The One Way to Simplify Macronutrient Tracking

Focus on what matters to make macros fast and easy

Macronutrient targets can be used in several ways to help improve nutrition intake.

Macronutrient tracking involves setting targets for carbohydrates, proteins and fat and monitoring actual intake to try and hit them. This real-time monitoring approach allows flexibility with the foods you consume but requires rigidity to ensure you track intake as you go.

Macronutrient targets can also be used to develop a nutrition strategy to guide your intake. This uses forward planning to identify meals and foods aligned with your target macronutrient intake and then consume those meals during the day. The food intake is rigid, but there is less requirement for recording intake compared to real-time tracking.

The difference between forward planning and real-time tracking for macronutrients is similar to managing your budget. Some people prefer to work out what they will buy for the week, while others prefer just to head out and spend up to a certain limit. There are pros and cons to each approach. Forward planning can lead to missed opportunities while managing on the go might lead to overspending or running out of money.