Checking your macros are ESSENTIAL to the keto diet.

 

The term “macros” is short for MACRONUTRIENTS in the context of nutrition and the keto diet. … Grasping the concept of macros is important for the keto diet because you need to find the right balance of carbs, protein, and fats to get into ketosis, stay in ketosis, and turn your body into a fat burning machine!

I personally use the MyFitnessPal app on my phone to track my macros and calories for the day. Looking at something “Low Carb” and saying that it is keto is not how it works. It is only your entire day’s Net Carb, Protein, and Fat content that actually counts and those “Low Carb” food items will ADD UP FAST. Use MyFitnessPal to really see how things add up throughout the day so you can have a better idea of your limits to ketosis. I can show you how I personally set the app but everyone’s body is different, so finding what works best for you will be so much easier with MyFitnessPal.

There are paid subscriptions and for the first 2 months or so I did upgrade to a premium account for more information. On the 3rd month I forgot to renew and I never even noticed because the features you need to help you with the keto diet are all free!

So what can this app do?

• Counts your calories!
  • If you are trying to lose weight, ask your doctor or do online research about what is the best calorie intake for you.
  • The app syncs with other apps I have on my iPhone.
  • For example, on my “Health” app, it automatically tracks my steps for the day. It shares the data with MyFitnessPal and re-adjusts my calorie intake for the calories burned just from walking! It also syncs with many other apps, as well!
  • It can be very helpful to see how fast calories add up!

• Tracks your macronutrients
  • This is the key to ketones! Please see the “Getting Started” page for my personal macro goals. MyFitnessPal will give you a percentage and the gram count of your carbs, protein, and fat every single day. This was helpful to me because I struggled with eating too much protein and I didn’t realize it until I tracked it.
  • There is a feature where you can see the foods listed that were the highest of the macro but this is a premium feature that I did not feel was necessary to use everyday.

• Counts your exercise
  • Beyond just syncing with your health app, you can track any exercise you do! Whether it be in the gym, playing a sport, or just walking outside, the app has it all! This will take your calories burned out of your daily calorie goal.

• Tracks your water intake
  • This is so important when eating a ketogenic diet! Carbs hold water and so you lose a lot of your electrolytes. It is very easy to get dehydrated, especially when first starting out. This is the cause of the infamous “Keto Flu”. Hold yourself accountable by tracking your water intake throughout the day!

• Tracks your weight
  • This feature along with every other feature can be used however you feel is mentally necessary. Especially woman will have fluctuating weight for so many reasons. Did you know that on your period, you can gain up to SEVEN pounds?! If I gained a couple pounds one day and I knew that I continued eating healthy and exercised, I did not track that weight gain. The reason for that is I found that I hated myself all day when I even knew the next day it would go back down again. It wasn’t good for me mentally so I decided not to track it.
  • When I fell off the wagon and started gaining some weight, I did track this. Its all apart of the journey 🙂
  • When hitting certain scale milestones, the app send you a congratulatory message that makes you feel like a rock star!

 

• Tracking nutrients
  • MyFitnessPal will also track all of your nutrients as you add to your food diary. This is where you can check things like sugar and dietary fiber.

I use this app every single day and it makes something that can be complicated so much simpler! Take the time to get comfortable with the app and all of its features. This will be your lifesaver!

 

Happy tracking!

 

Do you use an app to track? If so, which one? Have you seen a difference since tracking your food intake?

Leave a comment below!

 

See also:

How Much Water Do I Have to Drink on Keto?

Keto Meal Plans – So you don’t have to

13 Biggest Keto Mistakes

Quick and Easy Guide on How to Read Nutrition Labels on Keto