Counting Macros for Beginners

It’s now been just about 2 weeks since I started my health challenge with MommyFitWithAndrea. Part of the health challenge is working out/stretching 6 days a week, and the other part is healthy eating and counting macros. I was so lost on the counting macros because I was definitely a beginner.

Workout Challenge

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When the challenge first started I was CLUELESS on what macros were or how to count them. When people would put things like 32C/3F/27P I was like “what in the world does that even mean?”.

I could find really long blog posts with all these technical definitions and reasonings behind it. But here’s the simple explanation. The C stands for Carbohydrates, the F stands for Fat, the P stands for Protein.

So if you have someone calculate your macros (I paid Andrea to calculate mine as part of our monthly challenge) they will tell you your overall calories for the day, and then a percentage or # that each section should be.

Food Scale
This is the food scale I use!!

Counting Macros for Beginners

My Macros look like

  • 1440 total calories
  • 140 Carbs
  • 130 Proteins
  • 40 Fats

This was actually more calories than I was used to, but also WAY more protein than I was used to eating as well.

My first week I ate a whole lot of protein shakes (made with protein powder) or water that has collagen peptides mixed in. I couldn’t seem to get all of the protein into with my meals and this was the only way to get it all in.

I use the app My Fitness Pal to log all of my food intake. It’s great because they have a lot of nutrition info for restaurants already plugged in, you can scan the barcode on packages and it will load the nutrition info as well.

I would find myself at 8 o’clock at night with still needing 30ish g of protein still needed.

This week has been so much easier and it’s because of ONE SINGLE THING

Pre-logging meals

I took a little bit of time at the end of each night and would plan out all of my meals and snacks for the following day. I obviously wouldn’t know things like how many oz my chicken breast would be, but I would guesstimate and try to get as close as possible.

After all of the info was put into My Fitness Pal, I made a plan on when I would eat each meal and it helped me figure out where I could fit in some extra protein, or finish off my last few carbs etc. That way I could see any gaps and fill them in the plan instead of eating it all so late at night just to hit my numbers.

It has been a game changer to have all my food logged the day before!

A few of my favorite Macro Meals

Healthy pancake breakfast

Cinnamon Kodiak Cakes

Yield: 5 pancakes
Calories: 94kcal

Materials

  • 1 cup Almond Milk
  • 1 cup Kodiak Cakes
  • 3 tbsp egg whites
  • 1.5 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and stir until well combined
  • using a 1/3 cup measuring cup, drop circles onto griddle.
  • cook thouroughly.
  • Top with a fat fre syrup or your favorite jam

Notes

Makes 5 pancakes.
Macros for each pancake before putting toppings on the pancakes:
  • 14 Carbs
  • 1 Fat
  • 7 Protein

I eat these pancakes for breakfast but also use them for a quick snack. I have a large batch of them frozen in the freezer and pull one out when I want it and place it in the microwave for 30-ish seconds.

Chocolate protein shake

Chocolate Peanut Butter Shake

Materials

  • 1 cup ice
  • 2 scoops Chocolate Protein Powder I use Orgain brand (nutrients will be different for a different brand)
  • 2 scoops Collagen Peptides Vital Protein brand
  • 2 tbsp PB Fit Peanut Butter Powder
  • 1 cup Almond Milk Original, unsweetened Silk brand

Notes

Macros for the shake
  • 20 Carbs
  • 9 Fat
  • 48 Protein

Obviously if you use a different brand of each of the ingredients, your macros will come out a little different. The collagen peptides are just straight protein so if you don’t need that many proteins in your shake, take those out and it won’t affect your shake at all.

Turkey Tacos1

Materials

  • 42 oz Ground Turkey
  • 2 Yellow Corn Tortillas Extra Thin, Mission Brand
  • 1 tsp Taco Seasoning Mccormick
  • 1/4 cup Non-Fat Greek Yogurt
  • 1 leaf iceberg lettuce shredded
  • 1 tbsp ketchup can substitue with salsa

Instructions

  • Brown the ground turkey
  • separate your portion of the ground turkey into a bowl and mix in the taco seasoning
  • Split all of the toppings into the 2 tortillas

Notes

Macros for the 2 tacos
  • 26 Carbs
  • 3 Fat
  • 15 Protein

These are some of my favorite meals that I work into my menu plan on a regular basis.

Do you have any favorite Macro meals?

Counting Macros for beginners

Check out some of my other healthy blog posts:

Berry good Cookies & Cream Protein Shake

I DID IT!!!

Broccoli & Sun Dried Tomato Egg Cups

Top 5 must have items for the gym

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