IIFYM Not a diet?

annette_15
annette_15 Posts: 1,657 Member
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
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Replies

  • gypsy_spirit
    gypsy_spirit Posts: 2,107 Member
    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
    neanderthin Posts: 10,260 Member
    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
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
    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
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    IIFYM = IIFYM
    IIFYM =!= eat whatever you want

    And that interview is awful.
  • Samenamenewlook
    Samenamenewlook Posts: 296 Member
    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
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    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
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    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
    Mia_RagazzaTosta Posts: 4,885 Member
    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
    tennisdude2004 Posts: 5,609 Member
    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
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    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?
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  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    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
    tennisdude2004 Posts: 5,609 Member
    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
    Chadomaniac Posts: 1,785 Member
    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
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    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
    TheSlorax Posts: 2,401 Member
    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
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    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
    Bama56 Posts: 101 Member
    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
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member

    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
    3laine75 Posts: 3,069 Member
    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.
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    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...

    It's a convoluted discussion about something very banal, it's too long for such a basic message.
    What next, Alan Aragon is going to disperse the myth of counting coffee as water?

    So while I agree that food should be varied, fresh, nutrient rich (locally available when possible, etc...) I don't feel a 23 minute interview is necessary to get that simple idea across. There is a lot of fluff and noise in that - Omar isn't my fav.
  • kelly_e_montana
    kelly_e_montana Posts: 1,999 Member
    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.

    I read that pretty much all the time on MFP. I've even seen posts of people doing exclusively McDonald's food to prove a point on IIFYM.
  • tennisdude2004
    tennisdude2004 Posts: 5,609 Member
    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.

    www.IIFYM.com

    'If you are one of these clients that wants to skip to the punchline our IIFYM Starter Kit is perfect for you! Our Macro Counting starter kit gives you everything you need to get started with your new IIFYM Macro diet TODAY!! We do all the math for you, and hand over an easy to follow program that is designed specifically for you, and no one else. Not only will we dial in YOUR specific macros, but we will also leave you with a game plan on how to proceed when your weight loss stalls'

    Hell even they call it a diet!!!

    Not sure if they have a marketing department, but as its a money making business I would assume they have an employee that handles the marketing for them.
  • Mr_Bad_Example
    Mr_Bad_Example Posts: 2,403 Member
    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.

    Your eating habits are what constitute a diet - no matter if you are restricting calories or not.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    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.

    www.IIFYM.com

    'If you are one of these clients that wants to skip to the punchline our IIFYM Starter Kit is perfect for you! Our Macro Counting starter kit gives you everything you need to get started with your new IIFYM Macro diet TODAY!! We do all the math for you, and hand over an easy to follow program that is designed specifically for you, and no one else. Not only will we dial in YOUR specific macros, but we will also leave you with a game plan on how to proceed when your weight loss stalls'

    Hell even they call it a diet!!!

    Not sure if they have a marketing department, but as its a money making business I would assume they have an employee that handles the marketing for them.

    Oh there's your problem. You don't understand what IIFYM means or where it comes from, so you think the home page of "IIFYM.com" defines it.

    By all means, carry on with your willful ignorance. If you ever decide one day you'd rather be informed and correct please let us know. In the meantime, we'll stop wasting our time trying to correct you because you have no interest at the moment.
  • Chadomaniac
    Chadomaniac Posts: 1,785 Member
    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.

    I read that pretty much all the time on MFP. I've even seen posts of people doing exclusively McDonald's food to prove a point on IIFYM.

    Done this to prove a point

    you feel like chit because you don't get in all the nutrients and fiber your body needs . but I still lost weight on a calorie deficit eating mcdonalds every day for 10 days . atleast a double quarter pounder with cheese +- 1000cals of mcdonalds food . sometimes 1800cals all depends

    Point is , calorie deficit = weight loss
    Ignoring micro nutrients and fiber will make you feel like death over time
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    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.

    I read that pretty much all the time on MFP. I've even seen posts of people doing exclusively McDonald's food to prove a point on IIFYM.

    Because you can hit reasonable macro/calorie goals eating exclusively at McDonalds if you want to. That's the point.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    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).

    diet.defining the way that I eat: there for IIFYM is a diet.

    diet- not defined as " a way to lose weight" - because I use IIFYM for bulking- so- your argument is null and void.

    PS.

    "IF IT FITS IT FITS>>> AND IT FITS"



    POCKET MUFFIN!!!!!

    those of you who know- you know. ;)
  • tennisdude2004
    tennisdude2004 Posts: 5,609 Member
    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.

    www.IIFYM.com

    'If you are one of these clients that wants to skip to the punchline our IIFYM Starter Kit is perfect for you! Our Macro Counting starter kit gives you everything you need to get started with your new IIFYM Macro diet TODAY!! We do all the math for you, and hand over an easy to follow program that is designed specifically for you, and no one else. Not only will we dial in YOUR specific macros, but we will also leave you with a game plan on how to proceed when your weight loss stalls'

    Hell even they call it a diet!!!

    Not sure if they have a marketing department, but as its a money making business I would assume they have an employee that handles the marketing for them.

    Oh there's your problem. You don't understand what IIFYM means or where it comes from, so you think the home page of "IIFYM.com" defines it.

    By all means, carry on with your willful ignorance. If you ever decide one day you'd rather be informed and correct please let us know. In the meantime, we'll stop wasting our time trying to correct you because you have no interest at the moment.

    Yes please I wish to be enlightened - please direct me to the source! :smile:
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    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.

    I read that pretty much all the time on MFP. I've even seen posts of people doing exclusively McDonald's food to prove a point on IIFYM.

    links please.

    I've never seen anyone on MFP do it- just articles linked of the high school teacher who did it.