There was a time in my life that I counted macros seven days a week, every single week. If you're unfamiliar, counting macros helps you balance your intake of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates [1], and it's generally considered less restrictive than many other methods used to maintain a healthy weight [2]. Still, I haven't counted macros for over a year now, and I'll tell you why.
I was first introduced to macros as a bikini competitor. As someone who had previously prepped for a show on a typical bro diet (heavy on protein [3], low in carbs, lacking variety), counting macros seemed like a gift. I was able to simultaneously eat a variety of foods and work toward my fitness goals. I weighed, measured, and portioned my food [4] like it was my job. It wasn't easy, but counting macros worked — I got stage lean by sticking to my plan and tracking everything I ate in the MyFitnessPal app for about four months. I loved the consistency and direction that macros gave me.
Eventually, I realised that I was eating more for my numbers than my appetite.
By the time I stopped competing, I was so confident and comfortable counting macros that I decided to continue. I hired a coach to help me find a balance that would allow me to simply maintain a healthy weight, which meant eating more food than I had during competition prep. While I strayed from my plan occasionally — when friends and family came to visit, for example, and tracking was simply too hard to manage — I otherwise stayed pretty consistent for an entire year. It was great to be in a routine again, and I was happy with how I looked and felt.
You might be wondering, So, what's the catch? Why'd you stop? Eventually, I realised that I was eating more for my numbers than my appetite.
If I was under on any macronutrient, I ate more to hit my "goals." Sometimes that meant eating past the point of being full [6], or feeling bloated or gassy from excessive amounts of protein. Other times, I just felt unsatisfied with my meals — at a restaurant, I'd look at the menu with my numbers in mind instead of simply ordering a dish that sounded good to me. I was convinced that consistency was crucial to maintaining my metabolism, even if it meant ignoring actual cues from my body.
It took awhile, but in the end, I realised that following such a strict plan was pretty unsustainable [7], though it certainly had benefits. Counting macros is most often recommended for its flexibility; there are no "bad" foods, as long as they fit within your budget. Doing it taught me a lot about nutritional value and portion sizing — the same tools that have allowed me to maintain a balanced diet on my own.
I quit counting macros because I wanted to be more in tune with my body and less committed to the numbers game, and I'm really enjoying the freedom and my food. I would describe the way I eat as fluid: indulgent at times, but nourishing and balanced overall. I've been leaner before, but I'm living a really full life, and that's what matters most to me.