IIFYM Question

dunge0n
dunge0n Posts: 29 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
About me. 30/female/5ft 8in/260lbs, prediabetic
BMR: 1950
TDEE: 2340

I used the calculator on iifym dot com.
I picked the aggressive weight loss and the low carb option. It suggested I eat 2080 calories with macros fat/carb/protein of 35/25/4%0 which translate to 81g/130g/208g respectively. I chose the sedentary/couch potato option. SO here are my questions:

1. Is this method only for people doing strength exercising/bulking/body lifting?
2. How can I possibly eat that many calories? And before you start bashing me I am sure I can eat that many calories if I eat a tub of ice cream but the point is to eat healthy which I am sure doesn't include heaping bowls of ice creams and pastas so how do I get that many calories in a healthy way? More importantly that high number of protein?
3. Now in general I have read that you shouldn't eat below BMR but then people have said that if you are obese you can go down to 1500. I once visited a nutrition and she gave me 1700 calories. So how many should I eat?

For the past 3 weeks I have been eating clean for the most part, measuring and weighing etc at 1300-1400 calories. The first week I lost 4 and then nothing. This is what always happens when I eat below 1500 calories. So I figured I'd look into this eat more thing. However 2000 calories look like a very big number and scarier than that is that 208g of protein.

Hope someone can help.

Replies

  • j6o4
    j6o4 Posts: 871 Member
    Eating clean doesn't get you lean. It's a myth that you have to eat clean to get lean.
  • RobsGirl_lds
    RobsGirl_lds Posts: 211 Member
    The general consensus is to eat 80% healthy(your definition) and 20% what you want(ice cream if that's your thing) and hit your macro targets.
  • gmallan
    gmallan Posts: 2,099 Member
    1. Nope definitely not, it's just a different way of eating and staying healthy to achieve the results you're looking for whether it be weight loss, gain or maintenance.
    2. Try pre-logging your meals to get a feel of what will meet your macro and calorie requirements. You'll be able to fit a small amount of 'junk' food into your diet but to hit your macros and micros (which is an often forgotten componant of IIFYM) then you'll still need to eat a great deal of whole natrual foods. You might need to consider protein supplementation (powder) if you can't meet your protein goals from food.
    3. Maybe you could try reverse dieting where you slowly increase your calories (50-100 per week) until you find a point where you are happy, healthy and still losing. Remember that online calculators are helpful guides but are based on assumptions and give estimates only. Weight loss is an experiment with n=1, so play around with your calories until you find what works.
  • Branstin
    Branstin Posts: 2,320 Member
    No, it's for anyone who wants to lose or gain weight. You have to try different methods and combination of healthy methods until you find one that works for you. It's only been three weeks for you so give yourself time. The body needs time to adjust to the new change.

    Perhaps you want to consider using MFP numbers which starts off lower then add your exercise calories to your day's total.
  • dunge0n
    dunge0n Posts: 29 Member
    1. Nope definitely not, it's just a different way of eating and staying healthy to achieve the results you're looking for whether it be weight loss, gain or maintenance.
    2. Try pre-logging your meals to get a feel of what will meet your macro and calorie requirements. You'll be able to fit a small amount of 'junk' food into your diet but to hit your macros and micros (which is an often forgotten componant of IIFYM) then you'll still need to eat a great deal of whole natrual foods. You might need to consider protein supplementation (powder) if you can't meet your protein goals from food.
    3. Maybe you could try reverse dieting where you slowly increase your calories (50-100 per week) until you find a point where you are happy, healthy and still losing. Remember that online calculators are helpful guides but are based on assumptions and give estimates only. Weight loss is an experiment with n=1, so play around with your calories until you find what works.

    Thank you this helps. I'll increase by 100-200. The frustration is it takes long to figure out if that number worked. While I don't believe in shortcuts to lose weight I just wish I can find the magic numbers that will work for me so I can get started.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    1. No

    2. 80/20 rule. Eat mostly unprocessed foods and have some other not so micro nutrient dense foods to fill the gaps.

    3. under BMR for sustained period of time is not great for the metabolism no.

    When you have eaten 1500ish in the past are you weighing everything or estimating? If you are 100% sure that you are accurate then I'd suggest getting blood work done as that should definitely be a calorie deficit.

    I would disregard the numbers you have been given as it doesn't take into account BF%.

    2000 cals with 150P/170C/80F would be a good starting point IMO. Track progress (pics and measurements) and adjust cals up or down if necessary.
  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,069 Member
    It's for anyone, you don't have to be weight training.

    Even for someone who was trying to build muscle, I think you've went a little high on protein - I think it'd be easier to get your calories in (as well as fuel your day) if you got a few more carbs in.

    And yes you can have ice cream, if it fits your macros :)
  • dunge0n
    dunge0n Posts: 29 Member
    Ice cream was just an example. :) My downfall is carbs not sweets. Give me pasta and that's a different story.
    I went low on carbs because of the prediabetic thing and thought 130 sounded like a good number. That's about 8 servings of carbs (in diabetic exchange terms).

    As for the 1500 in the past, those were estimates now I am measuring when I can guessing when I can't but in my head I always keep a 100 calories deficit for measuring mistake. I will try 1600 calories for now not eating any exercise ones back. I use a fit bit and on a normal day I earn 100-150 exercise calories which I do NOT eat back.

    I wanted to get the food part right before I dealt with exercise.

    Thank you everyone for your advice.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    aah, I was talking gross numbers before (not eating exercise cals).

    If you are pre diabetic, I'd keep the carbs lower like you suggested. 150g protein should be PLENTY. The remainder fats.
  • star5558
    star5558 Posts: 4
    We are similar weight and height. Im 5'9 and weigh 260 as well. Ive been doing Iifym for the last 1-2 months. At first I was reguly loosing 2 pounds a wk. these last two wks Ive stopped loosing. Total loss so far of 8 pounds. Ive changed my macros to fit with my weight loss. Hopefully that will help. Im at 2080 cals, 52f, 245c and 163p. Is it ok if I add you as a friend. Would be nice to have someone who is similar size and trying similar eating.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    The IIFYM really has nothing to do with the original concept of IIFYM...they're just cashing in. It's a pretty good calculator and all, but those numbers they give you are pretty much bogus...nobody needs 1 gram of protein per Lb of body weight...maybe a bodybuilder, but some 300 Lb fat person doesn't need 300 grams of protein per day and just the average person really doesn't either.

    IIFYM is a concept, not a website.
  • samanthasherfey
    samanthasherfey Posts: 3 Member
    Hey everyone i'm trying iifym to lose weight.
    i'm a 20 year old female. about 180lbs.
    i calculated my macros on iifym.com but they seem off to me. can anyone confirm?

    Carbs: 120.1g
    Protein 139.5g
    Fat: 44.6g
    Fiber: 36-45g

    thanks!
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    Hey everyone i'm trying iifym to lose weight.
    i'm a 20 year old female. about 180lbs.
    i calculated my macros on iifym.com but they seem off to me. can anyone confirm?

    Carbs: 120.1g
    Protein 139.5g
    Fat: 44.6g
    Fiber: 36-45g

    thanks!

    Total cals seem too low and protein too high.

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