IIFYM vs. low-carb vs. primal blueprint

AsaThorsWoman

Hello!

My lovely IIFYM friends on MFP gave me 8 levels of grief for following a low-carb diet this year.

That sucked so I quit doing it.

So today I was looking over this http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/ and it set my carbs at 40.

I'm not sure if I'm doing the math correctly, though.

I'm 5ft 7 1/2.

Weight: 180 - 182

body fat %32

I am 31 years old.

This says my BMR is 1585

And my TDEE is 2180

It also says

"- Protein: 1 gram per pound of body weight
- Fat: .45 grams per pound of body weight
- Carbs: The remaining number of calories left will be filled with carbs"

So...

I'm coming up with 180 g protien, which is %45.

80 g fat, which is %45

and the remainder is %10 carbs which is 40 grams.

(^^ I came up with this as I plugged the numbers into my MFP diary goal settings...)

What on earth is the difference between IIFYM and low-carb, they both seem like low-carb diets to me unless I'm simply doing the math all wrong. And why did all the IIFYM people give me so much grief over low-carbing if their diet is low-carbing too?

I'm guessing that if I weighed 120 lb, I would need far less of the other macros and then my carb allotance would go up, so it's basically saying the more you weigh the less carbs you take in for the IIFYM diet. That makes sense in some ways, but if that's the deal, than why are we celebrating IIFYM and knocking low-carbers if they're basically the same thing for the overweight populace?

Primal says for weight loss to eat between 50-100 carbs for weight loss.

Low carb is under 20 net, and this IIFYM is coming out too 40 per day.

Diets and macros are confusing.

I'll just wait for someone to link in the sexy pants thread.

BombshellPhoenix

Iifym has a keto option, too I think. It gets wonky sometimes. Try Scoobyworkshop one. I follow iifym and I can promise you I am not low carb. I mean, if you like it go for it but I just don't function well without I'm at about 300+ right now. In weight loss I was at about 250ish

ETA: for me, I focus on getting 1g per pound of lean body mass in protein, hit or exceed fat and fiber. Then, fill the rest with carbs, so as long as I'm hitting my micros, too

fivethreeone

It should be 1g protein per pound of lean body mass, not total body weight.

I didn't do the math, but that'll change your calculations big time

smn76237

When I filled out the calculator in IIFYM, under step 3 it suggested 1 g of protein per lb of LEAN mass, not body mass. I just think that's a typo on the page you linked. That will lower your protein goal and up your carb goal. You can also customize it to something like .8 g of protein per lb of lean body mass.

Escloflowne

So you stopped doing a low carb diet to do another low carb diet? I don't understand!

Set your carbs to 40-45%.....

DopeItUp

Did you actually use the macro calculator as it says to?

http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/

I put in your stats, used a 20% cut, and the middle options for fat/protein intake and it gave me:

1744 calories
182carbs
50fat
142protein

Seems pretty reasonable to me. That's almost 40/30/30 which is extremely common.

AsaThorsWoman

It should be 1g protein per pound of lean body mass, not total body weight.

I didn't do the math, but that'll change your calculations big time

That makes way more sense.

So how do you find your lean body mass?

If I weigh 180 and my body fat is %32, than my lean body mass is 122.4, so 122g protein daily?

Sarauk2sf

I would not use the IIFYM calculator to set your macros.

I would limit the fats to no more than 30% of your calorie allotment. Also, use your goal weigh rather than your actual weight for protein calculations (or LBM unless you are quite lean or on a large deficit, then it should be higher).

That part of the IIFYM site is just a calculator that gives you macros and calories. There are many other ways to set them. IIFYM means If It Fits Your Macros - your macros can be whatever you chose as best for you.

sculli123

When I was deep in cut mode I think I was eating about 20% carbs, 45 % protein, and 35% fat. But I would do weekly carb refeeds at maintainance calories which definitely helped a lot. Now I'm reverse dieting and adding more carbs in slowly.

AsaThorsWoman

I know I do not want a low-carb diet.

I'm trying to figure out what to aim for as far as the protein and fat goes, and carbs, too.

sculli123

I would not use the IIFYM calculator to set your macros.

I would limit the fats to no more than 30% of your calorie allotment. Also, use your goal weigh rather than your actual weight for protein calculations (or LBM unless you are quite lean or on a large deficit, then it should be higher).

That part of the IIFYM site is just a calculator that gives you macros and calories. There are many other ways to set them. IIFYM means If It Fits Your Macros - your macros can be whatever you chose as best for you.

For fats, one thing I learned was if I kept them too low I had major mood issues (even when things were going well). The theory of keeping the fats higher served a duel purpose: 1) help satiety 2) help regulate hormones. Once I upped my fats I felt totally normal again.

AsaThorsWoman

Does lean body mass = the amount of your weight that is not body fat?

Laurenloveswaffles

I'm 5ft 7 1/2.

Weight: 180 - 182

body fat %32

I am 31 years old.

This says my BMR is 1585

And my TDEE is 2180

It also says

"- Protein: 1 gram per pound of body weight
- Fat: .45 grams per pound of body weight
- Carbs: The remaining number of calories left will be filled with carbs"

So...

I'm coming up with 180 g protien, which is %45.

80 g fat, which is %45

and the remainder is %10 carbs which is 40 grams.

Edit: because my computer is a jerk

With 180g of protein, 80g of fat, the rest of your calories would be for carbs which would be 185g.

Which would work. But I would lower the protein, and up the carbs because carbs are yum.

DopeItUp

Does lean body mass = the amount of your weight that is not body fat?

Yes.

Go read everything here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/833026-important-posts-to-read

Sarauk2sf

I would not use the IIFYM calculator to set your macros.

I would limit the fats to no more than 30% of your calorie allotment. Also, use your goal weigh rather than your actual weight for protein calculations (or LBM unless you are quite lean or on a large deficit, then it should be higher).

That part of the IIFYM site is just a calculator that gives you macros and calories. There are many other ways to set them. IIFYM means If It Fits Your Macros - your macros can be whatever you chose as best for you.

For fats, one thing I learned was if I kept them too low I had major mood issues (even when things were going well). The theory of keeping the fats higher served a duel purpose: 1) help satiety 2) help regulate hormones. Once I upped my fats I felt totally normal again.

I agree with your comments re fats being important, but 30% is not low. Generally you will see something like 25% - but up to 30% gives more wiggle room (although I should have been clearer that I meant 25 - 30%). The problem with fats, while tasty and beneficial, they have more cals per gram so cut into the 'leftovers' of your calorie allowance.

zoeysasha37

Did you actually use the macro calculator as it says to?

http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/

I put in your stats, used a 20% cut, and the middle options for fat/protein intake and it gave me:

1744 calories
182carbs
50fat
142protein

Seems pretty reasonable to me. That's almost 40/30/30 which is extremely common.

This^^

Sabine_Stroehm

I would not use the IIFYM calculator to set your macros.

I would limit the fats to no more than 30% of your calorie allotment. Also, use your goal weigh rather than your actual weight for protein calculations (or LBM unless you are quite lean or on a large deficit, then it should be higher).

That part of the IIFYM site is just a calculator that gives you macros and calories. There are many other ways to set them. IIFYM means If It Fits Your Macros - your macros can be whatever you chose as best for you.

I too wouldn't use the IFFYM calculator. It gets pretty wonky.

Laurenloveswaffles

Did you actually use the macro calculator as it says to?

http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/

I put in your stats, used a 20% cut, and the middle options for fat/protein intake and it gave me:

1744 calories
182carbs
50fat
142protein

Seems pretty reasonable to me. That's almost 40/30/30 which is extremely common.

This^^

^^^^

BombshellPhoenix

Did you actually use the macro calculator as it says to?

http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/

I put in your stats, used a 20% cut, and the middle options for fat/protein intake and it gave me:

1744 calories
182carbs
50fat
142protein

Seems pretty reasonable to me. That's almost 40/30/30 which is extremely common.

This^^

^^^^

Hai

Jacwhite22

Does lean body mass = the amount of your weight that is not body fat?

No. It's total body mass - fat mass.

AsaThorsWoman

Jac White, how do I calculate that?

Is the fat mass 180 x %32= 57.6lb

and the total body mass 180 if that's my weight?

AsaThorsWoman

Did you actually use the macro calculator as it says to?

http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/

I put in your stats, used a 20% cut, and the middle options for fat/protein intake and it gave me:

1744 calories
182carbs
50fat
142protein

Seems pretty reasonable to me. That's almost 40/30/30 which is extremely common.

This^^

Oh, thanks!

I'll just try this.

BombshellPhoenix

I plugged in your stats for lean body mass and it's around 117 lbs of lean body mass based on height and current weight. Unless you got a hydrostatic water test or dexascan, it's going to be an estimate anyway. I'd aim for like 120g of protein

Jacwhite22

Jac White, how do I calculate that?

Is the fat mass 180 x %32= 57.6lb

and the total body mass 180 if that's my weight?

Yes. so

180 - 57.6 = 122.4 lean mass (assuming I did the math correctly in my head and that you are indeed 32% body fat)

DavPul

is this real life?

AsaThorsWoman

Did you actually use the macro calculator as it says to?

http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/

I put in your stats, used a 20% cut, and the middle options for fat/protein intake and it gave me:

1744 calories
182carbs
50fat
142protein

Seems pretty reasonable to me. That's almost 40/30/30 which is extremely common.

This^^

Oh, thanks!

I'll just try this.

This is what it came out too for me...

I'll try that because I am trying to stick in the 1,600 zone for kcal.

CARBS PROTEINFAT FIBER CALORIES
GRAMS per day 142.1 153 49 36 - 45 1621
GRAMS per meal 71 76.5 24.5 18 - 23 811

BombshellPhoenix

is this real life?

Is it just fantasy?

icrushit

If your weight is 182, and your body fat is 32%, your lean body mass is 138lbs. 1g of protein per lb would mean 138g of protein every day.

Re: the carbs, just dial them back, I find that the best approach. Eliminate any junk food and alcohol carbs first, maintain that for a while, then cut back on the bread and grains, with a view to cutting them out. Once you've done that, see where you are then, as if you want to lower further, replacing fruit with berries, and replacing most of the starchier veg in your diet with non-starchier options is a good way to go.

Just remember to focus on net carbs, which is the amount of carbs less any fibre, as that is the number you need to focus on. I'm at about 50g of net carbs at the moment, but feel as long as I'm under 100g or less I'll be ok. I shall just try the 50g mark at the moment for a bit, but think the cutoff point for me will be where I have to cut back on good carbs like certaain vegetables, just to hit an artificial target, as overall since starting lower carb 3 weeks ago I haven't felt too hungry at all, whether my my net carbs were 100, 75, 50 or 35, and thus I've found it easy enough to maintain my intended daily calorie deficit.

AsaThorsWoman

is this real life?

Is it just fantasy?

Caught in a landslide...

icrushit

Jac White, how do I calculate that?

Is the fat mass 180 x %32= 57.6lb

No, thats not how it works. Your total weight of 180lbs, is a sum of your lean body mass (100%), and body fat of 32%. To calculate what your lean body mass is you divide your body weight by 132, and multiply by 100. Ergo, your lean body mass is 136lbs, and adding 32% of fat onto that, 44lbs (32% of 136lbs), gives you your current body weight of 180lbs. Lot of bad math floating around in some of the replies, but the above is correct.

icrushit

Does lean body mass = the amount of your weight that is not body fat?

No. It's total body mass - fat mass.

Yes, lean body mass = the amount of your weight that is not body fat.
Yes, total body mass - fat mass = lean body mass.