Calorie Tracking: Is it worth the hassle?
Almost anyone who has attempted to alter their body composition, whether that’s gaining muscle or losing body fat, has heard of calorie tracking. Many have tried it and for some, it’s the best thing they have ever done. Others, however, find it to be a hassle and difficult to maintain. So, is it necessary? Is it worth it? Could you have success without it? In order: No, maybe, yes. Before we get into that, lets look at what it is and get an overview of how it’s done.
Calorie tracking is literally just as it sounds: keeping track of what you are consuming. If you’re old school, you’ll keep a journal. Most people today will typically use an app. There are plenty available and most of them have basic features for free (enough to get you started anyway). But I’m not here to rate the multitude of apps out there. The simplest explanation is tracking means keeping a record of (at a minimum) the calories you consume every day. Most people will also track their macronutrients (proteins, carbs, and fat) as well. For those using an app, most apps have a vast majority of foods preprogrammed at this point. If the app does not have what you’re looking for, you can enter it manually. Just like the food journal folks, you’ll look at the back of the container and check the food label (a conversation for another time). If that also fails for some reason, Google exists. Get as close to the correct answer as you can.
Why would someone do this in the first place?
Tracking calories and macros is an excellent way to determine what you are consuming (and see in black and white how much…YIKES!) and it helps people to ensure they are getting enough (or not too many) calories in a day (and/or macros). They can be extremely useful for understanding our intake and helping to control it. Is it tedious? Yes. Is it necessary? No.
For some people, it causes unnecessary stress, or they feel as if they are obsessing over what they eat (remember the bottom of the pyramid? Stress management is part of the foundation of good health!) Or they simply do not need another task they have to complete 3,4,5,6 times per day. Or they struggle to do it as they’re eating/drinking anything and have to do it later. Causing them to think back on what they had earlier (which means they are likely inaccurate in terms of what or how much they had). If you fall into this category, I may recommend trying other strategies before diving into tracking your intake.
On the other hand, some people THRIVE when tracking their intake. They can see it and it makes it real. It makes it so much easier to stay on track and even plan the rest of their day or week (what they’re eating and drinking anyway). They can make adjustments to their diet on the fly and they have a reference point to look back on. It is absolutely a useful tool if you fall into this category. If this is you, your likelihood of success is probably greatly improved.
So, is it necessary? Not at all.
Is it worth it? That largely depends on the individual. If it’s easy for you and you don’t mind doing it, it will most likely increase chances of success and amplify results. If you hate it, don’t do it – because you can absolutely have success without it! Plus, it keeps an extra strategy in your back pocket in case things don’t go as planned (yep, I know a trick or two for having more success while tracking intake).
*It’s important to state here that everything above is based on generalities. If you are trying to gain/lose a few pounds, it likely applies to you. If you are an athlete in a weight-controlled sport, tracking may be the difference in reaching your competition weight. Remember, everything here is general and not tailored to a specific person.
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Meal Prepping: Deciding if it’s Right for You
What is meal prepping? Is it necessary? Is it right for me? Let’s look into these questions a little more in-depth.
Simply put, meal prepping just involves preparing meals in mass and storing them for several days or a week. This can be as simple as cooking a few days to a weeks-worth of chicken, beef, turkey, rice, potatoes, etc., and simply storing them for quick access later. For example, an individual may cook 4-6 chicken breasts or thighs and store them in containers in the fridge. When it’s time to cook lunch or dinner, they simply grab a pre-cooked serving of chicken out and add it in to whatever they are cooking. This could be stand-alone or as part of another dish (i.e. your protein is the chicken breast itself or it gets added to chicken soup, dumplings, wraps, etc.). Another way people can meal prep is to cook and put together a bunch of ready-to-heat meals that they can grab-and-go with their busy lifestyle. For example, chicken burritos, quesadillas, or various bowls can be cooked in mass, stored as individual meals, and picked off when convenient.
Why would someone do this?
The primary reason that people meal prep is to save time. However, there are other advantages as well. For one, it makes tracking food intake so much easier. On many apps, the user is able to create a dish that they eat on a regular basis by putting all of the ingredients in and saving it as a meal. Let’s look at buffalo chicken burritos as an example. When building the meal, all components need to be put into the app. Chicken, buffalo sauce (if it contains calories), cheese, onions, peppers, tortilla, and whatever else the cook prefers. Once it’s in the app as a meal, all of the macro and micronutrients are stored in that meal. So, if a person makes 6 buffalo chicken burritos on Sunday and eats one each day, they only have to click the meal in the app and they’re done (instead of putting all the ingredients in each time). Huge time saver and makes tracking easier. Plus, if the person needs “x” amount of protein, carbs, fats, etc. and needs to stay under a specific number of calories, they can quickly scan their pre-prepped meals in the app and easily tell if it fits their calorie/macro goals for the day. Another reason people meal prep is to help them control what and how much they eat. Let’s face it, you’ve just gotten off work and have to head right back out the door to a kid’s practice, recital, school event, etc. Before you know it, it’s 7-8 at night and you are well aware that the kids still need a bath, you have to do a load of laundry, you need to catch-up on something for work tomorrow, and oh yeah, this whole dinner thing! It’s not only easy, but very tempting to run through a drive through and grab dinner. This can be problematic for several reasons, which I won’t get into here. But, if you have meals already prepped at home and all you have to do is throw them in the microwave or oven for a few minutes then you have effectively stayed in your calorie range, controlled what you ate, and not given into temptation (thus building self-efficacy: one win at a time)! These are just some of the reason meal-prepping could be a positive.
What are the cons?
Well, to be honest some people do not have time to cook a week’s worth of food at one time. Some people do not have the storage containers or space available. And some people just refuse to eat leftovers (even if they’re not technically leftovers). Another issue with meal prepping, if whole meals are prepped, is that the options are set. Hold on. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? Didn’t I just say it helps up above? Yep. I did. However, some people don’t know what they feel like eating and knowing they don’t have a choice (even though they do, it’s just perceived as a control) causes them anxiety or stress. If you fall into any of these categories, meal prepping may not be right for you.
Conclusion
So, we’ve discussed meal prepping. Is it really necessary? Well, that depends on the individual. For some people, it is the single most important thing for their success. For others, it is a hindrance, a source of stress, and not necessary at all for them to achieve their health and fitness goals. This is another topic that is best left up to each individual person. Overall, I’d say it isn’t 100% mandatory. However, if it helps YOU stay on track, then I recommend it. If you’ve tried it and end up throwing away a bunch of food each week, maybe let’s look at some other options.
Macronutrients
Macronutrients are the essential nutrients that are required in large quantity by the human body to survive. The big 3 nutrients are protein, carbohydrates, and fats. Each, yes each, one of these nutrients is essential for optimizing the body’s function and performance. They each serve a very important role, regardless of whether or not an individual is trying to lose fat, gain weight, or just maintain what they have. While the amounts of each will vary by individual, it is still important that all are consumed daily if possible. In the following sections, I’ll discuss an overview of what each macronutrient does and “general” daily recommendations. However, these recommendations are general and an individual may need more or less based on health status, lifestyle, or medical conditions. I recommend consulting a physician or dietician before making any major changes that will manipulate the intake of any of these 3 macronutrients.
Protein
Protein is responsible for several things in the body, including repair of tissue, transporting nutrients and oxygen throughout the body, regulation of bodily functions through enzymes and hormones, and (hopefully not) as an energy source. (Protein can be converted into a carbohydrate through the liver in a process known as gluconeogenesis. Generally speaking, this should be avoided if possible.) Each gram of protein costs 4 calories (if you’re counting) and should be roughly 25-30% of daily caloric intake. Primary sources of protein include meats, nuts, eggs, and dairy, but protein can be found in other sources as well. The average person needs approximately .8g/kg of body weight in protein each day. While the “general rule of thumb” of 1g/LB of body weight makes the calculation easier, it is inaccurate. For example, a 180-pound male should consume at least 65g of protein per day. 180 lb = 81.6kg; 81.6 x .8 = 65.28g/kg/day. Using the rule of thumb, this person would consume over 100 extra grams of protein per day (at a cost of 400 calories). Lastly, this number can change based on a number of factors. Athletes, or individuals who just like to exercise at a high RPE (rate of perceived exertion) may need more protein to aid in recovery and subsequently build larger muscle tissue. The exact amount needed will depend on type of energy expenditure, goals, health status, etc.
Carbohydrates
Ah yes. The enemy. Carbohydrates. Only carbohydrates are not the enemy, they are an essential nutrient! Carbohydrates are the body’s optimal source for energy. Yep. It’s been studied over and over again and there is no dispute. Carbs are more optimal than fat for energy. There is no debate, the science is settled. In addition to being the primary energy source, carbs can also help improve digestion, improve mood, and aid in sleep. Fun fact: The human brain requires at least 130g of glucose per day to function properly! *Before we go any further, I want to make it very clear that I am not advocating for or against a keto or carnivore dietary restrictions. They both have their place and can be useful in the appropriate setting. Carbohydrate sources include fruits, vegetables, rice, potatoes, pastas, breads, and sugars. Carbs cost 4 calories per gram and should be roughly 40-50% of daily caloric intake. For example, if an individual needs 2,500 calories per day, roughly 1,250 should come from carbohydrates. Which calculates out to about 310-315g per day. 1,250 / 4 = 312.5. However, these numbers can easily and safely be manipulated to help achieve weight-based or performance goals.
Fats
Lastly, we have fats. Fats provide energy, help to keep a person filling full, support hormone function and cell growth, and help with the absorption of vitamins A, D, E, & K. There are different types of fats, but that will be discussed in future articles. Fat sources include animal and dairy fats, oils, avocados, and nuts to name a few. Fats do come at a heavier cost of 9 calories per gram and should make up roughly 15-25% of daily intake. Using the same example of 2,500 calories per day, this person would consume between 375-625 calories from fat. At 9 cal/g, this would be between 42-75g per day. Similar to carbs, these numbers can be manipulated to alter body composition. But they should never be cut out completely.