Learning how to track macros is day one stuff on Keto. Tracking macros is how you keep carbs sufficiently low enough to enter the fat-burning state called ketosis.
But macro tracking is more than just a Keto strategy. It's a nutritional strategy that keeps you hurtling towards your goal of becoming a healthier you.
Did you know that keeping a food diary has been shown to double weight loss?[*] The more you track your food intake, the easier it is to manage your health.
Macro tracking is simple in principle but sometimes tricky in practice. Even with a super intelligent app like Carb Manager on your side, you can make mistakes.
But the app does make things considerably easier. Later, we'll explore how tracking macros with Carb Manager can supercharge your results. We'll also explore the top 7 macro tracking mistakes, how to prevent them, and tips for macro tracking in the 21st century. First, though, let's cover some macro basics.
What Are Macros?
Macronutrients (aka macros) are nutrients your body requires in large amounts. These nutrients—protein, carbohydrates, and fat—contain stored energy (calories) that your body, through digestion and metabolization, converts to a form of usable energy called ATP.
Micronutrients, conversely, are nutrients that your body requires in small amounts. And unlike macros, vitamin D, vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, sodium, and other "micros" don't contain calories.
As an aside, alcohol is technically considered a macronutrient. But since alcohol serves no valuable role in the body, we'll leave it off the list. (Don't forget to count alcohol calories while macro tracking though!).
Below is a rundown of the big three: protein, carbohydrates, and fat.
Protein
Calories per gram: 4
Functions: Building muscle, synthesizing neurotransmitters, building cells, producing hormones, healing wounds, producing energy as ATP.[*]
Essential? Yes. Without dietary protein, we would wither away reasonably quickly.
Carbohydrate
Calories per gram: 4
Functions: Producing energy as ATP, refilling glycogen (stored glucose), maintaining blood sugar levels, stimulating insulin release.[*]
Essential? No. When you restrict carbs, your body shifts to using fat for energy. Meanwhile, you have backup systems (like gluconeogenesis) that produce glucose without carbs.[*] Of the three macronutrients discussed, carbohydrates are almost certainly the least essential because we can simply make our own sugar.
Fat
Calories per gram: 9
Functions: Producing energy as ATP, structuring cell membranes, balancing inflammation, absorbing fat-soluble vitamins.[*][*]
Essential? Just about. You can survive on protein and carbs, but you'll likely develop vitamin and omega-3 fatty acid deficiencies.
Why Tracking Macros Is Important
Macro tracking allows you to measure, manage, and master your nutritionally-conscious lifestyle. It helps bring your health goals to fruition.
The Keto diet is the obvious example. On Keto, you consume 55 to 75 percent of your calories from fat, 15 to 35 percent from protein, and below 10 percent from carbohydrates.
Keeping your macros in these proportions keeps the hormone insulin low, signaling your liver to burn fat and produce ketones.[*] Researchers have linked this state (ketosis) to weight loss, hunger control, improved cognition, lower inflammation, and better metabolic health.[*][*][*][*][*]
But you don't have to eat Keto to benefit from macro tracking. For example, if you want to lose fat, you might dial down carb or fat calories 5 or 10 percent. And if you want to gain muscle, you might dial up protein calories by a similar amount.
In one study with 1700 participants, keeping a daily food log (vs. not keeping one) led to twice the weight loss.[*] By simply recording their food intake, people naturally consumed fewer calories. Tracking is insightful and can help with accountability.
Top 7 Macro Tracking Mistakes
Ready to start tracking macros with Carb Manager? Save yourself a boatload of future hassle by avoiding these mistakes. (Note: in the next section, we'll cover how the app's many features can help you prevent them.)
#1: Missing snacks
Tracking your macros means monitoring everything you eat. Not just your meals.
If you pop a few cashews on the way to the airport, log that snack. This creates automatic accountability. Knowing you'll log everything tends to discourage mindless eating.
#2: Logging partial days
Commit to at least one full day of tracking macros. If you log your food intake piecemeal, you won't have enough actionable information.
You won't know your daily carb intake. You won't know your daily calories. You won't know if you're getting enough daily protein. And so on.
#3: Measuring portions incorrectly
You might be able to nail your portions by eyeballing your meals. But then again, you might not.
A more reliable way is to measure mass and volume with a scale, cups, spoons, etc. But you don't have to weigh everything. If you know (without measuring) that the chicken breast on your salad weighs 6 ounces, that's fine. Diligently measuring portions is often a temporary, but necessary tactic as you start your weight loss journey.
#4: Not creating custom meals
Custom meals are a huge timesaver if you frequently eat the same thing. Just log the ingredients once in Carb Manager (Premium version), and your custom meal will be there for all time, etched into the fabric of spacetime as the Universe slowly transmogrifies into a vast field of isolated black holes.[*]
Eventually, even the black holes themselves will disappear. But your custom meal will still be there.
#5: Not planning ahead
If you want to achieve any goal—including macro tracking—it's wise to have a plan. You can set goals and plan meals in the Carb Manager app. It beats winging it.
#6: Ignoring other metrics
When it comes to health metrics, macros aren't everything. You also have sleep, exercise, body weight, blood glucose, ketones, cholesterol, and even your intermittent fasting schedule. (Note: you can track all these metrics with Carb Manager premium). Check out this blog for tips on advanced tracking.
#7: Being unclear about your goals
Why are you tracking macros? To lose weight? Gain muscle? Heal your gut?
Your answers will dictate your macro strategy, so get clear about them. As your goals shift, your macro system will shift too.
10 Tips for Tracking Macros With Carb Manager
Carb Manager has everything you need to thrive on your macro-tracking lifestyle. Here's how to track macros like a pro in the app and minimize your macro mistakes. (Note: all features except meal logging, exercise logging, weight tracking, and recipe search are only available in the Premium version).
#1: Use the barcode scanner
Many people worry that macro tracking will be laborious. Won't logging foods suck up your precious free time?
Not if we can help it. When you use the Carb Manager barcode scanner, you'll save time and never miss an ingredient. Just scan the food, and the app instantly logs all the ingredients.
#2: Use voice logging
If you're always on the go, our voice logging feature is your salvation. Just say, "hey, Carb Manager," then dictate which foods you'd like to record. Pro tip: use voice logging in mixed company for an interesting conversation starter.
#3: The visual snap
If you think barcode scanning and voice logging are cool, wait for this one. With the Visual Snap Feature, take a picture of your meal, and the app logs every food in the image for you! We swear we didn't hire aliens to create this technology.
#4: Create custom meals
Forgoing custom meals is a major macro mistake. Solve this problem by creating custom meals, meal plans, and recipes in the app and add to your daily total with one click.
#5: Set macro goals
The Carb Manager app helps you set macro goals:
- By day (if you practice intermittent fasting, for example)
- By meal
- By diet (not just Keto, but Paleo, Whole 30, and other common diets)
- That adjust with your exercise regimen
Say you take an unplanned run. No problem. You can "deduct macros" from your daily total, have an extra snack, and still hit your macro goals.
Remember, getting clear about your goals is crucial in setting your macro strategy. As your goals change—and as you achieve them—Carb Manager makes it easy to dynamically update your macro targets.
For instance, if your weight changes, the Smart Macros feature automatically adjusts your macro goals. Just sit back, relax, and let us do the calculation.
#6: Track other metrics
There's more to health than tracking calories from fat, protein, and carbs. With Carb Manager, you can measure and track exercise, weight, sleep, intermittent fasting, glucose, ketones, and more.
#7: Track micronutrients
When it comes to long-term health, micronutrients matter. Carb Manager automatically logs your micros so you can monitor your vitamin and mineral status.
#8: Stay accountable
Share your macro love with over 8 million friends in the Carb Manager community. For an extra boost of motivation, consider earning points for tracking macros in a monthly Carb Manager challenge.
#9: Learn to cook
With over 50,000 healthy recipes that fit your macros, you won't be short on options.
#10: Level up your knowledge
Read articles (like this one!) and watch educational videos in Carb Manager's Keto Academy. The more you learn, the easier it will become to crush your health goals.
Okay, you're well on your way to macro success. The next step is to take action. Get the Carb Manager app, play with the features, and make a plan. The rest will fall into place naturally.
Comments
Steady160261 a year ago
If 100g of leaf salad says 19kcal, should I fill 1900cals ?
SuperCauliflower996681 a year ago
You should enter 19 calories. (Without knowing why, just think about a human’s recommended diet is in the neighborhood of 2,000 calories per day, and clearly 100g of salad isn’t close to a whole day’s calorie budget). Sorry nobody from CM responded to your question. I’m super disappointed with this apps lack of personal responsiveness. To your question here is a link to an article with your answer https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/kcal-vs-calories#differences
Kateberger1 2 years ago
Is it better to turn on the deduct calories burned from exercise before logging food feature or keep the total calories eaten and disregard exercise?
Tr@ce a year ago
Hi. I tried that feature and was happy to be able to eat some extra carbs/calories given how active I was, especially on weekends, but for me, it was ruining my progress to ketosis so I switched back. I am new at this (~ 1 month) so maybe later I can try that feature again with better success.
PropitiousCauliflower788327 2 years ago
I'm excited to start.
SuperCauliflower996681 a year ago
7/12/23 how is it goi g? Did you get started 21 weeks ago?
ExcellentRadish76 2 years ago
Great beginner tips, thanks
DK 2 years ago
Why dont my macros equal my calorie goal??
IneffableRadish922490 2 years ago
your Proteins, Carbs, and Fats are measured in grams. Multiply your Proteins and Carbs by 4 to get your calories. And multiply your Fats by 9 to get those calories. Add all your totals and it should equal out.
AwesomeMacadamia164896 2 years ago
I keep trying to log what I’m eating but can’t find it later. I’m confused on how this works but can’t find my way back to the beginning to reread it.
FortuitousMacadamia621743 2 years ago
I want to count total carbs not net carbs but I don't know how to change the ap to count total carbs
Lana K 1968 2 years ago
Hey there. Click on the settings icon in the upper left corner. Click on app settings. The very first item, click on the green 'net carbs', select total carbs. Boom! You're done. :-)
Keto Mama87 2 years ago
New user, like that it tracks micro nutrients, it would be nice if I could track the supplements I take and if I could track more information while pregnant and nursing but it may be a liability issue for them.
Vern 2 years ago
how to determine what flavor carb manager is installed?
Vern 2 years ago
how to track gluten
FortuitousCauliflower325900 2 years ago
I’m only using about half of my macros in all areas. Is that good or bad?
SebAT 2 years ago
The question is more if it’s sustainable. If you run on that level your metabolism will slow down accordingly. So you’re more into starvation than Keto.
AwesomeArugula876873 2 years ago
How do I measure carbs in keto bread
ExcellentAvocado836506 2 years ago
Lost 14 lbs. do my macros change. Thought it was supposed to do it automatically.
UnbelievableMacadamia507972 2 years ago
How can I delete a double entry?
PropitiousCauliflower287007 2 years ago
It's insightful
SplendidKetone609204 2 years ago
how can I record what I eat, by weight ie grams not by cup
cindymillburg 2 years ago
Change it when entering the food item by scrolling the dial
TeaCupLady 2 years ago
You can change the measurement by using the drop down menu.
Thiccbich 2 years ago
I swear im always struggling with this
SuperCauliflower996681 a year ago
7/12/23 Do you mean always struggling with using the app when you say “…I’m always struggling with this”, or do you mean something else?
MirthfulAvocado545740 2 years ago
Nice Article!