Most of our new Macrostaxers feel this way, so you’re not alone! Usually this is a sign someone was previously undereating, but once your body adjusts, you will be surprised at how many nutrients your body actually needs and it won’t feel like you are eating that much food anymore.

However, what you can do in the meantime is eat foods with higher density which will help you meet your macros for the day without filling you up as much. Macro “density” refers to the concentration of macros in a portion of food. Some foods (like cucumber or rice cakes) have a low macro density or less than about 5 grams of macros per serving. Other foods (like sweet potato or banana) have a high macro density, or more than 20 grams of macros per serving:

In other words, you would opt for the higher density food so you don’t have to eat as much, like the sweet potato instead of the cucumbers. Liquid calories like sports beverages or coconut water will also help.

Feel free to use our Macro Cheat Sheet below for ideas to hit your macros!