaws, macro-tracking is still one of the most efficient and effective ways to lose weight, change your body composition and eat to support athletic performance. Perfection is NOT required. In fact, just by getting close to your macro targets, you\u2019ll see changes to your energy, mood, digestion, sleep and skin within the first several weeks of tracking.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Given a little more time, you\u2019ll start to see changes to the way your clothes fit as you shed fat and build lean muscle.\u00a0 And even more time? You will be able to lift bigger weights, move quicker, push harder and recover like a boss.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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\u201cIt works for you, but it probably won\u2019t work for me.\u201d\n<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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I get it. You\u2019ve been burned by plans and programs that claim \u201cget lean fast\u201d \u2014 but you\u2019re here, so I <\/span>know<\/span><\/i> you still have hope. So, what if I tell you that macro-tracking has the power to be the LAST \u201cdiet\u201d you ever consider.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

You don\u2019t have to be a nutritionist like me. You don\u2019t even need an advanced nutritional knowledge base. And you DEFINITELY don\u2019t have to contemplate living the rest of your life in a state of deprivation.<\/span><\/p>

As I know from working with hundreds of clients from a variety of backgrounds and with a huge range of goals, macro-tracking is an amazing unifier in that it will work <\/span>with<\/span><\/i> you. Try reframing macro tracking from \u201canother attempt at losing weight\u201d to \u201ca tool to help me learn how much I need to eat to support my body.\u201d Tracking macros will strip away all the unnecessary rules from food and leave you with a solid understanding of what you\u2019re eating and how it makes you feel.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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It\u2019s complicated and time consuming\n<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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If you\u2019re already planning a menu, shopping for groceries and even glancing at ingredients or nutrition labels \u2014 you\u2019re more than halfway to tracking macros. If anything, counting your macros simply provides a little more framework to the way you select foods and build your meals.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Instead of having an internal argument with yourself about what\u2019s on your plate and how much you should be eating, you\u2019ll feel confident in putting together satisfying, satiating meals that the whole family can get on-board with.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

If you\u2019re worried that you won’t be successful because math wasn\u2019t your strong subject in school, don\u2019t be. With food-logging apps with features like barcode scanning, recipe creation, quick-add macros and copy-paste functionality, it\u2019s easier than ever to track quickly. <\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Wine, chocolate or fill-in-the-blank has to go in order to see results<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Lemme ask you this: do you think your gym bestie is opting for an approach that has her skipping wine night? Of course not!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

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One of the biggest shifts for people when they start tracking macros is that suddenly no foods are off limits.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Instead of, \u201cI can\u2019t have this wine because it will ruin my diet,\u201d you\u2019ll say, \u201cCan I see the wine list?\u201d Because you know wine counts as carbohydrate or a fat in your daily targets, and you can you can simply log it and adjust accordingly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

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With macro-tracking, you\u2019ll start to see that taking a balanced approach to nutrition is way better than an all-or-nothing mindset: Whether it\u2019s wine or kombucha, ice cream or Greek yogurt, a home cooked meal or Chinese takeout, it\u2019s your choice to eat how you want to hit your calorie and macro needs. <\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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but Here\u2019s TL;DR truth about macro tracking:<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Macro tracking won\u2019t blow your budget.<\/span><\/p>

You don\u2019t have to eat the same thing every day.<\/span><\/p>

You don\u2019t have to be perfect.<\/span><\/p>

It CAN work for you.<\/span><\/p>

It\u2019s not complicated or time-consuming.<\/span><\/p>

And you can still fit chocolate, wine or your favorite foods in your diet while tracking macros.<\/span><\/p>

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Don\u2019t you think it\u2019s worth your best effort and a little bit of practice?<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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check out some of my best free macro resources here<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tclick for more<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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I am yet to hear an excuse that can\u2019t be overcome. Unlike other restrictive or regimented ways of eating, macro-tracking can empower anyone and everyone. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":69353,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[142],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-69351","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-macro-tracking"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/emilyfieldrd.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69351"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/emilyfieldrd.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/emilyfieldrd.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emilyfieldrd.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emilyfieldrd.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=69351"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/emilyfieldrd.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69351\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":73200,"href":"https:\/\/emilyfieldrd.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69351\/revisions\/73200"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emilyfieldrd.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/69353"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/emilyfieldrd.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=69351"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emilyfieldrd.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=69351"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emilyfieldrd.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=69351"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}