MY FITNESS PAL TUTORIAL! MFP (My Fitness Pal) is the App I recommend to help you track your Macros. You will need to buy the PREMIUM version and set it to your assigned Macros. We will adjust these over the 12 weeks, but they may stay the same for the first couple as “maintenance numbers” so we can figure out the balance at which your body remains unchanged. From there, we can start to shred!
STEP 1:
STEP 2:
STEP 3:
Find MyFitnessPal in your App
Once it is downloaded, you’ll
Select the Macronutrients by
Store. See the Icon Image on the
be directed to answer some
Gram option and follow the
bottom-left side of this screen
questions and will see the option
prompts to set your assigned
shot just above Messages.
to upgrade to the Premium
numbers. Make sure you set by
Version. You’ll need to select this
grams NOT percentage.
to be able to set your numbers to Macros.
STEP 4: Once your numbers are set, you should see your daily numbers at the top of the screen in your diary. Your setting may display calories remaining, not macros. To change this, click on the three dots beside “nutrients remaining” and in the Custom Dashboard select “Macronutrients Focused.” As you add food, your numbers will decrease automatically based on the nutrients per item you are adding. Your Calories will also adjust, but you are only concerned with your MACRO numbers, not calories. You may find that you still have calories remaining even if you get your numbers to 0/0/0. This is FINE. Your goal is get your numbers within +/- 3 grams/ea per day. MFP is just to help YOU track. I don’t need to see it. You’ll record your daily numbers on the Google Doc we share so I can see what you met each day. The more accurate you are, the better I can help you reach your goal. Do not aim to go any lower than your numbers. This will not result in longterm weight loss. Your body needs to adjust slowly over time to continue to balance itself out.
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STEP 5: Turn OFF the adjustment for Exercise. Your smart phone will automatically award you calories in macros with your steps. We don’t want this.
DONE! THINGS TO KNOW! 1. Packaged foods are easiest to enter. Click Add Food under each meal and enter them in the search option. MFP is similar to Wikipedia in that anyone can enter an item, so once you find your food item, you’ll need to crosscheck it with the package. You are only concerned with your Macros in TOTAL FAT/CARBS/PROTEIN. After you enter them once, they will be stored in Recent and Frequent Foods. You can also add items in “MY FOODS” and create “Meals” and even “Recipes” as you get more comfortable. 2. Fresh Foods like Meat/Poultry/Fruit/Veggies need to be entered carefully. You can also find these items in MFP and usually trust the ones marked with a green check, but I always crosscheck them with calorieking. com, which is a reliable nutrient fact site. It usually doesn’t matter if you enter these in ounces or grams, you’ll just want to be consistent. 3. The scale is the most reliable means for entering an item. With the exception of packaged food items, I weigh everything. Accuracy becomes key. Never eyeball. It’ll make a difference in your progress over time. Only use measuring spoons/cups for liquid items like milk or coffee cream (regular black coffee is macro free!). Use the scale for everything else, even things like salsa which has texture and won’t fill measuring spoons/cups accurately. Scales with a tare function will zero out containers and just weigh contents which is ideal for food items like salsa, sour cream, cottage cheese, ice cream, etc… 4. Tip: Don’t eat before you enter. Better to have mistakes on the screen than in your belly! That said, you’ll make mistakes in the beginning. Don’t freak out. These happen to everyone and will not hinder your long-term progress. 5. As you practice, you’ll find that programming the night before takes stress out of the following day. You simply enter, meet your numbers on the screen, and eat what you program. You can adjust as the day goes on as needed.
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6. Eating Out. It’s best to start the first few weeks in a controlled setting (your own kitchen) to avoid mistakes and temptation. But most of us humans eat out occasionally, so when you’re ready, here’s what you need to know—Most fast food and chain restaurant items can be found on MFP. Obviously, these are usually not the best nutrition choices. Planning when eating out is key. If you know where you are going in advance, look up the menu online, decide what you will likely order, and program as accurately as possible into MFP (ex. 8 oz filet). Order items like grilled chicken without oil and any sauce/dressing on the side. Prep your partner/significant other for your journey by sharing that you will be preparing and weighing your food. This way he/she will know not to grab a piece of grilled chicken off of your salad! Email/Text/Call with questions and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible! Make sure to link to our SmartShred Members Page on Facebook where you’ll be able to get support and share questions/ideas/recipes/progress.
Love and Good Health, Robin Curley Founder—SmartShredNutrition robin@smartshrednutrition.com 978-758-5450
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