how to fail at macros

I’ve made a lot of mistakes as I stubbornly pursued weight loss on my own terms. I know I’m not alone as many of us have our own preconceived notions of health. These are formed by many ideas we get from many different (unfortunately conflicting) sources. Keep reading so you can glean from my mistakes and learn NOT how to fail at macros.

1. Don’t weigh your food

Other weight loss programs have containers, measuring cups, hand measurements, you name it to quantify your food portions. Processed foods even contain packaging that will tell you how many grams each item is, and what the nutritional content is.

I don’t know why the scale is so daunting to so many of us, but not only is it more convenient to be able to weigh your food right on your plate or in the mixing bowl, but it is infinitely more accurate. And you will discover some processed foods don’t have accurate measurements on their packaging. It’s just a habit that you are better off getting into.

2. Don’t weigh yourself daily

I made a huge mistake on this. Literally almost resulted in me throwing in the towel. Ironically, months earlier someone (after another bout of extreme discouragement) had told me I needed to weigh myself daily and track it. I most definitely received their correspondence and read it, but I somehow completely forgot and/or disregarded it. So round two I finally buckled down and started weighing myself daily and the difference it made in my motivation and the freedom I felt from conquering my fear of doing it has been instrumental in my success.

3. Cheat too much (especially while you’re learning)

My eating was so disordered when I started that it was a huge adjustment. I was not eating anywhere near enough protein. Although I never would say I was a picky eater (I love vegetables and fruits), I was favoring fatty, rich foods and sweets. Needless to say, when I first started restricting my calorie intake I was still not getting enough protein or fiber, didn’t know how to cook anything that tasted good, and my body was MAD I wasn’t allowing myself to eat whatever I wanted.

When you are learning and struggling to meet your numbers and be satisfied daily it is very helpful to not include cheat meals or meals you can’t track by measuring (restaurants, parties). You are likely not hitting your numbers yet so any overages will put a huge damper on your success.

4. Don’t get support

Support for macro counting is few and far between that I’ve found anyways. There are some free websites, but many programs offer paid coaching. The process can be lonely and trying with all of the emotional upheaval it brings. Unfortunately, prideful attitudes from people who have already figured it all out can be deeply discouraging especially while you are vulnerable. Huge transitions in your eating habits, breaking free from cravings, and shedding all your onion layers of emotions and barriers to your weight loss requires a lot of prayer and support.

I was fortunate enough to have my husband embarking on the journey at the same time which was encouraging in the aspect that we were eating the same things. But as many of you know, men seem to have much quicker success with weight loss (which he did) so that aspect was a bit alienating. I’m finally over it now (I think) haha!

5. Don’t get up when you fall

You must remember, this is truly a JOURNEY. You will trip, fall, face plant, run backwards, you name it. You HAVE to be willing to get up and try again. Try something different, innovate, create, make some changes. It’s part of the process. You can either press in and build your character, or give up and stop trying. The choice is yours.

6. Set realistic goals

Like I mentioned before, my husband was losing weight a lot faster and easier than me (and get this – they can eat more calories too!) Comparison is the thief of joy! It was hard to see anything positive in the results I was getting when he busts out saying he lost two pounds this week.

Despite what you see everywhere (or the results people get on weight loss drugs) you are likely looking at losing between .5 – 1 lb a week especially as you get closer to your goal weight. I plan on .5 lb a week and set my goals accordingly and just lock and load. Be consistent. Don’t compare to others, and just make sure that scale is moving in the right direction. You WILL get going where you want to go, even if it is much slower than you originally anticipated.

It is a lot of hard work and just dropping 10, 15, 20 lbs in a couple months and KEEPING IT OFF is a fantasy dream. It took work and time to get to the weight you’re at, and it’s going to take time and work to get the weight off. If this is possible for some people, I am so glad for them! But personally, I need to keep my eyes focused on my prize and keep walking out my journey. Slow and steady will win the race for me.

you don’t have to fail at macros

Take these simple steps to ignite your weight loss journey and push you in the right direction. Learn from my mistakes and don’t be stubborn and do everything the hard way. Choose your hard. You can do this, set out being prepared and realistic. I’m here cheering you on!