Skip to main content

A Beginner’s Guide to Following Macros (Without Losing Your Mind)

Tighter Together is now Move Together.

We’ve refreshed the name to better reflect our mission: building strength, consistency, and community — together. 💙 Learn more about that change here.

Tracking macros can feel overwhelming at first — totally normal!


Many Move Together members start out thinking, “How do I put all these numbers together without messing up?”


The good news: with a little practice, it becomes second nature — and you don’t have to be perfect to see progress.


Start with the Basics

When you joined Move Together, you received two sets of numbers:

  • Fat Loss Macros – for when you’re focused on leaning out.

  • Maintenance Macros – for when you’re ready to maintain or build.

Your Move Together manual is your best friend here. It walks you through how long to stay in the fat-loss phase, when to switch to maintenance, and how to adjust if life happens. The manual also includes plenty of recipes, sample days, and a deep dive into both macros and our Build Your Plate method — seriously, it’s loaded with tips.


Pick Your Macro Tracking Tool

We recommend MyFitnessPal or MacrosFirst — both have free versions and beginner-friendly.

Set your daily macro targets to the numbers from your nutrition assessment, then start logging. You can scan barcodes, save meals, and even copy yesterday’s breakfast with one tap.


Get a Food Scale (Your Secret Weapon)

For the first couple of weeks, we highly recommend using a small digital food scale, like this one.

It’s not about perfection — it’s simply the fastest way to learn what 4oz of chicken or 30g of oats actually look like. Once you’ve built that mental picture, you can eyeball portions more confidently and pull back on weighing (if that feels better for you!)

💡 Pro tip: When possible, weigh foods in grams (best!) or ounces rather than cups. Weight is much more accurate for tracking macros since volume measurements (like cups) can vary depending on how packed the food is. If a nutrition label includes grams, try to match the serving size by weight for the best accuracy.


Real Life Tips from the Move Together Team:

  • Pre-log when you can. Enter dinner in the morning to see how the day balances out.

  • Use repeats. Save your go-to meals so you’re not starting from scratch.

  • Don’t sweat the small gaps. Within ~5g of your targets is great. Perfection isn’t the goal — consistency is.

  • Lean on your challenge manual (located in the Resources tab). Recipes, sample days, and troubleshooting guides are all in there for you!


Build a Meal, Not a Math Problem

Instead of thinking “I need X grams of protein by dinner,” think in meals:

  • Protein first. Make sure every meal has a solid protein source — chicken, Greek yogurt, tofu, eggs, etc.

  • Add produce. Half your plate veggies or fruit keeps you full and adds fiber.

  • Round it out. Fill the rest with carbs and healthy fats to match your preferences.

This is why we also created the Build Your Plate Method (also in the manual):

Build Your Plate Method: What is it?

The Build Your Plate approach is a relaxed, intuitive, and intentional way to build balanced meals that fuel your body. It’s focused on balance and sustainability — and it’s meant to work for you, not against you.

With the Build Your Plate method, we divide your plate into simple sections based on macronutrients and your goals:

  • ½ plate non-starchy fruits and veggies
    ¼ plate protein
    ¼ plate complex, high-fiber carbohydrates

  • a thumb-size serving of healthy fats

It’s a visual shortcut to balanced macros — no weighing food required.


Overwhelmed? You’re Not Alone

Many Move Together members feel exactly like you at first. It’s a new skill, just like learning a workout move. Give yourself a couple of weeks to find your rhythm. Most people are surprised by how quickly it clicks!

Remember, tracking macros is simply a tool to help you learn what’s on your plate and fuel your body well. Whether you weigh every bite or eyeball with the Build Your Plate method, you’re still moving toward your goals.

Not sure which option is right for you? Use this as your guide:

  • If you like structure, data, and clear targets → tracking macros may feel supportive.

  • If you prefer simplicity, flexibility, and a more intuitive approach → Build Your Plate is a great fit.

There’s no wrong choice — just the one that helps you stay consistent and feel good doing it!

If you have any questions or need assistance, our Support Team is here to help. Contact us anytime at support@movesapp.com—we’re dedicated to making sure you have the best experience possible!

Did this answer your question?