IIFYM... Your Opinions Please??

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  • pcastagner
    pcastagner Posts: 1,606 Member
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    It really depends on how you classify 'high' protein and 'benefits'.

    The American Dietetics Association recommendation of 0.8g/kg of BW is for a sedentary individual. Regular exercises will likely see benefits from about 50% more protein (1.2g/kg) and serious athletes can easily double that (1.7g/kg).

    People seem to forget that skeletal muscle protein synthesis is driven by gene expression, NOT protein intake. You have to train hard to cause muscle growth and repair. Having a supply of amino acids can come from a high protein intake, but it can also come from a protein intake that matches the requirements for athletes and enough fat and carbohydrates to spare the protein so it isn't used for energy. That's also why you generally need a bit of an excess of calories to build muscle or a very modest deficit to lose fat while maintaining muscle. That's another reason training is so important--your body will put those amino acids to use in protein synthesis rather than shunting them away to gluconeogenesis or the Krebs cycle to make energy.

    What are the benefits? Increased satiety and improved bone density (as long as you have adequate calcium). Notice that this list does not include magically bulging biceps. ;)

    Those figures are lower than the oft cited 1-2 grams per POUND BW, or even the 1g per pound lean mass figure.

    Eminently reasonable.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    It really depends on how you classify 'high' protein and 'benefits'.

    The American Dietetics Association recommendation of 0.8g/kg of BW is for a sedentary individual. Regular exercises will likely see benefits from about 50% more protein (1.2g/kg) and serious athletes can easily double that (1.7g/kg).

    People seem to forget that skeletal muscle protein synthesis is driven by gene expression, NOT protein intake. You have to train hard to cause muscle growth and repair. Having a supply of amino acids can come from a high protein intake, but it can also come from a protein intake that matches the requirements for athletes and enough fat and carbohydrates to spare the protein so it isn't used for energy. That's also why you generally need a bit of an excess of calories to build muscle or a very modest deficit to lose fat while maintaining muscle. That's another reason training is so important--your body will put those amino acids to use in protein synthesis rather than shunting them away to gluconeogenesis or the Krebs cycle to make energy.

    What are the benefits? Increased satiety and improved bone density (as long as you have adequate calcium). Notice that this list does not include magically bulging biceps. ;)

    Those figures are lower than the oft cited 1-2 grams per POUND BW, or even the 1g per pound lean mass figure.

    Eminently reasonable.

    1g/lb lbm isn't too far off from double the RDA in people who aren't already lean. 2g/lb bw is ridiculous IMO, I agree with you there. I'd consider checking out the protein Roundtable videos as its basically a discussion going over research examining protein intakes and it also covers contextual differences that would raise or lower protein requirements.
  • ghostrider1970
    ghostrider1970 Posts: 127 Member
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    I read on the site that you have to eat all of the fat carbs and protein..... how do you eat all of the protein without using a protein shake?

    Tuna, salmon, cottage cheese, greek yogurt, eggs, chicken, turkey, beef... and so on
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
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    It really depends on how you classify 'high' protein and 'benefits'.

    The American Dietetics Association recommendation of 0.8g/kg of BW is for a sedentary individual. Regular exercises will likely see benefits from about 50% more protein (1.2g/kg) and serious athletes can easily double that (1.7g/kg).

    People seem to forget that skeletal muscle protein synthesis is driven by gene expression, NOT protein intake. You have to train hard to cause muscle growth and repair. Having a supply of amino acids can come from a high protein intake, but it can also come from a protein intake that matches the requirements for athletes and enough fat and carbohydrates to spare the protein so it isn't used for energy. That's also why you generally need a bit of an excess of calories to build muscle or a very modest deficit to lose fat while maintaining muscle. That's another reason training is so important--your body will put those amino acids to use in protein synthesis rather than shunting them away to gluconeogenesis or the Krebs cycle to make energy.

    What are the benefits? Increased satiety and improved bone density (as long as you have adequate calcium). Notice that this list does not include magically bulging biceps. ;)

    Those figures are lower than the oft cited 1-2 grams per POUND BW, or even the 1g per pound lean mass figure.

    Eminently reasonable.

    The 1-2g/lb BW was perpetuated by professional bodybuilders long before steroids became illicit in the competition world. When you are using steroids, you increase gene expression to a maximum so you will actually utilize a majority of those amino acids for protein synthesis. In a normal person, whatever isn't used for p.s. will just be used for energy

    That being said, the 1.7g/kg is close to the 1g/lb, but that is for serious athletes. They really do need more carbohydrates than the average person as well.
  • pcastagner
    pcastagner Posts: 1,606 Member
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    It really depends on how you classify 'high' protein and 'benefits'.

    The American Dietetics Association recommendation of 0.8g/kg of BW is for a sedentary individual. Regular exercises will likely see benefits from about 50% more protein (1.2g/kg) and serious athletes can easily double that (1.7g/kg).

    People seem to forget that skeletal muscle protein synthesis is driven by gene expression, NOT protein intake. You have to train hard to cause muscle growth and repair. Having a supply of amino acids can come from a high protein intake, but it can also come from a protein intake that matches the requirements for athletes and enough fat and carbohydrates to spare the protein so it isn't used for energy. That's also why you generally need a bit of an excess of calories to build muscle or a very modest deficit to lose fat while maintaining muscle. That's another reason training is so important--your body will put those amino acids to use in protein synthesis rather than shunting them away to gluconeogenesis or the Krebs cycle to make energy.

    What are the benefits? Increased satiety and improved bone density (as long as you have adequate calcium). Notice that this list does not include magically bulging biceps. ;)

    Those figures are lower than the oft cited 1-2 grams per POUND BW, or even the 1g per pound lean mass figure.

    Eminently reasonable.

    The 1-2g/lb BW was perpetuated by professional bodybuilders long before steroids became illicit in the competition world. When you are using steroids, you increase gene expression to a maximum so you will actually utilize a majority of those amino acids for protein synthesis. In a normal person, whatever isn't used for p.s. will just be used for energy

    That being said, the 1.7g/kg is close to the 1g/lb, but that is for serious athletes. They really do need more carbohydrates than the average person as well.

    Used for energy, and also used to feed some pretty raunchy gut flora. Protein overload farts are the worst!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    I eat mostly IIFYM I think (well, sometimes I'm a bit over on carbs, but still under MFP's default goal). It works much better for me than when I was trying to eat clean.
  • MinimalistShoeAddict
    MinimalistShoeAddict Posts: 1,946 Member
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    Here is a great video imo. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6H2edyPLU8
    Lane Norton IIFYM vs Clean eating

    For me IIFYM is all about not depriving myself of those things I love. Of course in order to hit my macros I do have to eat certain thing daily people may consider "clean" but at the same time I have so much room for those other things I love daily like bacon, ice cream, tons of pb, pizza, tacos etc....

    I consider it a lifestyle not a diet.

    I agree with all of this. So many people seem to think IIFYM means eat whatever you want which is simply not true. The video you cite does a good job in clarifying what IIFYM means.
  • PhearlessPhreaks
    PhearlessPhreaks Posts: 890 Member
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    I ascribe to this method, because I've found I do better when allowing myself the things I like. In the past, when I've said I'm not going to eat food x anymore, I only crave it more, and ultimately end up caving, which for me creates a vicious cycle. I feel like IIFYM dovetails nicely with "all things in moderation". That being said, there are certain foods I just try to stay away from, because I can't stop at a serving.

    Also, with using IIFYM, you don't have the guilt associated with eating something forbidden.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    IIFYM.com has a decent IIFYM calculator. I am not sure about the rest of the site, although the macro calculator does not seem to work properly unless I am inputting something wrong.

    IIFYM itself - this does work and works well for me.
  • scottaworley
    scottaworley Posts: 871 Member
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    IIFYM.com has a decent IIFYM calculator. I am not sure about the rest of the site, although the macro calculator does not seem to work properly unless I am inputting something wrong.

    IIFYM itself - this does work and works well for me.

    Are you talking about the protein/pound not working right? If so, are you using the bodyfat % option to calculate TDEE? If so, it does 1 gram/lb of lbm instead of per lb of body weight.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    IIFYM.com has a decent IIFYM calculator. I am not sure about the rest of the site, although the macro calculator does not seem to work properly unless I am inputting something wrong.

    IIFYM itself - this does work and works well for me.

    Are you talking about the protein/pound not working right? If so, are you using the bodyfat % option to calculate TDEE? If so, it does 1 gram/lb of lbm instead of per lb of body weight.

    Correct. That is odd as it does not indicate that - but yes, the math works if I take my LBM instead. If I do not put my BF%, the TDEE comes out way too low, but the protein number works.

    Thanks
  • CountryGirl8542
    CountryGirl8542 Posts: 449 Member
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    I have figured this out! and LOVE it!!! At first I was putting in my current weight and putting that I workout 5 days a week and my protein intake was 243g.... which is way tooooo much I think.... when I put in my body fat percentage instead the numbers that I came up with were way more realistic!! Can't wait to see how my body reacts to this :)

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