IIFYM
mommy2girls1
Posts: 6 Member
i am starting IIFYM today, anyone have a simple plan for this? I am using the MFP app on my phone and changed my settings appropriately.
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Replies
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What do you mean by a simple plan?
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Is there a place to help me find recipes? Or the macros calculated for certain foods? This is very new to me, I'm afraid I'll mess this up.0
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Keep in mind that the IIFYM is just a calculator that is capitalizing on the concept. There is no one size fits all macro ratio and that calculator uses the TDEE method.
Conceptually, IIFYM was meant for people to establish reasonable macro goals...it was born out of the fitness industry, not the diet industry, so one's optimal macros would be as per their fitness goals. Basically one's macros would be set for optimal or close to optimal performance. From there, you just eat food within those macro goals and calorie goals. There is no demonization of food or food groups...another word for it is "flexible" dieting. Basically, "hey...can I have some ice cream?"....IIFYM.
To that end, the original intent has also been pretty well bastardized and despite what a lot of people think, IIFYM doesn't mean just eat whatever and fill you day with "junk". If one has established a solid macro ratio, they'd be hard pressed to fill their days with junk. Most people who follow this concept eat a lot of healthy, nutritious foods...we're just not scared of a little desert.0 -
all you need to do is hit your protein/fat/carb minimums and fill in the rest from there. There are no "recipes" you eat what fits into your macros, hence, IIFYM....
However, you should still eat nutrient dense foods, and then mix in treats.0 -
mommy2girls1 wrote: »Is there a place to help me find recipes? Or the macros calculated for certain foods? This is very new to me, I'm afraid I'll mess this up.
You just eat food in portions that are appropriate for your calorie goals and macro goals. You can track everything on MFP...when you enter food into your diary it is going to tell you how many grams of protein, fat, and carbs are in stuff. From there, you adjust your diet accordingly.
You can't really mess anything up...there's nothing to mess up. Trying to be bang on is an exercise in futility but with a little practice you can start balancing out your diet and getting close.
Keep in mind also that IIFYM isn't some kind of super natural weightloss diet. It's just a concept that avoids demonization of food. Ultimately your calorie intake is going to dictate your weight.0 -
Ok, I eat pretty clean, no sugar or flour, so I think this will be easier than I originally thought. Just need to focus on it a little more.0
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mommy2girls1 wrote: »Ok, I eat pretty clean, no sugar or flour, so I think this will be easier than I originally thought. Just need to focus on it a little more.
Is there a reason you are eliminating entire food groups?0 -
Is "sugar" a food group? LOL!0
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Plan your meals the day before, makes it alot easier to hit your macros because it's planned out.. That way you could also factor in desert or a snack if you wanted .. Flexible dieting is the best
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it will take a bit of practice, but worth it0
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Eat. Under your calories. Consider protein.0
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I do honey for sweetener, I guess that is considered sugar. I took out cookies, cake etc.0
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I am having a hard time staying under my fat allowance each day. Once I have my peanut or almond butter with my apple for a snack, and any kind of cheese, I am done for the day, it seems. I use almond milk with my coffee, maybe I should go back to fat free milk?0
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cwolfman13 wrote: »mommy2girls1 wrote: »Is there a place to help me find recipes? Or the macros calculated for certain foods? This is very new to me, I'm afraid I'll mess this up.
You just eat food in portions that are appropriate for your calorie goals and macro goals. You can track everything on MFP...when you enter food into your diary it is going to tell you how many grams of protein, fat, and carbs are in stuff. From there, you adjust your diet accordingly.
You can't really mess anything up...there's nothing to mess up. Trying to be bang on is an exercise in futility but with a little practice you can start balancing out your diet and getting close.
Keep in mind also that IIFYM isn't some kind of super natural weightloss diet. It's just a concept that avoids demonization of food. Ultimately your calorie intake is going to dictate your weight.
Have a feeling the part in bold is going to fly right over OP's head so I'm bolding it...
OP you mentioned that you eliminated sugar and flour - do you have a medical reason to be restricting these foods?0 -
mommy2girls1 wrote: »I am having a hard time staying under my fat allowance each day. Once I have my peanut or almond butter with my apple for a snack, and any kind of cheese, I am done for the day, it seems. I use almond milk with my coffee, maybe I should go back to fat free milk?
Under IIFYM, fat is a minimum, not a maximum. You shouldn't be trying to stay under it.0 -
mantium999 wrote: »mommy2girls1 wrote: »I am having a hard time staying under my fat allowance each day. Once I have my peanut or almond butter with my apple for a snack, and any kind of cheese, I am done for the day, it seems. I use almond milk with my coffee, maybe I should go back to fat free milk?
Under IIFYM, fat is a minimum, not a maximum. You shouldn't be trying to stay under it.
you're supposed to stay within your macro goals +/- 5 using IIFYM.0 -
What is your fat set at if you are going over it so quickly?0
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mommy2girls1 wrote: »I am having a hard time staying under my fat allowance each day. Once I have my peanut or almond butter with my apple for a snack, and any kind of cheese, I am done for the day, it seems. I use almond milk with my coffee, maybe I should go back to fat free milk?
Maybe your fat percentage is too low for your particular needs. The question is why you picked the particular numbers you did and what you are low on if you are high on fat. Carb vs. fat percentage in particular is largely a matter of personal preference/how it affects you.0 -
mantium999 wrote: »mommy2girls1 wrote: »I am having a hard time staying under my fat allowance each day. Once I have my peanut or almond butter with my apple for a snack, and any kind of cheese, I am done for the day, it seems. I use almond milk with my coffee, maybe I should go back to fat free milk?
Under IIFYM, fat is a minimum, not a maximum. You shouldn't be trying to stay under it.
you're supposed to stay within your macro goals +/- 5 using IIFYM.
Not necessarily. Protein and fat are minimums. If you go over protein of fat by 10 and it comes at the expense of carbs there's nothing wrong with that.
why even have macros then if you aren't trying to meet them? people set their macros specific to their goals.. that's the whole point of IIFYM. if you're going to decide to frequently go over/under by more than 5g, whats the point?
ETA: or just change your macros.0 -
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mantium999 wrote: »mommy2girls1 wrote: »I am having a hard time staying under my fat allowance each day. Once I have my peanut or almond butter with my apple for a snack, and any kind of cheese, I am done for the day, it seems. I use almond milk with my coffee, maybe I should go back to fat free milk?
Under IIFYM, fat is a minimum, not a maximum. You shouldn't be trying to stay under it.
you're supposed to stay within your macro goals +/- 5 using IIFYM.
Not necessarily. Protein and fat are minimums. If you go over protein of fat by 10 and it comes at the expense of carbs there's nothing wrong with that.
why even have macros then if you aren't trying to meet them? people set their macros specific to their goals.. that's the whole point of IIFYM. if you're going to decide to frequently go over/under by more than 5g, whats the point?
ETA: or just change your macros.
IIFYM is not a diet or specific way macros need to be set up. The IIFYM site does have a site to set up macros but it is not limited to that site. Many people on MFP alone will set up their intake and macros on their own based on there preferences and then follow an IIFYM eating style. It doesn't mean that you have to hit the targets exactly or are restricted to a specific buffer. As I said earlier, fat and protein are minimums, carbs are discretionary. Many people will make sure they have protein and fat at least meeting minimums then letting the rest fall where they please while also paying attention to getting in proper micros/vitamins/minerals.
The point of setting up macros and going over on some macros here or there is that we have the ability to do that because targets are minimums. Just because we don't follow a specific buffer does not mean we shouldn't bother to track macronutrients at all.
Agree with the above. By hitting protein and fat as minimums, while ensuring you stay within your calorie target, allows carbs to be the wild card. Rather than worrying about "evil" sugar, if you maintain focus on the ultimate goal of staying within your calorie target, and hitting a minimum target on protein and fat, than your carb consumption no longer matters, and allows you to take an often misguided concern out of the picture. Unless you have a medical concern (diabetes or insulin issues), or are an endurance athlete, who needs to pay more attention to their carb intake.0 -
mantium999 wrote: »mommy2girls1 wrote: »I am having a hard time staying under my fat allowance each day. Once I have my peanut or almond butter with my apple for a snack, and any kind of cheese, I am done for the day, it seems. I use almond milk with my coffee, maybe I should go back to fat free milk?
Under IIFYM, fat is a minimum, not a maximum. You shouldn't be trying to stay under it.
you're supposed to stay within your macro goals +/- 5 using IIFYM.
Not necessarily. Protein and fat are minimums. If you go over protein of fat by 10 and it comes at the expense of carbs there's nothing wrong with that.
why even have macros then if you aren't trying to meet them? people set their macros specific to their goals.. that's the whole point of IIFYM. if you're going to decide to frequently go over/under by more than 5g, whats the point?
ETA: or just change your macros.
IIFYM is not a diet or specific way macros need to be set up. The IIFYM site does have a site to set up macros but it is not limited to that site. Many people on MFP alone will set up their intake and macros on their own based on there preferences and then follow an IIFYM eating style. It doesn't mean that you have to hit the targets exactly or are restricted to a specific buffer. As I said earlier, fat and protein are minimums, carbs are discretionary. Many people will make sure they have protein and fat at least meeting minimums then letting the rest fall where they please while also paying attention to getting in proper micros/vitamins/minerals.
The point of setting up macros and going over on some macros here or there is that we have the ability to do that because targets are minimums. Just because we don't follow a specific buffer does not mean we shouldn't bother to track macronutrients at all.
cosignmantium999 wrote: »mantium999 wrote: »mommy2girls1 wrote: »I am having a hard time staying under my fat allowance each day. Once I have my peanut or almond butter with my apple for a snack, and any kind of cheese, I am done for the day, it seems. I use almond milk with my coffee, maybe I should go back to fat free milk?
Under IIFYM, fat is a minimum, not a maximum. You shouldn't be trying to stay under it.
you're supposed to stay within your macro goals +/- 5 using IIFYM.
Not necessarily. Protein and fat are minimums. If you go over protein of fat by 10 and it comes at the expense of carbs there's nothing wrong with that.
why even have macros then if you aren't trying to meet them? people set their macros specific to their goals.. that's the whole point of IIFYM. if you're going to decide to frequently go over/under by more than 5g, whats the point?
ETA: or just change your macros.
IIFYM is not a diet or specific way macros need to be set up. The IIFYM site does have a site to set up macros but it is not limited to that site. Many people on MFP alone will set up their intake and macros on their own based on there preferences and then follow an IIFYM eating style. It doesn't mean that you have to hit the targets exactly or are restricted to a specific buffer. As I said earlier, fat and protein are minimums, carbs are discretionary. Many people will make sure they have protein and fat at least meeting minimums then letting the rest fall where they please while also paying attention to getting in proper micros/vitamins/minerals.
The point of setting up macros and going over on some macros here or there is that we have the ability to do that because targets are minimums. Just because we don't follow a specific buffer does not mean we shouldn't bother to track macronutrients at all.
Agree with the above. By hitting protein and fat as minimums, while ensuring you stay within your calorie target, allows carbs to be the wild card. Rather than worrying about "evil" sugar, if you maintain focus on the ultimate goal of staying within your calorie target, and hitting a minimum target on protein and fat, than your carb consumption no longer matters, and allows you to take an often misguided concern out of the picture. Unless you have a medical concern (diabetes or insulin issues), or are an endurance athlete, who needs to pay more attention to their carb intake.
cosign0 -
mommy2girls1 wrote: »I do honey for sweetener, I guess that is considered sugar. I took out cookies, cake etc.
This is pretty much the antithesis of IIFYM. There is no reason you can't have those things if you are sticking to your calorie allowance and otherwise meeting your nutritional needs in terms of macros and micros. It is more difficult at a low calorie allowance (like 1200), but by no means impossible.0 -
mantium999 wrote: »mommy2girls1 wrote: »I am having a hard time staying under my fat allowance each day. Once I have my peanut or almond butter with my apple for a snack, and any kind of cheese, I am done for the day, it seems. I use almond milk with my coffee, maybe I should go back to fat free milk?
Under IIFYM, fat is a minimum, not a maximum. You shouldn't be trying to stay under it.
you're supposed to stay within your macro goals +/- 5 using IIFYM.
Not necessarily. Protein and fat are minimums. If you go over protein of fat by 10 and it comes at the expense of carbs there's nothing wrong with that.
why even have macros then if you aren't trying to meet them? people set their macros specific to their goals.. that's the whole point of IIFYM. if you're going to decide to frequently go over/under by more than 5g, whats the point?
ETA: or just change your macros.
IIFYM is not a diet or specific way macros need to be set up. The IIFYM site does have a site to set up macros but it is not limited to that site. Many people on MFP alone will set up their intake and macros on their own based on there preferences and then follow an IIFYM eating style. It doesn't mean that you have to hit the targets exactly or are restricted to a specific buffer. As I said earlier, fat and protein are minimums, carbs are discretionary. Many people will make sure they have protein and fat at least meeting minimums then letting the rest fall where they please while also paying attention to getting in proper micros/vitamins/minerals.
The point of setting up macros and going over on some macros here or there is that we have the ability to do that because targets are minimums. Just because we don't follow a specific buffer does not mean we shouldn't bother to track macronutrients at all.
I'm interested in starting to focus on macros/IIFYM-do you recommend the IIFYM site to figure out your macros ratios, or did you use some other way to figure out your percentages? (I'm assuming by your post you use/used IIFYM). Currently I'm maintaining and doing some minimal body weight strength training, but I want to bump up the intensity of that during the next few months. I think tracking protein and such would be beneficial as I change my fitness goals.0 -
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Sarasmaintaining wrote: »mantium999 wrote: »mommy2girls1 wrote: »I am having a hard time staying under my fat allowance each day. Once I have my peanut or almond butter with my apple for a snack, and any kind of cheese, I am done for the day, it seems. I use almond milk with my coffee, maybe I should go back to fat free milk?
Under IIFYM, fat is a minimum, not a maximum. You shouldn't be trying to stay under it.
you're supposed to stay within your macro goals +/- 5 using IIFYM.
Not necessarily. Protein and fat are minimums. If you go over protein of fat by 10 and it comes at the expense of carbs there's nothing wrong with that.
why even have macros then if you aren't trying to meet them? people set their macros specific to their goals.. that's the whole point of IIFYM. if you're going to decide to frequently go over/under by more than 5g, whats the point?
ETA: or just change your macros.
IIFYM is not a diet or specific way macros need to be set up. The IIFYM site does have a site to set up macros but it is not limited to that site. Many people on MFP alone will set up their intake and macros on their own based on there preferences and then follow an IIFYM eating style. It doesn't mean that you have to hit the targets exactly or are restricted to a specific buffer. As I said earlier, fat and protein are minimums, carbs are discretionary. Many people will make sure they have protein and fat at least meeting minimums then letting the rest fall where they please while also paying attention to getting in proper micros/vitamins/minerals.
The point of setting up macros and going over on some macros here or there is that we have the ability to do that because targets are minimums. Just because we don't follow a specific buffer does not mean we shouldn't bother to track macronutrients at all.
I'm interested in starting to focus on macros/IIFYM-do you recommend the IIFYM site to figure out your macros ratios, or did you use some other way to figure out your percentages? (I'm assuming by your post you use/used IIFYM). Currently I'm maintaining and doing some minimal body weight strength training, but I want to bump up the intensity of that during the next few months. I think tracking protein and such would be beneficial as I change my fitness goals.
I follow what would be classified as IIFYM in the sense that most of my day is filled with things that I know are going to give me the most bang for my buck in nutrition. Eggs, egg whites, fruits, some vegetables, peanut butter, different proteins and such. Once I know I'm in the ballpark I start playing around with choices. The majority of my flexibility comes from carbs. But overall it's mostly whole foods with 200 or 300 discretionary calories.
I personally have never even used the IIFYM site. I've never read an article or anything. I did just go over to the site to see how it gives you the numbers and I saw you can choose protein and fat at your desired levels. I did plugged in my number to get TDEE and it was the same as what my goal is I set up on my own.
I set up my own macros and saw it would have the option for me to do them the same with their calculator.
I set my macros at:
Protein at .6-.87g per lb of bodyweight
Fat .4-.45g per lb of bodyweight
The rest usually goes to carbs. Sometimes more carries over into protein or fat but usually it's not off by much.
I don't see anything wrong with the calculator itself so I wouldn't say don't use it. Keep in mind IIFYM is not really what so many believe it is or what a few that say they follow IIFYM actually end up doing. The issue is when you say IIFYM to someone that doesn't feel certain things should be eaten the take it as we eat whatever we want all day everyday without any consideration to proper nutrition. Some people do actually do that, but they aren't doing it right. Nutrition matters. We don't all fills our days with pure candy, cake and soda like some say we do.
At the end of the day if you put a menu of someone that applies IIFYM right and a person that says they "eat clean", you'll see we eat a lot of the same things. The difference in menus will end up in some kind of dessert or 1 of the meals that they cycled in something else.
You can't really look at my diary because it's empty. I haven't logged in a log time. I still do weigh all my food and portion control I just don't harp on my numbers like I did in the first year.
Thanks!0
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