How I Stopped Tracking Macros With My Clients—and Started Seeing Better Results
As a fitness coach, tracking macros used to be my go-to method for helping clients lose fat and build muscle. I’d calculate their protein, carb, and fat needs and have them log meals in MyFitness Pal religiously. But over time, I noticed limitations with this rigid approach for many clients.
So I shifted my coaching philosophy to stop prescribing macro tracking across the board. Instead, I help clients develop mindful, intuitive eating habits tailored to their unique needs and goals. The results have been incredible! Clients feel empowered around food, no longer a slave to tracking apps. And they still make remarkable body transformations.
In this article, I’ll share:
– Why I stopped making all clients track macros
– The downsides of excessive macro tracking
– My new intuitive eating coaching system
– Tips to stop tracking and become more mindful
– How clients have achieved success with this new approach
If you currently track macros but dread it, struggle with it, or feel controlled by it, this article is for you! You can achieve your fitness goals without being chained to MyFitnessPal. Let’s dive in.
Why I Moved Away From Mandatory Macro Tracking
Macro tracking made perfect sense to me at first. To lose fat and gain muscle, you need to be in a calorie deficit or surplus, hit protein targets, and find the right carb to fat balance…right? So I prescribed the macros that would, on paper, deliver the desired result.
But over time, I noticed issues like:
– Clients becoming obsessive and distressed if they went even 1 gram over their numbers
– Severe restrictions leading to intense cravings and binges
– Metabolic issues from prolonged under-eating
– Loss of menstrual cycles from low body fat
– Anxiety about perfectly planning and weighing out every snack and meal
The rigid rules took all joy out of eating. And any deviation led to intense shame. This is NOT how I wanted my clients to live! I knew there had to be a better way.
Why Constant Macro Tracking Backfires
Here are some of the biggest reasons excessive macro tracking can do more harm than good:
– Promotes obsessiveness – Hitting macro targets perfectly every day is unrealistic long-term, leading to anxiety when adherence slips.
– Ignores body signals – Tracking distracts from internal cues for hunger, fullness, and cravings.
– Disrupts metabolism – Prolonged under-eating slows metabolism over time, making it harder to lose weight.
– Causes burnout – Weighing, measuring, and tracking everything you eat is exhausting! Most people can’t keep it up forever.
– Can trigger eating disorders – For some, the obsessive behaviors encourage restriction, binging and body image issues.
– Makes social eating difficult – Dining out and parties with friends becomes challenging when you must tally every bite.
For these reasons, I knew prescribing tracking for all clients could do more harm than good. It was time for a new coaching approach that still delivered results but in a sustainable, empowering way.
My Coaching Philosophy Now: Intuitive Eating Habits
Instead of tracking macros as the default, my method now focuses on helping clients develop intuitive eating habits. Here’s an overview:
– We unlearn restrictive dieting beliefs
– We tune into internal body signals rather than external food rules
– We make peace with all foods – no good or bad categories
– We practice mindful eating – eating slowly, paying attention
– We learn to eat to satisfaction – not stuffed, but content
With these tenets, clients can achieve their desired body composition by:
– Focusing on nutritious whole foods that make them feel good
– Choosing treats in moderation when the craving strikes
– Eating the appropriate amount to fuel their activity level and goals
This approach allows them to have a healthy relationship with food guided from within. There’s no app dictating what or how much they can eat. It’s about finding balance and moderation based on your unique needs.
This method does require re-learning hunger and fullness cues. Someone who has dieted for years may be disconnected from these signals. But with practice, mindful eating becomes second nature again.
Now let’s go over some actionable tips to stop tracking macros and cultivate intuitive eating habits.
Tips to Stop Tracking Macros
If you currently track macros but want to take a more intuitive approach, here are helpful tips:
Phase tracking out slowly: Go from weighing everything to estimating, to no tracking. This allows time to adapt.
Focus on why you want to stop: Revisit your motivations often, like feeling freedom around food or breaking obsessive thoughts.
Practice mindful eating: Come back to the present moment while eating by noticing tastes, textures, aromas, and your satisfaction levels.
Check in on hunger: Before meals or snacks, scale your hunger on a 1-10 scale. Eat when around 3-4 out of 10.
Pay attention to fullness: As you eat, consider your fullness level. Stop when you’re satisfied, not completely stuffed.
Carry snacks: Avoid overeating from extreme hunger by keeping healthy snacks like nuts, hard boiled eggs, or protein bars in your bag.
Eat on a schedule: Plan meals and snacks every 3-4 hours. Scheduling helps curb mindless overeating.
Remove tracking apps: Delete food tracking apps from your phone to avoid the temptation to fall back into compulsions.
Be patient: Intuitive eating is a process! Don’t get down on yourself. With time, it’ll come naturally.
Focus on how you feel: Check in on energy, satiation, cravings, mood – not just daily weight fluctuations.
How My Clients Find Success Now
With this intuitive, flexible approach focused on mindfulness, clients find success by:
– Feeling more confident and in control around food
– Having positive body image and self-talk instead of self-shaming
– No longer categorizing food as good or bad
– Eating spontaneously at parties and restaurants without guilt
– Having an abundance mindset – eating enough to properly fuel their body
– Tuning into physical hunger and fullness instead of emotions or external rules
– Exercising for health and strength – not punishment for what they ate
They still achieve fat loss, muscle gain, and fitness results. But it comes from creating sustainable habits versus following temporary quick fixes.
Here are just a few examples of client success stories with intuitive eating:
Stacy lost 35 pounds focusing on satisfaction and proper portions rather than calorie restriction. Food no longer controlled her life.
David reached his ideal physique by adopting consistent exercise and nutrition habits guided by his energy needs rather than forcing rigid macros.
Sara broke free of chronic yo-yo dieting by learning to make peace with all foods and listen to her body’s natural signals.
The results speak for themselves. An intuitive approach absolutely can lead to the fitness body you want along with inner confidence and happiness.
Here’s what intuitive eating expert and counselor Evelyn Tribole says:
“Rigid rules around eating lead to distress and discontent. But when you profoundly make peace with food and re-learn your intuitions around hunger and satisfaction, the paradox is that your body finds its ideal weight naturally.”
Final Tips for Transitioning to Intuitive Eating
Shifting away from strict tracking takes patience and perseverance. Use these tips to smooth the transition:
– Set positive goals like managing stress or having energy for workouts – not a weight number
– Focus on adding nourishing foods in rather than restricting “bad” foods
– Keep a journal to track changes like reduced cravings or more stable energy
– Practice self-compassion – this is a learning process and mistakes are normal
– Surround yourself with supportive people who will encourage new mindsets
– If worries about weight or control arise, seek professional support
The ultimate goal is enjoying food freedom and trusting your body’s innate wisdom. Give yourself grace on the journey. Ditching tracking and discovering intuitive eating opens the door to sustainable wellness for life.
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