IIFYM Practioners just eat “junk”?

quiksylver296 · April 2019

I am someone who follows IIFYM (If It Fits Your Macros) as a way of eating. Many times, IIFYM haters state that all we eat is pop tarts, ice cream and cheeseburgers, and IIFYM is unhealthy.

That could be the case for some IIFYMers, I suppose. But I thought I’d give a quick visual representation of what my IIFYM life looks like.

Dinner last night (which was freaking delicious and satisfying):

Breakfast this morning (also delicious and satisfying):

All I’m saying - It isn’t all or nothing. Work the things you love to eat into your diet. I believe all “junk” isn’t healthy, but all “healthy” isn’t healthy, either. Mental health is important, too!

psychod787 · April 2019

quiksylver296 wrote: »

I am someone who follows IIFYM (If It Fits Your Macros) as a way of eating. Many times, IIFYM haters state that all we eat is pop tarts, ice cream and cheeseburgers, and IIFYM is unhealthy.

That could be the case for some IIFYMers, I suppose. But I thought I’d give a quick visual representation of what my IIFYM life looks like.

Dinner last night (which was freaking delicious and satisfying):

Breakfast this morning (also delicious and satisfying):

All I’m saying - It isn’t all or nothing. Work the things you love to eat into your diet. I believe all “junk” isn’t healthy, but all “healthy” isn’t healthy, either. Mental health is important, too!

Dont ya know it's all pop tarts and protein shakes? 🤣

pinuplove · April 2019

Keep posting that pic and I'm going to have to go to Freddy's.

I had birthday cake for breakfast. I doubt it fits my macros, but I'm rebelling right now :laugh:

(Oh, and good thread topic!)

MikePTY · April 2019

Exactly. When we say eat whatever you want as long as it fits your goal (calorie or macro), we don't actually mean "just eat a diet of pixie sticks and cake". Most of us who follow this way of eating do make an effort to incorporate nutrition and so called "healthy" foods into our diet. We usually eat a well balanced and nutritious diet. We just don't think that having a couple of cookies or a cheeseburger and fries "ruins" our diet.

I'd say I follow "if it fits your calories" with a focus on making sure I am close to my protein macro and not having my carbs vs. fats too far out of whack. I can eat whatever I want within that. What I want most of the time ends up being "healthy" food like lean chicken breast, fruits and vegetables, beans, whole grains, etc. But sometimes, what I want is burgers, wings, and pizza.

We should diet to live, not live to diet. Part of enjoying life is enjoying food, and we can still totally do that within the confines of losing weight and healthy living.

mmapags · April 2019

This is always a false dilemma that is presented when someone says they eat IIFYM. Someone will inevitably say something like, "it's not healthy to eat burgers, ice cream and pizza all the time."

First, nobody does that, second, depending on what's on that pizza, this could be just fine within the context of one's calorie goal. I varied diet and some treats are just fine. The biggest single factor for health is a healthy body weight. Combine that with regular exercise and a varied diet and you'll be just fine. Each individual has to figure out what that looks like for them and what they can sustain for the ling term.

kimny72 · April 2019

Yep, just because a way of eating doesn't specify what specific foods you need to eat, doesn't mean people who follow it don't make healthy choices for themselves.

And just because a food isn't stereotypically "healthy", doesn't mean it isn't or can't be healthy.

lx1x · April 2019

My dinner last night.. leftover for lunch right now.

😁

paperpudding · April 2019

We had pizza for dinner last night.

I do love pizza and a few drinks when I'm watching the footy

And yes it fits into my weekly calories and my overall diet does not consist of just pizza and alcohol.

quiksylver296 · April 2019

My people!

quiksylver296 · April 2019

pinuplove wrote: »

Keep posting that pic and I'm going to have to go to Freddy's.

I had birthday cake for breakfast. I doubt it fits my macros, but I'm rebelling right now :laugh:

(Oh, and good thread topic!)

Apparently, I'm going to Freddy's again Thursday because that's what the kid wants for his birthday dinner. Poor me! :laugh:

quiksylver296 · April 2019

There's several "eat clean only" threads up. Let's bump this.

Jruzer · April 2019

Bumpity-bump

deannalfisher · April 2019

i do IIFYM - i like to joke, some days I ate like a teenage boy and others like a semi-responsible adult

estherdragonbat · April 2019

I actually eat more ice cream now that I'm dieting. Hey; I try hard to hit protein, generally tend to be under my fat target (note: I don't follow a low-fat diet, I mainly focus on protein, iron, and fiber and let the rest fall where it falls, which tends to be a little higher on carbs and maybe 22-25% fat instead of 30), and ice cream sandwiches are typically around 140-180 calories. I can fit at least one of those in daily.

Now, it's true I don't buy ice cream by the tub anymore and a single scoop from Baskin-Robbins is a rare treat when I've got room for something more decadent. But it's got a place in healthy eating and it's not really a stretch.

SteroidalLolita · April 2019

quiksylver296 wrote: »

All I’m saying - It isn’t all or nothing. Work the things you love to eat into your diet. I believe all “junk” isn’t healthy, but all “healthy” isn’t healthy, either. Mental health is important, too!

Yes. This. I don't think I practice IIFYM on purpose? But I definitely won't kill myself to only eat healthy things. I still love candy and burgers and bread. Oh God, how I love bread. And I lose just as much all the same.

quiksylver296 · May 2019

Bumping good threads because I'm bored

kellyjellybellyjelly · June 2019

This should be stickied.

girlwithcurls2 · June 2019

Where do you live, and who is this Freddy person who makes such deliciousness???
(Both pics look yummy, actually. Love my greens!)

betsymoomoo · June 2019

I'm a firm believer that if you aren't going to give something up forever you need to learn how to work it into your eating.

quiksylver296 · June 2019

girlwithcurls2 wrote: »

Where do you live, and who is this Freddy person who makes such deliciousness???
(Both pics look yummy, actually. Love my greens!)

I believe Freddy's originated in Kansas, USA, but has spread out quite a bit since then. I'm in Idaho.

nooboots · June 2019

I dont generally eat what is commonly called junk food (even before losing weight this time), as I like a bit of varied intake, but today I have eaten 'fast food' all day. Mcdonalds for breakfast, then for sort of tea timish as I had no lunch, then fish and chips. Various cups of tea. i think the only piece of vegetable today was 2 slices of gerkin in the cheese burger. I went over my goal by 1000 calories today but then I had a 1000 calorie deficit on top of my normal deficit from Monday to Thursday, so Im ok.