IIFYM Not a diet?

annette_15

Interesting interview arguing that IIFYM was spun out of control and doesnt actually mean IIFYM eat whatever you want. Thoughts?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCCDTJYUWsg

gypsy_spirit

I've never heard anyone say that IIFYM is a free pass to eat whatever you want. Didn't have time to watch the video.

neanderthin

Of course, most of the post referring to IIFYM around here have nothing to do with actual IIFYM. Referencing the IIFYM website for example, fail.

neandermagnon

I've never heard anyone say that IIFYM is a free pass to eat whatever you want. Didn't have time to watch the video.

^^^^ this

IIFYM means if it fits your macros, not eat whatever you want. macros = macronutrient goals/ratios/targets. As in you set your MFP diary to get e.g. 150g protein, 70g fat, 200g carbs daily, plus a calorie goal (these numbers, which I just pulled out of my head, probably is around 2000 cals altogether) and whatever you eat, you need to get at least this much protein, and be as close as you can to your fat, carb and calorie goals. This doesn't mean you can eat what you like, it means you have to carefully plan your meals to meet all those targets. You can with careful planning fit any food you want into your day, but you still have to meet those targets, so if for example you want something that's high fat high carb low protein like pizza, you have to eat a lot of lean protein and limit your carbs and fats for the rest of the day, so you can fit the pizza in while still meeting your targets. The result is a balanced diet. And yes, you should pay attention to getting enough micronutrients too (vitamins and minerals) plus enough fibre and water, but you can monitor micronutrients over a longer time frame, e.g. plenty of vitamins within the course of a couple of weeks, rather than meeting daily targets for them.

EvgeniZyntx

IIFYM = IIFYM
IIFYM =!= eat whatever you want

And that interview is awful.

Samenamenewlook

I thought that's exactly what it meant, you do have a "free pass" to eat whatever you choose, as long as it fits your macros:

"You can eat any kind of food you like while doing IIFYM. Clean, dirty, paleo, low carb, high carb. Anything you want.
The key, is tracking your macro, and stay within 5 grams of your daily allotment. Go over on any single macro nutrient and you are no longer hitting your macros. Remember that it is not the type of food you eat which leads to fat storage, but rather it is the total energy in the food. The calories.

If you overshoot your macros, you automatically go over on your calories, which tells the body to store fat. Regardless if you exceed your macros with pizza or egg whites and rice cakes, going over, is going over. When it comes to fat loss and IIFYM, your body does not care that you are eating healthy, or eating clean. All it cares about is the total amount of energy in the food you eat, which is why IIFYM and flexible dieting allows us to eat junk food, fast food, clean food, dirty food, or anything in between. As long as we hit our macros, we will lose weight". http://iifym.com/do-i-have-to-eat-junk-food-i-heard-fast-food-is-a-staple-in-iifym-diets/

LolBroScience

IIFYM = IIFYM
IIFYM =!= eat whatever you want

And that interview is awful.

Lol why?....

Alan stated the case that it has been blown out of portion and that the majority of one's intake should be from whole nutrient dense sources...

jonnythan

IIFYM is "eat whatever you want..... as long as it fits your nutrient goals."

That's the point. It's not a diet. It's a nutrient partitioning strategy around which you create your own diet. The power of IIFYM is that it lets you hit those nutrient goals with any food you see fit. Almost any particular diet can be adapted to IIFYM or followed with IIFYM strategies.

Mia_RagazzaTosta

Interesting interview arguing that IIFYM was spun out of control and doesnt actually mean IIFYM eat whatever you want. Thoughts?

It never meant that. That's just what people wanted it to mean.

tennisdude2004

IIFYM is "eat whatever you want..... as long as it fits your nutrient goals."

That's the point. It's not a diet. It's a nutrient partitioning strategy around which you create your own diet. The power of IIFYM is that it lets you hit those nutrient goals with any food you see fit. Almost any particular diet can be adapted to IIFYM or followed with IIFYM strategies.

You are restricting your calorie in-take therefore it's a diet.

A very good one that works for a lot of people - but don't delude yourself it's a diet.

LolBroScience

IIFYM is "eat whatever you want..... as long as it fits your nutrient goals."

That's the point. It's not a diet. It's a nutrient partitioning strategy around which you create your own diet. The power of IIFYM is that it lets you hit those nutrient goals with any food you see fit. Almost any particular diet can be adapted to IIFYM or followed with IIFYM strategies.

You are restricting your calorie in-take therefore it's a diet.

A very good one that works for a lot of people - but don't delude yourself it's a diet.

uhm..... wut?

You can't bulk or eat above maintenance with the same principles?

Hornsby

I don't know anyone who thinks it means "eat whatever you want with no consequences". It just allows you to eat whatever you want so long as it fits in your macros ie everything in moderation. Less restriction = more success in my opinion.

tennisdude2004

IIFYM is "eat whatever you want..... as long as it fits your nutrient goals."

That's the point. It's not a diet. It's a nutrient partitioning strategy around which you create your own diet. The power of IIFYM is that it lets you hit those nutrient goals with any food you see fit. Almost any particular diet can be adapted to IIFYM or followed with IIFYM strategies.

You are restricting your calorie in-take therefore it's a diet.

A very good one that works for a lot of people - but don't delude yourself it's a diet.

uhm..... wut?

You can't bulk or eat above maintenance with the same principles?

If you want, sure you can.

But IIFYM markets itself as a fat loss plan.

Ergo - It's a diet - hey there's nothing wrong with something being a diet (it's not a bad thing).

Chadomaniac

I don't know anyone who thinks it means "eat whatever you want with no consequences". It just allows you to eat whatever you want so long as it fits in your macros ie everything in moderation. Less restriction = more success in my opinion.

This

Diets are the culprits why people always fail
IIFYM is the way forward

jonnythan

You are restricting your calorie in-take therefore it's a diet.

A very good one that works for a lot of people - but don't delude yourself it's a diet.

No, it's not. IIFYM isn't about restricting your calorie intake. IIFYM is equally adaptable to weight loss, weight maintenance, or weight gain. In some cases IIFYM is about increasing your calorie intake from what you would otherwise eat.

IIFYM is a strategy around which one creates their diet (using the word diet to mean food selection and portioning); for the alternative "losing weight" meaning of diet, IIFYM is a strategy around which one can diet, maintain, or gain.

TheSlorax

I've never heard anyone say that IIFYM is a free pass to eat whatever you want. Didn't have time to watch the video.

Anyone who actually tries hitting their macros learns that you have to eat a pretty healthy diet, you just can have the occaisonal treat if there's room for it.

But everyone I've seen who DOESN'T do IIFYM likes to act like it's nothing but ice cream and cheeseburgers. Because thinking is hard.

This is a good point... generally if i want to have more than one beer or other less important treat I have to sacrifice hitting my protein/fat macros.

jonnythan

But IIFYM markets itself as a fat loss plan.

I didn't realize IIFYM had a marketing department.

It, of course, doesn't. IIFYM isn't a trademark. It's not a corporate-backed idea. It's a grassroots movement. It's not "marketed" as anything except by its adherents. And by its adherents, it is "marketed" as a strategy for any and every nutrition goal.

The idea that IIFYM isn't "marketed" as a (or even the) way to bulk is laughably ignorant, because it very much is.

Bama56

i have done my version of IIFYM for the past 2-3 years not actually knowing it was a thing until last year at some point. like any "diet" IIFYM is made how you want it. if you want to fill your carb intake with sugar and other foods that are complete crap go ahead, or you could be smart about it and eat balanced and healthy all around. IIFYM is a lifestyle change, you choose weather it is just another way to make yourself feel good about eating junk or you use it to actually turn yourself around.

/rant over

LolBroScience

If you want, sure you can.

But IIFYM markets itself as a fat loss plan.

Ergo - It's a diet - hey there's nothing wrong with something being a diet (it's not a bad thing).

No, not really....

3laine75

IIFYM is "eat whatever you want..... as long as it fits your nutrient goals."

That's the point. It's not a diet. It's a nutrient partitioning strategy around which you create your own diet. The power of IIFYM is that it lets you hit those nutrient goals with any food you see fit. Almost any particular diet can be adapted to IIFYM or followed with IIFYM strategies.

You are restricting your calorie in-take therefore it's a diet.

A very good one that works for a lot of people - but don't delude yourself it's a diet.

Nope, currently using IIFYM to bulk. (So not restricting calories in the way I think you mean)

FYI, diet: from the Greek - way of life

ETA: can't say I've seen it marketed as for weight loss - must've missed something.