Tracking macros can be a wonderful tool to use to help you achieve specific goals. For example, you can manipulate you macronutrient intakes to help you lose fat by balancing your blood sugar. (Pair protein with carbs and a little fat.)
Currently, I’m manipulating my macros (adding more carbs intra- workout) to help me perform better in the gym and hopefully get stronger.
But counting macros is not the end-all-be-all solution to everything. In fact there are times I strongly suggest clients NOT do it.
First of all, it’s cumbersome. Measuring then going into an app and tracking every morsel of food is time consuming and annoying. I might track once a month because honestly, I don’t enjoy it.
Another major reason is because it can really harm your relationship with food. What if you are at your parents house and your mom went out and got you your favorite chocolate chip cookies, but you only have 5g of fat and 12g of carbs left for the day? Are you really going to skip your favorite cookie? Or are you going to eat it and feel guilty the rest of the day? Either isn’t good.
Or let’s say you’re famished, but you only have 65 calories left in your day? Are you really going to skip eating despite your body saying it needs food? That’s not good either. The body gives cues because it needs something.
You can certainly learn from tracking macros, but what do you truly learn about eating if all you ever do is worry about hitting numbers someone gave you or you got from the internet?
Food is nourishment for a body that does a lot for you. It’s more than just numbers and in order to truly honor your body’s needs, you should learn to listen to it and give it what it deserves. So here are four steps to help you transition from tracking macros to intuitive eating.
1. Slow down and create awareness.
The first step for any change is awareness. For a week, write down everything when it comes to how you feel, including:
– How you feel (physically & emotionally) when you wake
– Every time you get hungry
– Every time you eat, how did you feel emotionally & physically before
– What you ate
– Every time you eat, how did you feel emotionally & physically after
– If you have any cravings, write them down along with how you felt physically and emotionally and what could have caused them
– You can even track sleep, workouts and your cycle here as well as those play a role
2. Stop tracking.
After one week, do this again but do not track your food in an app. Just journal only. Start honoring your hunger cues. At this point you know what you “should” be eating so eat the normal stuff, but no tracking. Yes, it’s going to feel scary at first but I promise it gets easier. Eat when you are hungry.
3. Honor your body’s hunger/ fullness cues.
Start honoring the fullness cues your body gives you. It will tell you what it needs if you slow down and listen. This means you need to be present when you eat. Chew your food well. Feel it in your mouth. Smell all of the smells. Taste all of the flavors. Take things slow and when you feel full, stop eating.
4. Add some mindset work to this. You’re going to have to have conversations with yourself.
Remember your why.. is this ultimately going to free you your time? Is it going to help you feel free and less restricted? Do you want to set an example for your kid? Draw upon your why when things get tough.
Create some mantras.. you can even make notes around your house. Things like “food is nourishment,” or “I am capable of feeling through my emotions, I do not need to numb with food or restriction.”
Ultimately the end goal is to create trust with yourself. You ARE capable of leaving restrictions behind. You CAN eat in a way that will fuel your body while also keeping you in alignment with your goals. And you DESERVE to have a healthy relationship with food.
If you need help transitioning from tracking macros to intuitive eating, please consider working 1:1 with me.
I’ll be offering coaching spots again in June so be the first to find out when those open up by entering your name and email here: Commit2fitcoaching.com.
Your Coach,
Kyra