How to Track

Use any free app. MyFitnessPal, Cronometer, MacroFactor. They all work.

Spend one week weighing your food. After that, you can eyeball most things. But that first week teaches you what portions actually look like. Most people underestimate their intake by 20-30%.

Pre-log your day in the morning. Enter breakfast, lunch, dinner, and your shake. See what’s left. Fill the gaps intentionally. This prevents the 9 PM panic when you realize you’re 800 calories short of your target or 400 calories over.

Sample Day

Breakfast: 3 whole eggs scrambled in butter, 2 slices toast, 1 cup whole milk, 1 banana. (~700 cal, 35g P)

Mid-morning shake: 2 scoops whey, 2 tbsp peanut butter, 1 cup whole milk, 1 banana, ice. (~800 cal, 55g P)

Lunch: 6 oz grilled chicken, 1.5 cups cooked rice, vegetables, sauce. (~650 cal, 45g P)

Afternoon snack: Greek yogurt with honey and granola. (~300 cal, 18g P)

Dinner: 5 oz salmon, 1 cup roasted potatoes, vegetables with olive oil. (~650 cal, 35g P)

Evening: Handful of almonds, glass of whole milk. (~300 cal, 10g P)

Daily total: ~3,400 calories, 198g protein. Adjust portions down if you need to land closer to 2,600-2,800.

Adherence Tips

• Drink at least one high-calorie shake daily. Liquid calories bypass the fullness signal that stops you from eating enough.
• Switch to whole milk for everything. Easy extra 300-500 calories with zero extra chewing.
• Add oils and butters to your cooking. One tablespoon is 120 calories. You won’t notice it, but your total intake will.
• Set alarms to eat every 2.5-3 hours. Your hunger signals are unreliable from years of undereating. Don’t trust them.
• Weigh yourself weekly. Same day, same time. Expect 0.5-1 pound gain. If nothing moves for two weeks, add 200 calories.

Bottom Line

Track your food. Hit your protein. Stay in your calorie range. Train consistently. The results follow.

There are no magic foods. No forbidden ingredients. Just numbers, executed daily, until the accumulation becomes visible.