I really like the concept of IIFYM
“If It Fits Your Macros”
This is kinda/ sorta a new approach to eating….but not really.
What IIFYM is.
At the base level it’s:
- Your daily caloric intake is “restricted” to your current goals. <—so you have a number
- All your food for the day must combine to meet certain levels of Macronutrients:
- Proteins
- Fats
- Carbohydrates
- Any foods are allowed as long as all Macronurtient levels FOR THE DAY are met.
And that is what makes IIFYM so popular.
You can eat cake.
If, it fits your macros.
This is pretty much the style of eating I’ve employed for ohh, about 15 years now.
Here’s why.
I Really Like Ice Cream
And I usually eat some almost everyday.
But, usually, it does Fit My Macros.
Here’s how: btw, this is a real day, I sha@t you not.
Meal one:
-
- Plain nonfat yogurt, 2 scoops of EAS protein powder, 5 grams creatine, fruit mixed in
- 500 cals
Meal Two:
- Chicken breast, 2 cups of pineapple
- 300 cals
Intra and Post workout shake:
-
- ends up being 4 scoops of EAS protein powder and a little bit of Taang.
- 600 cals
Meal Three:
- Chicken breast, 2 cups of mixed melon (yes, I like fruit)
- 300 cals
Meal Four:
-
- Quest Cookies and Cream bar
- 200 cals
Meal Five:
-
- 2 Scoops Muscle Milk
- 300 cals
Meal Six:
- Something meaty, guessing about 6-8oz or so. and A salad, how much, I don’t how much but a BIG one.
- 600 cals
Meal Seven:
- Probably a cup of Turkey Hill Party Cake Ice Cream<—-best ice cream EVER
- 350 cals
Guesstimated Macros:
- Protein: 230g
- Fats: I don’t really know
- Carbs: I don’t really care
- Cals: 3150
Yeah, I only focus on Proteins and Fats UNLESS I’m trying to drop weight.
Full disclosure: Sometimes it does not fit my macros, for many days on end and I gain weight (see FAT) because of these nutritional indiscretions. At which point I must restrict my macros, usually carbs for me for a period of time. During this time Turkey Hill Party Cake is the best cause it’s like a swolegasm in your mouth ice cream does not Fit My Macros.
See how that works?
Metabolic Rate or How Many Calories you Burn in A Day.
Well, on this day I lived which is about 1865 calories for me (I’m 5’8, 205lbs) just to survive. <—click to find your BMR, the caloric rate of existence fo’ you.
But I did stuff too and that adds up.
So here’s the quick and dirty way to figure this out:
Take your body weight and multiply it by:
- 11 if you want to lose weight
- 14 if you want to maintain weight
So for me that would be:
11 x 205= 2,255 calories
14 x 205= 2,870 calories
And these are pretty accurate.
In general, when I’m under 3,000 calories I’m maintaining and if I’m around 2,200 calories I’m dropping weight pretty fast.
So Did it Fit My Macros?
I’m thinking YES..
Since I only focus on Proteins and Calories when trying to maintain or gain weight I hit both my Protein goal (210g goal) and Calorie goal was close enough 3,100 vs 2,800 est.
When adding in being on my feet for 5 hours training and another hour for my workout…I’m thinking, I’m good.
Does it Really Fit Your Macros or is it Nutritional Jackassery
ok, so we’ve established calories in/ calories out matters and you NEED to hit your protein/ carbs and fats numbers to continue to progress.
Does half a package of Oreo’s fit my macros?
ummmmm,
No.
Unfortunately, IIFYM has become.
Plain chicken breasts and a dozen chocolate chip cookies.
And that ain’t how it works.
The purpose of IIFYM, or what I think is better described as,
Flexible Dieting
is that you have some built-in leeway in your diet.
You don’t have to stick to clean foods all the time.
You can be flexible within reason as long as you’re on point the other 80-90% of the time.
Yes,
Most of your meals are still broccoli and chicken breast.
But,
Yes, you can have a hamburger and fries on Friday night.
No, you can’t “save up” calories so you can gorge yourself on Nilla wafers.
Yeah, the 1,000 calories of Nilla Wafers might technically fit your macros,
But what other nutritional value did you get out of it?
Answer: Zero.
Yeah, the other stuff…
the micronutrients
IT MATTERS
Personally, I think Flexible Dieting or IIFYM is the way to go.
Fact is, it’s what most long-term fitness enthusiasts fall into over time.
They just didn’t know it.
That said, not eating all day and then eating half a pizza isn’t IIFYM.
*and NO it’s not intermittent fasting either..
It’s stupid.
Here’s a really bad flowchart that I made.
This should help you understand why when you post an Instagram food porn shot of a brownie sundae with the caption,
“Ate nothing all day except protein powder so I could save up 2000 calories for this….#IIFYM”
is not IIFYM and is Nutritional Jackassery of the highest regard.
I put a (c) on it, but you can steal it….it’s cool.
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