IIFYM?

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fragileelegance
fragileelegance Posts: 102 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I think I'm going to try IIFYM. It says my daily calorie intake should be 1,974. I just don't get how I'm supposed to lose weight if I couldn't lose weight on 1400 calories :/

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  • suremeansyes
    suremeansyes Posts: 962 Member
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    Do you weigh your food?
  • fragileelegance
    fragileelegance Posts: 102 Member
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    Nope, I don't
  • suremeansyes
    suremeansyes Posts: 962 Member
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    You might very possibly be eating more than 1400 calories then, I'd suggest weighing and measuring your foods.

    At what percents are you going to set your macros?
  • fragileelegance
    fragileelegance Posts: 102 Member
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    Counting my food is already hard enough! Weighing my food just seems a bit much :/

    Carbs- 159
    Protein- 176
    Fat- 70.4
    Fiber- 35-44
  • suremeansyes
    suremeansyes Posts: 962 Member
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    Well, if you are not losing weight at "1400" calories, good luck losing it at 1900. I'm not trying to be a smart *kitten*, just doing the math.

    Weighing does seem a little obnoxious, but it really taught me a lot. Like how I was totally jipping myself on peanut butter.
  • WakkoW
    WakkoW Posts: 567 Member
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    Nothing will work if you don't accurately and consistently track your food.

    The best way to do this is with a scale. My guess is your estimates are way off if you're not losing at 1500/day.
  • fragileelegance
    fragileelegance Posts: 102 Member
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    Frustrating.

    Thank you both!
  • WakkoW
    WakkoW Posts: 567 Member
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    You don't necessarily need to weigh your food forever, but if you're not getting the results you are seeking, it is good to try for a while. It can be eye opening.

    I have been weighing my food for years, even when I'm not logging. It's just a habit, but I test myself times and am really good at estimating now.
  • blleadon
    blleadon Posts: 187 Member
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    I got through my "plateau" by weighing everything and not just some of the things and logging EVERYTHING. Turns out my plateau was not a plateau at all. The body is a much better calorie counter than my mfp app if I dont count/weigh everything.
  • Arlucero1
    Arlucero1 Posts: 1
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    Okay, question. I just decided myself too that I want to try IIFYM. I had always weighed around 135-140 at 5'2-5'3 depending on who measures me. I ate whatever I want and never thought about food. I got engaged and was eating out A LOT with a busy school schedule and house hunting. I did atkins and got down to 148. I decided I didn't want to never eat carbs ever again so started eating mostly healthy and have been staying at around 150-152. I tried two different websites that say my BMR is 1400-1480 and that I should eat 1600 calories with 110 carbs 152protein 60.8 fat 30 - 38 fiber. I feel like this is doable by reading nutrition label but your suggestion of weighing is to make sure I am accurately hitting the serving size? For example if a serving size says 172 g making sure my food weighs that for accuracy? Sorry if that seems like a stupid question just curious. Should I only do this if I am not seeing results with just using MFP tracking my macros without weighing the food? Thank you!
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/817188-iifym (just some words of wisdom from SideSteel)
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
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    Okay, question. I just decided myself too that I want to try IIFYM. I had always weighed around 135-140 at 5'2-5'3 depending on who measures me. I ate whatever I want and never thought about food. I got engaged and was eating out A LOT with a busy school schedule and house hunting. I did atkins and got down to 148. I decided I didn't want to never eat carbs ever again so started eating mostly healthy and have been staying at around 150-152. I tried two different websites that say my BMR is 1400-1480 and that I should eat 1600 calories with 110 carbs 152protein 60.8 fat 30 - 38 fiber. I feel like this is doable by reading nutrition label but your suggestion of weighing is to make sure I am accurately hitting the serving size? For example if a serving size says 172 g making sure my food weighs that for accuracy? Sorry if that seems like a stupid question just curious. Should I only do this if I am not seeing results with just using MFP tracking my macros without weighing the food? Thank you!

    Weigh your food. weigh it weight it weigh it.

    I've come across where the package's serving size per individual pieces (i.e. chips/crackers) or cups/tablespoons is usually off compared to it's weight counterpart. Off enough to where every little bit adds up to where you aren't actually eating as low as you think.

    This has been true even for vegetables and fruits.
  • jconnetti
    jconnetti Posts: 2 Member
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    It's not about accurately hitting serving size. It's more about accurately recording all of the macros that you consume throughout the day (macros meaning grams of protein, carbs and fat) and ensuring that you do not exceed recommended amount of calories and meeting the recommended macros based on food choice. I love IIFYM because it gives you more flexibility in your diet.

    For example, I may have 150 calories and 28 grams of carbs LEFT to meet my daily calorie and macro consumption goal. If I were on a body building diet then I'd probably have to eat oats or sweet potato to "Fit the macros" whereas in the IIFYM diet, you have the flexibility of choosing another carb source for consuming 150 cals and 28 grams of carbs, like from popcorn (or some type of food that you prob would NEVER see on a bodybuilding diet).

    Hope this helps!! :)
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
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    Counting my food is already hard enough! Weighing my food just seems a bit much :/

    Carbs- 159
    Protein- 176
    Fat- 70.4
    Fiber- 35-44

    how can you count your food if you are not weighing/measuring it?

    More than likely your are not correctly logging your calories and you are eating more than you think ….

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