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How to track macros
Six steps from “no idea” to dialled in — and the two mistakes (label maths and raw vs cooked) that throw most beginners off by hundreds of calories.
1. Set your targets
Work out calories, protein, carbs and fat from your body and goal with the macro calculator, then press “Use these targets” to load them into the tracker. If you only track one number to begin with, make it protein.
2. Get a kitchen scale
Cups and spoons are unreliable for dense foods: a “cup” of oats can weigh 70–100 g depending on how you scoop. Weigh in grams for two to four weeks and you will learn what portions look like.
3. Read the label — and scale it to what you actually ate
Labels list macros per serving, and your portion rarely matches the serving. Divide what you ate by the serving size, then multiply each macro.
Label scaler
Type the numbers from the nutrition label, then how much you actually ate.
7.5 g protein · 40.5 g carbs · 4.5 g fat = 233 kcal
Raw vs cooked: the same food, two different numbers
Logged with a raw entry, you’d record 35 g protein. The real amount is 46 g — you’d be under-counting by 12 g, because cooked chicken loses ~25% water when cooked.
Rule: match the entry to how you weighed it. The built-in food list uses cooked weights for meat and grains.
4. Log as you go, not at night
Logging right after eating takes seconds; reconstructing a day from memory misses snacks, oils and drinks. Pre-logging — entering tomorrow’s planned meals tonight — works even better, and the meal planner can send a planned day straight to your log.
5. Handle restaurant meals honestly
Look up the chain’s published nutrition if there is one. If not, describe the meal in the tracker’s “Describe it” box for an estimate, and assume restaurant food carries more oil and butter than you think.
6. Review weekly, adjust slowly
Daily weight swings by 1–2 kg with water and salt. Compare weekly averages: if two to three weeks pass without the change you want, move calories by 5–10%. The weekly summary shows your averages and hit days at a glance.
Common tracking mistakes
- Cooking oil — a tablespoon is about 120 kcal and easy to forget.
- Drinks — lattes, juice, alcohol and smoothies count.
- “Bites and tastes” while cooking or finishing a kid’s plate.
- Wrong database entry — raw vs cooked, or a brand with very different macros.
Questions people ask
Should I weigh food raw or cooked?
Either works if the database entry matches. Raw weights are more consistent because cooking changes water content — chicken loses about 25% of its weight, rice roughly triples. If you batch cook, weigh the whole cooked batch and divide it by portions.
Do I need a food scale?
For the first few weeks, yes — a basic kitchen scale is the single best tool for learning what 150 g of chicken or 1 tablespoon of oil looks like. After that, many people estimate most meals and weigh only calorie-dense foods.
How accurate do I need to be?
Aim for consistency, not perfection. Nutrition labels are allowed to be off by up to 20% under US FDA rules. Landing within about 10% of your calorie target and hitting protein most days is plenty to see results.
How long should I track macros?
Many people track closely for 4–12 weeks to learn portions, then switch to tracking only protein or tracking a few days a week. Go back to full tracking when progress stalls.