Should you track your Macros?

Counting Macros has been a very popular trend nowadays in the health and fitness world. The question is, is it really the right decision for your health? I put together a small pros and cons list of why i think it could/couldn't be helpful.

Pros:

• You have complete control 
• You know whats going into your body and you can track how your body feels on different levels of macronutrients 
• You know what your body will need in its next meal. More protein? More carbs?
• You can use this to help you stay motivated in eating well in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle

Cons:

• Its hard to make counting nutrients a lifestyle. Your body changes and the amount of calories needed can change. 
• You become obsessed with the numbers. 
• Food and eating becomes stressful. What if you eat a meal that you don't know what's exactly in it?
• Food is always on your mind. Whats the next meal?, Can I afford a cheat meal?, etc 
• You eat what you're eating because you have to and dieting becomes a numbers game. 

Back in high school when i was a gym rat I decided one day to start counting calories. At the time, this was an easy diet to maintain because i was either at school or at work so i made my meals ahead of time. I'd weigh out EVERYTHING on a little food scale before preparing and distributing into containers. It eventually became exhausting just simply using the scale and entering all of the numbers into my food tracking app. Even when I'd go out to eat i'd make sure my app had the restaurants menu's nutrient facts, otherwise i wouldn't go. I ended this ridiculous diet because my stomach was constantly rumbling and i never felt fully energized. 

I don't regret this phase though. I ended up learning a lot about health and how my body worked on certain amount of nutrients. This diet didn't work for me but i do know others that loved it! Everyones preferences are different. When i cook a meal i typically think to myself "how can i add this healthy fat into this meal?" I personally think it's important to find a way to add a healthy amount of every macro nutrient into your meals. 

Everyone thrives off of different eating styles so at the end of the day, its really up to you. If you think tracking your macros will help you achieve a goal then do so. But don't push your body to limits it can't go to or feel guilty about eating. Healthy eating should be enjoyable and delicious not something that brings you anxiety. 

The BEST (but spicy) Buffalo sauce

One day my boyfriend and I wanted to make buffalo wings but didn't want to use just your average Franklins RedHot. So, we decided to take a trip the grocery store and make our own and it turned out amazing. We made them for the first time on football Sunday earlier this year for a room full of hungry boys and they were an absolute hit. With that being said, I'm sharing our wonderful concoction to try and I highly encourage you do so...it's so easy!

Here is our twist on a homemade buffalo sauce:

Yield- 10-12 wings

Ingredients:

• Half a bottle of Cholula hot sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon of Tropical Pepper Co. Exxtra hot habanero sauce (you can add a little more for an extra kick)
• 1/4 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons of Olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon of sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon of pepper
• 1/2 egg yolk
• dash of crushed red pepper
• dash of cayenne powder 

Instructions: 

• On a medium-large sauce pan on medium heat, heat up everything EXCEPT THE EGG YOLK. 
• Once the sauce comes to a simmer, remove from heat and let it cool for about 90 seconds
• Take half of an egg yolk and whisk it in a bowl 
• Slowly pour the yolk into the sauce while stirring the whole time
• Stir until the egg is mixed fully into the sauce 
• Add to wings!

The egg yolk adds such a nice texture to the sauce, that and the Tropical Pepper Co. Exxtra hot habanero sauce is what makes it so tasty. 

This is the sauce in case you've never heard of the brand. (I got mine at food lion)

Enjoy!

My Top 5

Keeping up with whats in the media is important now-a-days. These are the websites that I check frequently to stay up to date with new things that are happening with my interests. Topics like sports, health and beauty, home improvement, music, and global news. 

ESPN news

I like reading the articles that come out on ESPN not only because they’re well-written but because I like to keep up with the current sports on TV and players/teams that I follow. If you’re looking for top news on any sport this is a great website to explore. They also have tabs with the specific sport name and you can read up on articles just in that sport. 

Pinterest

I love Pinterest. I find all types of new things on pinterest ranging from health to interior design to learning how to make cool new crafts for children. On thanksgiving this year I found holiday themed candles that you can make with the items in your fridge. Pinterest Is perfect for people looking for new DIYs, remedies for illnesses, new tattoo ideas, or even bride-to-be’s searching for themes to their wedding. 

MSN

To keep up with local and global news, I like to read MSN news. I made it my home page for my browser so the daily news is the first thing I see when I open my computer. I prefer MSN over CNN because CNN covers a lot of politics and its always the first thing you see when you open the website whereas MSN has many different articles that pop up on the home screen as well as several different categories. 

Billboard

To keep up with news in music I like reading articles and updates on the website Billboard. Billboard not only has articles to read on artists, bands, and producers but they let you know when songs/albums are released and what movies on artists are released. Billboard also lets you know when artists and bands go on tour 

Everyday Health

Everyday health is a great website if you’re a health nut like me. They have different hacks, tips, and motivational tools for anything you might need health related. Topics on this website range from the best workout shoes, how to use weight training equipment, and the science of sweat. Its truly a very interesting website to check out even if you don’t go to the gym. I like reading up on articles that give tips on how to stay healthy when you’re sick.