iifym approach

[Swervyn-Ervyn]

I'm not a fan of IIFYM but i am sure it works for some

If your tracking fibre aswell, then it's very healthy, and a much much wider variety of sources for nutrients..

Define what makes a food "clean" other than soap?

 

[Bazza20]

What is there not to be a fan of IIFYM. It's the basis of any diet that looks at macros.

 

[Swervyn-Ervyn]

I've found that since following IIFYM I have almost no days where I blow out and binge eat, I hit my minimums of protein fat and fibre each day, then usually fill the calories with healthier stuff, but if I have a craving for something I can have it...
Rather than wait for that special Sunday and go crazy binge eating and then feel like shit Monday!!
As a result I believe I look better in the long run too...

 

[Peterpack]

If your tracking fibre aswell, then it's very healthy, and a much much wider variety of sources for nutrients..

Define what makes a food "clean" other than soap?

Well for me my family has a history of diabetes so i am watching my sugar intake very closely. I am also watching my cholestorol intake as well

So it's not just about macros for me. I'm into my mid 30s so i need to take care of myself more than 19, 20 years old. You can get away with a lot at that age

I don't feel deprived at all by what i eat. I love fish. reducing my refined sugar intake has killed most cravings i have so i just don't want anything sweet, it's not like i am restraining myself or anything like that.

Your diet is your diet, it is upto each individual to decide what is best for them.

 

[Swervyn-Ervyn]

You can still count for that in your macros, just watch those things also..

I'm not 19, you can add 10 of your finest to that!!

 

[Brick]

Well for me my family has a history of diabetes so i am watching my sugar intake very closely. I am also watching my cholestorol intake as well

So it's not just about macros for me. I'm into my mid 30s so i need to take care of myself more than 19, 20 years old. You can get away with a lot at that age

I don't feel deprived at all by what i eat. I love fish. reducing my refined sugar intake has killed most cravings i have so i just don't want anything sweet, it's not like i am restraining myself or anything like that.

Your diet is your diet, it is upto each individual to decide what is best for them.

I don't think you understand IIFYM you still have to meet your macros. If your eating calorie dense 'unclean' foods you just eat less. Define clean? Plenty of sugar in fruit, nuts are super calorie dense. Just two I can think of off the top of my head.

I'm your age and I've never been trimmer or healthier then when I started IIFYM, beats the shit out of extreme cut and bulk cycles.

 

[IRON TANKS]

Scientifically IIFYM works. If you're choosing quality foods 80-90% of the times, then you're set - it's a workable, sustainable way to live life.

I have started seeing people eating out A LOT more frequently, and choosing foods that hit their macros but don't necessarily contain maximum nutrient density.

Going to McDonalds and trying to "hit your macros" (which is believe me, what some guys are doing daily) is fricken ridiculous.

To each their own I guess. I just feel you're completely nuts if you're eating McDonalds more than once a week.

 

[Undercover]

I find the best way to manage eating on IIFYM is just focus on hitting your set marcos for the day (P/C/F) first off, then at the end of the day after dinner if you have left over Calories (I usually have between 100-500) I will have a treat, weather it be some ice cream, pop tart, oats with syrup etc. If not I'll simply use that surplus on a Friday/Saturday night that week if I have take away or a drink.

 

[Bazza20]

Scientifically IIFYM works. If you're choosing quality foods 80-90% of the times, then you're set - it's a workable, sustainable way to live life.

I have started seeing people eating out A LOT more frequently, and choosing foods that hit their macros but don't necessarily contain maximum nutrient density.

Going to McDonalds and trying to "hit your macros" (which is believe me, what some guys are doing daily) is fricken ridiculous.

To each their own I guess. I just feel you're completely nuts if you're eating McDonalds more than once a week.

I know what you are saying and pretty much agree. The 80-90% is a good guide.


But why do you need to eat foods with maximum nutrient density. You don't, sure nutrient dense foods are obviously great but they don't need to be all you eat.

McDonalds is just fucking food. Why do people bring it up all the time. It's not fucking made out of plastic. I'm not saying eat it for every meal just like I wouldn't say eat any one type of food for every meal but a few times a week while hitting your macros will be fine. It's just food.

 

[Swervyn-Ervyn]

I think labeling any type of food is silly, be it fast food or whatever...
Most guys who are serious an have an idea will keep an eye on things like sugar, saturated fat, fibre intake to name a few... Personally I eat dem "clean" foods as such 80% of the time, but if it's Wednesday, and I want a double cheeseburger, I'll get a double cheeseburger, it'll just fit my macros and calories

 

[nazzysmith]

Well for me my family has a history of diabetes so i am watching my sugar intake very closely. I am also watching my cholestorol intake as well

So it's not just about macros for me. I'm into my mid 30s so i need to take care of myself more than 19, 20 years old. You can get away with a lot at that age

I don't feel deprived at all by what i eat. I love fish. reducing my refined sugar intake has killed most cravings i have so i just don't want anything sweet, it's not like i am restraining myself or anything like that.

Your diet is your diet, it is upto each individual to decide what is best for them.

Please educate me...

What has sugar intake got to do with getting diabetes?

 

[wingman]

too hard basket

I prefer to just eat whatever the fuck i want.

 

[nazzysmith]

Macdonald cheese burger

Grilled Export quality Beef Pattie
2slices of bread
Ketchup
Slice of kraft cheese
And some gherkin

Not really all that bad is it?

Deep fried chips and coke is where it goes wrong imo....

 

[Bazza20]

Macdonald cheese burger

Grilled Export quality Beef Pattie
2slices of bread
Ketchup
Slice of kraft cheese
And some gherkin

Not really all that bad is it?

Deep fried chips and coke is where it goes wrong imo....

Exactly. People like to try and label a Maccas burger as some sort of mutant non food. It's just food.

Food doesn't have to be some expensive weird berry from a remote jungle somewhere to be good for you.

 

[IRON TANKS]

I know what you are saying and pretty much agree. The 80-90% is a good guide.


But why do you need to eat foods with maximum nutrient density. You don't, sure nutrient dense foods are obviously great but they don't need to be all you eat.

McDonalds is just fucking food. Why do people bring it up all the time. It's not fucking made out of plastic. I'm not saying eat it for every meal just like I wouldn't say eat any one type of food for every meal but a few times a week while hitting your macros will be fine. It's just food.

I was giving an example based on what I have seen - people opting to eat a "macro friendly" meal more than they should, because, well it fits their macros. Like I said, to each their own - but personally, if you're cutting on IIFYM, you're in deficit and you need all the nutrients you can get. I think you can be a little more lenient when in caloric surplus and the IIFYM way of life.

I would personally rather hit my macros the majority of the week from foods I cooked. 2-3 meals out of the week I'll eat out, and that particular meal might not fit my macros, but over the course of a day - it would have. Ie; 1 large pizza & 1 beer last night.

Please note I am talking about the people who I have had first hand experience with; using if it fits your macros as a way to escape eating well and enough of the right foods. I could certainly hit my macros eating McDonalds or any other fast food (that's just one example, Maccas is always at the tip of the tongue) 7 days a week.

I don't agree with it if you're trying to live a healthy and balanced lifestyle. It seems as though people have gone from eating super clean/cardboard diet with not an ounce of fast food, to a more lax & controlled P:C:F. Some are too lax and using it as a way of not eating right.

You simply cannot escape the fact that the majority your diet should be fresh vegetables, fruits, lean proteins and healthy fats not just for optimum body composition, but optimum heath. Internally.

I have seen some guys who do a great job of IIFYM - they don't use it as a crutch to eat shit, they use it as a way to fit their lifestyle and particular goals - like being lean, increasing strength, being able to have a social life outside of bringing everything with you in Tupperware etc. This is totally fine, and smart. There's no point eating a contest diet if you're not competing. But I think it's stupid trying to fit in every fast food joint into your macros just so you can visit one of them per day. That's just me, personal opinion. I also prefer fresh food, and coming from an Italian family you have particularly tuned taste buds - Bella and Choc will vouch for that.

Edit; Not to mention, the IIFYM approach to dieting is OK if you're in your teens, 20s and even 30s - but for someone with hypertension and other chronic issues - the amount of sodium (let alone other shit within) you're consuming would be well over what you need for a day if fitting macros far too regularly from fast foods.

Awaiting the IIFYE (If It Fits Your Electrolytes) diet.

 

[nazzysmith]

This one has been done to death.... A lot of peeps point out that it should be iifymm

If it fits your macros and your micros...

Both are independant imo....

Macros for weight control...

Micros for healthy living.... However noone has been able to quantify minimum intake guides on this... It's pretty much just eat veges and fruit every day plus some healthy oil?

 

[IRON TANKS]

This one has been done to death.... A lot of peeps point out that it should be iifymm

If it fits your macros and your micros...

Both are independant imo....

Macros for weight control...

Micros for healthy living.... However noone has been able to quantify minimum intake guides on this... It's pretty much just eat veges and fruit every day plus some healthy oil?

Heh yeah, the micros don't really apply as much to a cheeseburger. So IIFYM does just fine

 

[nazzysmith]

Heh yeah, the micros don't really apply as much to a cheeseburger. So IIFYM does just fine

I always suspected they added the gherkin for this reason???

Agreeably IIFYM is not the issue... It's doing it in a balanced manner that's propbably of more importance...

 

[Bazza20]

Might not be as nutrient dense as some foods but even cheeseburgers contain micronutrients. Hell even a packet of burger rings contains nutrients.

It's funny if I made a burger or steak sandwich at home most people would be fine with it but as soon as you buy a burger from a fast food place the clean freaks have a heart attack. It contains the same foods I used to make a burger.

 

[jj80]

I don't know why but I always feel a lot better eating a home made burger vs take away. Eating home made stuff helps me when I'm recovering from illness. It wouldn't surprise me if it helped with weight training recovery too.