Not all foods easily fit into neat macro categories, making achieving your macro goals appear straightforward on paper or a spreadsheet; but in reality it may feel more like painting by numbers!

Finding foods that precisely align with your macro targets can be daunting, making the task of tracking intake seem impossible.

Although there are plenty of apps that can assist in tracking the nutritional breakdown of each food you eat, not everyone finds using an app suitable.

You may be tracking macros without using an app in your pocket and have questions about how different foods fit into various macro categories.

There are multiple strategies available to you for assistance.

In this post, we’ll look at ways and solutions for accommodating foods that don’t fall neatly into any one macronutrient category, from individual beans (which contain both proteins and carbs) to dishes like soup or stew that contain multiple macronutrients.

Before we dive deeper into foods that defy traditional macro categories, let’s quickly review some basics about carbs, proteins and fat.

Carbs, protein, and fat are three macronutrients our bodies require in abundance to function optimally, providing energy as well as helping repair and build tissue while protecting organs.