Flexible Dieting Crash Course

As you may have guessed by its name, the idea of flexible dieting is to maintain flexibility.

Flexibility in food choices, flexibility with meals out and special functions, and the flexibility to forgive yourself when you go off course. We believe that the "best" diet is the diet you can adhere to throughout life's ups and downs.

There are four attributes of a successful nutrition plan:

1. Flexibility
2. Consistency
3. Accuracy
4. Sustainability

The "balance" between the four may need to shift during different parts of your journey. But in general, if you become too focused on perfect accuracy, you will lose flexibility (and your sanity), making your plan difficult to stick to long-term.

Let’s dive into each of these components in more detail.

Flexible dieting means manipulating your diet to fit your specific goals, needs, and circumstances.

The best diet is one that you can stick to no matter what life throws at you, not just when things are going perfectly.

We can all commit to a diet in the first two weeks when motivation is high. It’s when that big work or school deadline is approaching, you’re traveling, your child is sick, you're sick, you can’t get to the gym—it’s during these challenging moments that your diet needs to bend with you. After all…

A diet that does not bend will eventually break.

This is where a balance between flexibility and consistency with your nutrition comes into play.

You can change up your food choices and make concessions to your usual eating based on your short—and long-term goals—you're not tied to one specific way of eating all the time.

First, let’s look at how diets fail due to lacking flexibility.

Rigid Dieting

Rigid dieting involves having complete control over your food choices with strict rules to follow and expecting 100% perfection.

If you're a "rigid dieter" and something comes up (like a holiday or social function), you may find it difficult to enjoy the occasion, and if you eat or do anything that disrupts your nutrition plan, you view it as a failure. Rigid dieters tend to be all-or-nothing regarding food choices and mindsets. If you've ever thought, "Well, I had one cookie, which is outside my plan, so I may as well go for it and eat four more!" then you know what we're referring to.

As you can imagine, rigid dieting can be tough to adhere to. For short-term goals like cutting weight for a weight class-specific sport (ex. weightlifting) or preparing for a wedding, rigid dieting can help you get there. However, long-term adherence is next to impossible. You cannot expect to always be perfect, no matter your plan.

"Can Have" vs. "Can’t Have"

Allowing yourself to eat some foods because they're "good" and denying yourself other foods because they're "bad" is a widespread mindset in the fitness and health industry.

Diets going back decades glorify some foods and demonize others—or at least promote some foods while cautioning against others.

There is nothing wrong with following a specific diet structure—especially if you have allergies or intolerances—but asking yourself why you've chosen a particular eating style is essential. Different foods work for different people, so work with your coach to find what works best for you.

Rather than taking an extreme approach of "good food" versus "bad food," flexible dieting adopts a diet rich in foods with high levels of micronutrients and other desirable qualities such as fiber. A variety of foods will not fall under the umbrella of being "rich in micronutrients." But they only become a problem if they dominate your diet.

When you allow yourself a wide range of food—including the occasional "treat"—you exercise one of the principles of flexibility. In our experience, this increases long-term adherence and consistency to your plan. It can be exhausting to say "no" to certain foods continually. Instead, focus on saying "yes" to high-quality foods that nourish your body, keep you full, and support peak performance.

Too Much Hunger

High hunger is one of the main reasons diets crash and burn. A successful long-term nutrition plan keeps hunger under control.

That being said, hunger is a very complex topic that involves physiological cues like the physical size of your stomach, different nutrients and hormones, and even psychological processes. Humans are the only mammals that eat due to stimuli such as boredom, emotions, stress, and habits such as socializing with friends or watching TV.

By allowing flexibility in food choices while maintaining 85-90% of your intake from nutrient-dense sources, you can keep hunger minimal while also allowing flexibility to have the occasional treat here and there to satisfy those cravings.

Not the Right Fit

No two individuals are alike, so it's essential to maintain flexibility in your dieting approach and find what fits your needs. What works for you depends on allergies, lifestyle, schedule, food preferences, or religious and cultural beliefs.

The same flexibility applies to different phases in life. A protocol that used to work for you might not work for you later. If a diet is not working, be flexible and adapt to find something that will work well. Trying to "fit" into a diet that doesn't align with your body's physical and physiological needs will lead to frustration and potential failure.

How Flexible Should You Be?

Now that you understand how diets fail due to lack of flexibility, how flexible should you be?

Like specific macro targets, flexibility is individualized based on goals, time frames, lifestyles, or particular circumstances.

Examples of scenarios that may require less flexibility:

• Making weight for a weight-specific sport.
• Training for a serious competition when you need to be properly fueled.
• Have a body composition goal you need to reach in a shorter time frame. 
• Want to fit into a dress on a specific date 

Examples of scenarios that may allow for more flexibility:

• Reaching for a bodyweight goal with no time frame in which to do it. 
• Going on a family vacation and leaving the food scale at home.
• If you are new to counting macros or feeling overwhelmed and want to focus on one target at a time.

Let’s use two examples—one illustrating what it looks like to be more flexible and one less flexible and more precise. 

Example #1 – More Flexible

Arnold lost 50 pounds over the last three years by joining a gym and aiming to make more nutrient-dense food choices. He has recently hit a plateau with his fat loss and wants to lose about 15 more pounds.

Arnold does not have a specific timeline for his fat loss. His hectic job involves a lot of traveling, which makes it challenging to weigh and measure his food regularly. His coach understands this, and they work together to develop guidelines and a structure that works well for Arnold to lose body fat at a moderate pace.

Arnold realizes that “success” looks like maintaining his progress over certain weeks rather than making an aggressive fat loss because it keeps his long-term journey sustainable. He is learning that flexibility is better than diving off the deep end like he usually would.

Example #2 - Less Flexible

Janelle is getting ready for her wedding in three months. She has her dress picked out and wants to feel amazing in it! She is aiming to lose around 8-10 pounds before her wedding.

She communicated her goals with her coach and devised a plan together.  They agreed that Janelle should be quite precise for the next three months, which includes habits and behaviors such as:

• Weighing and tracking her food in her app 85-90%of the time 
• Getting 85-90% or more of her calories from whole, unprocessed foods
• Hitting her macros in the range of +/- 5 grams of carbs and protein and +/- 2 grams of fat each day
• Eat out at restaurants and away from home two times per month or fewer 

Janelle knows she will not need to be this precise for the rest of her life. After the wedding, she and her coach will devise a new plan to shift to a less strict way of eating. This will allow her flexibility to increase and precision to decrease without losing progress.

Now that we've looked at some examples let’s figure out what works best for YOU.

Where Do You Fall Right Now?

Read through the chart below. Which "level" of flexibility do you fall under based on your goals?

We know that "more" and "less" flexibility aren't very quantifiable. This is why it's extremely important to track your progress and be honest with yourself about whether or not your actions and expectations align.

If you're going out to eat a few times a week and using more estimation, but you're feeling great with progress, your level of flexibility is likely spot on. If you wish you were seeing progress faster, this may mean you need to cut back.

If you hit your macros 80% of the time and would like to see faster progress, that may mean you need to hit them 90-95% of the time. Then, you can assess whether or not that makes a difference in your rate of progress.

Consistency is a) the act of sticking with something and creating habits or b) a state of being correct or precise.

Consistency is a significant component of flexible dieting. Why?

Flexible dieting is like a science experiment. You manipulate variables—your macronutrient profile and other behaviors—to find intakes and habits that help you reach your goals. However, without consistently hitting macronutrient targets and repeating healthy behaviors, it is difficult to know what is working, what is not, and where adjustments are needed.

Optimal consistency with your nutrition means maintaining your commitments (i.e., hitting your macros, getting to sleep around the same time, etc.) very closely every week.

Good consistency means staying committed to your program even when accuracy is lower. For example, you can continue to track your macros while traveling even though you cannot be as accurate as you would be if you were at home.

Consistency can also apply outside of nutrition. Going to the gym, getting good quality sleep, or drinking enough water are healthy lifestyle habits that must stay consistent for optimal health. The goal is to determine what “consistency” means for you.

Whether you're at a social gathering, a dinner at a friend’s house, a restaurant business meeting, or a family vacation, a successful program will allow you to apply your knowledge to any circumstance.

Consistency over time is important to long-term success. It helps you develop a routine and build momentum. Consistency allows you to build healthy habits that, over time, become second nature and carry over into the rest of your life.

“You are what you repeatedly do.”

“You are a collection of your daily habits.”

“Habit is what keeps you going.”

You’ve probably heard many of these sayings before, and they all come back to the idea of building consistency. Focusing on consistency and effort will increase your confidence, make you proud of your work ethic, and ultimately yield results. Enjoying the process will make any end result worth it.

Accuracy is the quality or state of being correct or precise.

A key aspect of flexible dieting is eating a predetermined number of calories and macronutrients (carbs, fat, and protein), with 85-90% of your intake coming from whole, nutrient-dense, minimally processed foods.

We're not diving into how macronutrient profiles are set yet (it's coming, don't worry!). But, if weight loss or weight gain is your goal, a caloric surplus or caloric deficit is an important factor in making that happen. From there, accuracy in tracking and weighing your daily food intake is one of the most effective ways to measure success and make an informed decision.

The level of accuracy necessary for you depends on your body and goals. We recommend setting a goal (more on goal setting!) and—with time and experimentation—learning the accuracy needed to reach it. 

We recommend being as accurate as needed to achieve your goals with minimal frustration.

Most WAG clients aim to end the day within a target range of +/- 5 grams of their protein and carbohydrate targets and +/- 2 grams of their fat target.

Why is Accuracy so Crucial?

A little under or over may not seem like a big deal, but a few extra grams here and there can add up by the end of your day. Here’s an example:

• You eat two tablespoons (15 grams each) of peanut butter daily.
• If you don’t weigh it and are over 10 grams each tablespoon, this adds 20 extra grams of peanut butter. That’s a whole extra tablespoon!
• If 15 grams equals 95 calories and you eat 25 grams, that is 158 calories per tablespoon or 63 extra calories.
• If you do that twice a day, you are eating 126 extra calories that day.
• If you do that for seven days, you have eaten an extra 882 calories that week.

Without accuracy, you can quickly turn a deficit into a surplus.

If you are not a numbers person, here is a visual for you:

That said, 100% accuracy is not required to see progress—you can still see progress without hitting your macronutrient targets perfectly. Different goals require different levels of accuracy, and it is important to consider your situation.

Here are some examples of scenarios that may require more accuracy:

• Making weight for a weight-specific sport (ex, Olympic lifting, boxing, Brazilian jujitsu)
• Fueling for an upcoming race or fitness competition (ex, a half marathon or the CrossFit Open) 
• A body composition goal with a strict deadline (ex, you’re getting married in three months)

Here are a few examples of scenarios that may allow for less accuracy:

• A bodyweight goal with no time frame
• Leaving the food scale at home for a family vacation
• In the beginning stages of your nutrition journey, when it makes the most sense to focus on one macro at a time

It is important to remember that progress may be slower if you're using less accuracy. But slow and steady can win the race if it allows for more flexibility, keeps stress low, and doesn’t cause burnout. After all, seeing slower, steadier progress over time is more beneficial than trying to be too accurate from the get-go, getting overwhelmed, and quitting altogether.

The information this course shares can help you find the best way to make changes and see progress.

Strategies Providing Less Accuracy

Hand Portion Sizes

If you're not ready to weigh and measure your food, try using your hands as a portion guide. Your hands are always available as a measuring tool, no matter where you are.

Pro tip: if you want to enjoy a meal out without worrying about estimating now, take a picture of your hand next to your plate for scale so you can estimate accurately later.

Here are some common measurements and a visual you can save for later!

• A closed fist is approximately 1 cup
• The entire size of the thumb is approximately 1 oz
• The tip of the thumb is approximately 1 tablespoon
• The tip of the index finger is approximately 1 teaspoon
• A cupped palm is approximately 1-2 ounces
• The flat side of the palm is approximately 3 ounces

Test Yourself

When you weigh and measure your food at home, test yourself by guessing the serving size and placing it on the scale to see how close you can get. Eventually, you will begin to get more and more accurate. This will translate to confidence in situations without a scale.

Plate Method

If you don't have a food scale handy, think about the makeup of your plate. A healthy plate typically looks like this:

• 1/4 - 1/3 protein
• 1/2 veggies
• Remaining space for healthy fats and starchy carbs

Plate building can make for more intentional choices and avoid getting too far from your goals. Use this image as a guide:

Strategies Providing More Accuracy

Weighing and tracking your food will provide the highest level of accuracy if your goal is to hit your macros spot on.

Sustainability is the act of carrying a habit change through the rest of your life

Counting macros asks you to focus on specific targets. However, as your knowledge and awareness grow, you may reach a point when you can slowly put the numbers away and start applying the practical lessons for everyday life.

Tracking macros can help you...

• Learn what is really in your food
• Realize how much you're currently eating
• Deliberately practice recognizing portions
• Gain an understanding of what a balanced, nutrient-rich diet looks like for you and your goals

Some reasons you may want to continue tracking are:

• You enjoy it
• You want to stay very lean (more on this to come)
• You are a competitive athlete, and/or performance is a top priority for you
• You haven't quite reached your personal goals yet

Some reasons you may not want to continue tracking are:

• You've reached your goal
• You feel confident and comfortable maintaining that progress
• You know how to identify what your balanced, healthy plate looks like

You do not need to weigh and measure everything that goes into your mouth for the rest of your life. In fact, that is rarely what we recommend at WAG. We want you to feel empowered in your food choices and confident in what works for you.

Think about it like a textbook: you take time to study the material and get to know the specific details well. Then, as you commit those lessons to memory, you can put the textbook away and apply knowledge to your day-to-day life. It is always there for you to pick back up if you need a refresher or your goals change.

You may want to track your food for the long term, but you may not. The ultimate goal is to learn what your body needs to feel its best and sustain healthy habits through life's ebbs, flows, and ever-changing experiences.

Taking time to practice gives you invaluable tools you can use and refer to throughout the rest of your life to feel confident and proud of your food choices.

Some people may use the freedom of flexible dieting to fill their diet with treats and food lacking micronutrients. 

Although there is a time and place for a treat, the WAG approach focuses on the importance of overall food quality. We encourage you to fill your diet with 85-90% whole, nutrient-dense, minimally processed foods. Then, feel free to fill the remaining 10-15% with treats that fit within your program.

The New Nutrition Pyramid

There is an overwhelming amount of information available about changing your body composition, diet, or performance. This course will help you sort through the noise to discover the most important, impactful information.

The New Nutrition Pyramid is a great way to visualize this simple fact:

Your health journey builds on itself.

It is essential to focus on the bigger, bottom parts of the pyramid before moving up. This isn't necessarily because higher layers are "more complicated." It is because you get the MOST bang for your buck if you focus on the things that give you the most significant overall pay-off.

The higher parts of the pyramid will not be as impactful in helping you achieve your goals if you skip the lower parts.

In this lesson, we're digging into each pyramid level more detail.

Read this article before moving on!

Level 1 - Lifestyle

Placing most of your energy and attention on the things that will bring about the most significant impact will give you the most bang for your buck. This means starting with your lifestyle.

Before exploring details like meal timing or supplements, we want to ensure the foundation of your “pyramid” is strong.

The 80/20 Principle states that 20% of your actions give you 80% of your results. The top of the pyramid does not fall into that 20%. You will achieve the best results when you focus on the bottom of the pyramid.

The goal is to find a plan that truly fits your lifestyle. Talking about “lifestyle” refers to the decisions, behaviors, and habits you reinforce daily.

You could have perfect meal timing and a long list of supplements, but if your lifestyle does not allow you to be consistent with those things daily, they won't help move the needle.

Let’s say you are a nurse and start a nutrition program that tells you exactly what to eat and when. You may be able to follow this meal plan for a while. But what happens when your shift runs late or you can’t get access to a specific food written in your plan? Is this plan realistic for you long-term?

Our goal at WAG and through this course is to help you create a foundation of knowledge that you can stick to for years to come—even in the harshest of circumstances.

What does a “lifestyle shift” look like? Let’s consider the nurse example. A nurse who wants to lose body fat will need a nutrition program that:

• It allows for flexibility—patients and cases aren’t predictable, and your eating schedule can be volatile during your shift.
• Requires bigger chunks of bulk cooking on days off.
• Considers time changes and a shifting sleep schedule.

Creating a lifestyle that supports these nutritional needs may include:

• Purchasing a lunch bag cooler and having snacks/small meals packed that can be quickly eaten on the go.
• Focusing on protein as it may be the most difficult to come by.
• Spending a few minutes mapping out healthy options at the hospital cafeteria for times when convenience is necessary.
• Leaving a water bottle at the nurse's station and in the car so hydration stays top of mind.

Small changes, repeated day in and day out, don’t require a complete lifestyle transformation (which can be overwhelming) and still help you head toward your goals. They will give you the foundation for your nutrition program to have the most significant impact.

Slowly, these small changes add up to huge results.

Level 2 - Nutrient-dense, High-quality Food Choices

After focusing on the base of the pyramid, the next level is the quality of your food choices.  

Remember from the beginning of the course that there are no “good” or “bad” foods, and your emphasis should be on including nutrient-dense foods.

The quality of your entire diet matters most. 

Even what you consider “treats” can be incorporated into a thriving, balanced diet when consumed in moderation. We consider that 10–15% of your total intake at WAG.

Shift your mentality to an inclusive rather than an exclusive perspective. In other words, focus on all the foods you can have instead of stressing about the foods you can’t have. You’ll feel less restricted and more satisfied by the nutrient-rich whole foods you aim to consume. It’s exhausting to say “no” to certain foods continually. 

Focus on saying “yes” to high-quality foods that nourish your body, keep you full, and support peak performance.

Want to dig in a bit more? Check out this article.

Level 3 - Consistent Individual Intake

The next level of the pyramid is consuming a consistent amount of calories each day. Eating an appropriate amount to reach your unique goals, whether you want to lean out, gain mass, or improve performance, is crucial.

To lose fat, it is important to eat fewer calories than you burn consistently so you remain in a deficit and your body burns stored fat as fuel.

Gaining muscle requires just as much attention to intake as losing fat. You need to ensure that your calorie surplus is enough to support gaining lean mass without gaining unnecessary body fat.

The key to any goal is the consistency of intake.

Consistency allows you to see how your body responds to your specific calorie intake level and adjust accordingly.

Think of your body as a science experiment. Remember when you went back to science class and learned about variables? Keeping as many factors consistent as possible allows you to confidently assess whether a change in one variable (like calorie intake) correlates with your desired outcome.

The same goes for nutrition.

If you consume widely varying amounts of calories each day, it is nearly impossible to know what is (or isn’t) working for your body. Consistency allows you and your coach to make thoughtful, data-based adjustments to your program.

This, in turn, yields better results!

Consistency looks different for everyone.

It might not mean eating the exact same amount of food every day. At Working Against Gravity, we sometimes assign clients different macronutrient levels on their training days compared to their rest days. However, consistency within these changing macronutrient targets is still important.

Macronutrients

Once you've established a consistent intake of calories, the next step is to manipulate the composition of those calories. Enter macronutrients!

Each of the three macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates, fat) is vital to your body.

That’s why eating the right amount of each for YOUR body will optimize your health, performance, and body composition.

This goes one step beyond just "counting calories." What is right for you is based on...

• Your goals
• Your timeline
• Your body's specific needs and genetics (more to come!)
• Your training style and frequency
• Your preferences (to an extent)
• Your lifestyle

We'll discuss each macronutrient in much greater detail very soon, but for now, here is a brief introduction: 

• Protein helps you remain lean and aids in building and/or maintaining muscle. It is also the most satiating macro and helps you stay full.  
• Fats assist with brain functionality, increase satiety, allow nutrient absorption, and more.
• Carbohydrates are a great energy source. They help fuel your body, keep your brain sharp, replenish your body after training, and support recovery.

Level 5 - Micronutrients

Your body needs micronutrients in very small amounts, whereas it needs macronutrients (protein, carbs, and fats) in larger amounts.

Micronutrients (micros for short!) are the essential vitamins and minerals your body needs for growth and development. Don’t let the name ‘micro’ fool you, as they play just as big a role as macros. We will discuss them in more detail to come.

Micronutrients are essential for your body's functioning, including maintaining bone health, metabolism, hormonal balance, immune function, and healthy digestion.

Since your body doesn’t make micronutrients, eating a diet rich in high-quality food sources (whole foods) will help you avoid deficiencies, as they're naturally higher in micronutrients.

Level 6 -  Meal Timing

Meal timing helps fuel performance and supports optimal recovery so it is an important consideration, especially for athletes.

Once you’ve developed the skills to maintain consistency with your food intake, you can start exploring specific meal timing strategies to see what helps you feel and perform at your best. 

Nutrient timing can be one of the most confusing areas of nutrition, and for good reason—the right timing for each person depends on the context.

For example: What type of training are you doing? What are your goals? What time of day are you training?

Fortunately, some general pre- and post-workout nutrition principles can be applied to most people in most situations.

We'll discuss pre- and post-workout nutrition in great detail later in the course. As we've said, for optimal success, we need to start at the bottom of the pyramid!

Level 7 - Supplements

As their name suggests, supplements are meant to supplement an already consistent and balanced diet. They're usually added to a nutrition plan to enhance specific areas of health and performance.

The truth is that that new pre-workout or BCAA will have a minimal impact on your body composition or performance if the rest of your diet is not already dialed in.

Supplements can be useful in your nutrition journey, but consider them the cherry on top (of the pyramid sundae!).

Supplements can give you a little extra edge and boost if you’re already crushing it consistently in the gym and kitchen. But remember, building a solid foundation first is key.

Supplementation may also have a positive impact if your doctor confirms a deficiency and recommends it. Iron and vitamin D are great examples of common deficiencies that doctors can help test.

**Don't forget to consult a medical professional before adding supplements to ensure they are right for you.**

Now that we've completed the last layer of the pyramid let’s discuss the WAG mindset.

The WAG Mindset

Beyond food choices, WAG emphasizes the importance of challenging past mindsets about food and rebuilding thought patterns that will better serve you in the future.

Rather than focusing on minor or even significant lapses from the diet as a "failure," we want to empower you to move forward, reflect, and learn to make those instances fewer and farther between. We aim to remove the guilt and feelings of failure when you enjoy an occasional treat so you can steer clear of an all-or-nothing mindset.

Hopefully, your WAG coach has created a safe and judgment-free environment for you, where you are free to explore the nutrition, lifestyle, and emotions associated with a healthy commitment.

Let’s discuss how to weigh your food accurately and why it’s important for your progress.

How to Weigh Your Food

If you decide to weigh your food (more info about that decision below!), you'll need a food scale like this one. Your food scale allows you to determine the weight of your food. Then, when you plug your food and weight into your food tracking app, it will tell you the macro breakdown of your portion size.

When you turn on your scale, you can select grams, ounces, milliliters, and fluid oz from the unit options. Milliliters (mL) and fluid ounces (fl oz) are used for liquids. You'll primarily use grams (g) and ounces (oz) to weigh your food.

IMPORTANT: The weight of your food is NOT the same as the number of macros in your food. Just because chicken is a protein source doesn't mean 100g of chicken has 100g of protein. If you plug 100g of grilled chicken into your food tracking app, you'll see about 31g of protein and 3g of fat in 100g of grilled chicken.

Do You Need To Weigh Your Food?

The short answer is … no. Weighing your food is not absolutely necessary, but it depends on your personal goals.

Why is this?

• If your goal is to reach a certain weight in a shorter period of time (e.g., for a special occasion, weighing in for a meet, etc.), you may need to weigh everything you eat, as it is more accurate.
• It could be the missing link if you're frustrated with progress and want to see things move "faster" but haven't been weighing everything you eat.
• If you're okay with potentially slower progress and not weighing everything, it will make your journey more realistic and sustainable (more on this later in the course!). You may not need to put EVERYTHING on a food scale.

No matter who you are and what your goals are, learning how to weigh your food and practicing it, even for a bit, has many benefits! Here are some of the things weighing your food will teach you:

1. What accurate portion sizes look like
2. What your food consist of (protein, fats, and/or carbs)
3. Which foods provide more volume than others (and thus, help you feel more full)
4. How to balance out your day of eating if you are attending a special event (so that you can continue to make progress and avoid being thrown off track)

Your total daily calories and the makeup of those calories (i.e., the macros) do matter when it comes to achieving performance, weight, body composition, and overall health goals.

So, weighing your food can be very helpful in the journey toward your healthiest self!

Now, if you decide to weigh your food, let’s discuss how to do so.

How to Weigh Your Food Accurately

Specify Cooking Methods

A raw ingredient (ex, meat, vegetables, pasta) will have nearly the same concentration of water as another raw piece of the same thing. However, when you cook food, the water will evaporate (or be absorbed, in the case of pasta) during the process. This changes how heavy the ingredient is.

After cooking, weights can differ depending on the method used (e.g., grill, bake, steam) and the length of time the ingredient is cooked.

This means that the form in which you weigh something on your food scale needs to match how you log it in your food tracking app.

Want a few examples?

1. If you weigh your oats RAW before putting them in the microwave, you need to use an entry like “uncooked oats” or “raw oats.”
2. If you weigh your chicken after pulling it off the grill, use an entry like “grilled chicken breast.”
3. If you weigh your broccoli after roasting it in the oven, you need to use an entry like “oven-roasted broccoli.” 

Here are a few more things to keep in mind:

• When you scan a barcode label, the entry that pops up corresponds to the food in the form you bought it (ex, uncooked rice or frozen veggies).
• This tutorial will teach you how to create accurate recipes for your go-to foods.

Top Weighing Tips

1. Carry a food scale

Keep a food scale with you so you’re never caught off guard. Head to Amazon and search “Pocket Food Scale” for affordable options.

2. Double-check packaged foods

If you are getting ready for a special event, competing in a weight-specific sport, or want to see the fastest progress possible, weigh everything yourself. This ensures optimal accuracy since the portion sizes on labels are often inaccurate. Some examples of this include:

• A yogurt tub may say 100g but only contain 90g of yogurt.
• Protein bars may say 48g on the package, but the actual bar could be more or less.
• A piece of bread might be listed as 28g on the package, but each slice may be 35g

You can still scan the barcode label and change the portion size to fit what your food weighs.

3. TARE it!

The “tare” button on your food scale is your new best friend! If you’re measuring different ingredients or parts of your meal onto your plate, tare the scale between each one to reset it to “0”. This way, you can load your plate as you go.

Our Must-Know Tips for Tracking

We are sharing a few of our favorite tracking tips and tricks to ensure you get the most accurate information possible in your food tracker. Let's dive in!

1. Pay attention to serving sizes

Food labels can be tricky. Carefully read the nutritional information and check for the labeled serving size. A food item may look like a single serving to you, but if you read closely, the facts may be for 2 or even 2 ½ servings. This is an easy way to accidentally go over your macros!

1. Serving Size in Weight: Most nutrition labels will display the serving size. This is the best way to measure accurately.
2. Total Calories: Total number of calories in your food.
3. Fat: This is the number you will track for your fat intake.
   Total Carbohydrate: This is the number you will track for your carbohydrate intake.
   Fiber: You can also track fiber using these labels. Food that does not list fiber on the label does not have fiber.
   Protein: This is the number you will track for your protein intake.

Get a few more tips on reading nutrition labels here.

2. Cross-check labels and apps

Tracking apps have databases with tons of common foods and products.

This is a great way to scan and log foods quickly! Unfortunately, sometimes the macros listed on the app are different from what’s on your label. This means you need to double-check the accuracy of the foods you scan quickly before enjoying your meal or snack!

If there is a discrepancy, go with the information on the product's label.

PRO TIP: If you can’t find an entry that matches your product, you can enter each macro on its own by searching “Carb,” “Fat,” or “Protein” and enter in the corresponding amounts to your log.

You can also use the "Quick Track" function in MacrosPlus by hitting the "+" next to the meal to which you'd like to add these macros and then the "+" in the upper-righthand corner. 

If you have MyFitnessPal, you need to pay for the "Quick Add" feature, which you can access by hitting the three dots next to your meal and selecting "Quick Track." If you have the free version, do not just enter the calories for your food. This will throw off your macros by the end of the day.

What Are Calories?

Before we talk about macronutrients, aka “macros,” we have to talk about calories. 

A calorie is the amount of energy it takes your body to raise 1 gram of water by 1 degree Celsius.

Put simply, a calorie is a way to measure the energy you need to fuel your body.

You may have “counted calories” before. This way of eating can work for a while, but it usually doesn’t lead to sustainable, feel-good-all-over results.

Here’s why: The simple calories in, calories out equation tells you that you will drop weight if you eat fewer calories than you burn.

But there’s more to our bodies than energy in and energy out. By eating the right calories (yep, there are different kinds!), you will get excellent results and learn more about your nutrition, body, and mindset than you thought possible.

What Are Macronutrients?

Macros make up calories.

The three macronutrients are carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.

There are four calories in every gram of carbohydrate, four in every gram of protein, and nine in every gram of fat.

Let's Chat Protein

Protein is found in every part of the body. It makes up about 20% of total body weight and is the main component of muscles, hair, nails, skin, eyes, hormones, and internal organs like the heart and brain.

Proteins are complex molecules made of various combinations of 22 naturally occurring amino acids. Of these amino acids, there are essential and non-essential amino acids.

• Non-essential amino acids are amino acids that can be produced in the body. 
• Essential amino acids cannot be produced in the body and are required as part of our daily diet.

Here are a few cool things to know about dietary protein: 

1. Protein has the highest thermic effect of food, which is a fancy way of saying it requires the most energy to digest.
2. Protein supports lean muscle retention when your goal is to lose body fat and promotes muscle growth when you’re trying to get stronger.
3. Protein keeps your body healthy, strong, and in constant repair and renewal so you can bounce back from any physical challenge. 

Where Can You Find Protein?

Here are some great protein options:

• Meats (steak, grass-fed beef, pork, game meat, poultry, eggs)
• Seafood (salmon, tuna, white fish, scallops, shrimp)
• Legumes (black beans, lentils, peas)
• Dairy (Greek yogurt or kefir)
• Beans (black, kidney, pinto, navy)
• Protein powder (whey and casein)
• Veggie/soy burgers
• Bone broth
• Tofu

Some protein sources are leaner than others, so make a note of that as you consider your day of eating as a whole (and hopefully, plan ahead!). Check out this list of protein sources categorized from least to highest fat.

Vegetarian & Vegan Options

If you prefer to eat a more plant-based diet…

Meat isn’t the only place you will find protein. You can still get tons of delicious, high-quality protein from plants.

Protein is also found in dairy products like milk, yogurt, and cheese. Just like vegetables, dairy products are full of essential micronutrients.

Here are some other options for eating a vegan or vegetarian diet.

What About Protein Supplements?

Protein Powder

The two most common protein powders you’ll encounter are whey protein and casein protein. They are digested differently in your body:

Whey protein is perfect for after a workout because it is quick-digesting. 

Casein is slower digesting and more beneficial before a more extended fasting period, like before bed. 

If you want to read a bit more about other protein options, such as collagen, plant-based protein, egg white protein, or even insect protein, check out this article!

And if you're curious about casein and need some recipe inspiration, here are some Late-Night Protein Treats for you to try.

Keep in mind...

Protein supplements are great options if used in the right circumstances, but they should not be relied on for all of your protein. If you notice high hunger between meals, it could be because you drink your protein instead of eating it. There is something to say about chewing and swallowing your food!

We've found that getting enough protein can be a significant habit change for people as it is the easiest thing to overlook. Be patient and allow yourself time to transition to a higher-protein diet.

Fats give you the most caloric bang for your buck (remember, nine calories per gram). Fat is delicious and can improve the texture of most foods!

Guacamole? Olive oil? Mayonnaise? Butter?

The Benefits of Dietary Fat

Fats play an imperative role in your ability to survive and thrive. Here are just a few of the amazing things fat does in your body:

1. Fats facilitate the transportation and absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. 
2. The omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA support cardiovascular health, joint health, and digestion (more on omega-3 fats below). 
3. Fats slow down food digestion, which helps with satiety and keeps you fuller and longer. 

Where Can You Find Healthy Fats?

There are different types of fat in the diet:

Saturated Fats - Help improve HDL to LDL cholesterol ratios and support healthy adult hormone function.

Monounsaturated Fats (MUFAs) - Decrease LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and support blood sugar stabilization. Plant sources of MUFAs may reduce blood pressure and the risk of heart disease.

Polyunsaturated Fats (PUFAs)—You may have heard of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Both are essential fatty acids, which means your body can’t produce them, and you need to get them from your food. Focus on boosting your omega-3 intake because omega-6s are already abundant in the traditional Western Diet. Omega-3 consumption may help lower anxiety, fight inflammation, improve eyesight, and support healthy cognitive function. We'll discuss these in more detail in the next lesson.

Vaccenic Acid - Help reduce the risk of heart disease, obesity, and diabetes.

You can use this infographic to vary your fat intake:

Omega-3 and Omega-6 Fats

Omega-3 and omega-6 are polyunsaturated fats that must be obtained from your diet because your body doesn't naturally produce them.

While both fats are essential, most people can benefit from increasing their omega-3 consumption because the traditional Western diet already contains plenty of omega-6 fats from food and cooking oils like sunflower, palm, soybean, and canola. Omega-6 fats are present in the majority of processed foods.

Omega-3s can be sourced from fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, and sardines), flax, walnuts, or fish oil. Science has shown that omega 3s may…

• Fight depression and anxiety
• Support eye health
• Improve heart disease risk factors
• Fight inflammation
• Improve joint and bone health
• And more!

Meat & Fish Selection

While conventionally raised meat and fish still fuel your body, choosing grass-fed beef and wild-caught fish is worth considering. Here is why:

Grass-fed beef naturally has a more preferred ratio of healthy fats, with higher omega-3s and lower omega-6s, and about 3x more omega-3 fatty acids overall than conventionally raised beef.

Wild-caught salmon contains fewer calories from fat than farmed salmon and, of that fat content, provides about 4x more omega-3s.

Let’s continue with our discussion of the three main macronutrients! We talked about protein, dietary fat, and responsible food sourcing. Now we’ll dive into carbohydrates along with fiber and sugar considerations.

 All About Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates, aka carbs, are your body’s preferred source of energy. They are the gas in your tank and the fuel to your fire. Carbs are mostly stored in your muscles as glycogen, and a little bit is stored in your liver.

Eating carbs in the right proportion will keep your brain and muscles feeling strong and fresh! There are a few things we love about carbs:

1. During training, carbs are the macronutrient most readily available to your body as usable energy.
2. Carbohydrates replenish your depleted glycogen stores after a hard workout and improve recovery.

Where Can You Find Carbs?

When most people hear “carbs,” they think of pasta, bagels, bread, and cookies. The truth is that carbs are found in many more places. Here are some examples:

Vegetables

• Greens
• Brussels sprouts
• Broccoli 
• Cauliflower
• Onions
• White potatoes
• Sweet potatoes
• Squash
• Carrots 
• Sweet peppers 

Fruits 

• Bananas
• Apples
• Pears
• Oranges and other citrus fruits
• Pineapple
• Mango
• Blueberries
• Raspberries
• Blackberries

 Whole grains 

• Bread
• Cereal
• Pasta
• Rice (white, brown, or wild)
• Oats 

Kinds of Carbs

Carbs can be categorized in many ways. One popular way to distinguish between kinds of carbs is by their density. 

But what do these numbers mean? 

Say you have 50g carbs left in your day and you can choose between brown rice and cauliflower. Because cauliflower has a lower density than brown rice (5g carbs per 100g of cauliflower vs. 76.3g carbs per 100g of rice), you can eat a lot more cauliflower than rice to finish up your 50g.

If you are super hungry, you'd likely opt for a combination of cauliflower and brown rice. If you're not very hungry, maybe you'd opt for all rice. 

Understanding carb density can help you make knowledgeable decisions based on your macros and hunger levels.

The Glycemic Index

The glycemic index ranks carbohydrate-rich foods by how quickly and significantly they raise your blood sugar levels. “Blood sugar” is another way of saying “blood glucose levels.”

Low GI foods absorb more slowly into your body and have a minor effect on blood glucose levels and insulin response. This means your energy will be more stable throughout the day. High GI foods will spike your blood sugar quickly and often cause that “sugar crash” later on.

The glycemic index is just that: an index. As the name suggests, this is a classification system, which means that all foods need to be measured against a “standard” to determine where they fall on the index.

Although not a hard and fast rule, low-density carb sources also tend to be lower on the glycemic index.

Learn more about the glycemic index here.

What is Fiber?

Fiber is not one of the three main macronutrients; it is a complex form of carbohydrates.

There are two types of fiber: soluble fiber and insoluble fiber. They are differentiated by their structure and role in your body.

Soluble Fiber:

• Combines with water, creating sticky, jelly-like substances in your body.
• Helps to slow the digestion and absorption of your food, particularly carbohydrates (which is important for regulating blood sugar levels and keeping you from experiencing that unwanted carb crash). 
• Helps to lower blood cholesterol levels, which is great for your heart.
• Keeps you feeling full.

Insoluble fiber:

• It does not combine with water. It helps bulk up stool volume, speed up food digestion, and aid in a healthy digestive system. 
• It is found in the cell walls of plants, so vegetables are a great bet when trying to increase your intake. It’s also found in whole grains. 

Both types of fiber play vital roles in gut health, disease prevention, and weight maintenance, so finding a balance between them is crucial.

If you focus on consuming fiber through mostly whole foods, you will naturally find a balance.

High-fiber foods also tend to be chock-full of micronutrients so they are associated with a well-balanced diet.

What About Sugar?

Should I Worry About My Sugar Intake?

"How many grams of sugar can I eat per day?" is a frequently debated question in nutrition. 

Unless you've been instructed by a healthcare provider regarding your sugar intake, the answer isn't black and white.

Part of the answer depends on where that sugar comes from.

Refined sugars are mainly sourced from sugar cane and are commonly added to things like baked goods, candy, chocolate, coffee flavorings, and sweetened drinks. 

Sources of refined sugar tend to be high in calories, so if you're aiming to eat a diet high in nutrient-dense, whole foods, you probably don't want to eat them regularly.

Consideration #1: Naturally Occurring Sugars

Carbohydrates comprise three main components: fiber, sugars, and starch. Your body doesn't digest fiber, but both sugar and starch are converted to glucose (sugar). You rely on glucose for energy, gym performance, and muscle glycogen replenishment after training.

For example, whole fruit is a fantastic pre-workout snack because it contains natural sugars and nutrients.

Look at the quality of the carbohydrates you are consuming. If most of your carbohydrates come from foods made by the earth instead of from a package, then you're on the right track!

Consideration #2: Your Brain on Sugar

Are you more tempted to continue consuming high-sugar foods when you consume sugar?

If so, this could be a reason to monitor your sugar intake.

Many high-sugar foods are refined, tasty, and hard to stop eating. You digest and absorb the energy they contain quickly and easily. They overstimulate your brain's reward/pleasure centers, making overeating easy.

These foods and your brain's response to them (rather than the sugar itself) can often lead to overconsumption. Some examples of refined carbohydrates are:

Once your calorie and macronutrient intake supports your goals and you feel confident hitting your targets regularly, the next step to dialing in your health is to focus on micronutrients.

Micronutrients are nutrients needed in small (or “micro”) amounts by the body and can be found in foods and in supplemental form.

As you read through, consult your doctor if you're curious about your micronutrient levels before adding supplements!

The two micronutrient categories are vitamins and minerals.

Vitamins

Vitamins are “essential,” meaning your body can’t make them fast enough to meet your daily needs. There are a few defining characteristics that make a substance a "vitamin":

1. They are present (usually in tiny amounts) in your food. 
2. They play a key role in normal body functioning (like growth and reproduction)
3. If your diet doesn't include enough of a specific vitamin, you will become "deficient" in that vitamin and may experience negative health impacts.

You may have heard of vitamins A, C, D, E, K, and B Vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, and B12) and vitamin H (Biotin). These vitamins all play specific roles in your body.

Some vitamins are "fat-soluble," meaning they dissolve best when eaten with healthy fats.

The fat-soluble vitamins are:

• Vitamin A
• Vitamin D
• Vitamin E
• Vitamin K

Other vitamins are "water-soluble," which means they dissolve best in water and don't need to be eaten with healthy fats for optimal absorption.

Vitamins are primarily found in fruit, veggies, whole grains, nuts, seeds, meat, eggs, and dairy.

Minerals

Much like vitamins, most minerals are also “essential” and need to be consumed throughout your diet. They are also in small amounts in your foods and can create or worsen health problems if deficiencies occur.

Some minerals you may have heard of are:

• Calcium
• Phosphorus
• Potassium
• Magnesium
• Iron
• Zinc
• Fluoride and many more!

Just like vitamins, minerals are found in whole fruits and vegetables, whole grains, healthy fat sources like nuts and seeds, and in dairy, eggs, meat, and seafood.

Micronutrient Deficiencies

Micronutrients are found in whole, minimally processed foods. Unfortunately, the Standard American Diet contains fewer of these whole, healthy foods.

This means that micronutrient deficiencies are more common in people who eat more processed foods and aren't in the habit of filling their plates with lots of veggies, minimally processed grains, and responsibly sourced protein options.

Deficiencies are most common in...

• The elderly
• Athletes who have a higher micronutrient demand (and don't shift their diet accordingly)
• People who eat more processed foods.
• There are also additional vitamin D needs for those living in places that don't get as much sunlight.
• Additional iodine, vitamin D, and B12 may be needed in those following a vegan or vegetarian diet, as these are primarily found in animal products.

Supplementation can be helpful once whole foods are a regular part of your diet if you are part of an at-risk group or believe you may be deficient.

Chat with a doctor before adding supplements so they can ensure you're doing so safely.

If you want to learn more about micronutrients, check out this article!

If you're cooking delicious, whole-food meals filled with vitamins and minerals, don't forget to tag @workingagainstgravity so we can follow along with your journey.

Micros and Gut Health

We chatted about micronutrients and dug into the difference between vitamins and minerals.

We also chatted a bit about supplementation and the considerations you may need to consider when supplementing.

We didn't discuss how important vitamins, minerals, and fiber (from yesterday's lesson) are for the health of your gut.

Because you've been doing a lot of reading, we're switching it up and sharing something you can watch (maybe while you do some meal prepping?).

Learn more about gut health here.

Micro Requirements for Athletes

Those who regularly exercise with intensity require a slightly higher intake of specific vitamins and minerals. This is particularly true for those vitamins and minerals involved in energy metabolism, tissue growth, and repair. This includes:

• Vitamin E
• Vitamin C
• B vitamins
• Beta carotene
• Vitamin D
• Calcium
• Iron

Female athletes need to pay extra attention to calcium, iron, and vitamin D. Check out the below infographic for food sources of these vitamins and minerals:

Certain aspects of overall health, such as lifestyle (e.g., sleep, stress, hydration), food choices, consistent intake, macronutrients, and micronutrients, all play an important role in building the foundation, so meal timing is most effective.

Once you've nailed down the bottom parts of the pyramid, meal timing has a special place in performance and results.

"Meal timing" means being strategic about when you eat specific macros related to your training. Meal timing may help improve performance and recovery.

Let's dive in…

The Glycemic Index and Meal Timing

As a reminder, the glycemic index ranks carbohydrate-rich foods by how quickly and significantly they raise blood sugar levels. When you consume carbohydrates, your body converts them to a usable energy source called glucose.

Examples of low-GI foods:

• Berries
• Broccoli
• Mushrooms
• Zucchini
• Cauliflower
• Leafy greens

Examples of high-GI foods:

• Pineapples
• Bananas
• Oranges
• Bread
• White rice
• Instant oats

High vs. low-GI foods become important in the broader topic of meal timing since you generally want to heat high-GI foods closer to your workouts and low-GI foods farther away from your workouts.

Pre-Workout Nutrition

Before your workout, you need nutrition that helps you feel energized, boosts your performance, keeps you hydrated, preserves muscle mass, and speeds up your recovery.

Ideally, you want to eat your pre-workout meal 1-3 hours before training to allow for adequate digestion.

What to Include in Your Meal:

Protein

Exercise damages muscle tissue, and protein can reduce damage markers, which means you recover faster! It can also help you maintain or increase muscle size, which is essential for anyone who wants to improve their body composition or athletic performance. 

As a starting point, aim to get around 20% of your total protein during this meal (around 40-60g for men, 20-30g for women).

Carbohydrates

Whether you are an endurance athlete going for a long run or a CrossFit athlete preparing for a high-intensity WOD, carbs can improve your performance and help increase muscle retention and growth.

Each individual should consume a specific number of grams of carbohydrates.

We recommend starting with around 20% of your daily carbs, assessing how that impacts your performance, and making adjustments.

Fat

Fat slows digestion, which can slow down your body utilizing carbs during your workout. Slower digestion can also lead some people to experience GI distress/upset stomach when consuming too much fat before a workout.

For this reason, we want to keep fats low if your meal falls immediately before your workout (within 2 hours).

Example Pre-Workout Meals

Working Out in 2+ Hours:

If your workout starts in two or more hours, we’re aiming for some protein, fat, and a mix of carbs that are lower and higher on the glycemic index:

• Omelet with 1 egg and 2 egg whites, plus sweet potato hash with fruit on the side
• Sandwich on whole-grain bread with a protein source, lettuce, and tomato
• A protein source (chicken, fish, beef, tofu, etc.), brown rice, and roasted vegetables
• Oatmeal, nut butter, fruit, and a side of scrambled eggs 
• Working Out in 2 Hours or Less:

If your workout is within two hours, emphasize higher GI foods paired with protein:

• Protein smoothie made with protein powder, milk, banana, and a small amount of nut butter
• White rice with a lean protein source 
• Low-fat or non-fat Greek yogurt with pineapple mixed in
• Dried fruit snack  

Post-Workout Nutrition

With post-workout nutrition, you aim to kickstart recovery, rehydrate, and refuel.

For optimal recovery, try to eat within two hours of finishing training. The "urgency" of fuel needs depends on what you ate pre-workout. If you didn’t eat much pre-workout or you ate it several hours before your workout, your post-workout nutrition becomes more important.

What to Include in Your Meal:

Protein

Protein post-exercise prevents protein breakdown and stimulates synthesis, which can lead to increased or maintained muscle tissue.

Carbohydrates

We are looking for a blend of minimally processed whole-food carbs post-workout, such as oats, sweet potato, rice, and/or fruit like bananas or apples.

However, if you completed a particularly intense session or train multiple times per day, you may need faster glycogen replenishment. These days, it may be worth allocating more carbs to your post-workout meal.

Fats

The amount of fat you should consume post-workout can be higher than your pre-workout meal; this will not negatively impact muscle growth or muscle glycogen synthesis. 

Examples Post-Workout Meals

• Protein pancakes made from egg whites, rolled oats, and cottage cheese
• Grilled chicken (or another protein source) with rice and roasted vegetables
• Egg omelet with avocado spread on toast
• Ground beef with butternut squash and marinara
• Salmon with sweet potato
• Tuna salad sandwich on whole-grain bread 

Here is a cheat sheet for some general meal ratio guidelines around workouts:

You can hit your macros perfectly, but if you’re not staying hydrated, you’re not reaping the full benefits of your dedication to nutrition.

You may be drinking more or less than you need, and the key to shifting your hydration habits is determining how much you're drinking right now! 

Why Should You Hydrate?

More than half of your body is water, so any dehydration will reduce the functioning of vital processes.

Although water may not be a direct source of energy like carbohydrates and fat, it plays a crucial role in transporting nutrients to the cells.

Without proper hydration, your training session will likely not go as well as it could. Water is also one of nature’s beauty elixirs. It promotes healthy skin, hair, and nails.

Still not convinced about the importance of hydration? Check out this article for even more ways water improves your life.

How Much Water Do You Need?

This depends on several variables (such as frequency of feeding and milk supply). Generally, we recommend at least 0.5-1 ounces of water per pound of body weight. (If you're breastfeeding, add an extra 3.0 - 3.8 liters/day and talk to a lactation consultant if you’re worried about your milk supply and suspect hydration could be a factor!)

Examining the color of your urine, as illustrated below, is an easy way to determine whether you are properly hydrated. You can also download this infographic and keep it handy!

To clink or not to clink...That is the question.

Can alcohol fit into your nutrition plan? Yes, but there are some special considerations involved.

Let’s Start With the Science

Alcohol is not a macronutrient, but like proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, it has a specific caloric value for every gram consumed. For example, there are 7 calories in every gram of pure alcohol.

Your personal goals need to come into consideration when you’re choosing whether or not to drink.

We understand—sometimes, grabbing a drink with friends is one of your goals, which is okay. It’s about balancing and creating congruence between your actions and goals.

If you decide to drink, those calories must be accounted for before you clink your glass.

Calculating Alcohol Macros

Even though alcohol doesn’t fall under any of the usual macro-categories, you still need to account for the calories.

You’ll need to “pretend” that calories from alcohol are coming from carbs, fats, or a combination of the two.

Never take those calories from your protein allowance. Protein is just too important!

Can't I Just Use the  Nutrition Label?

Great question.

You actually can’t trust the nutrition labels of most alcoholic beverages because there is usually some missing information. 

Let's think about it for a second. The label for a "lite" beer typically has about...

• 100 calories
• 4g carbohydrates
• 0g protein
• 0g fat
• Remember from the beginning of the course that carbohydrates have 4 calories per gram. This would mean that this drink SHOULD only have 16 calories (4 calories x 4 g carbs = 16). Where are those other 84 calories coming from?

Do we even want to know?

You need to account for the total calories in your drink. So, we need do a bit of extra number crunching to counteract this magic math.

Macro Math

To track your drink as carbs, Divide the total calories by 4.

To track your drink as fats, Divide the total calories by 9.

Or, you can use a combination of the two.

Still confused? Here are a few examples:

Our online Alcohol Macro Calculator is a quick and easy way to determine the macros in your drinks. Check it out here.

Additional Alcohol Resources

Now that you understand where the numbers are, you can make it even easier for yourself to track on the go!

Save these Cheat Sheets

This cheat sheet will be your best friend if you’re not sure about the size of your drink and need to eyeball it. You can download the image and save it to your phone or computer, so you have it handy when needed.

It’s important to remember that this only accounts for the alcohol in your drink. Mixers with macronutrient values (carbs!) must be accounted for separately (more on that in a second).

These infographics will give you a great breakdown of the calories in common alcoholic beverages.

Let’s Talk About Goals!

Why is goal-setting so essential?

Goals let you imagine and create your future. Setting goals helps you grow and expand, pushing yourself to transform in ways you may never have imagined.

You have probably set a goal or two at some point in your life.

Did you see them through? 

If not, the issue could have been that you did not set goals effectively. Don’t worry, we are here to help!

Different Types of Goals

Did you know that there are different types of goals? Each type is essential for its own reasons.

Long-Term Goals

Long-term goals highlight a specific desired result, such as losing 15 pounds or reducing body fat to 10%.

Having a vision for where you want to be long-term is crucial, and we will show you how and when long-term goals can be helpful.

That said, research on goal-setting suggests that having these goals alone (without the process goals described below) is insufficient for achieving results.

Short-Term Goals

Short-term goals communicate a result you want shortly (think hour, day, week or even month ahead). They are more motivating than long-term goals and can be especially useful for building self-efficacy.

Self-efficacy is confidence in one's capabilities, and for ultimate success, this confidence needs to be protected and nurtured.

Process Goals

Process goals are the strategies you use to achieve a goal, such as getting through the holidays while having fun and sticking to your nutrition plan or preventing hunger from derailing you.

The Components of Effective Goal Setting

Okay, now that you understand the different types of goals. What does an effective goal look like?

SMART Goals

We need to ensure that your goals are SMART so they have structure and allow you to track progress along the way.

S.M.A.R.T. stands for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely.

Let’s break down each of these components.

Specific

Having a vague goal is like getting in a car without a specific destination. You could go to many places and see plenty of interesting things, but if you don’t know exactly where you’re going, you likely won't reach your ideal destination. 

Setting a specific goal is like entering GPS coordinates into Google Maps. Clarity is key. It is one thing to type “Denver, CO” into your GPS and another to type “123 WAG Way, Denver, CO.” 

The more precise you are about your goals, the easier it will be to visualize what success looks like for you. The clearer that image is, the easier it will be to find the path to get there.

Measurable

How, exactly, will you measure your goal? 

Here are a few examples

“I will reduce my body fat percentage by 5 percent”  vs. “I will get leaner.”

“I will run a mile under 10 minutes” vs. “I will improve my mile time.” 

Attainable

You need to assess how realistic your goals are honestly.

For example, if you have never run more than one mile at a time, running your first full marathon four weeks from now may not be realistic.

However, you could plan to run the marathon six months from now and follow a realistic, well-thought-out training plan leading up to the race.

Relevant

Why is your goal important to you? How will your life be different when you accomplish this goal?

Here are a few guiding questions to assess if your goal is relevant to YOU:

• Is this goal something I think about every day?
• Does a whole week (or even a month!) go by when I don't think about this goal?
• Do I truly desire this goal, or is it something someone else has told me to want?

If your goal isn't at the top of your mind naturally, most of the time, it may not be relevant to you.

Timely/Time-bound

You need to find a balance between a timeline that is realistic but also creates a sense of urgency.

Let's go back to our marathon example. Running your first marathon next week if you've never run more than a mile at a time is unrealistic. But running it in six months is realistic and requires a strategic plan (short-term and process goals) and hard work—aka, a sense of urgency!

It is also essential to set a due date for yourself. In other words, make your goal "time-bound". If you have a specific date you need to complete a goal by, you're more likely to make it a priority.

As you set goals, you need to consider the obstacles and challenges that you may face during your journey.

At WAG, we've repeatedly seen that people who can identify potential obstacles they may face before actually facing them have more success in achieving their goals. 

Let’s start with a pervasive challenge—crashing and burning only a few weeks after starting a new nutrition or exercise program.

If this is you, you’re not alone!

Luckily, you can use effective goal-setting to circumvent this.

How To Avoid Crashing & Burning: Aim Low

Imagine what it would be like to install one nutrition habit into your life at a time, the same way you install new software onto your computer or phone.

What if you installed one new habit every month for a year? For two years?

That is 24 new habits built over time, so you're not overwhelmed or frustrated. 

Imagine the level of confidence and control you would have in your nutrition.

So what is the trick?

The trick to protecting your integrity is creating process goals, which are small steps within your control that you take to achieve your short-term goal, which leads to your long-term goal (more on these later in this lesson).

The most important aspect of this is to aim low.

Most of us do not aim low enough. Your goal is to choose one action or commitment that, when said out loud or written down, makes you think, “Psh, of course, I can do that!”

If it seems too easy, you’re doing it right!

You will have plenty of time to build on your habits. Slowly, over time, things that once felt challenging will become your “aiming-low goals”.

“Aim low” is the basis and foundation for achieving any goal you have set for yourself. This step, on its own, can ensure that you will never again fall short of your commitments or give up on goals you want to achieve.

Now that you understand the “how” and the “why” for setting goals (and you’re aware of the possibility of aiming too high initially), let’s start determining your goals!

Set Your Goals

1. Long-Term Goal

Let’s start by thinking big: where do you want to be in five years? 

Examples:

• Qualifying for an athletic event
• Losing or gaining a specific amount of weight
• Shifting food habits to something healthy and sustainable
• Setting a good example for your kids

Does your long-term goal make your heart pound? Does it make your palms sweat? If so, you're on the right track. If not, dream bigger. 

2. Short-Term Goal

Next, identify short-term goals that are challenging (but realistic!) and aligned with your long-term goal. You'll need to use these stepping stones to get to your long-term goal.

Examples:

• Long-term goal: Qualifying for an athletic event.
  • Short-term goal: Research available training programs based on your goals.
• Long-term goal: Losing or gaining a specific amount of weight.
  • Short-term goal: Hit your protein macros consistently for a month straight.
• Long-term goal: Shifting food habits to something healthy and sustainable.
  • Short-term goal: Check in with your coach every week.

These aim to build a sense of success for yourself immediately. Remember our discussion about “aiming low”!

3. Process Goals

When asked about his thoughts on goal setting with his athletes, Justin Su'a, Mental Skills Coach of the Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Browns, says,

“The key to achieving goals is creating high-performance habits that produce results.”

Once you’ve identified your long-term goal and the first few short-term goals that help you get there, you must determine the process goals.

In other words, what is the process or strategy for achieving your desired outcome? Which habits do you need to cultivate?

It is easy to say, “I want to lose 10 lbs," or "I want to stop eating out so much.” The key is to identify the strategies for actually doing those things.

Examples:

• Long-term goal: Qualify for an athletic event.
  • Process goal: Show up to training "x" times per week.
• Long-term goal: Lose or gain a specific amount of weight
  • Process goal: Meal prep at least once a week
• Long-term goal: Shift food habits to something healthy and sustainable
  • Process goal: Determine one win and ask my coach one question at each check-in.

What is Objective Data?

Objective data is information gathered through observation and repeatable, measurable testing.

Without this objective data to lean on, it’s easy to get caught up in thinking that progress isn’t happening (subjective data), even when it is.

Track Your Progress Effectively

How to Take Weight and Body Measurements Accurately

If you and your coach decide to use weight or photographs as one (of many) markers of progress, you need to measure them accurately. This allows your coach to make knowledgeable changes to your program when necessary. 

This article provides best practices and other considerations.

What is "Progress," Anyway?

When you think about measuring your progress, what is the first thought that pops into your head?

Many people rely on the scale to monitor changes in their bodies—this makes sense as it is simple and easy to track over time. If your goal is to lose weight or change your body composition (e.g., adding lean muscle and losing body fat), then the scale is one important tool for assessing progress.

The issue arises when your scale weight is your only way of defining success. The scale is just one indicator of progress on your journey.

Make sure to monitor (and record in your diary!) these other equally significant signs of progress:

If one of your goals is weight loss or body composition change, the scale is helpful as one marker of progress. However, it is important to remember that the scale will fluctuate from day to day.

If these fluctuations drive you crazy, you're NOT alone.

Let’s discuss why there is more to the story (read: don't stress about them!) and how to change your thinking around it.

The most important thing to remember about your daily body weight is that fluctuations have no bearing on long-term progress. Weight fluctuations can be caused by several factors, including:

1. You didn't have a bowel movement.
2. You consumed a lot of sodium.
3. You ate more food later at night, so it was sitting in your stomach when you weighed in in the morning (like a lot of heavy veggies, for example). 
4. Carbohydrates will hold onto water so that you will retain water after a higher-carb day.
5. You are dehydrated.
6. Consuming alcohol may dehydrate you and can cause water retention. 
7. An intense workout can cause inflammation. 
8. Being sick. 
9. You are starting a new supplement (like creatine or a protein that upsets your stomach).
10. Inconsistent sleep.
11. Stress causes a rise in cortisol, which causes water retention. 
12. For females, your monthly cycle. 
13. The weather! Summer makes you sweat a lot more than the cooler seasons.

We recommend deciding how you feel about yourself before stepping on the scale.

Now that we’ve discussed how to set targets and make adjustments let’s examine lifestyle and mindset considerations.

We've noticed some common misconceptions (conscious or unconscious) that many people have as they start their journey to become their healthiest, fittest selves.

Whether you’re an elite-level athlete, an avid gym-goer, or just beginning your health journey, everyone struggles now and again!

We'll discuss six commonly held harmful mindsets and new ways to reframe these thoughts to be positive and help you along your way.

(Potentially) Harmful Mindset #1: Labeling Foods "Good" or "Bad"

When you label foods as “good” or “bad,” you run the risk of feeling bad if you eat the “bad” foods and vice versa. As soon as you create morality around food choices, you're more likely to restrict or deprive yourself of “bad” foods and beat yourself up when you want to enjoy them.

You can read more about this mindset (and how to combat it!) here!

We recommend focusing on including nutrient-dense foods rather than excluding other foods. 

What does “nutrient-dense” mean? Let’s back up and chat about it.

Nutrient-Density

“Nutrient density” refers to the concentration of micronutrients and other desirable qualities (such as fiber) in a particular food.

There are few, if any, foods that are actively unhealthy for you (if you do not have a clinical condition!). This means that no foods that, regardless of quantity, will immediately and measurably harm your body if eaten once.

The only negative connotation associated with a cookie (or another food commonly labeled as “bad”) is that it lacks micronutrients, fiber, and protein.

Some people refer to these kinds of food as “empty calories,” which may be a slightly more accurate description rather than labeling them “bad.”

Just because these foods are low in nutrients doesn’t mean you should label them “bad.” Instead, we recommend including nutrient-dense foods first to ensure your body is nourished and has the nutrients it needs.

After you have included plenty of nutrient-dense food, including a sweet treat or something with lower nutritional value is okay. For many people, including these treats in moderation can improve consistency with nutrition in the long term. It may allow you to feel less deprived or restricted. It also lets you enjoy life experiences guilt-free.

However, “moderation” does not work for everyone in every situation. Some people feel more successful if they abstain entirely from certain tempting treats because they struggle to keep their portion sizes moderate.

(Potentially) Harmful Mindset #2: Using Food as a Reward

Have you ever thought, “I worked out really hard today; I deserve this break-room brownie,” or “I had a tough day at work. I earned these Oreos.” If so, you are not alone.

We've already discussed why foods aren't “good” or “bad.”

Along those same lines, food is not meant to reward “good behavior” (for example, completing a challenging workout) or a source of comfort and stress relief after a stressful day or week.

Food is meant to fuel you and help you share experiences with people you love!

Patterns of rewarding “good” behavior or success with food develop during childhood. Maybe a teacher rewarded good grades with a pizza party, or your parents gave you M&Ms to quiet down.

This transactional mindset creates an emotional relationship with food that may ultimately slow down progress toward your goals.

Of course, we still want you to reward yourself for victories! This can help you stay motivated.

Instead of using food, the key is to find other rewards that excite you.

Make a list of your most common “food rewards” and try swapping them with non-food splurges. The list will be unique to each person, but here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Pamper yourself. Make an appointment for a massage, manicure, pedicure, or haircut. Or, keep it simple with a hot bath, music, and bubbles.
• Celebrate with your community. Invite your friends over for a movie or game night, or ask a friend to go hiking with you.
• Splurge on something special. Get a new outfit, shoes, or fitness watch you’ve been eyeing.
• Put money or energy toward your hobbies. Get new golf clubs and tires for your car, or upgrade your camera. Giving yourself more time to engage in your hobbies is also a reward.
• Invest in experiences. Buy tickets to a play, concert, spa, or high-end workout class. You don’t need to spend money - you could plan a beach trip, picnic, or hiking adventure.

For more inspiration, check out this article and remind yourself that your "reward" for sticking with primarily whole, healthy foods is feeling strong in your skin, proud of yourself, healthy, and finally reaching your goal!

Over time, practicing these non-food rewards could help to rewire your thinking about using food as a reward.

(Potentially) Harmful Mindset #3: Thinking What Worked Then Will Work Now

Life ebbs and flows. A specific nutrition program may have worked for you ten years ago, but chances are, your life has changed, and your goals have probably changed, too.

Your nutrition plan needs to be flexible enough to adapt to what life throws at you.

Here are some life changes that would likely warrant a new nutrition program:

• You’ve changed your exercise regimen.
• You moved to a new country.
• A new job changed your routine in a big way.
• You are older, and your body has changed.
• You recently became a parent (YES - fur babies totally count)!

Here are some signs that it’s time to try something new:

• You’ve reached a plateau.
• You only see success/progress when life is easy. As soon as stress pops up, you cannot maintain healthy habits.
• You’ve tried every program out there, but nothing feels sustainable.
• It’s not working on your own, and you could use guidance from an expert.

There is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ nutrition program. Many different methods work for others, so open communication with your coach is key to success.

(Potentially) Harmful Mindset #4: Heavily Relying On Willpower

We all want to believe that our willpower and discipline will be enough to achieve our goals.

In reality, even the most highly influential people in the world are just like you: unable to use willpower alone to achieve their goals.

Willpower is just like other emotions like sadness, happiness, or anger—it comes and goes.

When your willpower is there, it’s more like a bonus than something to rely on for success. 

So What Should You Focus On?

“Losers have goals. Winners have systems.” - Scott Adams.

Scott Adams means that having a plan is much more reliable than willpower. It is something you have 100% control over.

The key is planning and implementing systems that support you when willpower is lacking. We all have moments like that—we promise it's not just you.

Does creating a plan take some work, time, and energy?

Yes, definitely. Planning can seem daunting. It may seem like it will take a lot of time and work.

But the truth is this:

Developing a plan will take more work than “winging it,” but it’s an upfront investment that will ultimately save you massive amounts of time and energy.

A plan also helps you minimize decision fatigue.

Think about learning to ride a bike. We can all agree that it is 1000x more efficient than walking, right?

You likely started on a tricycle, then graduated to a bicycle and needed a spotter. You probably still feel a time or two.

At first, it was a lot of work and practice, but you eventually figured it out because you kept at it and tweaked your form.

Off you went on your bicycle!

You developed a skill that you will keep with you forever. They don't say, "It's like riding a bike," for no reason. That work on the front end saved you countless hours and energy on the back end.

That is precisely what learning about your nutrition choices and building healthy habits and systems is like.

Learn more about the willpower myth here. 

(Potentially) Harmful Mindset #5: Expecting Progress to Happen Quickly

Great things take time.

You can't expect just a few weeks (or even months) of work to reverse the years of habits and choices that led you to where you are today.

Changing your body and habits is a process, especially if you want your results to be sustainable and last long.

Even if you're not progressing as quickly as you’d hoped in certain areas, you are probably making significant progress in other areas. Give yourself credit for all your wins, big and small. Remaining focused on your goals and expanding your nutrition knowledge is a win!

Lean on your coach when you're frustrated with progress or having trouble identifying non-scale victories. That is what they're there for!

(Potentially) Harmful Mindset #6: Playing the Comparison Game

Change Your Environment

(So you don't have to change your mind!)

When it comes to improving your nutrition habits, changing your environment will be easier than changing your mind.

Why Is Changing Your Environment Important?

Changing your environment is simple, but changing the patterns in your mind can often be more complicated.

Most of us think we have control over what we do. In reality, external forces can easily sway our minds, and our environment impacts us tremendously.

You face many food choices and options throughout the day, even if you don’t realize it. 

• Are you hungry?
• What should you eat for breakfast? How much should you eat?
• Should you grab one of the cookies at the work lunch meeting?
• Should you cook dinner at home or pick up takeout?

These options bombard you all day long. And they might creep up on you when you’re unprepared. In the past, you may have found yourself giving in to confident choices that don’t necessarily fit within your nutrition plan simply because they’re in your environment. Your ‘willpower muscle’ is fatigued. Your brain is tired of making decisions.

This is why controlling your environment is imperative for sticking to any nutrition plan. If you want to improve your habits, look around and see how to make it more convenient. Does your environment support your goals?

Create the Ideal Kitchen Environment

When you’re making small changes to your nutrition habits, an easy place to start is your home, especially your kitchen.

Before we dive into it, we want you to get an inside look at a WAG Coach Amy's Kitchen. Here it is!

The next time you’re in your kitchen, check out the counters. Are there tempting treats sitting out where they’re easily visible?

Next, open your fridge and cabinets. Which foods do you see first? The ones that fit within your nutrition plan or the ones you struggle to eat in moderation? Make the healthiest choice the easiest and most obvious one.

We eat what we see, not what we don’t.

One study showed that you can roughly predict a person’s weight by the food they have in their kitchen.

The catch? empty kitchens aren’t good either, as they can cause us to overeat elsewhere. 

Stock Smart

Ensure you have plenty of lean protein sources, as this is often the most challenging macro to track down in a pinch. Next, ensure you have a variety of fruits and vegetables. Bonus points for cutting them up when you bring them home from the grocery store, so they are easy to grab and go!

Check out this infographic with tons of macro-friendly foods in each category:

How much sleep are you getting?

Does it matter for your health and fitness goals?

Let’s begin with some facts.

• More than one-third of American adults do not get enough sleep regularly.
• Experts recommend that adults sleep at least 7 hours each night to promote optimal health and well-being.
• Sleeping less than that amount is associated with an increased risk of chronic conditions, including obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and frequent mental distress.
• People with higher body fat levels tend to sleep less than those with "normal" body fat levels.

Your sleep matters when it comes to achieving your health goals.

If you aren’t getting at least 7-9 hours of sleep per night, this could be inhibiting your progress.

Chronically living in a sleep deficit:

• Increases food cravings 
• Increases inflammation in the body
• Impairs cognitive & immune function
• Impairs digestion and gut health
• Interrupts hormone function and balance
• Decreases tolerance to carbohydrates (aka, your body doesn't use the carbs you give it as effectively as possible)

Bedtime Overhaul

Here are some tried and true tips and tricks to improve your sleep (and your health)!

1. Update your mattress. Are you still sleeping on the first mattress you bought out of college? Trade up! It will make a huge difference in your sleep quality. If you're sleeping with a partner, spring for the king.

2. Banish device light. Turn off your devices (TV, phone, iPad) at least 30 minutes before bed. Artificial light interferes with your production of melatonin, which ensures deep sleep and may even help regulate metabolism.

3. Do not consume caffeine or other stimulants near bedtime. We recommend cutting caffeine after around noon. Stay on top of everything that contains caffeine, from teas to sodas to that post-dinner chocolate treat.

4. Create a bedroom routine so your body knows when to start winding down. Stick to a consistent, reasonable bedtime. This teaches your body when to release calming hormones that help you fall asleep. This blog post will give you more specific tips and tricks!

5. Stretching and foam rolling can release tension and activate your body's calm-down chemicals. Search YouTube for some simple nighttime yoga routines.

6. Keep your bedroom cool. Most people sleep better when it's around 67 F. Others sleep better at a neutral temperature. Find what works best for you and go with it. Pro tip: Track sleep temperature and quality in your diary to look for patterns!

7. Exercise often. Regular exercise is excellent for good sleep. Avoid rigorous exercise, such as a high-intensity interval training class, an hour before bed. Research shows that vigorous exercise so close to bedtime can disrupt sleep.

8. If your mind can't settle, try reading. Your body should associate "bed" with "sleep". So, if you're truly restless, grab a book and camp out on the couch until you get a bit more tired. Then, try getting in bed again.

9. Consider a sunrise alarm clock. A sunrise alarm clock mimics the sunrise, which wakes you up more gently and slowly than a traditional alarm clock. 

Also, aim to get sunlight exposure before noon. Light exposure sets your daily melatonin rhythm. This increases wakefulness during the day and helps your body gear down at night.

10. Make your bedroom dark (try blackout curtains!). Your body is programmed to sleep when it's dark. Light inhibits the secretion of melatonin, a hormone that naturally promotes sleep. Even if you fall asleep, light can be detected through your eyelids, preventing your body from producing melatonin.

How Stress Impacts Progress

Stress is so prevalent in our lives that it’s become the “norm” for most people.

Even though stress significantly impacts our emotions, minds, and bodies, those who take the time to manage stress mindfully are in the minority.

The stress response affects every body system, including your digestive system. Let’s learn more about it!

The Impact of Stress on Metabolism and Digestion

Stress sends your body into the “fight or flight state” during that process; the digestive process is essentially put on ‘hold.’

You may notice short-term symptoms like…

• Heartburn
• The feeling of food sitting in your stomach
• Bloating
• Belching
• Overall, stomach pain.

When your digestive system is not functioning optimally, its ability to absorb nutrients diminishes.

This decreases the nutritional value of the food you're eating since your body can't properly absorb the vitamins and minerals in your food.

Stress and Appetite

Stress can also affect your appetite, although not everyone experiences a decrease in appetite in response to stress.

About 40% of people increase their food intake under stress, while 40% decrease their food intake in response to stress.

Some stress symptoms can be confused with hunger symptoms, which is why “stress eating” can become a hard habit to break.

Feelings and thoughts cause symptoms of stress, and hunger is caused by not having been fed for a while.

Continued intentional mindfulness practices can enhance the ability to recognize the difference between the two (more on this below!).

Stress and Your Gastrointestinal Tract

Stress also negatively affects the normal function of your GI tract by decreasing absorption, affecting intestinal permeability, and decreasing mucus and stomach acid secretion.

Stress also increases the GI system’s response to inflammation. Inflammatory diseases in the GI tract, including Crohn’s, other ulcerative diseases, and IBS, are all associated with stress.

To learn more about how stress impacts weight loss click here.

Tips for Managing Stress

Stress Tip #1 - Take Action Before Asking "Why"

It’s all well and good to understand stress, but having tools up your sleeve to turn negative, stress-induced behaviors into positive ones is a strategy you can use and keep for life.

Tracking Food You Didn't Prepare

You are diligently tracking your food, on top of your nutrition, and feeling great. Then, one day, your coworkers invite you for lunch at a local restaurant.

What should you do?! How can you track a meal eaten at a restaurant?

First, it is essential to know that this is tough during any nutrition program, even for nutrition pros!

Keeping your goals in mind when food is out of your control, like at a restaurant, social gathering, or travel, takes practice. It’s okay if you don’t nail it on the first, fifth, or tenth try. The critical piece is getting more and more confident each time.

Have no fear! With some practice, you can master estimating portions and tracking macros while eating out! Here’s how:

Define Success

First, let’s think “big picture.”

What’s your definition of “success” for this meal? 

• What is the point of this meal?
  • A celebration at a restaurant with loved ones
  • A home-cooked meal made by your grandmother. 
  • A holiday meal full of your FAVORITE foods.
• What are my goals for this particular meal, and how does this meal affect my bigger goals?  
  • My goal is to be fully present with my family during this meal. I have been consistent with my nutrition for the rest of this week, so estimating this meal will not negatively impact my goals if I’m smart with my choices. 
  • I will plan for a treat I can enjoy slowly, in moderation. 
  • I will use a smaller plate so my serving sizes look bigger and I feel fuller.
• What does “success” look like for this meal? What can I do to ensure I feel successful upon ending this meal?  
  • “Success” means enjoying only one alcoholic drink and filling half my plate with veggies, ¼ of my plate with protein, and the rest with my grandmother’s famous mac and cheese.
  • “Success” looks like putting down my fork and being done when I am 80 percent full. 
  • "Success" looks like waking up feeling proud of my choices the next morning.

Now, let’s dive into the practical aspects of eating your meal out.

Planning and Estimating

If you have a game plan, you will be confident heading to your meal away from home.

Some questions to ask yourself before your meal:

• Can you determine what food is available by looking at a menu online or calling ahead?
• Can you choose your food beforehand and log it before arriving with your best-guess estimation?
• Can you input your restaurant meal first thing in the morning (or the night before) and then plan your day backward around it?

A travel food scale is helpful if you want to be as precise as possible. But learning to estimate is a handy skill if you want to be more flexible.

Estimation 101

Use your hand to measure portion sizes.

• Cooked protein (fish/chicken/steak etc.): The size of your palm without your fingers is about 4 for a female or 5 ounces for a man.
• Carbohydrates (fruits, veggies, and grains): Your closed fist is about 1 cup.
• Fats (oils, butter, sauces, dressings, etc.): Your thumb is about 1 ounce (28 grams), or 2 tablespoons. Note: Most restaurants cook with much extra fat, which can be tricky to track. When estimating at a restaurant expect to account for more fat than usual and account for it in your logs. 

Eyeballing the Meal

• Search for the restaurant online beforehand and see if it lists any nutritional information. Chain restaurants almost always do, while small restaurants typically don’t, but it’s worth a try.
• Start guessing food weights at home before you read the weight on your food scale. This will help you hone in on your accuracy when you go out.
• Take a picture of your plate to confidently estimate portion sizes later without interrupting the meal.

How Often to Estimate

There are times in life when you need to be more precise and times when you can be more relaxed.

Your mindset is necessary here. You’re not seeking perfection — there is no such thing as nutrition! You’re aiming for continuous growth and learning.

Perhaps your goal for an upcoming restaurant meal is to be more mindful of drinking than you’ve been before, which means having one less. Maybe your goal is to prioritize protein, so you double-order your lean protein source.

Maybe your goal is to enjoy a meal with your family without worrying when the scale spikes slightly the following day (due to the sodium in the restaurant’s food, etc). All these small “wins” and learning moments add up over time!

Here is another way of thinking about how to handle a particular meal. When you are determining what to order, consider how “Future You” will feel about your decision vs. “Current You” (who may be seeking instant gratification in the form of, for example, some delicious dessert).

Will “Future You” be happier and more proud of you for sticking to foods you know work for you vs. indulging? How do you want to feel when you wake up the following day?

Ordering at Restaurants

It is important that you build the skills needed to go out, enjoy a meal with friends or family, and still feel confident in your nutrition. Below are some specific tips for choosing your next restaurant order.

Watch for Words

Scan the menu for keywords that indicate that the food has been cooked in oil, butter, breading, and salt. Some of the most common culprits:

• pan-fried
• crispy
• dipped
• scalloped
• breaded
• cream
• alfredo

Look for these words instead:

• grilled
• steamed
• baked
• roasted
• braised
• broiled
• seared

Double the Veggies

When ordering, ask for double or triple the normal serving of veggies. Think about the menu as a giant list of ingredients you KNOW they have in the kitchen. Check out the “Sides” portion of the menu and the veggies in other meals and ask for additions or swaps.

WATCH OUT! Veggies are frequently cooked in or topped with butter/oil. Ask that they be steamed instead or served with butter on the side if you wish.

Put It On The Side

Ask for toppings like sauce or dressing on the side. This way, you can eyeball (or weigh out) the portion sizes of these (often) higher-fat toppings.

Ask for What You Need

Many chefs will use a lot of salt and butter when cooking. Don’t be afraid to ask your server how the food is prepared so you can request that things be cooked without oil or butter.

If you feel uncomfortable asking your server questions, remember that it’s your waiter’s responsibility to know what goes into the food they’re serving. It is no trouble to answer your questions. The more frequently you ask questions, the easier it gets!

Adjust Portion Sizes

Ask your server to put half of your entrée in a box before it even arrives so you're not left picking at foods you're not hungry for. You could also split your entrée with another person.

With practice (and by leaning on your coach and asking plenty of questions), we promise it will be easier to navigate meals you do not cook!

Why Eat Mindfully?

Learning to eat slowly is one of the most powerful things you can do to improve your overall health.

Slowing down your eating has many benefits, including improved digestion, easier weight maintenance, and higher satisfaction from each meal.

If you eat too quickly, your digestive system struggles to keep up, and you’ll likely want more food after the meal. Research suggests that people who eat too promptly gain more weight over time than slow eaters. Thus, if losing body fat or maintaining your weight is your goal, slowing down your eating is one of the steps that can help you get there.

Strive to be present for each meal rather than distracted by your phone, TV, etc. Eating with mindfulness automatically helps you slow down.

Cultivating Self-Compassion

Trust us...everyone falls sometimes! Here's how to get back up when you stumble.

When you think you've “blown it”...

What about when you walk into that party starving and give in to all the tempting foods you’ve been avoiding?

What about when you get into an argument with a loved one, and, despite your best efforts to work on your stress-reducing habits (from Day 16!), you still end up stress-eating an entire sleeve of Oreos?

What about when your child is sick (or you are sick) and you can’t get to the gym?

It’s okay! You will deviate from your super-health-fine-tuned nutrition sometimes (or a lot).

The best nutrition plan is the one that you can stick to no matter what life throws at you – not just when things are going perfectly.

During these challenging moments, your diet needs to bend with you. 

After all...

A program that does not bend will eventually break.

Flexibility in your nutrition plan is critical for long-term success. At WAG, our aim is to help you learn to eat in a way that is transferable to any situation.

So, what should you do when you feel like you’ve ‘blown it’? Should you... 

• Under-eat the next day?
• Do extra cardio to ‘cancel out’ the over-eating? 
• Throw in the towel and keep eating because you’ve already ‘failed’?

The answer: none of the above.

It is certainly tempting to take measures to cancel out overeating. But remember:

Flexibility, self-compassion, and forgiveness are key to long-term success with your nutrition plan.

Let’s look at essential reasons why you shouldn’t attempt to balance out or make up for the prior day’s overeating:

Tip #1: Return to "Regularly Scheduled Programming" ASAP

Imagine this scenario: on Saturday, you went to dinner and overate. It’s now Sunday morning, and you’ve woken up with a stomachache and guilt.  

You wonder: should I skip eating today to make up for yesterday’s overeating? 

Our answer: no way.

We understand the temptation to try to recover from ‘mistakes.’ But if that becomes a habit, an unhealthy cycle will develop.

We call this the Over-Under Loop: Overeating → feelings of guilt and shame →, self-punishment and undereating →, overeating, and so on.

Here is our recommendation: wipe the slate clean after a day of overeating and return to your usual (or new) eating habits. Start each day fresh. Don’t allow yesterday’s actions to bleed into today’s.

Tip #2: Self-Compassion is Your Most Powerful Tool 

You might be thinking, "Okay, sure, I will try not to do damage control." But how? What happens when that very critical (and very vocal!) voice in your head tries to turn overeating into something surrounded by guilt and shame?

What can you do about that voice?

You can convert that critic into your biggest supporter.

Here is how...

Moving Away From Self-Judgement

When you’re going through a difficult time, your inner critic ignores that you're human and not meant to be perfect. Your inner critic criticizes you for not being more robust, better, or more disciplined. Your inner critic convinces you that you’re not worthy or acceptable.

From this place, growth is impossible. We can teach you the science of macros and the strategies to keep yourself "on track," but you are not a simple science. You need to be able to combine everything you learn with self-compassion.

There is a guarantee that you will encounter obstacles, distractions, and discomfort. These inevitable moments are often met with judgment (from ourselves, not others) and, in the worst cases, isolation.

One of the most difficult things to do is change your nutrition habits, your relationship with food, and, ultimately, your physical health.

We are going to work on turning that self-judgment and criticism into self-compassion.

Self-compassion starts with wanting to act in a way that leads toward happiness and health, now and in the future.

This includes understanding that you're human and encounters with failure and frustration are part of the universal human experience.

Self-compassion calls for you to honor your humanness and accept that you're not perfect.

We encourage you to develop a self-compassion practice. A well-established self-compassion practice can make treating yourself gently and with kindness easier.

If you practice self-compassion, you'll see more significant results in your nutrition and maintain those results through life’s most challenging scenarios. When life gets hard, self-compassion will move you forward from a place of caring about yourself instead of one that aims to fix or punish.

Self-Compassion, Not Self-Indulgence

Before we move on, one distinction must be made: self-compassion is not the same as self-indulgence.

Coming home from a stressful day and laying on the couch to binge-watch TV with pizza and ice cream is not self-compassion.

At first glance, it may seem that self-compassion should always be positive and ease our distress. However, true self-compassion often comes with discomfort.

Using the example above, self-compassion might involve taking a moment to call a friend and talk through your difficult day or choosing to exercise (which is a more difficult and potentially uncomfortable option).

Self-compassion looks like this:

• Acknowledge your feelings rather than resisting or ignoring them. For example:
  • “This hurts.”
  • "I am so embarrassed/sad/frustrated right now.”
  • “My day was full of tough challenges, and now I am exhausted.”
• Remember that suffering is a part of life, and it is experienced universally by all humans.
• See challenges as opportunities for growth.
• Spend quality time with friends and loved ones.
• Journal about challenging experiences.
• Follow self-compassion-guided meditations.

Your Current and Future Self

Self-compassion is also about considering the psychological and physiological health of your current and future self.

Self-indulgence can alleviate stress at the moment while being incompatible with your longer-term goals and physical health.

With true self-compassion, we care equally for the mind and body.

Life has a way of continuing to challenge you in painful and sometimes even unbearable ways. When you think you have it all together, you receive a reminder that "hey, you're human" – like those days when your cat doesn't respect you.

Those are the worst.

But, through it all, one thing will always be true:

You are worthy of love and acceptance, especially from yourself.

The more you can lean into this truth, the easier it will be to find compassion for yourself and others.

Have you ever thought to yourself,

“I know what it takes to be healthy, I just can’t make myself do it!” 

If so, you’re not alone.

Enter accountability.

What is Accountability?

Accountability is the acknowledgment of responsibility for your actions, including the obligation to report, explain, and be responsible for the resulting results.

Knowing someone will be checking up on you helps you stay on track even if you don’t feel motivated.

Even if you know exactly what to do, you may still struggle to make it happen.  And if we can’t be consistent, we can’t make progress.

Why is Accountability Crucial?

There is enormous power in being accountable to someone or something regarding your nutrition. You may be willing to let yourself down long before you let someone else down. Having that person who cares about your success can make all the difference.

Let’s go over ways to hold yourself accountable!

Partner Up!

You and your partner can do things like:

• Meet each week to go over each other's progress.
• Work out together.
• Swap recipes and cook together. 
• Shoot each other a text when you need some extra encouragement. 

We’ve found that it is easiest if your accountability partner is someone who also has fitness or nutrition goals, but this doesn’t necessarily have to be true. They'll work as long as they can hold you accountable in a firm but respectful way, and you feel comfortable being open and honest with them.

Choosing the right person is critical. Here are some considerations: 

How will I Know Who to Share With?

Here are some red flags that could be signs that a particular person is not the best to share with:

• After sharing your goals, please pay close attention to their response.
  
  If you are met with judgment, then this person is probably not your best accountability partner. If you’re met with understanding and respectful, curious questions, it could be the right person. Look out for phrases like...

  • “That is so extreme!”

  • “Are you going to do that?”

  • “We’ll see how long this time lasts!"

   

• Notice attempts at (unintentional) sabotage. It might be a sweet gesture for your friend to bring you your favorite dessert, but if this happens right after you share your fitness goals, this is likely not the right accountability partner for you. Instead, share with someone who reminds you of your goals when you’re tempted. Look out for lines like...

  • “It’s just one piece of pizza!"

  • "It’s not a big deal!”

  • “Live a little.” 

  • "That's no fun!"

• Where are they coming from? When this person comments on your new habits and behaviors, do you sense they come from genuine caring and interest? Are they curious and inspired, or are they rude and sarcastic? If it’s the latter, then this person is likely not your best option for accountability. If it is the former, keep this person close!

If you spot any of these red flags and want to avoid letting these people derail your progress, you have two options:

1. Be honest. You can have a vulnerable conversation with them and ask them to notice how they treat you.
2. Choose a more supportive accountability partner—someone who lifts you up instead of attempting to bring you down.

You've considered who could make a good accountability partner. Next, let's look at your WAG coach...

Utilizing Your WAG Coach

A neutral third party and expert in the field can relieve stress and pressure and make your life easier. This person should be someone you trust and feel comfortable with.

Your coach will help you zoom out and see the bigger picture of your plan. When you're focused on your day-to-day habits and decisions, it can be easy to lose sight of how all these small actions fit into the bigger plan and how quickly they add up.

Your coach can help you step back, remember the long-term vision, and see how this all fits together!

The more open and honest you can be with your coach, the better they can support you.

Amino Acids - Molecules that combine to form proteins.

Anabolism - The metabolic process of constructing molecules from single units. It is the build-up aspect of metabolism.

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) - The number of calories the body needs to perform its most basic life-sustaining functions.

Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) - Essential amino acids leucine, isoleucine and valine. BCAAs stimulate the building of protein in muscles and reduce muscle breakdown.

Calories - The energy people get from the food and drinks they consume.

Caloric Deficit - When the number of calories consumed is less than the calories being burned.

Casein Protein - A protein found in milk that is slower digesting and is more beneficial before a longer fasting period.

Caloric Surplus - When the number of calories consumed is more calories than what is being burned.

Catabolism - The metabolic breakdown of molecules into smaller units to release energy or be used. It is the breakdown of aspects of metabolism.

Electrolytes - Essential minerals (sodium, calcium, and potassium) that are vital for important bodily functions.

Essential Amino Acids - Amino acids that are not produced in the body and must be obtained from the food we eat.

Fat Loss Plateau - When your body stops changing.

Fat Mass - The weight of your body that is fat.

Fiber - A carbohydrate that is only found in plant food sources and is not digested by the body. Fiber is fantastic for digestion, gut health, and satiety.

Flexible Dieting - The idea of flexible dieting is to have just that—flexibility. Flexibility in food choices, flexibility with meals out and special functions, and the flexibility to forgive yourself when you go off course. It’s a balance of consistency, flexibility, accuracy, and sustainability.

Glucose - The simplest type of carbohydrate. Carbohydrates are broken down to glucose in the body.

Glycemic Index (GI) - A value that measures how much a specific food increases blood sugar levels.

Glycogen - The stored form of glucose that’s made up of many connected glucose molecules connected together.

High Volume Foods -  Food high in fiber and/or water content that fills you up while being low in calories.

Homeostasis - A self-regulating process in the body of sustaining balance while external conditions change.

Hypocaloric Diet - A diet focused on eating fewer calories than one is burning.

Lean Body Mass (LBM) - The total weight of your body minus the fat weight.

Macronutrients - Nutrients needed in large amounts in the body to function properly. The macronutrients are protein, carbohydrates, fat, and protein.

Metabolism - The process in the body of converting the food and drink we consume into energy.

Micronutrients - Nutrients, vitamins and minerals, needed in small amounts in the body to function properly. They are vital for healthy development and well-being.

Mindfulness - The state of being conscious and aware of something.

Minerals - Inorganic compounds that occur naturally and are essential for normal and healthy growth. They are required in small quantities in the body.

Monounsaturated Fats (MUFAs) - Decrease LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and support blood sugar stabilization. Plant sources of MUFAs may reduce blood pressure and the risk of heart disease.

Nitrogen Balance - The difference between nitrogen intake and nitrogen loss.

Non-Essential Amino Acids - Amino acids produced in the body.

Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT) - The energy expenditure for everything we do that is not sleeping, eating or exercising.

Nutrient Density - The ratio of beneficial nutrients you can get in a certain food compared to the number of calories it contains.

Polyunsaturated Fats (PUFAs) - Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids are PUFAs and are essential fatty acids which means your body can’t produce them and you need to get them from your food.

Protein Synthesis -  The process in which cells in the body make protein.

Refeed Day - A temporary break from calorie restriction in which you overconsume carbs in a controlled manner.

Reverse Dieting - A strategic plan of slowly increasing food intake after a period of eating a calorie deficit as an attempt to restore metabolism without rapid weight gain.

Saturated Fats - Help to improve HDL to LDL cholesterol ratios and support healthy hormone function in healthy adults.

Set-Point Theory - States that the body tries to maintain its weight within a preferred range.

Thermic Effect of Food - An increase in metabolic rate that happens when the body digests food.

Vaccenic Acid - Help reduce the risk of heart disease, obesity, and diabetes.

Vitamins - Organic compounds that are essential for normal and healthy growth. They are required in small quantities in the body.

Whey Protein - One of the primary proteins found in dairy and is perfect for after a workout because it is quick-digesting.

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