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The Basics of Macro Tracking

Macro tracking basically means keeping a record of the food you eat, using apps, or journal entries. With technological advancement and increased awareness of healthy eating habits, tech companies have come up with revolutionary apps that are user friendly to help track macros. With different apps in the market designed for healthy living, you should find apps such as Lose It!, My Macros+, and MyFitnessPal, specifically designed to keep track of what you eat.

People looking to lose or control their weight can best check on their calorie intake using this method. Knowing what you eat and how often you eat it helps you develop the most elaborate diet plan that can work to your advantage in losing weight. For that, you need to grasp the basics of macro tracking.

To effectively benefit from this routine, you need to grasp a few macro tracking concepts and steps. Here are a few steps to guide you;

Figure your Calorie Needs

To conclusively determine the total amount of calories your body requires, you need to know the amount of energy you need when resting and the total energy you utilize when engaging in something. You can either increase or reduce the calories you take depending on the amount of energy you need for different tasks. Those seeking to lose weight need to reduce their calorie intake, while people looking to increase muscle bulk can increase calorie intake.

Note your specific macronutrient breakdown.

With your calorie intake in check, you need to decide what nutrient ratio works best. Macronutrients like fat, proteins, and carbs should be at the top of your list. You are aiming at specific goals when dieting. You can tailor your nutrient ratio to your nutrition goals.

An example is that someone seeking to control blood sugar level and reduce weight is advised to eat carbs: fat: protein ratio of 35:30:35. Another person aiming for a ketogenic diet would need foods rich in fat compared to other nutrients.

Tracking your macros and calorie intake

Now, this is the essential part of the entire process. It would help if you kept tabs on what you eat daily. This has been made easy with digital platforms that help you keep track of your macros while helping you stick to your nutrition routine and goals. There are several user-friendly apps that you can choose from.

Another tech you can use is the digital food scale. Though not necessary, you can use the scale to measure the weight of each food you eat before recording them in your journal or app. Do not limit yourself to specific amounts of food. Sticking within a given range can still allow you to realize diet goals.

Benefits of tracking macros

Helps improve your diet quality- using your records, you can determine the best quality food you need rather than focusing on the calorie content. Keeping track of your meals and their benefits will incline you to choose healthy foods rich in nutrients rather than the greasy junk food people commonly take.

Works efficiently in a weight loss routine- when seeking to cut weight, you are given specific dietary restrictions. Keeping a record of your meals helps with sticking within the dietary restrictions working to your advantage in weight loss. Aside from losing weight, it will also help you control your weight in the long run.
Helps with dietary goals- different people have different goals when it comes to dieting. Most people only think of weight loss as a dietary goal when most athletes and fitness buffs have other different nutritional goals. Taking account of what you eat helps you consume the right amount of macronutrients needed to realize your dietary goals.

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Alex

Alex is the co-author of 100 Greatest Plays, 100 Greatest Cricketers, 100 Greatest Films and 100 Greatest Moments. He has written for a wide variety of publications including The Observer, The Sunday Times, The Daily Mail, The Guardian and The Telegraph.

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