macro tracking 101 for someone who's never counted before
I'm not going to tell you to download MyFitnessPal. you'll quit in three days. instead, here's how I'd start someone today, with no app and no kitchen scale.
day 1-2: just write things down
for two days, write down everything you eat. don't measure. don't count. just a list. you'll learn more from looking at the list than from any number.
common discovery on day 2: half your calories were liquid. or: you ate 4 things, not 12. either way, the list is more useful than tracking.
day 3: identify the protein anchor
circle the protein source in every meal. if there isn't one, you found the problem.
rule of thumb: every meal needs a chicken-breast-sized portion of something protein-dense. a tandoco entrée from the menu qualifies. so does eggs, greek yogurt, cottage cheese, fish, lean beef. a granola bar does not.
day 4-5: estimate, not weigh
palm-sized = ~25g protein. fist-sized = ~30g carbs. thumb-tip = ~5g fat. that's the whole framework.
goal for most people: 4-5 palms of protein per day. that lands in the 100-150g range. enough to maintain or build muscle, conservative enough you won't get into weird metabolic territory.
when to add an app
after two weeks of palm-counting. by then you'll know what 30g of protein looks like by sight. THAT is when an app helps — the foundation is built.
or skip the app entirely and order from a service that does the math for you. the macros on every bakery and store item at tandoco are weighed and published per item. no estimating required.