Tracking Hacks with Coach Stefanie

Hi all! Coach Stefanie here!

In case you missed it, iTrackBites just launched a September Reset! We’re encouraging (or hopefully inspiring) you to commit to tracking your food for 25 days straight! You can find more details about the challenge HERE. I thought it would be helpful to speak to my favorite “tracking hacks” today, in hopes of making this reset feel more like a total habit changer! This month is all about tracking. It is the number one tool to be successful. For most people, tracking alone (without restricting intake) can already have a positive effect on their weight since you remain accountable to yourself. It’s one thing to stick 5 oreos in your mouth while nobody is watching, but if you know that you have to acknowledge the fact that you ate them by writing them down, you usually think twice about it. But we all have hectic lives and sometimes tracking can seem overwhelming. So, I wanted to share some tips and tricks I picked up along the way that have helped me.

Track ahead

I personally love pre-tracking. I like to sit down the night before and plan out what I will eat the next day and add it all to my day. That way I have a plan for the day that I know will work and throughout the day I don’t have to worry about getting on the app and tracking in the moment. Since the app lets you delete and change entries, you are still able to modify what you ate if you need to but this takes the constant tracking out of your day.

The barcode scanner

Another tool I love to utilize is the barcode scanner. It is not always the most accurate way to track but it saves soooo much time which often makes it worth it to me. Keep in mind that the barcode scanner does not know 0 BITE foods. It just pulls up the nutritional information that calculates BITES. It also may have outdated information if the company recently made a change so it is worth it to double check the scan against the nutritional information every once in a while.

Write BITE counts on food

You can also help your tracking efforts while in the store. You can check certain food items while you’re at the store to make better choices in what you buy. In addition, I like to go ahead and write the bites for the foods I bought onto the package. This helps me get a quick overview of how many BITES I am consuming without sitting in front of my phone typing things in. Just like with pre-tracking, I can then do my tracking when it is convenient for me.

Measure once

Along the same lines, I also like to package stuff in portion sizes, especially snacks. I have found the constant weighing (or better the getting out the scale, finding a bowl for it etc) to be a huge hassle and deterrent to staying on track and tracking my food. Instead, I like to prepare pre-portioned snacks and foods so I only have to go through that process once and not every time I want a snack.

Jot it down somewhere

And lastly, it is important to just write it down somewhere. If you don’t have the time to go through your phone to track something properly, just jot it down somewhere. Let’s say you’re in a meeting and decide to grab a piece of candy. You probably don’t want to take out your phone, open the app and track the piece of candy right there and then. But you can always just keep track of your treats on a piece of scrap paper and then add it into your app later on. Remember: Done is better than perfect! What are some of your tracking hacks? Comment below!Happy Tracking!