This is so true. I tracked for 2 years and my results were spot on. When I get lackluster and stop - my weight slowly creeps up. I detest tracking but it is so effective for achieving results!
Wow, thank you for your awsome videos! Any counting applications to suggest? I cook a lot, I'm vegan and active. I'm almost on my shredded target naturally (I'm lucky to have a fast metabolism) but the last 2-3% fat to loose is fighting biology and maybe I will have to count for the first time in my life... A little frightening since I don't want to loose my fast metabolism either with too severe restrictions. Anyway, the fist step is to learn about counting and see if I give it a try or not! Thank you :)
One thing that really helped me was pre-tracking my food, meaning I'd plan my next day's meal the night before (I practice time-restricted eating). Tracking the night before gave me the time to carefully plan and prep. Tracking went from basically just a diary or journal of real-time eating to a premeditated goal or plan that I could thoughtfully adjust - huge difference. That resulted in a 50lb+ weight loss that I have maintained for nearly 4 years.
Congratulations on your achievement- wow and great work! I like your idea of pre planning. I’ve fallen short on this lately and think it would help with my stress too. Do you have certain macro friendly recipes you like?
I never had to track until I got close to 40. I could outwork my dietary problems without a thought just has I had for 3 decades. Then 3 months from age 39 I got slower in my runs & workouts got harder even though I was giving the same effort. Got on track & slowly getting faster & stronger again. Body changes mean behavior changes if you want to stay fit
Just want to say thank you for being so straightforward. I've been rebelling against tracking for a while now and I'm taking this video as a sign that it's time to level up and get tracking. Love your videos!
YES! It's not fun to start but changes never really are. We are retraining ourselves and changing habits and mindsets that are super ingrained! You've got this Elizabeth :-)
@@redefiningstrengthOC ugh….the idea of tracking kills me!!! It brings me back to anorexia…. I don’t know where to start to do it healthily but I def know I don’t get enough protein so I maybe should find a way….. I’m open to any suggestions!! You are awesome, Cori!
Just discovered this channel and love it! Getting the protein I'm supposed to have is so hard! I'm a carb lover, so I've really had to be conscious of making sure I get it all in there. I even added my tasteless collagen protein powder to sugar free pudding as a way to still get dessert and add in extra protein.
I've been trying to go to 40% protein and find it difficult too. Protein powder is a must for me. I generally don't eat a lot of meat because it's rough on my GI system and that makes it challenging. I am a runner and prefer carbs too.
Get some tryptophan capsules and shake just a bit to your collagen servings. It's not complete without it. Also, it doesn't have much leucine, which is essential for protein synthesis. (See Donald K. Layman, researcher on this topic). It's good for some things, just not as efficient for the purpose of building muscle, if that's why you're watching this channel. Best of luck!'
Great info. For me tracking is actually fun. Except when dining out. I was eating 500-800 extra calories a day vs what I was burning but didn’t realize it before I started tracking. I cut out the lowest quality foods which saved me money and kept the good stuff. Tracking taught me which foods are high in calories like nuts and nut butters so I could control my portions for them. Lost 10 pounds quickly. Now I’m leaner, faster and stronger.
I get it and I don't doubt that fat loss is simply pure science - calorie deficit. The problem with tracking is, it is simply not sustainable for many people. It certainly is not for me. It becomes an obsession and takes away the natural joy and appreciation for food. It's a bit like vlogging when everything you do becomes an opportunity to take a video, to keep track of what you're doing for your viewers. What happens to simply living in the moment? Tracking your food takes away the simple and natural act of nourishment. I lost 20kg without tracking my food at all.
Not only that, she says that it's a must to reach out body composition goals but there are lots of people who don't track and have their desired, lean physiques. I wonder if tracking is more useful for people who have a harder time with binging and eating too many treats.
Guilty of not tracking anymore, 50# guilty. Starting back to it today! Thanks for so many great videos that are motivating me to get my old, high-mileage body back to something resembling fitness.
I started tracking macros two weeks ago and I'm seeing a huge difference in my body composition. I was eyeballing before and significantly underestimating how much I'm consuming. But am I the only one who likes tracking macros? For some reason, I really like tracking macros and plan my meals ahead of time!
So true! I had been resisting tracking macros for too many years. I just started a month ago and seeing huge difference. I am losing body fat, my muscles look smaller but I am way stronger. I am lifting heavier than I ever had in a caloric deficit. I enter everything before eating. I keep my meals simple. And yes, what you said about protein is so spot on. It’s critical. I’m experiencing everything this video is about.
You're right about tracking! I've lost 5kg in 11 weeks and my only exercise is walking (about 7500 steps/day). The gamechanger for me is tracking. Fortunately I don't find it boring. The app helps me to see the nutrients that my food has and it helps me to make better decisions for making/choosing my next meals. The next step is strength training 💪
What I have discovered is that the more I do your workouts, and others, my body actually graves healthy food. If I hit it hard I don't want the crap...or at least very little because some of it is delicious. Listen to what your body is saying, and it will tell you to feed it right if you treat it right.
I've been tracking my calories/macros for a few months now. I like how it keeps me honest with myself and how I can easily see where I get it "wrong"..."gee 3 vodkas cost how many calories?" Love this channel.
Even though I had maintained a 40-lb loss for years even after menopause, I still sometimes relished the soft chocolate cones served at Costco. Just for the heck of it, I found out the calories: 400 for basically no nutrition and some thrills. I was surprised how much that deflated my pleasure. Most of my meals were lower than that! When you get clear what the tradeoffs are- sometimes things DO feel worth it-, the change makes so much sense that it's much easier to get over the hump of adjusting.
I would say for MFP for folks to use a tape measure and add measurements. This too was annoying, however when I plateaued; and saw my measurements adjusting still, I kept my motivation. ✌🏾😃
First, a great big thank you for changing the way I look at food. At 54, turns out I wasn’t eating enough! I have lost 4 of the 8 pounds I’d like to lose as well as get a little leaner, but starting to plateau. Would you suggest playing around with my percentages or increasing the calorie deficit? Thanks again! So look forward to your videos!
I am very happy to have found your channel! after a year filling me with confusing information (fasting, keto, carnivore, etc) I think the best thing is to go back to the origin.
Doing this AGAIN. Lost a bunch of weight before but gained it all back, especially when Covid hit. On week 3 of 12, not seeing a whole lot of results yet but I know they'll come. Hopefully I can keep the progress I make this time, thanks again.
I love your videos! Thank you for sharing this information. My problem is I’m 5’7 and weigh 113 pounds. I’ve been thin my whole life (I’m 54) I work out and i power walk. Can’t seem to gain muscle in my arms and legs like I’d like to see. They’re thin and have some definition but not like I’d like to see. I’m encouraged by your videos and will try to start measuring and weighing my food. I don’t understand macros though. Is there an app that you recommend for tracking your macros?
In systems science, a central tenet is that things change when information becomes visible. This video is really well aligned with that idea. Also, I love the idea of adding stuff first rather than taking away!
@JustinHelling can you tell me a little more about this or pointing me in the direction of articles/books about this? I am interested in understanding the role of information in physical systems and your comments attracted my attention.
4:40 i am so glad i found your channel. Ive tried to track before but the apps dont have the food i eat. Its mostly full of prepared foods instead of made at home. Which app do you recommend we use?
Welcome to the channel! I use my own app (redefiningstrength.com/dynamic-strength) for tracking! It has both a food journal and pulls from the free versions of myfitnesspal and cronometer. If you're struggling with accuracy of the tracking apps or only seeing packaged foods what I do is manually enter the foods I eat frequently and save them to use 😊
So I use My Fitness Pal or Lose It is the other one I show. I determine ratios using my Macro Hacks (shameless plug) - macrohacks.redefiningstrength.com/optin-416066421596387411652?sl=youtubecomment
Hi Cori, thanks for these tips, great video! The main problem I always find with the whole 'macros-tracking' approach is that I feel it only works when you are eating at home and cooking and weighting your own food or when you buy something that has the macros on the label, but it's not always the case. So how do you manage to still track macros when eating out at a restaurant or a pub? Do you make a guesstimate on those days? 😬 Thanks!
If you're in the US, restaurants (should) have on hand the estimated nutrition facts for each meal on the menu (there's probably legal exceptions to that - mom&pop diners might not need to have it, but the chains definitely will). Some places put it on the menu, some places you need to ask.
@@thefaboo Wow that's a great practice! I'm not in the US, though and I haven't seen barely any restaurants in Argentina (where I'm from) or the UK (where I live) disclosing macros. I certainly hope it becomes a trend worldwide 😁
Same here! Eating out is very tricky! I try to eyeball macros when I eat out. I will try to order things that are already on the obviously leaner side such as grilled vs. fried, rice instead of fries, egg white omelette vs. full egg, salsa vs. ketchup etc. I also will ask for salad dressing on the side, so I can have more control over how much I put in and how much it is approximately. Sometimes I ask how many ounces of meat was used in the meal. I always account for the oil they use to cook/fry in. I also realized that you have to ask them EVERY TIME whether a salad or other meal has cheese in or on it, as that is often not mentioned on the menu. Somehow restaurants seem to think that cheese is a garnish! After tracking for a while, I think that eyeballing becomes somewhat easier and maybe slightly less off than how I would have estimated before I started tracking.
I have trouble tracking macros when cooking my own food. I don’t eat out often I only eat whole food and homemade 😋😋 I think eating out is much easier to track as many restaurants already have the macros for their food
OMG I HATED TRACKING WHAT I ATE!! Mainly bc I wanted to “lie” about what I ate and just eat junk food to hide my emotions from myself. Now I NEED to track what I eat, no matter if I’m eating m and ms all day or eating all the broccoli that I want. 😂 for instance, I went out to eat today, and I STILL PUT IN MY FOOD! ☺️
I did very well with tracking. I was using MyFitness Pal, but now there’s a charge to use the scanning tool. What do you use or can you recommend a free tracking similar to MFP?
Can you please do a video on how to lose fat when you've been on antipsychotics and antidepressants? I'm on three medications and I'm really struggling to lose weight.
OMG OMG OMG ! I've been avoiding counting macros/ weighing/ measuring since I started Crossfit in '05. I've gotten VERY CLOSE to my personal best but without counting....... I can't get there. K........ I'm gonna do it. Thank you for tackling this subject. Coach Glassman - founder of Crossfit, had this same message as you........ that you could gather the most fit athletes and the best who pulled ahead of the rest are weighing and measuring their food.
It’s so hard tracking macros when u make your own food. For instance, I make my own cereal because I love it. But it’s hard to track that in any of the tracking apps out there
The issue with tracking your diet (or not wanting to do it) is symbolic for any skill/situation you want to learn/change. I.e. in language learning, it's much more effective in the long run to first use a lot of input and work on understanding the target language before producing (speaking/writing) yourself, but mostly, people want to produce right away and not spend "boring" time to practice understanding. They usually end up producing "something" but don't really understand what they do thus do a lot of mistakes which they will keep and have a hard time getting rid of later because they don't have a good feeling of what's wrong due to the lack of understanding practice. It's important in the learning process to first understand so that you have the tools and knowledge to really have an idea of what you're doing wrong and how to change to do it better. It's the same with diet/lifestyle change. First, you need to get a picture of what you are currently doing to then effectively think about what you can change. Everything else will just be shooting in the dark without real aim.
As a whole food plant based eater I find tracking macros hard because my sources of protein are also high in carbs. I am trying to avoid protein powders but it seems that may be the only solution. Any suggestions.
TLDR: When I changed my diet to sardine, quinoa, spinach and natural PBJ. All the processed foods started tasting bad to me. When I try to stray from this new diet I get hungrier and my brain tells me to eat sardines lol. Kinda like how it use to tell me to eat sugars. I had to forcefeed myself the new diet for 3 months before seeing myself stray from the bad foods I was eating. I eat 2 times a day. 7 am. 7 pm. Now I am not saying this is the best method but it's my method. I eat Peanut butter and jelly (all natural no added sugars) in the morning. 3 of them with whole wheat bread. I exercise at 6 pm. Then eat the sardines quinoa and spinach at night. I did this for the first 3 months of my exercising. I now can't stand eating cookies, ice cream, or any other processed food. I can taste the added stuff that increases it's shelf life. Also the sugar doesn't give me any type of energy. After eating it, my brain begs me to eat the sardines and quinoa. If I don't get it, I feel hungry all day. Even if I ate the same amount of calories in sugars. Also if I don't get that PB and J. I do get a sugar craving. However EVERY TIME I went to go get processed sugar I felt empty with no energy and it tasted bad. I realized I really wanted the peanut butter. I tried to eat something else besides sardines and quinoa, like other meats and stuff. My brain tells me after a day to go back to eat the sardines quinoa and spinach or feel fatigued the next day. I can't hold out not eating the sardines and quinoa. Then I realized something. This must be the bacteria in stomach signaling something to my brain. Just like when I ate the sugary food I though I'd never be able to stop eating. The bacteria in my stomach changed and won't digest those processed sugars anymore and turn it into energy. I use to eat sugar and feel like jumping all over the place. (I was always skinny fat all my life) Now I eat it and it feels like I've eaten nothing. I can't eat cereal anymore, donuts, cake, ice cream, poptarts, oreos, etc. It all started with the change in the diet. The jelly I eat in the morning with the peanut butter is FAR less sugar than I was consuming in the past and with that slight taste it is enough to sate my sugar cravings. I will admit that the bread and the quinoa is a carbohydrate. So that may also be what's stopping it. I am losing weight not as fast as I would like to, but I do see progress. I am the same weight 7 months in lol. I am noticing my pants don't fit, and I see leg muscles. Also my stomach doesn't touch my legs anymore lol. I did track this and I am getting about 3k calories give or take.
Guys, shortcuts are not consistent. Stick to the basics, like in the video. At first it's a bit rough, but eventually you will be able to just eyeball some stuff and have a better understandment overall if you can or cannot eat X or Y, etc.
Change. to make change. Thank you for your message. I hear you, and I know your very presence in my day, today, made all the difference in my long term turn around. My appreciation for you goes beyond these words.
If you want to lose weight, eat less junk food. It's that simple. Eschew soda, pizza, cookies, burgers, etc. You don't need to create some super complicated algorithm. Simply have the discipline to eat healthy. If you still work in an office, walk past the box of donuts. If you're shopping at a mall, walk past the McDonald's. It sucks to want something that's bad for you, but having a good physique requires sacrificing short term satisfaction for long term gains.
Lots of water and doubling my veggies was my secret. Water might not always satisfy cravings but it saves you a lot of money. When I say veggies, I mean mostly the green stuff.
Thank you for telling the truth. It's been so frustrating to me that the new fad is reeking people they don't need to track as long as they eat clean. It's just not true if you want to lose weight. Thank you for being honest about it.
I like tracking, it helps me to plan my healthy meals and with grocery shopping. I have an antique chalkboard in my kitchen for my weekly menu. It’s all really just perception with anything you do. I have friends who hate to cook. I like to pal my meals, go to the grocery store and meal prep when I get home. I like find a new recipe each week. I bake for my husband have one, then put the rest in my basement freezer for him...
I have not found that I have to continually track IF I am willing to be honest about putting satiety, vitality, and longterm physical and mental health first. I had done 40/30/30, Volumetrics, and an omega-3 diets- still always going back to overeating when I didn't recognize what was more important than just losing. When I finally committed to changing my compulsive overeating habits, I brought back a lot of the meals I knew fostered what I stated above, and found when I occasionally tracked, that the daily calorie counts were very similar. When I wanted to change my macronutrient distribution a few times, 90 days was PLENTY of time to figure out how to distribute them. But you have to be honest and really recognize that veering off the trajectory more than occasionally is WAY more painful than putting up with the discomfort in the moment.
YES! It's a great way to know what you're doing and get over that plateau. I find it even helps you trust the process when results are slow because you can see you're implementing those daily habits!
I eased into tracking. Was diagnosed with Diabetes early February 2021. Was told I can't eat more than 150 carbs per day. I started keeping a food diary. I changed what I ate. More veggies, less bread and pasta and cookies and cake (love to bake). I started to lose weight ONLY tracking carbs. I then got a Fitbit Charge 4 in June and ended up using this to track the other two macros. I was 255 in Feb and now I am 219. My problem now is getting enough calories so my metabolism wont slow down.
I'm one year into my weight loss journey, I'm already seeing amazing results, especially when I look in the mirror. I've cut out alot of the junk food, I'm lactose intolerant, so I try to steer clear of dairy products.
I hated tracking. MyFitnessPal was the biggest thorn. BUT when I initially started that, I didn't actually have a real understanding of how macros work. When I learned and refocused, it certainly made a huge difference in results. I did eventually stop tracking, but it wasn't until I felt like I had a handle on it. Managing macros are the way forward and that can only be achieved thru tracking them. Oof.
This sounds like really great advice! Wondering though, how do you figure out exactly what macros you should be eating, so you can track them properly?
There are online macro calculators that take your statistics (height/weight/age/gender/activity level, etc..) with your goals (fat loss/gain muscle/maintain, body recomp/etc..) and give you a formula. Then the real work begins.
I prefer to track on a PC as the display of your recent foods is so large and you can usually just find it in one of the quick lists. I usually don't carry my phone around with me when I am at home and just record some time after eating or sometimes in the evening. One thing that really helps is a digital scale as figuring out what you ate is pretty uncertain from eyeballing it. I use MyFitnessPal and a bunch of people were complaining about it charging for barcode scanning later this year. I guess that it must be a pretty important feature for most people if they can make something previously free, a paid item. I am a metrics person so I don't mind tracking. I like having the data of what I did, for workouts, sleep, or food.
I think it's enough to follow a plate model and limiting sugar intake. Ofcourse, this requires some knowledge of the approximate macros of food items. Also, special care with liquid fat (it's the most calorie-intense food).
Like anything else, measuring food and tracking calories/macros gets so much easier with time/practice. And I agree 100%; if these are new concepts to you, you need to take it slow and make one or two small changes you can commit to until these changes become second nature. Once that happens you're ready to make more changes; trying to do too much at once will be overwhelming and unsustainable. I'd also say a good tip is to not forget to track liquid calories; they can add up, especially if you drink alcohol!
This makes complete sense. However I have two problems with this- tracking macros is not easy when you’re cooking your own food(healthy option); it’s easier if you buy food off the supermarket shelf with the info on the packet (unhealthy processed food). Second, you’re not going to be able to do it for any significant length of time, especially if you like variety in your food (we all do). That said, I do enjoy watching your videos- always makes me think..
I disagree...I cook from scratch and find it super easy. You can then be fully sure of what you're entering. As you make a recipe, enter the ingredients as you've measured them out then save that recipe. And as you eat over time you'll build up that data base. Honestly, not to be rude but the second statement is an excuse...I have lots of clients constantly testing new recipes to add in. It actually gets easier as you start to better understand portion sizes and the macro breakdown of things. I even have clients that eat out and have found the balance :-) Tracking also doesn't have to be done forever. But it gives you a better understanding of portions to keep things dialed in.
Because I've used it for so long I personally use My Fitness Pal the free version. I use that often with clients because it links up so I can review their logs. But I do set my ratios and do NOT use their recommended default. Here are some more tips if you're just starting to track - redefiningstrength.com/fhp-s2e21-starting-to-count-macros-5-tips-for-beginners/
I track nutrients such as calories, grams of protein, and grams of carbs. I do not track percentage of fats but know what I am eating and when I am eating it. I record daily meals and snacks and the above. I aim for a slight deficit of calories daily as you suggest. Also have upped my protein daily. Fewer cheater type days now which is helpful. Want to bust the weight plateau in spite of yes, my body is re-shaping monthly and I've lost a dress size since Summer.
I read this the other day on an RP post. It's best to use the tracking apps to plan your meals. Tracking won't help if you don't know what the heck to eat!
What tracking apps are people using? All the apps I have track calories? I'd love to do it but I'm not sure how. Do you calculate how much chicken or how much protein in the chicken to determine the portion size?
I bought a scale years ago. But didn't use it. I recently pulled it out of the cabinet I kept it in. Only to find that it no longer works. I need to get a new one or find out where the battery is and if it can be replaced. I have tried to figure out how to track macros and how much I'd need several times. It's become something that's both overwhelming and intimidating. But wanting to be healthy and fitter has become even more important than ever.
Do you mean like a bathroom scale, or a kitchen scale? Both are very useful. I would also recommend a tape measure for bust, arms, waist, etc. If you build muscle, the scale will show you still as heavy. Good luck friend! ✌🏾😁
@@Gumbier_Than sorry. I meant a kitchen scale. I do have a tape measure. There were times I saw no movement on the bathroom scale. But my waist and other measurements were smaller. Thank you for asking the question though. I didn't even notice that I didn't clarify.
Do you think age / hormones makes a difference? I've tracked before and not much changed. I think being female and over 45yo with hormones going mad doesn't help with fluid and bloating.
I'm on year 7 of my menopause journey, and I've found in the last 7 years that the only times I've been lean and looked the way I wanted to look, felt the way I wanted to feel, were when I was consistently getting enough protein along with my strength training and cardio. It IS harder and slower when you're in your late 40s and 50s, but getting your protein and fats, along with limiting simple carbs helps a lot. I've also had a lot of luck with intermittent fasting if you haven't tried that.
How do I track when I'm eating out at restaurants ? I'm typically eating at smaller, local restaurants that don't have that information on their menus.
This is so true. I tracked for 2 years and my results were spot on. When I get lackluster and stop - my weight slowly creeps up. I detest tracking but it is so effective for achieving results!
What do you use to track?
@@TanyaScorpio I personally use my fitness pal.
Wow, thank you for your awsome videos! Any counting applications to suggest? I cook a lot, I'm vegan and active. I'm almost on my shredded target naturally (I'm lucky to have a fast metabolism) but the last 2-3% fat to loose is fighting biology and maybe I will have to count for the first time in my life... A little frightening since I don't want to loose my fast metabolism either with too severe restrictions. Anyway, the fist step is to learn about counting and see if I give it a try or not! Thank you :)
I like tracking what I eat because it shows me on screen how I'm doing things right.
One thing that really helped me was pre-tracking my food, meaning I'd plan my next day's meal the night before (I practice time-restricted eating). Tracking the night before gave me the time to carefully plan and prep.
Tracking went from basically just a diary or journal of real-time eating to a premeditated goal or plan that I could thoughtfully adjust - huge difference. That resulted in a 50lb+ weight loss that I have maintained for nearly 4 years.
Congratulations on your achievement- wow and great work! I like your idea of pre planning. I’ve fallen short on this lately and think it would help with my stress too. Do you have certain macro friendly recipes you like?
Good for you!!
Thats why I love this channel.
No bullshit, no shortcuts. Pure info.
I never had to track until I got close to 40. I could outwork my dietary problems without a thought just has I had for 3 decades. Then 3 months from age 39 I got slower in my runs & workouts got harder even though I was giving the same effort. Got on track & slowly getting faster & stronger again. Body changes mean behavior changes if you want to stay fit
Agreed! Our needs and goals are constantly changing and therefore other routines and habits need to evolve!
Just want to say thank you for being so straightforward. I've been rebelling against tracking for a while now and I'm taking this video as a sign that it's time to level up and get tracking. Love your videos!
YES! It's not fun to start but changes never really are. We are retraining ourselves and changing habits and mindsets that are super ingrained! You've got this Elizabeth :-)
@@redefiningstrengthOC ugh….the idea of tracking kills me!!! It brings me back to anorexia…. I don’t know where to start to do it healthily but I def know I don’t get enough protein so I maybe should find a way….. I’m open to any suggestions!! You are awesome, Cori!
I enjoy your videos. Do you have recommendations on some apps to help track nutrients?
Just discovered this channel and love it! Getting the protein I'm supposed to have is so hard! I'm a carb lover, so I've really had to be conscious of making sure I get it all in there. I even added my tasteless collagen protein powder to sugar free pudding as a way to still get dessert and add in extra protein.
I've been trying to go to 40% protein and find it difficult too. Protein powder is a must for me. I generally don't eat a lot of meat because it's rough on my GI system and that makes it challenging. I am a runner and prefer carbs too.
Get some tryptophan capsules and shake just a bit to your collagen servings. It's not complete without it. Also, it doesn't have much leucine, which is essential for protein synthesis. (See Donald K. Layman, researcher on this topic). It's good for some things, just not as efficient for the purpose of building muscle, if that's why you're watching this channel. Best of luck!'
Great info. For me tracking is actually fun. Except when dining out. I was eating 500-800 extra calories a day vs what I was burning but didn’t realize it before I started tracking. I cut out the lowest quality foods which saved me money and kept the good stuff. Tracking taught me which foods are high in calories like nuts and nut butters so I could control my portions for them. Lost 10 pounds quickly. Now I’m leaner, faster and stronger.
I just liked it because i like ths video. I try to absorb and digest each word by word that comes out from her mouth. Thank you
I get it and I don't doubt that fat loss is simply pure science - calorie deficit. The problem with tracking is, it is simply not sustainable for many people. It certainly is not for me. It becomes an obsession and takes away the natural joy and appreciation for food. It's a bit like vlogging when everything you do becomes an opportunity to take a video, to keep track of what you're doing for your viewers. What happens to simply living in the moment? Tracking your food takes away the simple and natural act of nourishment. I lost 20kg without tracking my food at all.
Not only that, she says that it's a must to reach out body composition goals but there are lots of people who don't track and have their desired, lean physiques. I wonder if tracking is more useful for people who have a harder time with binging and eating too many treats.
Guilty of not tracking anymore, 50# guilty. Starting back to it today! Thanks for so many great videos that are motivating me to get my old, high-mileage body back to something resembling fitness.
I started tracking macros two weeks ago and I'm seeing a huge difference in my body composition. I was eyeballing before and significantly underestimating how much I'm consuming. But am I the only one who likes tracking macros? For some reason, I really like tracking macros and plan my meals ahead of time!
So true! I had been resisting tracking macros for too many years. I just started a month ago and seeing huge difference. I am losing body fat, my muscles look smaller but I am way stronger. I am lifting heavier than I ever had in a caloric deficit. I enter everything before eating. I keep my meals simple. And yes, what you said about protein is so spot on. It’s critical. I’m experiencing everything this video is about.
You're right about tracking!
I've lost 5kg in 11 weeks and my only exercise is walking (about 7500 steps/day). The gamechanger for me is tracking. Fortunately I don't find it boring. The app helps me to see the nutrients that my food has and it helps me to make better decisions for making/choosing my next meals.
The next step is strength training 💪
What I have discovered is that the more I do your workouts, and others, my body actually graves healthy food. If I hit it hard I don't want the crap...or at least very little because some of it is delicious. Listen to what your body is saying, and it will tell you to feed it right if you treat it right.
I've been tracking my calories/macros for a few months now. I like how it keeps me honest with myself and how I can easily see where I get it "wrong"..."gee 3 vodkas cost how many calories?" Love this channel.
Even though I had maintained a 40-lb loss for years even after menopause, I still sometimes relished the soft chocolate cones served at Costco. Just for the heck of it, I found out the calories: 400 for basically no nutrition and some thrills. I was surprised how much that deflated my pleasure. Most of my meals were lower than that! When you get clear what the tradeoffs are- sometimes things DO feel worth it-, the change makes so much sense that it's much easier to get over the hump of adjusting.
I would say for MFP for folks to use a tape measure and add measurements. This too was annoying, however when I plateaued; and saw my measurements adjusting still, I kept my motivation. ✌🏾😃
"including dessert every single day." - Cori
I found my spirit human haha
Hey Cori, any particular tracking app you prefer over all the others out there? Cheers :-)
How did we "track macros" before Apps and laptops? Technology did not design healthy diet and proper fitness.
That is so true. I just don't find it sustainable for me to track everything I eat
First, a great big thank you for changing the way I look at food. At 54, turns out I wasn’t eating enough! I have lost 4 of the 8 pounds I’d like to lose as well as get a little leaner, but starting to plateau. Would you suggest playing around with my percentages or increasing the calorie deficit? Thanks again! So look forward to your videos!
I am very happy to have found your channel! after a year filling me with confusing information (fasting, keto, carnivore, etc) I think the best thing is to go back to the origin.
I've gotten sloppy about weighing food. Videos like this inspires me get back "on it." Nice
I guess MY pandemic lifestyle is over... You too?
Glad it helps Fred!
@@zanewalsh1812 Hope so!
I’ve been freeloading this channel for too long. Time to subscribe.
:-) Welcome officially to RS!
Truth!! Love that this is exactly what I needed to hear. Been resisting tracking but just started. 🎉
Doing this AGAIN. Lost a bunch of weight before but gained it all back, especially when Covid hit. On week 3 of 12, not seeing a whole lot of results yet but I know they'll come. Hopefully I can keep the progress I make this time, thanks again.
I love your videos! Thank you for sharing this information. My problem is I’m 5’7 and weigh 113 pounds. I’ve been thin my whole life (I’m 54) I work out and i power walk. Can’t seem to gain muscle in my arms and legs like I’d like to see. They’re thin and have some definition but not like I’d like to see. I’m encouraged by your videos and will try to start measuring and weighing my food. I don’t understand macros though. Is there an app that you recommend for tracking your macros?
Love your channel! Great content, good messages and well articulated. Thank you 🙏🏽
In systems science, a central tenet is that things change when information becomes visible. This video is really well aligned with that idea.
Also, I love the idea of adding stuff first rather than taking away!
@JustinHelling can you tell me a little more about this or pointing me in the direction of articles/books about this? I am interested in understanding the role of information in physical systems and your comments attracted my attention.
@@thedolcetto81 A good book to start with is Thinking in Systems: A Primer, by Donella Meadows.
I started tracking a week ago.. It's made a huge difference, opened my eyes to my binge eating breakfasts! Awesome.
@@J-Hell Thanks! I'll check it out
4:40 i am so glad i found your channel. Ive tried to track before but the apps dont have the food i eat. Its mostly full of prepared foods instead of made at home.
Which app do you recommend we use?
Welcome to the channel! I use my own app (redefiningstrength.com/dynamic-strength) for tracking! It has both a food journal and pulls from the free versions of myfitnesspal and cronometer. If you're struggling with accuracy of the tracking apps or only seeing packaged foods what I do is manually enter the foods I eat frequently and save them to use 😊
Hi, what tracking macro program do you use or recommend for a newbie? Thx!
MyFitnessPal. That’s also what she is using in the video.
Lifesum is good too
So I use My Fitness Pal or Lose It is the other one I show. I determine ratios using my Macro Hacks (shameless plug) - macrohacks.redefiningstrength.com/optin-416066421596387411652?sl=youtubecomment
@@redefiningstrengthOC you are brilliant so keep plugging!!
Myplate is the only one I've tried. Easy to use and includes the priceless scanner - all free!
Agree 100% with the statement of tracking, consistency and finding meal adaptations.
Hi Cori, I recently purchased your bcaa supplement. Should I still take them during days I'm doing cardio? If so before to after?
I like having clients use them either in their water during or right before. If it is a longer session, during could be better!
What food scale do you use in this video? I like that it's small. Have never used one before. Any particular one you recommend?
Hi Cori, thanks for these tips, great video! The main problem I always find with the whole 'macros-tracking' approach is that I feel it only works when you are eating at home and cooking and weighting your own food or when you buy something that has the macros on the label, but it's not always the case.
So how do you manage to still track macros when eating out at a restaurant or a pub? Do you make a guesstimate on those days? 😬 Thanks!
If you're in the US, restaurants (should) have on hand the estimated nutrition facts for each meal on the menu (there's probably legal exceptions to that - mom&pop diners might not need to have it, but the chains definitely will). Some places put it on the menu, some places you need to ask.
@@thefaboo Wow that's a great practice! I'm not in the US, though and I haven't seen barely any restaurants in Argentina (where I'm from) or the UK (where I live) disclosing macros. I certainly hope it becomes a trend worldwide 😁
Same here! Eating out is very tricky! I try to eyeball macros when I eat out. I will try to order things that are already on the obviously leaner side such as grilled vs. fried, rice instead of fries, egg white omelette vs. full egg, salsa vs. ketchup etc. I also will ask for salad dressing on the side, so I can have more control over how much I put in and how much it is approximately. Sometimes I ask how many ounces of meat was used in the meal. I always account for the oil they use to cook/fry in. I also realized that you have to ask them EVERY TIME whether a salad or other meal has cheese in or on it, as that is often not mentioned on the menu. Somehow restaurants seem to think that cheese is a garnish! After tracking for a while, I think that eyeballing becomes somewhat easier and maybe slightly less off than how I would have estimated before I started tracking.
I have trouble tracking macros when cooking my own food. I don’t eat out often I only eat whole food and homemade 😋😋 I think eating out is much easier to track as many restaurants already have the macros for their food
OMG I HATED TRACKING WHAT I ATE!! Mainly bc I wanted to “lie” about what I ate and just eat junk food to hide my emotions from myself. Now I NEED to track what I eat, no matter if I’m eating m and ms all day or eating all the broccoli that I want. 😂 for instance, I went out to eat today, and I STILL PUT IN MY FOOD! ☺️
I did very well with tracking. I was using MyFitness Pal, but now there’s a charge to use the scanning tool. What do you use or can you recommend a free tracking similar to MFP?
Can you please do a video on how to lose fat when you've been on antipsychotics and antidepressants? I'm on three medications and I'm really struggling to lose weight.
OMG OMG OMG ! I've been avoiding counting macros/ weighing/ measuring since I started Crossfit in '05. I've gotten VERY CLOSE to my personal best but without counting....... I can't get there. K........ I'm gonna do it. Thank you for tackling this subject. Coach Glassman - founder of Crossfit, had this same message as you........ that you could gather the most fit athletes and the best who pulled ahead of the rest are weighing and measuring their food.
Can you please do a video of how to deal with cravings or better way to deal with cravings🙏🏾🙏🏾😩
Is there a free macro counter on line. Can't find one. Thanks!
It’s so hard tracking macros when u make your own food. For instance, I make my own cereal because I love it. But it’s hard to track that in any of the tracking apps out there
The issue with tracking your diet (or not wanting to do it) is symbolic for any skill/situation you want to learn/change. I.e. in language learning, it's much more effective in the long run to first use a lot of input and work on understanding the target language before producing (speaking/writing) yourself, but mostly, people want to produce right away and not spend "boring" time to practice understanding. They usually end up producing "something" but don't really understand what they do thus do a lot of mistakes which they will keep and have a hard time getting rid of later because they don't have a good feeling of what's wrong due to the lack of understanding practice.
It's important in the learning process to first understand so that you have the tools and knowledge to really have an idea of what you're doing wrong and how to change to do it better. It's the same with diet/lifestyle change. First, you need to get a picture of what you are currently doing to then effectively think about what you can change. Everything else will just be shooting in the dark without real aim.
Love your videos, learning so much. But not sure how to count macros.
@redefiningstrength, love your content! What tool do I need to count my macros?
Very curious what tracking app you are using? Love your videos thank you!
Myfitnesspal!
what app do you use or recommend for tracking macros ?
As a whole food plant based eater I find tracking macros hard because my sources of protein are also high in carbs. I am trying to avoid protein powders but it seems that may be the only solution. Any suggestions.
TLDR: When I changed my diet to sardine, quinoa, spinach and natural PBJ. All the processed foods started tasting bad to me. When I try to stray from this new diet I get hungrier and my brain tells me to eat sardines lol. Kinda like how it use to tell me to eat sugars. I had to forcefeed myself the new diet for 3 months before seeing myself stray from the bad foods I was eating.
I eat 2 times a day. 7 am. 7 pm. Now I am not saying this is the best method but it's my method.
I eat Peanut butter and jelly (all natural no added sugars) in the morning. 3 of them with whole wheat bread.
I exercise at 6 pm. Then eat the sardines quinoa and spinach at night.
I did this for the first 3 months of my exercising. I now can't stand eating cookies, ice cream, or any other processed food. I can taste the added stuff that increases it's shelf life. Also the sugar doesn't give me any type of energy. After eating it, my brain begs me to eat the sardines and quinoa. If I don't get it, I feel hungry all day. Even if I ate the same amount of calories in sugars.
Also if I don't get that PB and J. I do get a sugar craving. However EVERY TIME I went to go get processed sugar I felt empty with no energy and it tasted bad. I realized I really wanted the peanut butter.
I tried to eat something else besides sardines and quinoa, like other meats and stuff. My brain tells me after a day to go back to eat the sardines quinoa and spinach or feel fatigued the next day. I can't hold out not eating the sardines and quinoa.
Then I realized something. This must be the bacteria in stomach signaling something to my brain. Just like when I ate the sugary food I though I'd never be able to stop eating. The bacteria in my stomach changed and won't digest those processed sugars anymore and turn it into energy.
I use to eat sugar and feel like jumping all over the place. (I was always skinny fat all my life) Now I eat it and it feels like I've eaten nothing.
I can't eat cereal anymore, donuts, cake, ice cream, poptarts, oreos, etc. It all started with the change in the diet. The jelly I eat in the morning with the peanut butter is FAR less sugar than I was consuming in the past and with that slight taste it is enough to sate my sugar cravings.
I will admit that the bread and the quinoa is a carbohydrate. So that may also be what's stopping it.
I am losing weight not as fast as I would like to, but I do see progress. I am the same weight 7 months in lol. I am noticing my pants don't fit, and I see leg muscles. Also my stomach doesn't touch my legs anymore lol.
I did track this and I am getting about 3k calories give or take.
TL;DR
Thank you for the butt kickin! Honest and true, love it 🙏🏽
This is going to change my life. Thank you! Can you suggest a scale?
Ugh!!! I abhorre tracking!! It IS so tedious….. but…. You are exactly right….
;-)
Good tips. What macro app do you suggest and what macros are we shooting for.??
Loving your channel. I am curious to know what your thoughts on intermittent fasting are please.
Guys, shortcuts are not consistent.
Stick to the basics, like in the video.
At first it's a bit rough, but eventually you will be able to just eyeball some stuff and have a better understandment overall if you can or cannot eat X or Y, etc.
Change. to make change. Thank you for your message. I hear you, and I know your very presence in my day, today, made all the difference in my long term turn around. My appreciation for you goes beyond these words.
100 percent!!! This boosted the hell out of my keto! People are lazy so they for the most part won’t, but it is a must
If you want to lose weight, eat less junk food. It's that simple. Eschew soda, pizza, cookies, burgers, etc.
You don't need to create some super complicated algorithm. Simply have the discipline to eat healthy. If you still work in an office, walk past the box of donuts. If you're shopping at a mall, walk past the McDonald's. It sucks to want something that's bad for you, but having a good physique requires sacrificing short term satisfaction for long term gains.
Lots of water and doubling my veggies was my secret. Water might not always satisfy cravings but it saves you a lot of money. When I say veggies, I mean mostly the green stuff.
It's not the tracking...it looks so CONFUSING! What's a "%" of protein or carb? Or is it portion control? Help!
QUESTION: which one of your workout videos do you recommend for beginners of doing strength training exercises?
Thank you for telling the truth. It's been so frustrating to me that the new fad is reeking people they don't need to track as long as they eat clean. It's just not true if you want to lose weight. Thank you for being honest about it.
Tracking truly is a great way to learn what you need and adjust. Because your portions can be off even if you're eating "quality" foods!
The most honest video about tracking. It is what a beginner avoids and makes excuses about. I lived the faces. I make them, lol.
I like tracking, it helps me to plan my healthy meals and with grocery shopping. I have an antique chalkboard in my kitchen for my weekly menu. It’s all really just perception with anything you do. I have friends who hate to cook. I like to pal my meals, go to the grocery store and meal prep when I get home. I like find a new recipe each week. I bake for my husband have one, then put the rest in my basement freezer for him...
I have not found that I have to continually track IF I am willing to be honest about putting satiety, vitality, and longterm physical and mental health first. I had done 40/30/30, Volumetrics, and an omega-3 diets- still always going back to overeating when I didn't recognize what was more important than just losing. When I finally committed to changing my compulsive overeating habits, I brought back a lot of the meals I knew fostered what I stated above, and found when I occasionally tracked, that the daily calorie counts were very similar. When I wanted to change my macronutrient distribution a few times, 90 days was PLENTY of time to figure out how to distribute them. But you have to be honest and really recognize that veering off the trajectory more than occasionally is WAY more painful than putting up with the discomfort in the moment.
So much truth!!!!!!!!! Thank you so much for this!!!! I don’t like tracking, but I’m in a total stall. #last10pounds. I needed to hear this today
Even if you only start with protein and total calories you might see and be the change you are looking for 🙏🏼✨
YES! It's a great way to know what you're doing and get over that plateau. I find it even helps you trust the process when results are slow because you can see you're implementing those daily habits!
Great great video. Wonderfully presented, as always👍
I eased into tracking. Was diagnosed with Diabetes early February 2021. Was told I can't eat more than 150 carbs per day. I started keeping a food diary. I changed what I ate. More veggies, less bread and pasta and cookies and cake (love to bake). I started to lose weight ONLY tracking carbs.
I then got a Fitbit Charge 4 in June and ended up using this to track the other two macros.
I was 255 in Feb and now I am 219.
My problem now is getting enough calories so my metabolism wont slow down.
I'm one year into my weight loss journey, I'm already seeing amazing results, especially when I look in the mirror. I've cut out alot of the junk food, I'm lactose intolerant, so I try to steer clear of dairy products.
I hated tracking. MyFitnessPal was the biggest thorn. BUT when I initially started that, I didn't actually have a real understanding of how macros work. When I learned and refocused, it certainly made a huge difference in results. I did eventually stop tracking, but it wasn't until I felt like I had a handle on it. Managing macros are the way forward and that can only be achieved thru tracking them. Oof.
YES! You don't have to track forever BUT you also know you can go back to that if you do need a change or have a new goal!
This sounds like really great advice! Wondering though, how do you figure out exactly what macros you should be eating, so you can track them properly?
There are online macro calculators that take your statistics (height/weight/age/gender/activity level, etc..) with your goals (fat loss/gain muscle/maintain, body recomp/etc..) and give you a formula. Then the real work begins.
Thank you for this video. I have a question… what is the best distribution of macros?
I prefer to track on a PC as the display of your recent foods is so large and you can usually just find it in one of the quick lists. I usually don't carry my phone around with me when I am at home and just record some time after eating or sometimes in the evening. One thing that really helps is a digital scale as figuring out what you ate is pretty uncertain from eyeballing it. I use MyFitnessPal and a bunch of people were complaining about it charging for barcode scanning later this year. I guess that it must be a pretty important feature for most people if they can make something previously free, a paid item. I am a metrics person so I don't mind tracking. I like having the data of what I did, for workouts, sleep, or food.
Thank you for this helpful video🙌
One question besides: what kind of dog race is this supercute fluffy cloud? 🤗
I think it's enough to follow a plate model and limiting sugar intake. Ofcourse, this requires some knowledge of the approximate macros of food items. Also, special care with liquid fat (it's the most calorie-intense food).
You look fabulous! I always, always enjoy and appreciate your vids!!!! Ty!!
Glad they help!
So true about knowing what u won't give up for life and allowing that in modified healthier form and or moderaion
Like anything else, measuring food and tracking calories/macros gets so much easier with time/practice. And I agree 100%; if these are new concepts to you, you need to take it slow and make one or two small changes you can commit to until these changes become second nature. Once that happens you're ready to make more changes; trying to do too much at once will be overwhelming and unsustainable.
I'd also say a good tip is to not forget to track liquid calories; they can add up, especially if you drink alcohol!
This makes complete sense. However I have two problems with this- tracking macros is not easy when you’re cooking your own food(healthy option); it’s easier if you buy food off the supermarket shelf with the info on the packet (unhealthy processed food). Second, you’re not going to be able to do it for any significant length of time, especially if you like variety in your food (we all do).
That said, I do enjoy watching your videos- always makes me think..
I disagree...I cook from scratch and find it super easy. You can then be fully sure of what you're entering. As you make a recipe, enter the ingredients as you've measured them out then save that recipe. And as you eat over time you'll build up that data base. Honestly, not to be rude but the second statement is an excuse...I have lots of clients constantly testing new recipes to add in. It actually gets easier as you start to better understand portion sizes and the macro breakdown of things. I even have clients that eat out and have found the balance :-) Tracking also doesn't have to be done forever. But it gives you a better understanding of portions to keep things dialed in.
Great information. Any particular tracking app you recommend?
Because I've used it for so long I personally use My Fitness Pal the free version. I use that often with clients because it links up so I can review their logs. But I do set my ratios and do NOT use their recommended default. Here are some more tips if you're just starting to track - redefiningstrength.com/fhp-s2e21-starting-to-count-macros-5-tips-for-beginners/
@@redefiningstrengthOC thank you
Excellent video! Which tool do you recommend to use to track the foods? I see that you scan the labels, is that an application ? Is it free?
MyFitnessPal. It's free but also have a premium version.
What app do you use for tracking and do can you provide a link for a food scale that you recommend?
Excellent video. Thank you for an awesome explanation.
Can you explain how and what to track??
I track nutrients such as calories, grams of protein, and grams of carbs. I do not track percentage of fats but know what I am eating and when I am eating it. I record daily meals and snacks and the above. I aim for a slight deficit of calories daily as you suggest. Also have upped my protein daily. Fewer cheater type days now which is helpful. Want to bust the weight plateau in spite of yes, my body is re-shaping monthly and I've lost a dress size since Summer.
I read this the other day on an RP post. It's best to use the tracking apps to plan your meals. Tracking won't help if you don't know what the heck to eat!
I have been loving her videos. What is the duffel bag she is using to exercise?
Thanks for the great advice especially the measuring!
What tracking apps are people using? All the apps I have track calories? I'd love to do it but I'm not sure how. Do you calculate how much chicken or how much protein in the chicken to determine the portion size?
How do you get use to black coffee!? ..
I like your videos. watching your expressions when you go through the food is entertaining
I use hemp protein. Is that as good as whey?
I bought a scale years ago. But didn't use it. I recently pulled it out of the cabinet I kept it in. Only to find that it no longer works. I need to get a new one or find out where the battery is and if it can be replaced. I have tried to figure out how to track macros and how much I'd need several times. It's become something that's both overwhelming and intimidating. But wanting to be healthy and fitter has become even more important than ever.
Do you mean like a bathroom scale, or a kitchen scale? Both are very useful. I would also recommend a tape measure for bust, arms, waist, etc. If you build muscle, the scale will show you still as heavy. Good luck friend! ✌🏾😁
@@Gumbier_Than sorry. I meant a kitchen scale. I do have a tape measure. There were times I saw no movement on the bathroom scale. But my waist and other measurements were smaller. Thank you for asking the question though. I didn't even notice that I didn't clarify.
Do you think age / hormones makes a difference? I've tracked before and not much changed. I think being female and over 45yo with hormones going mad doesn't help with fluid and bloating.
I'm on year 7 of my menopause journey, and I've found in the last 7 years that the only times I've been lean and looked the way I wanted to look, felt the way I wanted to feel, were when I was consistently getting enough protein along with my strength training and cardio. It IS harder and slower when you're in your late 40s and 50s, but getting your protein and fats, along with limiting simple carbs helps a lot. I've also had a lot of luck with intermittent fasting if you haven't tried that.
You look great ….thanks for sharing 👌🏻
Just bought my first food scale. I am always a little over on fat and carb, so still learning.
And beef n noodles on mashed potatoes is one of my favs and it so doesn’t easily fit into a days macros
I heard you! Thanks 😊 I’ll begin tracking today.
How do I track when I'm eating out at restaurants ? I'm typically eating at smaller, local restaurants that don't have that information on their menus.
which app is the best to track
Excellent information (even if we did not really want to hear some of it 😩)! 😬👍
;-)
What app do you recommend to track macros?