Whether you’re just getting started on your macro tracking journey or you’re a macro tracking pro, these five tips will help you hit your macros perfectly. Before diving into how to hit your macros, we need to ensure your macro tracking app is set up correctly.
MacrosFirst and MyFitnessPal allow you to set your macro goals right in-app. Ensure your targets are set correctly, and you keep tabs on them as you follow the steps below. MacrosFirst lets you put in exact numbers with the free version—MyFitnessPal makes you pay for that feature!
How To Hit Your Macros: Our Top Tips
Here are five quick tips to help you hit your macros regularly. These work in succession—so start with tip one and go from there!
1. Plan Ahead
Don’t wait until the end of the day to figure out what macros you’re missing. Spend a few minutes in the morning (or the night before) to plan a successful day. When you have a full day of macros to work with, you can make room for foods you enjoy and experiment with variety.
Pro tip: Remember, you don’t have to have everything cooked and portioned out to put it in your food tracker ahead of time. Keep tabs on what is in your refrigerator, know what you want to cook, and then plan portion sizes accordingly based on your daily macro needs.
2. Start With Your Staples
Enter the most important pieces of your day first based on your preferences and priorities. Maybe it is your post-workout meal, the easy grab-and-go breakfast you rely on, the lunch you already have prepped, or the dinner you’re looking forward to. Starting with your staples gives you a solid idea of the “leftover” macros you have to play with.
Pro tip: Make sure your staples include protein and veggies! These are the toughest things to get enough of when you aren’t intentional about it. Here is some healthy meal inspiration.
3. Add Foods You Love
Next, consider your favorite foods (yes, this can include a treat!). A nutrition plan that doesn’t bend will break; at WAG, we don’t believe in “good” or “bad” foods. Leaving room for your favorites (looking at you, Cadbury Chocolate Eggs, or a glass of wine with friends on a Saturday night!) is essential to long-term diet success and sustainability.
Pro tip: Treats are generally higher in carbs and fats. This means you may not be able to enjoy all of your favorites on the same day. Remind yourself your numbers reset in the morning, and you can always enjoy a different favorite tomorrow!
4. Fill in the Gaps
After adding your staples and favorites, check your totals and fill in the gaps. What macros are missing? How many macros do you have left? Are you low on protein? Add an extra protein snack or increase your serving size of protein at dinner. Need more fiber? Add more veggies! Low on everything? Add a small snack or meal. The infographic below will provide inspiration based on your needs.
Pro tip: Don’t just look at how many macros you’ve used! Utilize your tracker’s charts and graphs to monitor how many macros you have left as you add foods. You can do this by swiping across the top of your MacrosFirst logs screen or using MFP’s “Diary” view.
5. Adjust Portion Sizes
Did you go over your macros? No biggie! That is why planning ahead is so helpful—it allows you to adjust before you eat something and feel stuck. Cut back on a few portion sizes (you probably won’t have to delete anything entirely). A few small tweaks across your entire day should bring you back within your ranges without significantly impacting your meal size or food choices.
Check, tweak, and repeat until you’ve found the right combination of foods to hit your macro goals. Wondering how precise you need to be? The infographic below is a good starting place, but these ranges may be wider depending on your goals.
Pro Tip: Nothing is set in stone until you’ve eaten it. So, don’t stress if you have to go back and adjust. This stands true if something throws off your day—you can adjust macros as you eat if necessary, but planning as much ahead of time is still ideal and helps limit frustration and not-so-great choices in moments of stress or hunger.
Get 1-on-1 Nutrition Coaching
Hitting your macros takes time and practice, and even with these easy tips in your back pocket, nutrition coaching can help you take any guesswork out of the process. We’d love to work with you. Learn more about our membership options and get matched with your 1-on-1 coach today.
