I always seem to get to Chipotle at the wrong time. It’s either right after the last table gets filled, or right before they replenish the lettuce. You would think that somewhere between the bursts of E.coli business would slow down a bit, but the line still circles the corner, and I am still waiting for a salad bowl with fajita vegetables, hot salsa, medium salsa, mild salsa, and barbacoa in a side cup. I know what you’re thinking. “That’s all you get?” “No rice?” “No guac?” “No CHEESE?!” “Why the side cup?” Relax. It could be worse; I could’ve ordered Sofritas.

Diets may be strict, but they don’t have to restrict.

Unlike the days of grapefruit juice and cottage cheese, today’s nutritional information is as simple as that science class you took in high school. Okay— so maybe it isn’t that simple.

Nonetheless, the theories that there are specific foods that will make one gain/lose weight are debunked, and the truth about food, nutrition, and weight management are as direct as calories in/calories out, right?

Almost.

While calories in verses calories out will have a predominate say in whether or not someone loses weight, it’s the breakdown of macronutrients, or the kind of calories, that influence body composition. Tracking macronutrients is the most efficient way to do this.

1g Carbs= 4 calories

1g Protein= 4 calories

1g Fat= 9 calories

For example, a protein bar with 20g of carbs, 25g of protein, and 5g of fat will be [(20x4)+(25x4)+(5x9)] for a total of 225 calories.

Tracking macros has gained massive popularity in the realm of dieting because it does not restrict dieters to specific foods or ridiculous cleanses. Apps like MyFitnessPal and Lose It! Include restaurants in their databases, which makes it possible for people to go out to eat and engage in social gatherings without veering off track.

But what happens when that incredible, gooey, salty Chipotle cheese has just too many grams of fat for you to fit into your macro allowance for the day? Or when hoarding carbs for a burrito wrap would mean cutting out your favorite breakfast cereal? Now, you can make the sacrifice; a gram of carbs is a gram carbs regardless. But remember how long that Chipotle line is. Remember how hungry you already are waiting for the jerk before you take twelve minutes to decide if he’s ready to make the jump to hot salsa. Now imagine that you didn’t have your normal breakfast. You’re standing there, stomach rumbling, glaring at him and his salsa apprehensions, and out of hanger and frustration, you get whatever looks best, because we all know that calories when you’re mad count about just as much as the calories that started on someone else’s plate.

So what do you do when you want that burrito, but don’t want to sacrifice a meal’s worth of carbs? Or when you want that extra cheese but don’t want to skip out on your morning "tablespoon" of peanut butter?

You look for alternatives. The great part about macro tracking, is that YOU are in control of not only what goes in, but of about much goes in! When my poverty macros had me feeling cheese-deprived at Chipotle, I began to bring my own portion of fat free cheese, and throwing it in my salad. The heat from the meat and veggies melt it right away, and nobody can tell the difference. There are also low carb wraps that I have brought there to give myself the satisfaction of a burrito without the anxiety that the guy ahead of me might make the long jump and order extra guacamole.

The side cup is also an option at Chipotle, which ensures a correct 4oz portion.

While macro-tracking allows for flexibility, and apps like MyFitnessPal make it convenient to track macros, it takes creativity to work with a low carb or low fat diet, but it IS possible with little tricks.

And yes, you can have your diet and eat Chipotle too. And no, they don't have to be seperate.