IIFYM aka IF IT FITS YOUR MACROS has been around for a while now, and is considered a 'flexible' way of dieting as no foods are off limits as long as it fits your macros.
SO WTF are macros? Macronutrients y'all, aka carbohydrates, fats, & proteins. Body builders & fitness pros have been using IIFYM when building muscle, cutting fat and maintaining their physique. Originally designed by fit pro Anthony Collova after he became frustrated with traditional diets.
There are 4 types of food molecules the body breaks down for energy:
Protein, which has 4 calories per gram.
Carbohydrates, which have 4 calories per gram.
Fat, which has 9 calories per gram.
Alcohol, which has 7 calories per gram (to be used in moderation in place of other calories on occasion)
To follow IIFYM, you'll need to do 2 basic things, calculate your macros and then track and meet them each day. A fitness or nutrition pro can help you determine exactly how many grams of protein, fat & carbs you need each day to meet your goals. You'll just need to track and adjust your food intake each day to meet them, occasionally adjusting them as your goals/needs change.
SO let's go over some of the questions I get asked the most about IIFYM.
Is it a diet? In a way yes, you are logging and counting your foods aiming to hit a certain amount of grams of each macro nutrient in a day. It doesn't restrict what foods you eat, but in a way restricts the amount of food you can have depending on your goals.
Will it help me lose weight? Yes it can be used for weight loss, weight maintenance and weight gain.
Will I have to do it forever? Kind of, you'll get in the habit of knowing what foods fit, and how much of each you can have, do you have to be dilligent about doing it forever? in my opinion no. If your activity level changes, or you start to notice you're gaining weight, it may be helpful to go back to tracking for a bit.
How do I figure out what my macros are? That's best left to a professional, but you can find calculators on bodybuilding.com and other websites to get a general idea. Be aware the numbers can vary greatly between calculators, which is why I recommend consulting with a pro to get exact recommendations. What works for your BFF may not work for you.
I hate math can you help me figure out my macros? I sure can, as a sports nutrition specialist its one of my specialties! I include this for all of my fitness clients as part of my 1:1 coaching, but can do it as a one time service. If you're interested in learning more and setting up a consult, send me an email hello@brianaottinger.com
Although I stand firm on my diets don't work platform, I have clients that come to me on the regular looking for a way to lose weight in a responsible and sustainable manner. Intuitive eating lacks the structure needed to help someone lose weight, and was never designed to be a weight loss mechanism. To help my clients get results, I began implementing IIFYM to help people give up dieting in the traditional sense, while giving them the structure needed to help them lose weight. I also implement the 10 principles of intuitive eating, to help them build a better relationship with food.
Is this a perfect solution? It's not for everyone, but for my clients (and myself) it gives them flexibility AND structure. IIFYM combined with workouts and the accountability of a coach its helping to give them results in the very FIRST week of training! Interested in learning more? Click to join the waitlist for Yo-Yo No More: my signature 12-week nutrition and fitness program that offers a holistic, flexible approach to weight loss with results* in the first week!
*results, whether physically visible and/or change of lifestyle and mindset.