How to Count Macros?

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This ultimate guide on counting macros will teach you what macronutrients are, how to track them, and how to meet your dietary needs for weight loss, muscle gain, and maintenance. You'll discover tools for tracking, how to handle alcohol macros, and avoid common mistakes, making macro counting an effective approach to achieving your health and fitness goals.

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How to Count & Track Macros: Your Ultimate Guide

According to studies, about 80% of people who lose significant weight struggle to keep it off for more than a year.

One meta-analysis found that dieters tend to regain over half of their lost weight within two years.

This is where tracking macros can offer a real solution.

If you’re a health enthusiast, you might already have heard about macros. But, really understanding what they are and how to track macros is the best way to achieve your fitness goals – faster and more effectively than any other nutrition approach available.

It is no exaggeration to say that when it comes to nutrition, tracking macros is your key to success.

And it makes sense, because understanding macros and how to track them can help you accomplish extraordinary results regardless of your health goals.

To help you make the most of macro-based nutrition, we have prepared this comprehensive guide on counting macros and tracking macros.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explain everything you need to know about macros and how to track them accurately. We’ll go over the fundamentals of macros and provide you with practical advice you can implement right now.

So, whether you want to improve your general health, gain lean muscle mass, or lose weight, macro counting is the first crucial step.

Here’s why:

Calculating macros is one of the few scientifically-backed and proven tactics that can help you achieve sustainable and long-term results without compromising your health.

So, without further ado, let’s get started and see how easy and powerful it is to track your macros with IIFYM.

What Are Macros?

Before you start any diet program, make sure to understand the concept of macronutrients, or “macros” for short.

For the uninitiated, these are the main nutrients you get from food in large amounts. On the contrary, micronutrients are needed in much smaller amounts.

To give you an idea, you might eat 100-200 grams of protein (which is a “macro” or macronutrient) daily, but only 10 to 50 mcg of vitamin D (100 grams equals 100 million micrograms).

The four main macronutrients are:

1. Protein

2. Carbohydrates

3. Fats

4. Alcohol (considered a fourth macronutrient)

Each of these macros has different functions in the body:

1. Protein

They support the growth and maintenance of your body’s muscles, tendons, enzymes, antibodies, and other vital components.

2. Carbohydrates

They are your body’s main energy sources of energy. Your brain, muscles, and internal organs run on crabs. Your body can store approximately 2,400 calories, or 600 grams of carbohydrates at one time.

3. Fats

Fats are also a source of energy and the preferred way your body stores extra calories as fat. One pound of fat contains around 4,000 calories. Fats also provide structural support and help in the formation of hormones.

4. Alcohol

While not strictly a nutrient, alcohol is considered a fourth macronutrient because it provides calories, but no vitamins and minerals.

Your body breaks down alcohol more quickly than it does other macros.

Anyone trying to lose weight, improve their fitness, or follow the “if it fits your macros” (IIFYM) diet must understand these macronutrients.

Tracking your macros and understanding macros for weight loss can help you make better nutritional choices to reach your health and fitness goals.

How Do I Calculate Calories Per Macro?

Always remember that each macronutrient comes with its own “energy density”. This implies that you can calculate the approximate number of calories that you get from the various macronutrients that you eat.

Here’s a breakdown of the calorie amounts for each macronutrient:

Protein: Provides about 4 calories per gram.

Carbohydrates: Also have about 4 calories per gram.

Alcohol: Surprisingly, it has around 7 calories per gram.

Fats: The most energy-dense, with 9 calories per gram.

Each macronutrient comes with its own “energy density”. So, you can calculate the approximate number of calories that you get from the various macronutrients.

Counting Macros: What Does it Mean to Count Macros?

So, what exactly is “macro tracking” or “macro counting”?

Well, the answer is pretty simple, macro tracking is simply a method of calculating the macros you consume via your food intake throughout the day.

Macro counting is like managing a household budget. With macro counting, you set aside grams and calories for carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and even alcohol each month, just as you would for rent, food, utilities, and other costs.

This keeps your overall calorie intake under your designated “budget.”

You can see your entire dietary consumption with macro counting. In this sense, it helps and improves the process of reaching your fitness goals.

For tracking macros, our state-of-the-art IIFYM calorie calculator can be a useful tool.

Counting Calories Vs. Counting Macros

There’s a common misconception that counting macros and calories are one and the same. But nothing could be further from the reality than this.

However, if you want to make sure that your body is getting the essential nutrients it needs to function at its peak while still reaching your weight loss or muscle growth objectives, macro tracking is a much more accurate method.

Let’s say you consume excess popcorn at the movies to reach your daily calorie goal.

However, it doesn’t guarantee you’re getting the necessary nutrients. Keeping track of your macros can make sure you’re receiving adequate protein, carbohydrates, and fats along with your daily calories to lose weight.

The good news is that flexible dieting (IIFYM) allows you to customize your diet to better support your body composition and weight goals by tracking your macros with a free macro tracker.

You can easily achieve calorie deficit and weight loss by focusing on healthy carbs for weight loss and your overall calorie intake to lose weight.

How To Count Macros Using a Macro Calculator?

When you start counting macros, you must have the right tools and approach to achieve success. Here’s a step-by-step guide to using our Macro Calculator effectively to track your food intake.

To get started with macro counting or macro tracking, you’ll need:

1. Use a Macro Calculator:

Use a reliable macro calculator to get an estimate of your target macros. This will be your starting point.

2. Choose a Tracking Method:

Use a dedicated macro tracking app to carefully log your macros throughout the day. You can also use a notebook for this purpose. 

3. Measuring Tools:

Have a food scale and measuring cups on hand to accurately measure your food portions and track macros. We recommend using a high-quality food scale for accurate measurements. 

Now, let’s go through the process of tracking macros:

1. Set Your Macro Goals:

Note down the macro targets from the IIFYM macro calculator. Then, track a typical day of eating, carefully measuring and logging each item. Use nutrition labels or your macro tracking app’s database.

2. Analyze Discrepancies:

Look at where your actual macros differ from your targets. Identify areas where you’re exceeding or falling short on certain macros, like too much fat or not enough protein.

3. Adjust Portion Sizes:

To better align with your macro goals, adjust your portion sizes accordingly. For instance, you can increase your servings of protein-rich foods and reduce high-fat items.

4. Refine Over Time:

Continually tweak your portions over the following weeks until you get closer to your macro goals. This gradual adjustment process will help you stick to your diet and move towards your fitness goals.

5. Diversify Your Choices:

Try including a variety of meals and foods that fit your macro targets. Experiment to find the best combinations for you.

Remember that macro calculators provide estimates, and your personal needs may vary. Choose our personalized macro-based meal plans or consider consulting an IIFYM coach.

How to Count Macros Manually?

1. Calculate Your Calorie Needs (TDEE)

You must find out how many calories you need each day before tracking your macros.

This involves calculating your REE or Resting Energy Expenditure and NREE or Non-Resting Energy Expenditure.

The number of calories your body burns while at rest or not moving is called REE. Conversely, NREE represents the calories burned during digestion and activity. Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure, or TDEE, is the sum of your REE and NREE.

You can calculate your TDEE using our TDEE calculator. Alternatively, you can use the Mifflin-St. Jeor equation, which is as follows:

 

TDEE Formula For Men:

Calories/day = 10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) – 5 x age (years) + 5

TDEE Formula For Women:

Calories/day = 10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) – 5 x age (years) – 161

Then, adjust this number based on your activity level using the provided activity factors.

This final TDEE value is the basis for setting your calorie intake goal.

1. For sedentary lifestyle with limited exercise, multiply by 1.2

2. For a lightly active lifestyle with light exercise less than 3 days per week, multiply by 1.375

3. If you are moderately active and exercise most days of the week, multiply by 1.55

4. For a very active lifestyle with hard exercise every day, multiply by 1.725

5. If you have an extra active lifestyle with strenuous exercise two or more times per day, multiply by 1.9

The resulting total represents your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE).

From this TDEE, you can then either add or subtract calories to reach your desired goals.

Those looking to lose weight should consume fewer calories than their TDEE, while those aiming to gain muscle mass should increase their caloric intake above their TDEE.

Knowing the ratio of macros for weight loss and how to count macros for weight loss using the best app for macro tracking can be extremely helpful for figuring out macros for weight loss and calculating calories for weight loss.`

2. Determine Your Ideal Macronutrient Breakdown

The next step is to determine which macronutrient (macro factor) ratio best suits your needs. Typical macro advice advises:

Carbohydrates: 45%-65% of total calories

Fats: 20%-35% of total calories

Proteins: 10%-35% of total calories

However, you may need to adjust these percentages based on your specific dietary preferences and goals.

For example, someone focused on blood sugar control or fat loss may do better with 30-40% carbs, 30-35% fat, and 35-40% protein.

On the other hand, a keto dieter would opt for higher fat and lower carbs.

3. Track Your Macros and Caloric Intake

It’s time to begin tracking macros now. This involves keeping a food journal or utilizing an app or website to log the things you eat.

To make the process easier, there are a number of nutrition applications that are easy to use, like MyFitnessPal, My Macros Plus, and Lose It!.

Consider investing in a good quality food scale to measure your portions accurately. This can help improve the precision of your macro tracking, although it’s not necessary.

Some apps even have a barcode scanner feature to make logging packaged foods easier.

Whether you use a digital platform or a traditional pen-and-paper approach, the key is to be consistent.

You don’t need to achieve your macro goals perfectly – minor deviations are okay as long as you stay within your overall calorie and macronutrient goals.

Calculating macros and counting macros is crucial for macros for weight loss, macros for women weight loss, and macros to gain muscle and lose fat.

Staying on top of your counting macros for weight loss will help you reach your fitness and body composition goals more effectively.

4. Example Macro Calculation

Let’s walk through an example of calculating macro targets for a 2,000-calorie diet with a 40% carbs, and 30% protein, 30% fat breakdown:

Carbohydrates: 200 grams per day (40% of 2,000 calories)

Proteins: 150 grams per day (30% of 2,000 calories)

Fats: 67 grams per day (30% of 2,000 calories)

To sum up, counting macros is figuring out how many calories and macronutrients you need, then documenting your intake with a food journal or app, and making modifications as necessary to meet your dietary preferences and fitness goals.

How To Meet Your Macros?

Depending on your specific macronutrient goals you may need to adjust your intake of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.

For example, if you’re choosing a breakdown of 30-40% carbs, 30-35% fat, and 20-25% protein, you’ll need to change some of your food choices. For example, you can swap some carb sources for healthier fat and protein options.

To help you make these adjustments, here are examples of nutritious foods organized by macronutrient:

IIFYM- Ultimate-Guide-to-Macros

Healthy Sources of Carbohydrates:

Grains like oats, quinoa, and brown rice.

Whole-wheat pasta and bread

Starchy vegetables include potatoes, winter squash, and sweet potatoes.

Fruits including berries, apples, bananas, and pineapple

Legumes like beans, peas, and lentils

Dairy products like yogurt and milk

Healthy Sources of Proteins:

Egg whites

Various meats, poultry, and fish

Shellfish

Plant-based sources like tofu, beans, lentils, seitan, and tempeh

Dairy options such as milk, yogurt, and protein powders

Healthy Fats:

Egg yolks

Healthy oils like olive and avocado oil

Butter

Nut butters

Coconut products like oil and flakes

Avocado

Full-fat dairy items including milk, yogurt, and cheese

Seeds such as chia seeds and flaxseeds

Fatty fish such as sardines and salmon

In summary, if you’re trying to meet your specific macronutrient goals, make sure to include foods in your diet that help you adjust the macros (i.e. protein, carbs, and fats) you need to increase or decrease in your diet. 

This approach ensures you’re meeting your nutritional requirements effectively.

Flexible dieting and understanding how to calculate my macros can be extremely helpful when trying to meet your macro targets. 

Using a free macro tracker can make it easier to track your daily calories to lose weight and stick to your macro eating plan. 

The key is finding the right balance of macros that work best for your individual goals and preferences.

Tracking Macros: Is it for Everyone?

If you’re looking for a structured approach to managing your diet, counting macros or tracking macros can provide you with valuable information about food consumption.

You can gain a better understanding of the type and quantity of food you eat by tracking macros. 

For those on high-protein or ketogenic diets, this can be extremely beneficial.It also includes macros for weight loss, macros for women weight loss, and macros to gain muscle and lose fat.

Although macro counting gives you more freedom to choose foods that fit within your required macronutrient ranges, it does not guarantee a balanced diet. 

To get the most out of it, you should include a range of nutrient-dense foods into your diet, such as complex carbohydrates, fresh produce, healthy fats, and high-quality protein sources, in order to meet your individual fitness and health goals.

One of the most useful tools in this process is a macro calculator for weight loss.

In summary, while counting macros for weight loss can be a great tool, it may not be particularly suitable for people with eating disorders.

How to Count Macros for Weight Loss

The process of counting macros is consistent regardless of your specific fitness goals. However, when it comes to counting macros for weight loss, you need to keep in mind a few key factors to make your efforts more effective.

Firstly, it’s a good idea to err on the side of caution with foods where you’re unsure of the exact nutrient composition. When dining out, for instance, when you are unable to select the precise meal item from your tracking app, select a comparable choice and increase the calorie count by an additional 15-20%. Apply this rule to any meal where you’re uncertain about the details.

Second, little differences can have a negative long-term impact on your weight loss efforts. It is therefore highly advised to weigh rather than measure your meals, especially when it comes to dry goods. Compared to volume, weight offers a measurement that is more precise.

By using these simple strategies, you can optimize your food tracking and macro counting process dramatically and achieve your weight loss goals in the healthiest way possible. Utilizing a macro calculator for weight loss, focusing on healthy carbs for weight loss, and maintaining a calorie deficit and weight loss can all be powerful tools when you need to lose weight. Calculating calories for weight loss and following the best diet to lose weight quickly can also be effective approaches.

How to Count Macros for Muscle Gain

Tracking macros for muscle gain needs a bit of a different approach. To effectively build muscles, you need to maintain a consistent calorie surplus over an extended period. Although weight loss techniques allow for short-term deficits, building muscle requires a long-term surplus.This means, you should keep a planned calorie surplus at all times and closely when tracking macros for muscle gain.

Precision is essential for building muscle. Studies have shown that increasing your caloric intake by 300 to 500 calories beyond your maintenance level can maximize muscle building and minimize fat gain.

This means that even minor mistakes in your calorie or macros tracking can have a significant impact on your muscle gain success. In contrast, any deficit is beneficial during weight loss. Therefore, you need to ensure extreme accuracy in weighing and measuring your food if your goal is muscle gain.

How to Track Macros For Maintenance?

Although the technique of counting macros for maintenance is quite similar to that of weight loss, the end result is different. When counting macros for weight maintenance, the goal is to develop sustainable habits. This will reduce the need for constant daily tracking and macro counting.

So, try to make eating good, nutritious meals and developing healthy eating patterns a regular part of your routine. This makes it easier to maintain your weight over the long term, spanning months and even years. You may still need to do some occasional tracking using a free macro tracker or best macro tracking app to ensure your habits are still aligned with your overall goals. This flexible dieting approach helps you develop a sustainable and lasting relationship with managing your food intake.

The key difference is that with maintenance, your focus should be on cultivating habits that allow you to naturally maintain your weight, rather than actively trying to achieve weight loss. By taking this approach, you can find a balanced way of eating that works for you in the long run. Figuring out macros for weight loss can also be helpful during this maintenance phase.

How to Effectively Track Alcohol Macros?

There are various approaches available to monitor your alcohol intake in macros, albeit with differing degrees of precision.

One option is to use a macro tracking app like My Fitness Pal or My Macros+. These useful apps offer easy ways to track the amount of alcohol you consume.

Another approach is to integrate alcohol into your macronutrient tracking by logging it as either carbohydrates or fats.

You can do it easily with our Alcohol Macro calculator.

Given that the body metabolizes alcohol differently than it does other macros, this method is typically more accurate than tracking it as protein.

If you need to track the macronutrient breakdown of your alcoholic drinks, here’s how to do the calculations:

– To account for the calories from fat, divide the total calories by 9

– To account for the calories from carbohydrates, divide the total calories by 4

Alternatively, you can split the calories evenly between fat and carbohydrates. In this case, divide each portion by 9 and 4 respectively.

Sure, here’s the updated calculation with a different calorie amount:

For example, for a 500-calorie drink:

Calculation

As Fat

500 / 9 = 55.6 grams of fat

As Carb

500 / 4 = 125 grams of carbs

Split Evenly

250 calories as fat (250 / 9 = 27.8 grams) and 250 calories as carbs (250 / 4 = 62.5 grams)

In addition to the alcohol’s calories, you should also consider the amount of carbohydrates or fats in the beverage. This comprehensive approach will give you a more accurate picture of your overall nutrient intake.

By using these strategies, you can effectively track your alcohol macros in a way that supports your health and fitness goals.

Track Your Macros: Essential Tools for Precision

When it comes to effectively managing your nutrition, tracking your macros is crucial. Fortunately, there are a number of tools available to make macro tracking as easy as possible.

You can utilize technological tools like food journals, websites, and specialized macro tracking apps, or you can use more conventional techniques like pen and paper.

Macro Tracking Apps:

Using macro tracking apps, available for both iPhone and Android, can be very convenient. These user-friendly applications make it easy to log your macros, with features like calculating the calories of your meals, monitoring your macronutrient ratios, and tracking your daily progress.

My Macros+:

If your coach recommends macro counting, the My Macros+ app could be a good option. It offers a simple tracking system that gives you clear data for your daily protein, carb, and fat intake. You can see your macros in the percentage of your total calories.

Lose It!:

Lose It app not only tracks macros but also allows you to monitor your water consumption and set your own weight loss goals. You’ll get regular updates regarding your healthy habits, and the app’s barcode scanner makes it easy to log all kinds of foods you consume.

Regardless of the method you choose, having the right tools to track your macros can make a big difference in helping you achieve your nutrition and fitness objectives.

Digital Food Scale

For precise macro tracking, you’ll need to accurately weigh your food. While measuring cups or spoons can work for some things, the most accurate method is using a digital food scale.

This tool helps maintain consistent portion sizes, which is crucial for getting reliable results with your nutrition plan.

Glass Food Storage Containers

To simplify meal preparation, try pre-portioning ingredients and storing them in glass food containers ahead of time.

This way, you can have pre-portioned items on hand without having to constantly use your food scale. Glass containers are more durable than plastic ones and don’t pose any health risks, especially when reheating food.

We know that tracking macros can sometimes feel overwhelming.

That’s where our experts here at IIFYM come in to simplify your meal-planning process.

By using a personalized approach, the Macro Blueprint helps you stay on track and reach your fitness goals faster.

With our proven, personalized meal plans, you can enjoy healthy, diet-appropriate food without stress.

IIFYM takes the guesswork out of macro tracking so that you can focus on reaching your goals.

Our convenient, customized meal plans are designed to fit your specific nutritional needs, so you don’t have to worry about weighing and measuring every ingredient.

Just subscribe to a suitable plan, and keep making progress toward your fitness or weight management objectives.

With IIFYM macro meal plans, you can easily achieve a balanced diet and hit your macronutrient goals faster.

Calculating calories for weight loss, understanding the ratio of macros for weight loss, and figuring out macros for weight loss can all be streamlined with our expert-crafted plans.

Simplify your nutrition routine and let our experts handle the calculating my macros, so you can spend your time and energy on other important aspects of your health and wellness.

Mastering the skill of food tracking is like learning any new skill – it takes understanding the fundamentals and some serious practice.

Here are some effective techniques to quickly improve your macro tracking proficiency.

Measuring Vs. Weighing

Make sure you understand the difference between weight and volume. Weight refers to the mass of a substance, while volume is the amount of space it occupies. Units like grams, ounces, pounds, and tons are for measuring weight/mass, while fluid ounces, milliliters, ups, tablespoons, and gallons measure volume.

How to Weigh Dry Goods?

When it comes to packaged foods such as pasta, oats, rice, and grains, the label gives information about the product in its uncooked, original state. To accurately track your macros based on this info, you need to weigh these dry goods before cooking.

How to Weigh Meat?

For the best macro tracking accuracy with meat, poultry, and fish, make sure to weigh them in their raw, uncooked state. Cooking can cause meats to lose their fat and water content and this varies depending on the cooking method and doneness.

While the USDA also provides cooked macros, these may not be as precise since cooking methods can affect the final nutritional content. For some items like bacon, the macros are listed for the cooked items, so you’d weigh it after cooking.

Whichever method you choose – raw or cooked – the key is to be consistent. Stick to the same approach each time to minimize variability and get the most accurate macro tracking results.

What to Eat When Tracking Macros?

Probably, the best thing about counting macros is the sheer amount of flexibility you can enjoy when it comes to your food choices. However, it’s important to maintain a healthy balance and not rely solely on highly processed or low-nutrient options. A common guideline in flexible dieting or IIFYM diet is the “80/20” rule.

This means that around 80% of your total calorie intake should be whole, nutrient-dense foods, while the remaining 20% can be more indulgent choices that you enjoy, even if they don’t offer the same nutritional value.

The idea behind this approach is to make sure your body’s micronutrient and fiber needs are met first, before allowing for more flexible eating. Once those requirements are covered, you have some leeway to include less nutritious options.

If you’re unsure which foods to include in your diet to achieve a balanced plate, consider referring to a macro blueprint. This resource can guide you on portion sizes and food choices that will suit your macro goals effectively.

The key is finding a balance between nutritious, whole foods and the occasional indulgence, all while keeping your macros in check. This will help you meet your dietary needs while still enjoying the foods you love.

IIFYM’s Macro Friendly Recipes

Our expertly crafted macro-friendly recipes can transform your approach to food and macro tracking, and make it both satisfying and enjoyable. Our curated collection of delicious and nourishing will make sure that you meet your macro goals with flavor-packed meals.

Visit our blog and explore the recipes section on our site to achieve your fitness goals with meals that tantalize your taste buds while fulfilling your nutritional needs.

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What are the Benefits of Tracking Macros

There are several key benefits of transitioning to counting macros, especially when it comes to education, flexibility, and effectively managing your body weight.

By focusing on macros, you get valuable information about the nutritional value and energy content of your food. Over time, you develop a deep understanding that allows you to quickly calculate macros and the calorie count, macronutrient composition, and even micronutrient content of any food. Through consistent tracking macros, you build some robust skills and understanding that will help you make informed dietary choices for the rest of your life.

One of the main benefits is the flexibility it provides. Restrictive eating patterns can often lead to frustration and setbacks, but with a macros-focused approach, you have the freedom to include a wide variety of foods in your daily diet, as long as you approach it thoughtfully. Flexible dieting is a great way to leverage counting macros.

Furthermore, as you understand your body’s unique energy and nutritional needs, you can effectively control and manage your body weight over the long term. You’ll be able to make any adjustments to your calorie intake and calorie burn for your specific goals. This will ensure sustained progress and success throughout your journey.

With macro counting, you can develop a deep understanding of nutrition, enjoy more dietary flexibility, and take charge of your body weight management sustainably. Utilizing the best macro tracking app can make this process even easier.

weighing-vs.-measuring-food

Counting Macros: Avoid these Common Pitfalls

Let’s go over some macro tracking pitfalls and how to steer clear of them:

1. Volume vs. Weight:

Measuring in scoops or cups may seem convenient, but it’s highly inaccurate. Even foods labeled with volume-based serving sizes often provide weights, which are more reliable for tracking, especially for calorie-dense foods.

2. Using Generic Entries:

When logging your food, weigh items instead of using generic entries like “1 apple” or “1 banana.” The size and weight of these can vary a lot, which can affect the calorie content. Even pre-packaged foods can have discrepancies, so always weigh when possible.

3. Eyeballing:

Guessing portion sizes is inherently inaccurate when it comes to tracking food. If your goal is weight loss, you need to ditch eyeballing and prioritize accurate measurement.

4. Weighing Cooked Food:

Nutrition info is typically for raw weight. Despite weight loss from cooking due to water loss, always weigh and log food in its raw state for precision.

5. Not Tracking Bites and Tastes:

Those little nibbles throughout the day can add up, but we often overlook them. Being mindful and sitting down to eat can help minimize these untracked calories.

6. Not Tracking Oils:

Cooking oils contribute calories, and failing to track them can lead to underestimating your intake since fats have 9 calories per gram.

7. Eating Out Often:

Restaurant meals can be tricky to track, as calorie counts may be underestimated. Adding an extra 20% to estimated calories can help compensate.

8. Tracking Your Alcohol:

The fact is that alcohol has its calorie content, plus cocktails often contain added sugars. Tracking alcohol is crucial, especially if you’re in a calorie deficit.

9. Eating Back Your Burned Calories:

Fitness trackers can overestimate calorie burn, so it’s best to not consider them in your food tracking to keep your intake aligned with your goals.

10. Not Creating Custom Food Entries:

Nutrition labels can be inaccurate, so creating custom entries based on actual weights ensures you account for any discrepancies.

In Summary:

So, if you’re tired of guessing your calorie intake and struggling to reach your fitness goals? It’s time to start tracking your macros.

Every calorie count and even small errors can add up to major setbacks. By weighing your food, you can ensure optimal accuracy in your macro tracking, which can prevent accidental overeating.

If you’re looking for a structured approach to weight loss, our weight loss programs are designed to provide just that.

With our simple tips and macro tracking tools, you can streamline your tracking process and achieve your goals with confidence. Whether you want to lose fat, gain muscle, or maintain your weight, precise macro tracking is the key to success.

Our Macro Blueprint provides you with hyper-accurate macros tailored to your specific needs, ensuring optimal results. Our team at IIFYM is here to support you every step of the way. Take the first step towards your goals today and join the thousands who have already experienced the power of precision tracking with IIFYM. Let’s make your fitness journey a success together!

– Choosing healthy fats. (2020). https://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-eating/choosing-healthy-fats.htm

– Ingels, J. S., et al. (2017). The effect of adherence to dietary tracking on weight loss: Using HLM to model weight loss over time. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5568610/

– Just enough for you: About food portions. (2016). https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management/just-enough-food-portions

– Simpson, C. C., et al. (2017). Calorie counting and fitness tracking technology: associations with eating disorder symptomatology [Abstract]. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28214452/

– Venn, B. J. (2020). Macronutrients and human health for the 21st century. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7468865/

– Body weight planner. (n.d.). https://www.niddk.nih.gov/bwp

– Choosing healthy protein. (2020). https://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-eating/choosing-healthy-protein.htm

– Jäger, R., et al. (2017). International Society of Sports Nutrition positions stand: Protein and exercise [Abstract]. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28642676/

– Levinson, C. A., et al. (2017). My fitness pal calorie tracker usage in eating disorders [Abstract]. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28843591/

– Slavin, J., et al. (2014). Carbohydrates. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4224210/

About The Author

Anthony is the creator of the world’s first macro calculator and a veteran macro coach with over 15 years of experience. Through his expertise and dedication, Anthony has transformed the lives of more than 50,000 clients using the Macro Blueprint, a program meticulously designed to simplify dieting and enhance overall wellness. 

As the founder of IIFYM.com, Anthony offers comprehensive digital diet programs and personalized macro suggestions to help individuals achieve their weight loss goals, improve sleep, boost focus, and build confidence.

Whether you want to track macros, engage in flexible dieting, or optimize your metabolism health, Anthony’s strategies cater to diverse needs. From recomp macros to bodybuilding macros, discover how you can take control of your nutrition and life with Anthony’s proven methods.

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