Getting the Most Out of Your Meal Tracker

You may have been told by your doctor or dietitian to consider meal tracking to help meet your health goals. However, meal tracking can be overwhelming if it’s your first time trying it.

How should you keep track of what you eat? Should you use meal tracking app? Which app should you use? Susan Campbell, RD, LD, a registered dietitian at University Hospitals, offers some tips on how to get started with meal tracking.

What Are Meal Trackers?

Meal trackers are apps that record what, when and how much you eat. They also translate this information into valuable nutritional and behavioral advice.

Meal tracking is not just for people looking to lose weight. Other reasons to track meals include:

• Eating better balanced meals more frequently
• Building muscle mass
• Increasing dietary fiber
• Lowering cholesterol

“Whatever your goal may be, a tracker is a powerful tool for raising self-awareness about your eating habits,” says Campbell. “It allows you to see eating patterns and behaviors that you may not have been aware of.”

Deciding on a Tracker

There are many meal tracking apps out there. Some are free, others must be purchased. They all work differently, too. Depending on the app, you may have to type in the foods you eat, take pictures of your food, enter your food using barcodes or log meals using your voice. 

“It’s a good idea to do a little research first so that you pick a meal tracker that works best for you,” advises Campbell.

Calories, Macronutrients and Micronutrients

Your meal tracker may keep track of calories, macronutrients, micronutrients or all three:

• Calories. Units of energy your body obtains from the food and drinks you consume. Calories fuel basic body functions like breathing, blood flow and physical activity.
• Macronutrients. Carbohydrates, protein and lipids (fats). These are the three main nutrients your body needs in large amounts to produce energy and function properly.
• Micronutrients. Essential vitamins and minerals that your body requires in smaller amounts to support normal daily functions, growth and development.

“Trackers that monitor macronutrients usually have a default pre-set that you can modify,” says Campbell.

For example, a common macronutrient ratio many people follow to lose weight is to obtain 30% of their calories from protein, 40% from carbohydrates and 30% from fat. Your tracker will let you know if you are going over or under these numbers.

However, the macronutrient ratio that will best help you meet your health goals may differ from that widely used 30/40/30 split. Campbell notes that a dietitian can provide great guidance on selecting the ratio that best addresses your nutritional needs and health goals.

Tips for Using Your Tracker

“In my outpatient practice, I often hear people say they don’t do meal tracking because they’re not good at it,” Campbell says. “But meal tracking doesn’t have to be an all or nothing activity. Instead, I like to emphasize being curious over being perfect.” 

Here are some helpful tips on getting the most out of your meal tracker:

• Start slow: Maybe start off by tracking only two or three days a week. Some trackers allow you to set reminders to enter your meals. 
• Set daily goals. Enter your age, height, weight, sex and activity level into the app to calculate your daily calorie and macronutrient targets.
• Measure your portions: Use a digital kitchen scale, measuring cups and measuring spoons to measure your food portions in grams or ounces rather than guessing. Once you get the hang of it, you may learn to eye up what a cup or teaspoon looks like without having to actually measure it.
• Be brave and honest: It’s important to be honest with yourself and log the foods and portions you eat even if you know they are not the best nutritional choices.
• Include hidden extras: Don’t forget to log cooking oils, butter, salad dressings, sauces and liquid calories such as coffee creamers and alcohol.
• Pre-log your day: Plan and enter your meals in the morning or the night before to minimize daily decision fatigue.
• Save frequent meals: Create custom recipes or save regular meals in your tracker to log them with a single tap.

Related Links

The clinical dietitians at University Hospitals develop healthy eating plans for adults and children to optimize overall health and prevent or manage a range of health conditions.