let’s expose why you don’t want to count macros
Not only are there deeply emotional reasons why we may find resistance towards losing weight, there are also some more superficial judgements that we make towards counting macros as a realistic means to lose weight. These judgements made my pathway to finding weight loss much longer than it needed to be. They were holding me back from what would ultimately help me lose weight and set me free from so much wrong thinking. So here we are dubunking some myths; let’s expose why you don’t want to count macros.
let’s expose why you don’t want to count macros
1. To count macros seems way too extreme, it may cause me to have an eating disorder
Let’s be real. Even if you’ve NEVER struggled with any type of eating disorder, we’ve been led to believe any type of “extreme” in fitness or in diet may trigger an eating disorder in us. While I certainly don’t want to negate the horrible reality of eating disorders and their prevalence, or make light of the serious suffering and even fatal consequences of these disorders, but if you have no predisposition to eating disorders there is absolutely no reason to think counting macros should be considered unsafe for you.
Good fruit comes from the hard work and discipline it takes to count macros. Monitoring your food intake and the knowledge you gain from this information is priceless. This eliminates guesswork on whether you are eating to fuel your body properly or not. You can eliminate disordered eating when you can find your own way to eat flexibly with nutritionally appropriate foods.
2. It’s way too difficult to weigh my food every time I eat anything
Using a kitchen scale can be a foreign concept especially to people who don’t bake bread. At least when my husband said he wanted to count macros I had a food scale already in the house. One less barrier. But I used it once or twice a week to bake bread, and the idea of weighing EVERY. SINGLE. THING. I put into my mouth just seemed way too hard for me to realistically do.
But to be honest, how many things do we tell ourselves that we could never do, when other people do these things all the time. How come they can do it and we can’t seem to get it together? We all have the same twenty four hours in a day. It’s all about time management and discipline. Two things that will yield good fruit in your life.
Now that I weigh almost everything I put into my mouth, I honestly don’t even notice. Unless I haven’t prelogged my meal and i’m starving and want to eat NOW! I’ve gotten better at throwing something on a scale, remembering the weight while shoving it into my mouth at the same time I track it in my app.
3. To count macros will be inconvenient, I don’t have a scale everywhere I go
Well, this problem is solved by bringing a scale everywhere you go! Haha, I’m just kidding. Sort of.
You certainly CAN bring a scale with you if you need it. But for situations where a scale is not available you can use the nutrition facts on the package with the weight and servings listed. Or once you go home you can do your best to estimate (or overestimate) what it was you ate. Estimating is not very reliable especially when you are learning, but over time with the gained knowledge and experience it will get easier and is a great option when you are in a pinch.
4. I make home cooked everything, there’s no way I will be able to count macros with no nutrition labels
This one was a big one for me. I heard so much talk about “macro people” eating their protein bars and prepackaged foods and that was SO not my lifestyle.
Fortunately, you can create a recipe in the my macros+ app for any home cooked items you make! It’s not as hard as it may seem and you can ensure accuracy by doing it yourself, with the ingredients that you actually used in the amounts you used them.
Also, the macros for whole ingredients like fruits, vegetables, grains, and dried fruits – basics or things you may buy in bulk – can be found on websites such as nutritionix.com.
You can even calculate the macros of your homemade sourdough bread!
I actually avoid making complex recipes now for simplicity and serve dinner with separate carbohydrate, vegetable, and protein to keep weighing and tracking my meals easy. We have plenty of recipes we like and it still offers plenty of variety, and I’m still avoiding the prepackaged foods that are not part of my usual routine.
5. There is no way I can eat that much protein!
When I first calculated my macros and started tracking what I was eating I was SHOCKED at how little protein I was eating. I was supposed to be eating what seemed like an impossible amount at the time. Now I can’t imagine NOT eating as much protein as my body needs! I feel sick and moody without it.
It is a lifestyle change and you will have to figure out the ways you personally like to get your protein. Despite the hard work it takes, it is a worthy change that will result in you LIVING your best life, now that your body is optimally fueled.
why you don’t want to count macros: DEBUNKED
I hope this article gives you some insight to why you may be avoiding a jump into something intimidating. Don’t let negative thoughts or assumptions discourage you from entering into a new season of conquering hard things. You have the strength and the ability to walk out God’s best for your life with HIS STRENGTH. No more listening to the lies! You CAN be all He wants you to be. Embrace the climb and the difficulty.
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