15 Delicious foods that will get you to your protein, carb and fat goals for macro-tracking
Macro tracking is actually very basic. Many people over complicate it or stress out because they think they have to change everything about their diet. When, in reality, they just need to make small choices every day that are better for them!
However, I understand that coming up with new foods to eat to help you get to your goals can be daunting, which is why I wanted to give you a head start by sharing my favorite foods with you!
I’m going through each of the macronutrients you need to be eating and giving you my favorite go-to foods that help keep me on track. Remember, that in a lot of meals or snacks you’ll be eating a combination of each macro. You’ll want to plan your meals and snacks ahead of time so that you don’t run out of one macronutrient before the end of the day. You can learn more about planning and prepping your food over on this post.
Now, let’s dive into some delicious foods!
Proteins will keep you happy and strong
Whenever I talk with my clients they tell me that they have the hardest time hitting their protein macro goals. They can easily hit or surpass their carb or fat goals, but they can’t think of enough protein-packed foods to eat during the day.
I understand that when you’re feeling munchy your first instinct is to reach for carbs! I know they’re quick and delicious and great for snacking on, but if you can change your habits and reach for protein-packed foods, you will be much better off!
One of the craziest things that protein does is help stabilize and even improve our moods! Protein helps to synthesize our hormones, so when you’re feeling hangry, you need protein to keep you full and balance out those hormones.
My favorite sources of protein:
Rotisserie chicken: I always keep rotisserie chicken on hand because it’s so easy to add to a dish - or eat on its own! If you have a hard time eating protein at breakfast or lunch, having a rotisserie chicken on hand will help because you don’t need to prepare it! Just add it to your meal and you instantly have more protein!
PBFit: I love adding PBFit to my smoothies, baked goods or even a good ol’ PB&J because it gives me a lot of protein without as much fat as regular peanut butter. This does come as a dry powder, so if you want a creamy texture you can add water.
Frozen shrimp: Do you always forget to pull meat out of the freezer in time for it to thaw before dinner? Me too! I love having frozen shrimp on hand because it thaws so quickly and I can whip something up when I’m in a pinch!
Greek yogurt: True Greek yogurt is packed with protein! You need to make sure you’re buying Greek Yogurt without added sugars or it quickly turns into a less nutritious treat. I love adding berries, nuts, PBFit and just about anything else to my yogurt!
Cottage cheese: Cottage cheese is a great multi-tasker protein! I have it as a snack all the time because it’s quick and easy, but I also add it to other dishes! It’s so simple to add to other meals because it doesn’t have a strong taste! I even have a cheesecake recipe that I add cottage cheese to! It’s so good!
My top 5 carb options
I’ve gone in-depth on the necessity of carbs in your diet, but I want to reiterate it here because it’s so important! Carbs are necessary to have a well-rounded, balanced diet! Our bodies use carbohydrates as their first source of energy.
You should try to eat more complex carbs to get the most nutrients out of each carb. Don’t forget that fruits and veggies are also carbohydrates, so you want to think about those as well when you’re planning your meals.
Go-to carbs that are good for you
Dave’s Killer Bread: I love Dave’s Killer Bread. It’s an organic whole wheat option and they have a variety of products for the whole family to enjoy. My kids love their white bread, and I love giving it to them because it’s still a whole wheat bread! They also have bagels and English muffins. You’ll get your bread fix no problem.
Protein pasta: The thing I love about protein pasta is that it has more protein than regular pasta, it’s usually a whole grain and your kids won’t know the difference! Remember, that even though this is called protein pasta, it is still a carbohydrate! Don’t be fooled by product packages! If there are more grams of carbs than protein, then it’s a carb!
Fruits & Veggies: Like I mentioned earlier, fruits and veggies are carbs, but they contain so many vitamins and minerals that I want you to eat them often. Obviously, fruit has a lot of sugar so don’t reach for it every single time, but fruit is still good for you! On the other hand, you probably need more veggies than you’re currently getting, so reach for those whenever you feel snacky!
Caramel Rice Cakes: I love having a fun snack every once in a while but I don’t want to blow my macros for the entire day, so I use flavored rice cakes! I love the caramel rice cakes, but you can choose any flavor that suits you! I love topping my rice cakes with nut butter and raw honey! It is a really well-balanced snack!
Pretzel thins & hummus: I’m about to drop a knowledge bomb on you. Hummus is not a protein! It is high in protein, but it’s a carb. You can still enjoy hummus and reach your protein goals, but remember to eat appropriate serving sizes so you don’t go over your carb goals! I love pairing pretzel thins with hummus but you can also use some fresh cut veggies!
My top 5 fat options
Fats are the final macronutrient that you need in your diet! Fats are good for you! They play an important part in our nutrition and in our bodies. The most important thing you need to know about fats is portion sizes!
Fats are delicious, but we tend to overeat them, which can take a healthy food and make it unhealthy very quickly! Be sure that you know how much fat you need in your diet and how much you’re eating at each meal so that you can reach your goals!
Healthy fats to include in your diet
Dark chocolate: Let’s start with the food we always need: chocolate! The best part of macro tracking is that you don’t have to give up your favorite foods, but it doesn’t hurt to choose better options when you can. I love going for dark chocolate over milk chocolate because it has so many more antioxidants!
Laughing Cow Cheese: I love Laughing Cow Cheeses! They have so many great flavors and they are great to eat with pretzel thins, or to spread on sandwiches! I even make little lettuce “bagels” with them, where I take a piece of butter lettuce, spread the cheese on it and then top it with Everything But the Bagel seasoning. They are great little treats and have a good amount of protein in them too!
Guacamole: Avocados are good but let’s be honest, guac is better. I love having guac as a topping or as a snack because it’s such a good source of fat and is packed with nutrients! The only dangerous thing with guacamole is that again, it’s easy to overeat! Make sure you’re sticking to a true portion of two tablespoons unless you have the macros to eat more!
Seeds: Seeds are an easily overlooked source of nutrients and fats. Chia seeds have become more popular in the last few years, which is awesome! I love mixing chia seeds into smoothies or yogurt to add some extra fat and protein. I also love mixing hemp and chia seeds into my oatmeal in the morning!
Nut butters: It doesn’t really matter if you eat peanut butter or any other nut butter options that may suit your fancy as long as you’re choosing clean nut butters. That means they should have one, two ingredients tops. I love nut butters because they are a whole food that packs a healthy fat in with a good chunk of protein.
If you have more suggestions for healthy proteins, carbs and fats, then tell me in the comments! I would love to hear what you’re eating to reach your goals.
If you’re not macro tracking but you want to learn more about it and see if it’s a good fit for you, then let’s chat! You can schedule a free discovery call with me and we’ll see how I can help you reach your health and nutrition goals.
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