THE YARD GYM
6 WEEK CHALLENGE
TRACKING
YOUR
FOOD
TRACKING YOUR FOOD INTAKE CAN BE A HELPFUL TOOL FOR SOME INDIVIDUALS, THOUGH IT’S COMPLETELY OPTIONAL. IF YOU CHOOSE TO USE A TOOL LIKE MYFITNESSPAL (MFP), HERE ARE SOME TIPS TO MAKE THE PROCESS EFFECTIVE.
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First, be sure to follow the targets we assign for you, not the ones suggested by MFP, as they may not be aligned with your specific goals. Remember, MFP is a short-term tool to help you gain insight into your eating habits, but it's not necessary for long-term success.
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When tracking, only log what you consume—not your exercise or calories burned as your targets provided already consider this. Accuracy is key in this process; every little bit counts. For example, 1 tablespoon of olive oil is approximately 115 calories, and if this is untracked, it can quickly push you from a deficit to maintenance, potentially stalling your weight loss. Don’t forget to track on weekends. It’s easy to be in a deficit Monday to Friday, then have a few cocktails or an extra helping over the weekend, which could lead you to go from a deficit to a surplus quickly. A 300-400 calorie deficit can be as little as two cocktails, 2-3 glasses of wine, or four tablespoons of olive oil. Make sure to note whether your food is raw or cooked. For example, if your chicken portion is 100g raw before cooking, track it as raw, as cooked chicken will weigh less due to water loss. We recommend tracking food in its raw form, as it's simpler and more consistent. It’s important to track everything over a 7-day period to get a clear picture of whether you’re meeting your weekly goals.
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You don’t need the premium version of MFP for this to be effective, the free version is fine
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You don’t need to stress about tracking carbs and fats—they are both energy sources. If you’re over on one, you're likely under on the other, and that's fine. Focus on hitting your calorie and protein targets to ensure you stay within your ideal ranges of all macros naturally. If you prefer to track all four (calories, protein, carbs, and fat), you can, but it can become overwhelming. We recommend focusing on calories and protein to keep things simple and manageable.
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