If you want to lose fat, put on muscle, or simply become the healthiest version of yourself, then you should consider tracking what you eat using an app. This might sound obsessive, but it’s the easiest way to get an accurate idea of what you’re eating and see where you can improve.
Technology has come a long way in recent years, and there are now lots of apps you can use to track what you eat. Two of the most popular are Lifesum and MyFitnessPal. Using one of these apps, even the free version, will give you an accurate idea of the macronutrients you are consuming.
Your macronutrients, or macros, are your proteins, fats, and carbs. This means you can make sure you have a balanced diet filled with everything you need, without just focusing on calories. By looking at your macros, you will also be able to easily track your calories. All you need to do is use a macro calculator – you shouldn’t use the calories/macros suggested by the app, as they will usually be too low. A calculator will help you to figure out exactly what you should be eating for your activity levels and goals.
You don’t have to track what you eat using an app forever, either. You can simply track for a month, and when you have a good idea of portion sizes and what the nutritional value is on foods that you like, you can stop and just aim to eat a balanced diet. The infographic below will give you more of an idea on diets and what you should avoid:
credit to University of Southern California
Nancy Baker
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Vitaly Kuprenko