IIFYM for very overweight people?

Emsmom121509

Hello everyone! I am wondering if anyone has had any experience with IIFYM that has been significantly overweight and JUST starting their weight loss journey? I have started IIFYM but I am a little skeptical. I don't understand how with this plan your are just able to do weight training and not cardio? So I guess my question is should I wait to start IIFYM until I lose some weight?( I am 239lbs right now. ) Should I focus mainly on cardio until I lose some weight?

Here is my calculated marcos just to give you a little more of an idea : F84 C123 P168 Calories 1920

Any advice would be awesome!

yopeeps025

IIFYM says to not do any cardio. Interesting

I would start doing both for benefits alone.

Cardio burns immediate calories

weight training speeds up metabolism and burns more calories at rest.

HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) also is a version of weight training if done correctly.

BombshellPhoenix

Iifym is an eating practice on the principal of meeting your macro and micronutrient goals. What exercise you do is up to you.

Cardio is great to incorporate with your exercise routine. Focusing more on weightlifting and getting a good amount of protein will help you retain your current lean body mass, leaving you leaner at goal weight. I started at 170 lbs and am very thankful I incorporated heavy lifting into my routine throughout. The take away is calories in vs out for weight loss. Cardio is great for cardiovascular health and to help with some potential logging errors. Weightlifting will help retain muscle and you can gain quite a bit of strength from existing muscle while you lose, it'll just be slower than those at maintenance or surplus but still worth it.

Just make sure you're logging accurately. Weighing your solids, measuring liquids if necessary and have patience :P

GiveMeCoffee

Iifym is an eating practice on the principal of meeting your macro and micronutrient goals. What exercise you do is up to you.

Cardio is great to incorporate with your exercise routine. Focusing more on weightlifting and getting a good amount of protein will help you retain your current lean body mass, leaving you leaner at goal weight. I started at 170 lbs and am very thankful I incorporated heavy lifting into my routine throughout. The take away is calories in vs out for weight loss. Cardio is great for cardiovascular health and to help with some potential logging errors. Weightlifting will help retain muscle and you can gain quite a bit of strength from existing muscle while you lose, it'll just be slower than those at maintenance or surplus but still worth it.

Just make sure you're logging accurately. Weighing your solids, measuring liquids if necessary and have patience :P

This!

I started at 285 lbs, I bike and once in awhile run for cardio, and lift. Don't wait to lose to start strength training, Having a balance of cardio and strength has been great for my overall health.

daflaminga

I don't know what IIFYM is, but I would definitely incorporate cardio into your exercise regimen. A combination of both strength graining and cardio will help you achieve the best results in the shortest amount of time.

Jessica_Eve

Just make sure that to begin with when you are getting your macros that you have a fairly accurate body fat percentage so you can use the Mifflin St Jeor method

yopeeps025

I don't know what IIFYM is, but I would definitely incorporate cardio into your exercise regimen. A combination of both strength graining and cardio will help you achieve the best results in the shortest amount of time.

IF IT fits Your Macro. Which is kinda true but I would say MIcro which is a little more important to meant over macros.

Emsmom121509

Thank you everyone!! This helped a lot! I think I will start the C25k program along with weight training!

xcalygrl

IIFYM is a way of eating. Cardio and weight training are completely separate from IIFYM.

If you follow IIFYM, you will end up with a well-rounded diet. If you're eating at a deficiet and hitting your macros, you're golden because you'll end up losing.

When I started my weight loss journey, I mainly did only cardio. I regret it. I lost fat and muscle mass. I would suggest you do both cardio and weight training. Cardio will torch calories while strength training will help you maintain your lean body mass. Doing this will result in you being leaner when you do finally reach your goal weight instead of being "skinny fat."

3laine75

I don't really understand the question. Why can you not do cardio if you're using IIFYM?

Use it as a guideline so you are getting enough protein to preserve the muscle you have and enough fat for healthy hormone production, joint care etc and do whatever kind of exercise you enjoy. I vote for weights but I am bias

Laurenloveswaffles

IIFYM is a way of eating. Cardio and weight training are completely separate from IIFYM.

If you follow IIFYM, you will end up with a well-rounded diet. If you're eating at a deficiet and hitting your macros, you're golden because you'll end up losing.

When I started my weight loss journey, I mainly did only cardio. I regret it. I lost fat and muscle mass. I would suggest you do both cardio and weight training. Cardio will torch calories while strength training will help you maintain your lean body mass. Doing this will result in you being leaner when you do finally reach your goal weight instead of being "skinny fat."

Same here.

Incorporating weights will not make you turn into a man, so please start lifting weights more than focusing on just cardio. Love the iron, and the iron will love you!

yopeeps025

IIFYM is a way of eating. Cardio and weight training are completely separate from IIFYM.

If you follow IIFYM, you will end up with a well-rounded diet. If you're eating at a deficiet and hitting your macros, you're golden because you'll end up losing.

When I started my weight loss journey, I mainly did only cardio. I regret it. I lost fat and muscle mass. I would suggest you do both cardio and weight training. Cardio will torch calories while strength training will help you maintain your lean body mass. Doing this will result in you being leaner when you do finally reach your goal weight instead of being "skinny fat."

Same here.

Incorporating weights will not make you turn into a man, so please start lifting weights more than focusing on just cardio. Love the iron, and the iron will love you!

1+ weights can help a women body become curvy.

MityMax96

You do not have to exercise to lose weight.
You just need to be under caloric needs to lose weight.

Exercise helps the process though.

MityMax96

Like others, I agree.

Weights.

Full body routines, w/ compound exercises will be your best friend while losing weight.
Cardio has its place, but I would put a higher priority on weight lifting and developing the muscles in your body

yopeeps025

weight training will help you lose fat way quicker than cardio. Literally shorter workout. Less stress on low calorie intake.

Raise BMR from the muscle if eaten in surplus. Also does raise period for 24 or longer hours due to repair muscles

Imagine being at your weight goal and being able to eat like your still high in weight?

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Laurenloveswaffles

IIFYM for fat people? I think that's called IIFIYM. That is, If It Fits In Your Mouth. I was on that for a while.

I was on that last night. Ate a whole package of Reese's Oreos :drinker:

nancy10272004

I'm 5'3" and started at 236. That's very overweight. Strike that - it's morbidly obese. I do IIFYM and I don't do weights or cardio besides wandering around with a FitBit and it's been very successful.

As of late I have gained five pounds but it has nothing to do with IIFYM and everything to do with slacking and letting myself go due to stress. Now I'm back on the plan (whatever that plan is) and I expect my weight loss will begin again.

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somewhereintx

IIFYM works for anyone looking to lose weight regardless of starting point IF you set your macros at a calorie deficit. That's true of any diet, but IIFYM makes it much more sustainable because you can pretty much eat anything you like instead of eliminating foods or food groups. I work with clients all the time using the IIFYM principles (even if I don't specifically call it that with them) and they see results as long as their macros are set correctly and they follow them.

As for the cardio. You can choose to do cardio or not. I tend to recommend doing things while losing weight that you plan to do for the rest of your life. If you wouldn't do 5 days of cardio a day for years and years, then I wouldn't do it to lose weight. Why? Because you'll set your macros, do cardio and cardio, then reach goal. Once you lessen cardio and start eating at maintenance, you're at risk of a regain.

If you want to do cardio, find things you love and do them at a sustainable level so there isn't a sudden stop of activity after goal. If you don't want to do cardio, don't and set your calories based on your activity level without it. I prepped for contest without cardio and still leaned out to compete because my calories were set with that in mind.

I strongly recommend lifting weights for anyone but especially when losing weight. Lifting will help you retain the muscle you have while dieting, it will burn calories, and help most of your weight loss be from fat and not fat/muscle. You don't have to do hours of lifting each week. 3 times a week for a beginner is perfect and very effective if done right.

Hope this helps.
Adrianne

Emsmom121509

Thannk you all so much! This really helped!