#79 - The REAL 'Secret' to Mastering Your Macros

being used in marketing , but I do actually want to call this a secret to to be honest with you and it's .

There's no gimmicky stuff here , but this was something that took me a long time to figure out and I recently did that , last month , in September I want to say it may be August or September , but it was very recent , and that's why I do want to call this a secret .

The secret to mastering your macros , to actually hitting your macros , to doing it quickly , effectively , five to 10 minutes a day , doing it consistently . While being super busy , while having the need to save time , we need to figure out the right way to do this stuff . It's going to be a great tool for you .

I know that , and maybe you're listening and you're like , hey , I already know how to do this stuff . Great , awesome . Still , listen to this , because I do think you also because you're a human being are also going through moments where you're like , ah , I'm much better than that track , whatever , maybe . And hey , if you are new , this is definitely for you .

I want to kind of like set up the structure for this episode . We're going to start with the fact that tracking comes with the learning curve . They were also going to talk about why macros are important , why you want to learn how to track macros . We'll get to that .

I can barely read my own handwriting here , my notes , sorry , that's why you're supposed to just type this out . No , so then I want to talk about the phone call I had with a client of mine who shared the secret with me and again , it's something very normal and basic , whatever , it's not a secret , but you know what I mean .

It took me a while to figure out and I was wrong here in my approach , I'll admit that the process of getting started and then , last but not least , where do we go from here ? How are we going to start applying this stuff ? So , like I said , my handwriting is absolutely terrible , but I managed to read it . So , first of all , there is a learning curve .

Let's be honest , there is a learning curve . You are . If you're completely new , you're going to have to go through a period of time where it's going to be tricky , going to have a hard time figuring it out . Maybe you can't find specific foods or whatever .

It is A little analogy for you here and for the people watching on YouTube , which , by the way , if you're watching on YouTube or you would like to watch on YouTube , go to YouTube talk in nutrition podcast , subscribe , like this video and maybe drop a comment . It really does help , kind of like you know , get these videos

to other people as well . Plus , I mean to be honest with you , just comment with any question and I'll drop it into the next Q&A episode . But if you're watching , you see that I have in front of me a Norwegian keyboard . Now , I am not from Norway , I'm from Holland , so we have different keyboards . Why is that ?

In Norway they have three different letters at the end of the alphabet it is the A , ö and O . So there's three additional letters . It's the A with like a little circle at the top , then there's the O with like the dash , like through it , you know , and then there's the letter that looks like the A and E combined , which is the F . So long story short .

So I moved there , yeah , and I always had a like an older MacBook with a European keyboard . One day my keyboard got messed up and it was like one key . I was like you know what I actually want to get , like an external one . It's going to be more convenient anyway , so let me get one and I unpack it .

I'm like , oh shit , it's a different keyboard and you have to go into settings and change that , you know . But I swear , for the first multiple weeks I was so frustrated . I was like hitting wrong keys and like they have some symbols in different spots , and I was like , holy shit , this is difficult . I just spend what is it ?

At the time , I spent like 31 or 32 years , you know . I mean , okay , I didn't use computers for my you know my first year on , but like , let's say , like 25 plus years , whatever it is you know long fucking time I use a European keyboard . Now , all of a sudden , there's different letters in different spots . Stuff has moved around , has moved around .

There's different symbols in different spots . This is really awkward , this is really annoying . Trust me , I'm gonna bring this back to tracking . What did I do ? I mean , initially I got really annoyed and I was like , oh , fuck it . So I switched back to the keyboard and I used the one on my laptop .

And then , you know , I was like I'll give it another shot , because I was considering sending it back and ordering one from Europe .

But okay , I gave it another try and you know what I guess still made mistakes and I put like different symbols in different weird places , but I managed to figure it out and then the next week it was a little better , and then the week after a little bit better , and I went from literally like every single sentence I would have an error , which was very

frustrating . I went from that to being super like efficient , like fluent with this keyboard . I'm not even sure if that's the right way to say it , but you know what I mean .

It turned into just being no issue and what I can do now is switch between the European and the Norwegian keyboard and just me knowing , hey , I'm on this keyboard , I change it in settings , boom , right away . I know where to find stuff . It's second nature . Why the hell do I bring this up ? Why the hell do I talk to you about a Norwegian keyboard ?

You're gonna feel the same with tracking if it's completely new to you , you are gonna open that app and you're gonna be like , wow , I've never done this before . This is weird , annoying . Now I have to weigh my food . I feel you , I've been there , every single person has been there , every single person who's tracked before .

So , first of all , know that you're gonna feel like that and be okay with that . It's fine , it's cool . Now here's the thing . Guess what ? Just how ? I continue to mess with the keyboard and I gave it a shot , and then I still messed up a bit less .

And then I still messed up a bit less , and I still messed up , but less and less and less , until I get actually good at it . Just how that was the case for me , that will be the case for you as well . I've seen too many people try to track for one day and then they stop for the rest of the week .

They try it for two days and then they stop for the rest of the week . They log two foods and then they stop tracking for the rest of the day . That is not giving it an honest shot .

That's kind of like giving up , knowing that it's something you've never done before , which obviously is going to be new and weird and awkward , like , okay , let's first of all go in with a learning mindset , like we're going to be open to this new thing and no tracking will not give you an eating disorder .

It's like , hey , if you're already struggling with those kind of things , okay , hey , then this podcast is not for you , because if there's an actual eating disorder , you need professional help from a specialist and that's not found on a podcast , on social media , in a Facebook group , whatever it is , or even an nutrition coach .

If there's a little bit of disorder eating , we can talk about that , but that's different . Now , going back to that , tracking will not give you those issues .

It's the person who does take it too far , and I'm not saying , I'm not putting it all on the person , but there is a way to use this tool to your advantage to relearn portion control , to learn what's in nutrition , to guide you through your journey , to make sure that you lose weight fast enough , but not too fast , not too slow .

You in a muscle gaining phase you gain weight not too fast , not too slow , just right . And at maintenance , you learn how to eat enough , which is such an important phase . We can use tracking to achieve all of that . Tracking macros specifically . But just how ?

A hammer , a screwdriver , whatever it may be , whatever tool we want to use for this analogy , analogy fest today . Now , like whatever that tool is , it can be used to fix stuff and damage stuff . So you can use macros to your advantage and you can also allow it to bother you to take it too far , to get too stressed around . It makes sense .

So there is going to be a learning curve . Before I go too much on a rant , it's going to take a little bit of time , but that's okay . We have a tutorial video for our new members , new clients . What is ? It's basically like a very basic , like hey , here's how to track . This is what I want you to do . Do not track calories burned Anyone listening .

Do not track calories burned If your fitness device is sinking and if you're watching I'm literally wearing one here . I'm wearing the whoop , which is for sleep , those kind of things . Heart rate , calories burned it's always incorrect . Turn that function off in your app . If it's sinking with your app and we always use chronometer turn it off .

Do not go and add exercise in your food tracking app either . It's not worth it . We're looking at tracking food here so that we can start to make changes . Now , that being said , we have the tutorial video , we have a couple resources for that and a little tips and tricks you know sections but I was thinking . I was thinking like , how can we get people ?

Because I see a huge difference . I see a huge difference between people absolutely killing it , being super consistent even during the busiest , craziest times , and then I see people who struggle with it for many , many months , and that's why I wanted to share this episode with you .

I just wanted to share the secret with you , because here's the thing , and there's a reason I'm mentioning all this stuff . It's like I went

this was my plan , right . I wanted to create the perfect how to track macros , training and guide . I wanted to turn it almost like have like a specific ebook for that .

I wanted to turn it into a guide with a video , training and with multiple parts and right , and I set out to figure out the difference between those two people the person who really struggles and the person who really kills it with tracking . And they have no , it's not even . It doesn't even bother them whatsoever .

It barely costs them any time they hit their macros , which means they get better results than anyone else . They go through reverse diets and even through ups and downs , they're able to stay consistent . How does that person do that ? How do they do it ? I wanted to figure it out .

So when I was on the phone with a client of mine and I told her like hey , I don't like comparing and I don't tell anyone this like all the time , but it's like we're everyone , but it's like I think you're the most consistent person in terms of tracking macros and hitting your macros and doing your check-ins and all of that out of everyone .

And this is guys . This is someone who is going through gut issues , hormonal issues . We're also on top of food . We're also tracking menstrual cycle , body temperature , stool . So anytime she goes to the bathroom , she tracks her stool through the Bristol stool chart .

And I want to mention all of this because it's not just tracking macros , she's doing all of those other things as well . By the way , crazy busy times with exams , school , phd , Also working , also going through a fat loss phase and then a long time reverse dieting , maintenance , where we stayed for a long time cutting .

Now she had so much going on and I was like you know what ? Like I have to ask you this , like , how do you do it ? Because I'm actually trying to figure this out . I want to figure out that difference and I want to bridge that gap and I want to basically be like , hey , you know what ?

Okay , here's a resource and this is going to teach you exactly what to do and you're going to be all good . And then she gave me an answer and I was like fuck , of course , like that is it . Now we're getting to the secret .

Because I was looking at stuff , tactics , tools but she's like you know , I sometimes ask myself that as well , and I think I'm just someone when I do like , when I say something , I do it . And when I say I have this goal , I'm going to do what it takes to reach that goal and I'm going to figure it out .

And I was like , yes , that is it , that's it . It's a mindset . It's not about any tutorials or guides or whatever . And , yes , those things help , don't get me wrong , I want to teach you still how to track your macros in chronometer and how to use that .

But also , there , it's not about the tools , the guides , the videos , whatever it is , it's about your mindset going into this . So if you are like my client and you are , hey , I am someone who , when they say something , they do it and they figure it out . If they don't know how to do it yet , yet that's a big word and they'll make it work .

And guess what ? If they can't , they ask for help , they look for help and in her case , we're coaching . So the help is there . But it's like

it was such an eye opener for me Because it's that mindset and we need to go in with that right mindset . And I know this is maybe , hey , maybe you're like , really , that's it . Yes , because here's the thing when you go in and you're like , hey , you know what , I'm sick and tired of not being able to lose weight .

I'm sick and tired of going to the gym and I'm not able to , you know , build the muscle , I don't recover well , I don't look like I work out , even though I go hard at the gym . It's frustrating We've all been there Not getting the results , even though we think we do everything right .

If we're in that state and we're like , hey , you know what , something needs to change , I'm going to do what it takes to change that . I'm going to make sure that I'll figure it out what I need to do in this case tracking macros . I will find a way . I'm not good at it currently . I'm not good at it yet , but I will do what it takes to learn .

I will ask for help . I will look up tips and tricks , watch videos , ask my coach , ask a friend . But I am going to make sure that this tracking thing is going to get an honest shot by me and I'm going to do what it takes to get to a point where I get to use tracking to my advantage .

I get to relearn portion control because , guys , there's a reason we're here listening to this podcast . We're going to relearn portion control . We're going to learn what's in nutrition macro nutrients , micronutrients , fiber , calories . We're going through different phases .

Like I said earlier , it is so key because it's not just about weight loss , whatever it is , but through your different phases , like initially , you need your macros to establish your actual maintenance calories and that should be a whole different episode as well . But you can't just calculate it and like , oh , that's it .

It's usually close enough , but you actually have to go there and find out hey , how does the body

respond ? So we're going to track our food . Like I said , we don't track calories burned , so get rid of that . But you track your body weight average weekly , at least three times a week , even every day , but you use the average . Then we have measurements , then we have photos .

Measurements can be bi-weekly , photos every four weeks and then we see over time how the body responds . But we use tracking to find that maintenance . We look at it and say , hey , ok , that's your expected maintenance . Where are you currently at ? Is that like way low ?

Ok , cool , let's bring you up , let's increase protein , get you closer to the maintenance while we track your metrics , see how you respond . Then during your transformation , like I said , weight loss , we want to control that rate between 0.5% or 1% per week because you don't want to lose muscle either . We're just going to look lighter .

Otherwise , in a lean gaining phase , we want to stick to just about 0.25% up to 0.5% of weight gain per week so that you build muscle with very minimal fat gain . We also want to use tracking to do a reverse diet after a cut .

Step by step we reestablish maintenance , we keep you in check and we move away from tracking once you are at maintenance , once you are back at basically your baseline , but now a new baseline . You're stronger , more muscular , healthier , more leaner , more leaner . You know what I mean . Baseline , the new you and hey , maybe you want to do a round two .

Great , but do not move away from tracking until you've gone through those three different phases that we take our clients through .

Right , you prepare , you get ready first , then you transform effectively without messing around , and then we go to that lifestyle maintenance place where we bring you back to feeling enough , or feeling good , eating enough , sorry , and I always also call that like feeling . You know , feeling good season .

It's like we're gonna have good energy , good performance , good recovery . It's a great time we get lots of food in . That is also where I always push clients to step away from tracking to where , hey , we've done every single day for months . Okay , let's go from seven times a week to maybe five , to maybe four , three .

We'll remove you from tracking because it's going to be a tool , not a lifestyle thing . Guess what ?

Same going , you know , going back to the hammer , screwdriver thing , like it is a tool that can be very useful , but it can also kind of mess with you If you take it too far , because that is on you , if you get too stressed during the weekends because you can't weigh the carrots , that you're right , that you're your family member cooked or whatever it is ,

or you go out for food once and we start to stress around that more than that it's actually useful , then we need to find a different way and , by the way , also there we learn how to eyeball during special scenarios , depending on the phase . Hey , we may .

We maybe even decide for you to step away from tracking for the evening , for the day , whatever it is . It's gonna depend on a person , though . Some people do great with that , some people do not really . The long story short , like when you use tracking , like , give it an honest shot .

It's so important to use it and it's maybe not for everyone , I know that , but I truly believe that every single person can learn so much from proactively that's a big word proactively tracking macros . Don't just look at the number on the skill and at the app , like , no , still .

Like , stop yourself and be like okay , we have the food that goes on the plate , okay . You look at the weight . Look at the food . Hey , okay , 100 grams chicken . Okay , that's this roughly this much , okay , cool . Then , of course , put it in the app . Look at the numbers . Okay , cool , so I get 25 grams of protein per 100 . You know this .

Fats , you know carbs , whatever . Cool , like now we're proactively , we're learning . So that here's the thing when you do go out and you decide not to track and you do have something that's , for example , a chicken breast or maybe similar , you're going to be familiar with , like , hey , you know , like that's pretty much 100 grams .

Well , that's pretty much 150 or 125 , whatever it is , it doesn't have to be spot on , it doesn't have to be you thinking I'm going out for food and all I'm seeing is numbers like no , we need to teach you to do well with as well as without .

But once again , I really think that people can really benefit off that , even if , if you do it for a half a year , trust me , like your , your life will change .

Assuming that you don't take it too far , assuming that you do have the right tools and you also continue to learn how to be flexible with it , how to make changes , how to have variety , how to not be too restrictive , because people think tracking is restrictive , but it's like no , it allows you to be more flexible and , of course , food quality , those kind of

things are going to matter , but you're striking to your advantage . So I kind of want to wrap it up with that , because it's nice to do a little bit for a shorter episode . But it's also something that's kept coming up recently , like over and over again . I get these questions a lot , especially in our free community . People ask how do I start ?

How do I find maintenance ? What's my maintenance ? I got to calculate that , this and that and I get that Right . And that's why I also wanted to give you a little bit of context , because if you are new to this stuff , it's gonna take some time . But remember , the actual secret to mastering your , your macros and Just learning how to do this right

is your mindset . Because if you have that mindset , let's just determined and you will . It's not , it's not an if , but you will right . It's when you will learn how to try macros . You . You promise yourself , hey , I'm gonna figure this out .

Then is what you're gonna need , because then is not a matter of oh , like , I kind of tried macros , but you know kind it wasn't for me . Bullshit Anyone who says that they didn't give it an auto shot . They tried for like 10 seconds , they gave up . Now .

If you have that mindset of hey , I want to learn , I want to grow , I'm gonna use this to my advantage . I'm gonna do whatever it takes to learn and how to do it right . Trust me , you're gonna learn so so much . I Hope you like this episode a little bit shorter .

If you did , do me a massive favor drop me a quick rating and review , and or review on Spotify , apple , wherever you listen to a podcast , subscribe on YouTube , share your stories right on Instagram , do whatever you want to do either way , share this episode with a friend , right .

Let's make sure , though , that , when you do give tracking and on the shot , that you also give yourself a little bit of time and that you also allow yourself the the freedom of being able to fuck up every now and then , because , like I said earlier , with my keyboard , I'm just holding it up from the camera Took me a little while , but I did manage , and

right now it's something I use every single day and Just how , with the tracking right it's , it doesn't cost me any extra time . It's just kind of like something I do . So I will talk to you again on Thursday , See you .