Many of us now understand what we need to do to make meaningful body composition changes in a healthy and sustainable way. Up next is understanding how to actually implement this knowledge.
If you didn’t catch part one and part two of our changing body composition series, check that out before completing this video.
Today we are going to discuss two different ways we can track calories and macros and apply the information taught in the first two parts of this series.
The first method is using a calorie & macro tracking app, such as Macros First or MyFitnessPal. We tend to stick with Macros First as we find it easier to use, alongside the larger data base of pre saved foods.
This method will be the most reliable, accurate, and fastest way to reach your goals! But that means the process may not come easy for you at first!
Once you have the app downloaded and all your information inputted, you can manually enter the number of calories and macro breakdown you plan on eating daily into the app. This should be relatively close to what Macros First recommends.
Now it’s all about doing the hard work day in and day out. Each and every meal, snack and bite you take should be inputted into the app and accounted for. Some foods will be easier than others to log. But this is our general recommendation to make the process easier.
If the food has a barcode, you can scan it and adjust the serving size depending on how much you eat!
If the food requires to be weighed, you will need to take out your handy dandy food scale and weigh it! This is what that process will look like.
Put your plate or bowl onto the scale, zero it out. We typically recommend working with grams. Add your food, and input it into Macros First. Zero the scale out again, and add more food. Repeat this process until the meal is completed.
The other method we can use to create well balanced meals is the hand portion method. This way won’t be nearly as accurate as the other way, but it may be a much better place for some people to begin!
Using the graph shown now, you would create each and every meal based on those standards. The goal is to eat 3-4 meals a day, focusing on real foods while prioritizing protein and eating until about 80% full, when trying to lose weight. Avoid adding additional sauces, oils and snacks throughout the day. These little calorie bumps can quickly add up.
Thank you for reading! Tune in next week for the fourth part of this series!!