New Delhi, Sep 4 (FN Agency) No matter how healthy you think you eat, unless you track your macros, you’ll never truly know the progress you’re making.Studies show that about 80 per cent of people that follow their nutrition lose weight quicker and in a more sustainable fashion. The statistic alone should persuade you that you should try food monitoring if you’re having trouble meeting your nutritional objectives. It is a known fact that everybody reacts to the same food in a different manner. While one person feels energised by oatmeal, others might get queasy. Or how is it possible for one person who consumes pasta on a daily basis to not gain weight while the other does? You can better understand how your body responds to different types of food by keeping track of your nutrition. Pratik Saraogi, Founder and CEO, ActoFit, tells four benefits of tracking your nutrition while you cook—1) Increases mindfulness and provides an insight into your current eating habits: Do you recall what you had for dinner the previous evening? We frequently forget anything that we eat. Tracking aids in maintaining food awareness. You can tell if you’re receiving too many calories from one of these nutrients by looking at the breakdown of your calorie intake, which will reveal which calories come from fat, carbs, and protein.
Regardless of your overall calorie intake, it’s crucial to be aware of the macronutrient ratios you’re consuming so that you may adjust them to meet your goals.2) Informs you of the nutrient density of your food and helps with portion control: The total amount of key micronutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, vital fatty acids, and amino acids, per calorie in a diet or meal is known as the nutritional density. Prioritising nutrient-dense foods and meals guarantees you have all the ingredients you need to slay your cravings, regulate your appetite, and thrive since nutrient density is positively connected with fullness.Tracking your food helps decide which foods are “worth it” for your objectives and nutritional needs. You’ll begin to understand how you may better manage your portions and prepare balanced meals and snacks as you learn more about calories. You’ll notice which foods, like some fruits and lean meats, you can consume in greater portions and which you should significantly cut down on.3) Holds you accountable and allows you to plan ahead: It’s simple to deceive yourself into believing that your diet is balanced and healthy. Maintaining an objective journal of your meals and purchases makes you responsible for what you eat. Additionally, it makes meal planning less speculative.
You may easily plan your grocery shopping while at home, or you can study the menu in advance and log the foods there. You also discover how your decision affects you and how you might change for the better in the future.4) Understand how calorie count changes and your binge triggers: A food item’s calorie count changes naturally when it is cooked, but the cooking technique also has a significant impact. The number of calories varies depending on whether you are boiling it or stir-frying it. For instance, 136 calories are in raw, skinless breast meat. However, 312 calories are added when it is fried, and 220 calories are added when it is roasted. You may select the ingredients and cooking techniques that are best for your health by keeping track of your nutrition before, during, and after cooking. Tracking your nutrition also helps you identify the occasions when you tend to overeat to celebrate or to cheer yourself up when you’re feeling bad. Tracking can educate you on how to avoid putting yourself in a situation where you overeat, even if the cause is just that you had a meal too small earlier in the day. No matter if your goal is to lose weight, tone up, or simply get healthier, tracking your meals offers invaluable information about where you are now, where you may improve, and how to make progress over time.