Whether you’re new to tracking your macros or have been doing it for a while, some weeks can be tough and frustrating. You may feel like you’re constantly playing macro tetris and can’t figure out how to hit your numbers without pounding protein shakes or having every single meal and snack portioned out in a tupperware. Maybe you’re just feeling bored with the process and becoming a little lax with your tracking. If you’re having an off week or feeling overwhelmed as you get the hang of tracking, taking a little extra time to set yourself up for a good week can make all the difference.

Here are a few of our top ways set yourself up for successful tracking:

1 — PRE-LOG YOUR FOOD

Take 5 minutes to sit down and plan out your day in the morning so you have a rough idea of what you’ll be eating later. Log your potential meals and snacks in MyFitnessPal so that you have an idea of what you’ll be eating each day. This will not only give your meals and snacks some structure, but it will also help you avoid reaching the end of the day with too much or too little food left. You’ll still have the flexibility to adapt your plan to changes if a treat or an unexpected meal out come up and can make changes as needed.

2 — PREP YOUR PROTEIN

Having easy food options on hand can be a game changer. For many, hitting protein numbers can be the most challenging, so focusing your meal prep or batch prep around protein sources can be really helpful. Bake some chicken breast, grill some chicken thighs, throw a roast in the crockpot, hard boil some eggs, prepare egg muffins, portion out servings protein powder, or even prepare some servings of overnight oats with collagen or another protein powder.

3 — HAVE A STRATEGY

Everyone’s macro numbers are different depending on their specific goals; that means everyone’s strategy for hitting their numbers should be different as well. If you’re eating for fat loss and numbers are on the lower side, make sure you’re planning high-volume food into your day. If you’re struggling to get all of your food in, plan on calorie dense meals and snacks like smoothies and shakes.

4 — KEEP SNACKS ON HAND

It’s inevitable that we’ll have days where we’re on the go and can’t fit in a meal. Keep go-to snacks in your bag, car, or in your work fridge to fill the gaps at these times. Some great macro-friendly snacks are pre-chopped veggies, fruit, rice cakes, hard boiled eggs, applesauce packets, or nonfat greek yogurt or cottage cheese single serve containers. If you need some more calorie-dense options, stock up on protein bars, hummus or guacamole single serves, higher fat greek yogurt or cottage cheese single serves, protein shakes, juices, or granola bars.

5 — REMEMBER THAT YOU’RE GOING TO MESS UP

Whether you’re new to the process or an experienced tracker, remember that you’re going to mess up. You’ll have off weeks. It’s going to happen. Be kind to yourself and remember that a bad day, or even a few bad days, isn’t enough to sabotage progress. When you have a off day, don’t give up and turn it into an off week. Move on and prepare for the new day by using some of the strategies above.

Want more resources to help you on your macro tracking journey (we’re talking meal prep cookbooks, macro templates, restaurant guides, meal planning worksheets, and more!)? Check out The Shop to set yourself up for success!