PALEO: pros, cons and whatever else you may think?

SnicciFit

PROS:

It can work well and quickly for weight loss
No need for the hassle of calorie counting
Can help regularise cravings
Can help with digestive discomfort

CONS:

Restrictive food choice
Lack of cake
Can be expensive
Can be hard to implement into day to day life
Did I mention lack of cake?

There is ALWAYS the need for counting calories. Always. Your weight is an equation of calories in vs. calories out. That's IT. There are no magical foods. If you eat 10,000 calories worth of organic salad in a day, you will gain weight. If you eat 1,500 calories worth of KFC in a day, you won't. All food plans are basically shams. If they work, it's only because it manages your calories without you realizing it. And that's why people get off them when they reach their goal and then gain everything back. You need to learn to manage your calories with your everyday diet. No, NO food plan will teach you that. Only you can, using the food you already eat every day. That's the only reliable way to get lifelong results.

I strongly disagree. A calorie deficit might be necessary to lose weight (may not be necessary to lose FAT though), but that does NOT mean that counting said calories is necessary. For some people (like myself), just eating (mostly) "paleo" allows them to lose/maintain "weight" without ever COUNTING anything. I use the word "weight" loosely because I focus more on body comp than my weight on the scale.

Mr_Knight

One reasonably healthy typical Subway sandwich can be a half a day's calories.

The obvious inference, then, is that for you a "typical Subway sandwich" is not, in reality, a "reasonably healthy" option.

cwolfman13

IIFYM doesn't work for everyone - especially those with lower calorie needs or those who are trying to use food to assist healing health conditions.

Then you do not truly understand the concept and philosophy. It absolutely does work...it doesn't mean eat whatever you want to eat...it means that you hit certain macro goals that are optimal for whatever your other goals are trying to achieve. I've gotten off 6 medications following the IIFYM philosophy combined with a largely Mediterranean/South Beach dietary approach...but I still apply IIFYM to garner the most optimal results for my conditions and my fitness. That's all it means.

msf74

PROS:

It can work well and quickly for weight loss
No need for the hassle of calorie counting
Can help regularise cravings
Can help with digestive discomfort

CONS:

Restrictive food choice
Lack of cake
Can be expensive
Can be hard to implement into day to day life
Did I mention lack of cake?

There is ALWAYS the need for counting calories. Always. Your weight is an equation of calories in vs. calories out. That's IT. There are no magical foods. If you eat 10,000 calories worth of organic salad in a day, you will gain weight. If you eat 1,500 calories worth of KFC in a day, you won't. All food plans are basically shams. If they work, it's only because it manages your calories without you realizing it. And that's why people get off them when they reach their goal and then gain everything back. You need to learn to manage your calories with your everyday diet. No, NO food plan will teach you that. Only you can, using the food you already eat every day. That's the only reliable way to get lifelong results.

I strongly disagree. A calorie deficit might be necessary to lose weight (may not be necessary to lose FAT though), but that does NOT mean that counting said calories is necessary. For some people (like myself), just eating (mostly) "paleo" allows them to lose/maintain "weight" without ever COUNTING anything. I use the word "weight" loosely because I focus more on body comp than my weight on the scale.

Calories count but you don't have to count calories...

GlassslippersAndFairyDust

I'm Primal, which is laxer than Paleo in some respects. It's not a lifestyle everyone can do. I know others will say, "or should do," but to me that is a personal choice. I don't force my lifestyle on others and I don't want others to force their lifestyle on me. I tried it last year and was successful but like others stated, it's hard to exempt whole food groups. Fast forward to a year later and I have an auto immune disease that requires me to refrain from gluten, nightshades and grains. So I'm back on Primal for good this time and I'm once again succeeding in weight loss as well as the war on my health. I love Primal because I can still enjoy dairy and I will eat gluten-free bread, that's made from brown rice. I don't go super low carb like others choose to do but I definitely am lower carb than when I was eating a SAD. Good luck in whatever you decide and don't be bullied to make a decision. Stay true to yourself and you'll always be a winner. :flowerforyou:

tonynguyen75

PROS:

It can work well and quickly for weight loss
No need for the hassle of calorie counting
Can help regularise cravings
Can help with digestive discomfort

CONS:

Restrictive food choice
Lack of cake
Can be expensive
Can be hard to implement into day to day life
Did I mention lack of cake?

Does not compute.

msf74

PROS:

It can work well and quickly for weight loss
No need for the hassle of calorie counting
Can help regularise cravings
Can help with digestive discomfort

CONS:

Restrictive food choice
Lack of cake
Can be expensive
Can be hard to implement into day to day life
Did I mention lack of cake?

Does not compute.

Good lord. Another one.

You need a calorie deficit but you don't need to actually count calories on a conscious level to achieve that.

Unconscious competence as an end goal? Anyone? No?

I'm taking my ball and going home.

Sabine_Stroehm

PROS:

It can work well and quickly for weight loss
No need for the hassle of calorie counting
Can help regularise cravings
Can help with digestive discomfort

CONS:

Restrictive food choice
Lack of cake
Can be expensive
Can be hard to implement into day to day life
Did I mention lack of cake?

Does not compute.

Good lord. Another one.

You need a calorie deficit but you don't need to actually count calories on a conscious level to achieve that.

Unconscious competence as an end goal? Anyone? No?

I'm taking my ball and going home.

To me that's the long term goal: a happy life, healthy relationship with food AS I DEFINE IT and no counting, while maintaining a healthy weight.

Sabine_Stroehm

Any diet that has a name is silly.

So, say there is a way of eating that masses of people follow for generations. It's healthy and sustainable. Then, someone comes along and gives this way of eating a name, say for example, the Mediterranean Diet. Now this time proven healthy diet is suddenly silly? I don't see the logic there.

But there is no such thing as the "Mediterranean Diet" in real life. It only exists as a marketing concept in books and diet programs.

Hell, there are at least three distinct "Italian Diets" alone, never mind all the other ethnic groups ringing the Med.

Exactly. The "Mediterranean Diet" just doesn't exist as a natural thing anywhere. It's a fad diet.

IIFYM is not a diet. It's a general nutrient intake strategy. Just like "counting calories" is not a diet with "good" and "bad" foods. IIFYM is literally "make sure you consume nutrients in the quantities supported by science."

definition of Diet - the kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats.

Whenever someone discusses their "diet", this is the definition I assume because it is the definition I think about my own diet. Yes, IIFYM is a diet.

To be pedantic: IIFYM is a plan or philosophy around which your diet is based.

Well, not my diet, but yes.

I like pedantic.

So...South Beach is a plan or a philosophy around which my diet is based. Got it.

tonynguyen75

PROS:

It can work well and quickly for weight loss
No need for the hassle of calorie counting
Can help regularise cravings
Can help with digestive discomfort

CONS:

Restrictive food choice
Lack of cake
Can be expensive
Can be hard to implement into day to day life
Did I mention lack of cake?

Does not compute.

Good lord. Another one.

You need a calorie deficit but you don't need to actually count calories on a conscious level to achieve that.

Unconscious competence as an end goal? Anyone? No?

I'm taking my ball and going home.

IMO, if you take some who has been obese for their entire life, and told them to go onto a Paleo diet, calorie counting will still be needed on average. For those that are calorie conscious from previously counting and are educated, I would think that they would have at least a decent idea how many calories they're consuming. Those that have done it for a while, probably won't need it. But saying that simply going on Paleo will eliminate any need of calorie counting as a blanket statement makes very little sense.

You learn through time and effort how much calories you're consuming within a margin. Not because you all of a sudden cut grains and diary.

kkerri

Yes. It is reasonably healthy. Veggie patty on wheat, chicken, no mayo cheese, etc. I do best around 1200 calories. I find that Paleo eating leads to less hunger, less cravings. It's not easy though with food prep and what not. I am mainly trying it to help with a health issue.

I do not think IIFYM means eat pizza, but those in lower calorie brackets tend to do better on more meat/vegetable based diets to combat hunger.

-- this is based on my experience not science :-)

msf74

PROS:

It can work well and quickly for weight loss
No need for the hassle of calorie counting
Can help regularise cravings
Can help with digestive discomfort

CONS:

Restrictive food choice
Lack of cake
Can be expensive
Can be hard to implement into day to day life
Did I mention lack of cake?

Does not compute.

Good lord. Another one.

You need a calorie deficit but you don't need to actually count calories on a conscious level to achieve that.

Unconscious competence as an end goal? Anyone? No?

I'm taking my ball and going home.

IMO, if you take some who has been obese for their entire life, and told them to go onto a Paleo diet, calorie counting will still be needed on average. For those that are calorie conscious from previously counting and are educated, I would think that they would have at least a decent idea how many calories they're consuming. Those that have done it for a while, probably won't need it. But saying that simply going on Paleo will eliminate any need of calorie counting as a blanket statement makes very little sense.

You learn through time and effort how much calories you're consuming within a margin. Not because you all of a sudden cut grains and diary.

Point taken but I think half the attraction of things like Paleo / Atkins / Generic Diet is the fact that they usually (although admittedly not always) allow a person to achieve a calorie deficit in a way that is easier for the individual than counting calories or weighing their food etc (although they may not be marketed that way primarily.) Many people find calorie counting tedious I imagine. It essentially provides a template which you can tweak to cater to your preferences if used sensibly.

I also think that an obese person has less to worry about in this regard than a lean person as they have a larger workable calorie deficit and therefore a greater margin for error when it comes to consumption.

ryry_

Pros: It includes a lot of delicious food that I enjoy

Cons: It excludes a lot of delicious food that I enjoy

jonnythan

Any diet that has a name is silly.

So, say there is a way of eating that masses of people follow for generations. It's healthy and sustainable. Then, someone comes along and gives this way of eating a name, say for example, the Mediterranean Diet. Now this time proven healthy diet is suddenly silly? I don't see the logic there.

But there is no such thing as the "Mediterranean Diet" in real life. It only exists as a marketing concept in books and diet programs.

Hell, there are at least three distinct "Italian Diets" alone, never mind all the other ethnic groups ringing the Med.

Exactly. The "Mediterranean Diet" just doesn't exist as a natural thing anywhere. It's a fad diet.

IIFYM is not a diet. It's a general nutrient intake strategy. Just like "counting calories" is not a diet with "good" and "bad" foods. IIFYM is literally "make sure you consume nutrients in the quantities supported by science."

definition of Diet - the kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats.

Whenever someone discusses their "diet", this is the definition I assume because it is the definition I think about my own diet. Yes, IIFYM is a diet.

To be pedantic: IIFYM is a plan or philosophy around which your diet is based.

Well, not my diet, but yes.

I like pedantic.

So...South Beach is a plan or a philosophy around which my diet is based. Got it.

No because it prescribes certain foods and prohibits others.

jonnythan

Yes. It is reasonably healthy. Veggie patty on wheat, chicken, no mayo cheese, etc. I do best around 1200 calories. I find that Paleo eating leads to less hunger, less cravings. It's not easy though with food prep and what not. I am mainly trying it to help with a health issue.

I do not think IIFYM means eat pizza, but those in lower calorie brackets tend to do better on more meat/vegetable based diets to combat hunger.

-- this is based on my experience not science :-)

You don't seem to have any concept of what IIFYM is.

agdyl

Or maybe better said a lot of foods blow my macros out of the water in a hot minute.

One reasonably healthy typical Subway sandwich can be a half a day's calories.

IIFYM works for everyone. You seem to be under the impression that IIFYM encourages people to eat pizza or something. It doesn't.

Eat whatever you like, as long as it fits your macros. Obviously things like preference, caloric density, satiety, etc will play a part in whatever foods you decide to eat.

To me, part of a diet plan that "works" is sustainability.

And I've tried IIFYM, and if I just eat what fits in my macros, I included bread/sugar, which results in insane cravings all the time. I managed to get all my weight off (and then lasted approximately 30 seconds at my goal weight), because I was utterly miserable.

The point is - if you can do IIFYM and it's easy to hit your goals, you don't have health issues that you need to address like cholesterol or blood sugar levels, etc., and you feel healthy and happy doing it? Go for it. But I know I can't. When I did, I had a ton of joint pain, was miserable to be around because I felt like I was starving to death constantly (even though I eat the same total calories now and am full...), and it took a massive force of willpower to keep it up, which wasn't sustainable long-term. Switching to Whole30/Paleo made it easy, got rid of my joint pain, makes my skin look better... and I've lost weight.

And if I'm eating normally on my W30/Paleo diet (not like bags of nuts or something), I don't need to count calories because it almost always adds up by just eating until I'm full at meals - I can just log it at the end of the day and it's usually right where I want it (I'm finding I don't need to, but I like to log because I'm a nerd that likes the data on what I've been doing...). When I was doing IIFYM, I was rationing out every little thing I ate and craving more all day long.

jonnythan

Or maybe better said a lot of foods blow my macros out of the water in a hot minute.

One reasonably healthy typical Subway sandwich can be a half a day's calories.

IIFYM works for everyone. You seem to be under the impression that IIFYM encourages people to eat pizza or something. It doesn't.

Eat whatever you like, as long as it fits your macros. Obviously things like preference, caloric density, satiety, etc will play a part in whatever foods you decide to eat.

To me, part of a diet plan that "works" is sustainability.

And I've tried IIFYM, and if I just eat what fits in my macros, I included bread/sugar, which results in insane cravings all the time. I managed to get all my weight off (and then lasted approximately 30 seconds at my goal weight), because I was utterly miserable.

The point is - if you can do IIFYM and it's easy to hit your goals, you don't have health issues that you need to address like cholesterol or blood sugar levels, etc., and you feel healthy and happy doing it? Go for it. But I know I can't. When I did, I had a ton of joint pain, was miserable to be around because I felt like I was starving to death constantly (even though I eat the same total calories now and am full...), and it took a massive force of willpower to keep it up, which wasn't sustainable long-term. Switching to Whole30/Paleo made it easy, got rid of my joint pain, makes my skin look better... and I've lost weight.

And if I'm eating normally on my W30/Paleo diet (not like bags of nuts or something), I don't need to count calories because it almost always adds up by just eating until I'm full at meals - I can just log it at the end of the day and it's usually right where I want it. When I was doing IIFYM, I was rationing out every little thing I ate and craving more all day long.

You don't understand IIFYM either. It's not that complicated. It doesn't compete with what you're doing. If certain foods trigger cravings or don't satisfy then don't eat them.

Wildflower0106

...

agdyl

Or maybe better said a lot of foods blow my macros out of the water in a hot minute.

One reasonably healthy typical Subway sandwich can be a half a day's calories.

IIFYM works for everyone. You seem to be under the impression that IIFYM encourages people to eat pizza or something. It doesn't.

Eat whatever you like, as long as it fits your macros. Obviously things like preference, caloric density, satiety, etc will play a part in whatever foods you decide to eat.

To me, part of a diet plan that "works" is sustainability.

And I've tried IIFYM, and if I just eat what fits in my macros, I included bread/sugar, which results in insane cravings all the time. I managed to get all my weight off (and then lasted approximately 30 seconds at my goal weight), because I was utterly miserable.

The point is - if you can do IIFYM and it's easy to hit your goals, you don't have health issues that you need to address like cholesterol or blood sugar levels, etc., and you feel healthy and happy doing it? Go for it. But I know I can't. When I did, I had a ton of joint pain, was miserable to be around because I felt like I was starving to death constantly (even though I eat the same total calories now and am full...), and it took a massive force of willpower to keep it up, which wasn't sustainable long-term. Switching to Whole30/Paleo made it easy, got rid of my joint pain, makes my skin look better... and I've lost weight.

And if I'm eating normally on my W30/Paleo diet (not like bags of nuts or something), I don't need to count calories because it almost always adds up by just eating until I'm full at meals - I can just log it at the end of the day and it's usually right where I want it. When I was doing IIFYM, I was rationing out every little thing I ate and craving more all day long.

You don't understand IIFYM either. It's not that complicated. It doesn't compete with what you're doing. If certain foods trigger cravings or don't satisfy then don't eat them.

Sweet. So Paleo=IIFYM.

End of discussion.

jonnythan

Or maybe better said a lot of foods blow my macros out of the water in a hot minute.

One reasonably healthy typical Subway sandwich can be a half a day's calories.

IIFYM works for everyone. You seem to be under the impression that IIFYM encourages people to eat pizza or something. It doesn't.

Eat whatever you like, as long as it fits your macros. Obviously things like preference, caloric density, satiety, etc will play a part in whatever foods you decide to eat.

To me, part of a diet plan that "works" is sustainability.

And I've tried IIFYM, and if I just eat what fits in my macros, I included bread/sugar, which results in insane cravings all the time. I managed to get all my weight off (and then lasted approximately 30 seconds at my goal weight), because I was utterly miserable.

The point is - if you can do IIFYM and it's easy to hit your goals, you don't have health issues that you need to address like cholesterol or blood sugar levels, etc., and you feel healthy and happy doing it? Go for it. But I know I can't. When I did, I had a ton of joint pain, was miserable to be around because I felt like I was starving to death constantly (even though I eat the same total calories now and am full...), and it took a massive force of willpower to keep it up, which wasn't sustainable long-term. Switching to Whole30/Paleo made it easy, got rid of my joint pain, makes my skin look better... and I've lost weight.

And if I'm eating normally on my W30/Paleo diet (not like bags of nuts or something), I don't need to count calories because it almost always adds up by just eating until I'm full at meals - I can just log it at the end of the day and it's usually right where I want it. When I was doing IIFYM, I was rationing out every little thing I ate and craving more all day long.

You don't understand IIFYM either. It's not that complicated. It doesn't compete with what you're doing. If certain foods trigger cravings or don't satisfy then don't eat them.

Sweet. So Paleo=IIFYM.

End of discussion.

No. Paleo is compatible with IIFYM. Atkins is compatible with IIFYM. Etc.

IIFYM doesn't compete with any diet because it's not a diet.

goodnamegone

I recently did the 30 Day no dairy/no grain challenge and found it very easy. I did lose weight but not tons and I'm still doing no dairy and no grains mostly although I cheat with my rice cakes. I also ate bread yesterday but am not going to continue with it.

So no there were no cravings, no I didn't miss cake, no I didn't feel bad in fact I feel better which is why I want to keep going.

It's up to you if you're only wanting to lose weight there are tons of ways to do that where you don't have to cut out foods. I'm doing it because I don't think the grains agreed with me and I feel better. Each to their own.

Sabine_Stroehm

Any diet that has a name is silly.

So, say there is a way of eating that masses of people follow for generations. It's healthy and sustainable. Then, someone comes along and gives this way of eating a name, say for example, the Mediterranean Diet. Now this time proven healthy diet is suddenly silly? I don't see the logic there.

But there is no such thing as the "Mediterranean Diet" in real life. It only exists as a marketing concept in books and diet programs.

Hell, there are at least three distinct "Italian Diets" alone, never mind all the other ethnic groups ringing the Med.

Exactly. The "Mediterranean Diet" just doesn't exist as a natural thing anywhere. It's a fad diet.

IIFYM is not a diet. It's a general nutrient intake strategy. Just like "counting calories" is not a diet with "good" and "bad" foods. IIFYM is literally "make sure you consume nutrients in the quantities supported by science."

definition of Diet - the kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats.

Whenever someone discusses their "diet", this is the definition I assume because it is the definition I think about my own diet. Yes, IIFYM is a diet.

To be pedantic: IIFYM is a plan or philosophy around which your diet is based.

Well, not my diet, but yes.

I like pedantic.

So...South Beach is a plan or a philosophy around which my diet is based. Got it.

No because it prescribes certain foods and prohibits others.

SB doesn't prescribe a single food, actually. And it makes suggestions about others. It's a philosophy around which to design your eating. iffym suggests (prescribes?) macro levels and requires counting macros and counting calories. meh. same diff. In 5 years this message board will be full of iffym haters, and a few folks saying it works for me.... it all goes round.

ElsaVonMarmalade

I love the increasing popularity of Paleo because it makes it really easy to find delicious recipes that focus on lean protein and vegetables. I'm not "doing Paleo" but we do mostly buy and eat that way at home, and enjoy our treats when we're out being social or doing something fun.

tsaalyo

PROS:

It can work well and quickly for weight loss
No need for the hassle of calorie counting
Can help regularise cravings
Can help with digestive discomfort

CONS:

Restrictive food choice
Lack of cake
Can be expensive
Can be hard to implement into day to day life
Did I mention lack of cake?

Does not compute.

Good lord. Another one.

You need a calorie deficit but you don't need to actually count calories on a conscious level to achieve that.

Unconscious competence as an end goal? Anyone? No?

I'm taking my ball and going home.

Good plan, until you discover some new delicious food that, egad, actually is like 800 calories a serving, but you never bothered to even look at the nutritional info because " it's paleo, it's natural, it's gotta be healthy." I'm sorry, there is nothing magical about your weight. If you want to reliably maintain, you NEED to count. Full stop.

jenilla1

I don't do it, but I don't have a problem with it. To me, any "diet" that is sustainable long-term and that gets you the nutrition you need is going to be ok. If it's just a short-term thing, the weight is (probably) going to come right back on as soon as you stop doing it. That's why I have permanent eating/lifestyle habits. If you think you can make it a lifestyle, go for it.

(I couldn't stick with it, because I love my whole grains. I avoid wheat and dairy, though, because I can't digest them properly and they make me sick.)

jonnythan

Any diet that has a name is silly.

So, say there is a way of eating that masses of people follow for generations. It's healthy and sustainable. Then, someone comes along and gives this way of eating a name, say for example, the Mediterranean Diet. Now this time proven healthy diet is suddenly silly? I don't see the logic there.

But there is no such thing as the "Mediterranean Diet" in real life. It only exists as a marketing concept in books and diet programs.

Hell, there are at least three distinct "Italian Diets" alone, never mind all the other ethnic groups ringing the Med.

Exactly. The "Mediterranean Diet" just doesn't exist as a natural thing anywhere. It's a fad diet.

IIFYM is not a diet. It's a general nutrient intake strategy. Just like "counting calories" is not a diet with "good" and "bad" foods. IIFYM is literally "make sure you consume nutrients in the quantities supported by science."

definition of Diet - the kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats.

Whenever someone discusses their "diet", this is the definition I assume because it is the definition I think about my own diet. Yes, IIFYM is a diet.

To be pedantic: IIFYM is a plan or philosophy around which your diet is based.

Well, not my diet, but yes.

I like pedantic.

So...South Beach is a plan or a philosophy around which my diet is based. Got it.

No because it prescribes certain foods and prohibits others.

SB doesn't prescribe a single food, actually. And it makes suggestions about others. It's a philosophy around which to design your eating. iffym suggests (prescribes?) macro levels and requires counting macros and counting calories. meh. same diff. In 5 years this message board will be full of iffym haters, and a few folks saying it works for me.... it all goes round.

600 calories of toast for breakfast is just fine under SB?

Sabine_Stroehm

PROS:

It can work well and quickly for weight loss
No need for the hassle of calorie counting
Can help regularise cravings
Can help with digestive discomfort

CONS:

Restrictive food choice
Lack of cake
Can be expensive
Can be hard to implement into day to day life
Did I mention lack of cake?

Does not compute.

Good lord. Another one.

You need a calorie deficit but you don't need to actually count calories on a conscious level to achieve that.

Unconscious competence as an end goal? Anyone? No?

I'm taking my ball and going home.

Good plan, until you discover some new delicious food that, egad, actually is like 800 calories a serving, but you never bothered to even look at the nutritional info because " it's paleo, it's natural, it's gotta be healthy." I'm sorry, there is nothing magical about your weight. If you want to reliably maintain, you NEED to count. Full stop.

I didn't count for 10 years while I've been maintaining. I did not gain weight. Knowledge is power.

jenilla1

Pros: It includes a lot of delicious food that I enjoy

Cons: It excludes a lot of delicious food that I enjoy

:laugh: :drinker:

Sabine_Stroehm

Any diet that has a name is silly.

So, say there is a way of eating that masses of people follow for generations. It's healthy and sustainable. Then, someone comes along and gives this way of eating a name, say for example, the Mediterranean Diet. Now this time proven healthy diet is suddenly silly? I don't see the logic there.

But there is no such thing as the "Mediterranean Diet" in real life. It only exists as a marketing concept in books and diet programs.

Hell, there are at least three distinct "Italian Diets" alone, never mind all the other ethnic groups ringing the Med.

Exactly. The "Mediterranean Diet" just doesn't exist as a natural thing anywhere. It's a fad diet.

IIFYM is not a diet. It's a general nutrient intake strategy. Just like "counting calories" is not a diet with "good" and "bad" foods. IIFYM is literally "make sure you consume nutrients in the quantities supported by science."

definition of Diet - the kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats.

Whenever someone discusses their "diet", this is the definition I assume because it is the definition I think about my own diet. Yes, IIFYM is a diet.

To be pedantic: IIFYM is a plan or philosophy around which your diet is based.

Well, not my diet, but yes.

I like pedantic.

So...South Beach is a plan or a philosophy around which my diet is based. Got it.

No because it prescribes certain foods and prohibits others.

SB doesn't prescribe a single food, actually. And it makes suggestions about others. It's a philosophy around which to design your eating. iffym suggests (prescribes?) macro levels and requires counting macros and counting calories. meh. same diff. In 5 years this message board will be full of iffym haters, and a few folks saying it works for me.... it all goes round.

600 calories of toast for breakfast is just fine under SB?

lord what the frick toast are you eating? :happy:
Probably. for you 600 calories worth would be.
for me a 600 calorie breakfast? not often.
but yes. toast for breakfast would be just fine under SB as best I understand it.

My point: Do what works for YOU and try to open your mind to see that there may be more than one okay path. Just TRY.

Give the folks who've been maintaining a smidge of credit that they may be doing what's right for them. And the folks who are successfully losing may be doing what's right for them whether they've heard of or follow iffym or some other approach.... come on. you can do it.

xombiebite

i havent done it and not interested in trying it but i know a girl who did and she lost inches but had to stop because she was having a lot of tummy issues.