Avoiding "bad foods" and eating only "good foods" is a great way to develop a bad relationship with your food.

I spent years avoiding "this" and "that" because I heard someone say they were "bad" on the internet.

When I started tracking properly, I realized it's mostly BS.

You can lose weight eating pretty much anything if you're in a calorie deficit.

I'm sure I'll get "bUt YoU'rE nOt HeAlThY iF yOu EaT " comments.

Sure, eating 'clean' foods is a good idea.

But thinking you messed up because you had an Oreo, your mindset is fucked.

This constant obsession with clean foods and eliminating a zillion 'factors to obesity' is a non-starter when you track your food.

And for many, having some "forbidden" treats periodically (when they fit their calories/macros) is *EXACTLY* what they need to stay on track.

I tried the whole "can't eat sugar, don't eat this oil, don't consume that artificial sweetener" route.

Didn't do shit for me.

If it works for you, GREAT.

But I'm sure there's other people out there who can't "just eat whole foods, bro".

I know I sure was...

Now here's the kicker... when you get fit and lean, your bloodwork and biomarkers for health will improve dramatically.

*Weight Loss* improves health biomarkers for health more than any other factor.

ANY other factor.

Regardless of if you consumed a 'dirty' food.

I've lost 80 + pounds of fat AND kept it off for the last 11 years.

And I did it by tracking my intake.

In the process, I learned a number of hacks and tips that will save you LOADS of time and energy when you're tracking your food.

Let's dive in, shall we? (A Thread...)

1. Start with 'single macro foods' to keep things simple

What are 'single macro foods'?

Foods that are over 90% one macro, with only a few trace macros of the other 2.

Here are some examples:

Protein:

- Chicken/turkey breast
- Shrimp/scallops/crab meat

- White fish/cod/tilapia
- LEAN pork chops (NOT shoulder)
- 96/4 ground beef
- Fat Free Cottage Cheese
- Fat Free Greek Yogurt
- Whey protein shakes

Carbs:

- Rice
- Potatoes
- Fruit
- Veggies
- Pasta
- Bread
- Low fat ice cream/sorbet

Fats:

- Butter
- Olive/Coconut oil
- Creamy dressings

All of these foods have (almost) ALL of one macro. There might be a few straggler macros/calories, but you can ignore them to keep things simple.

Need a meal?

Choose one of each category, and viola, you're good to go.

But single macro foods make life so much easier, especially when you start.

You simply choose some foods, weigh or measure them out, and you're good to go.