Flexible Dieting (IIFYM)

Yip! I've both bulked and cut using this method and loved the flexibility I had with food choices.

Gianfranco_R wrote: »

_Miyuki wrote: »

I was just wondering how many of you guys practice flexible dieting!

That's an interesting question.
If you check the "popular groups" here on MFP, you will find out there are at least 18,000 clean eaters, 17,000 low carbers, 9,000 vegans/vegetarians, 8,000 primal/paleo, while the IIFYM group has only 1,004 members.
On the other hand, the IIFYM way of eating seems to be quite mainstream on the main forums, and likely that's why they don't need to join a specific group, but it is not clear to me if they represent a majority or simply the most "vocal" minority (in the latter case, the owner of this website should rethink how to run these forums).

I think there are a lot more flexible dieters, that just don't subscribe to that name. There is also a very vocal (and annoying) minority of IIFYM people that give the rest a bad rap.

I just eat what I like and make it fit my calorie goal.

I've been doing IIFYM for a little over a year. As Martha Stewart would say, it's a good thing.

zyxst wrote: »

I just eat what I like and make it fit my calorie goal.

So the answer to the question is no?

to the people following this technique strictly, how do you plan your meals?

I follow it very loosely. I'm mindful of my macros, paying particular attention to carbs, but I don't eat to them specifically. I focus on eating the foods and meals that I love in amounts I find satisfying instead. So my macros are never going to be spot on with that approach but at the end of the day they're usually in an acceptable range of where I want them to be.

mitchelsimps wrote: »

to the people following this technique strictly, how do you plan your meals?

I usually plan/log my dinner, and then plan my breakfast/lunch/snacks around the remaining macro #'s. I'm not perfect at it, though.

ndj1979 wrote: »

mitchelsimps wrote: »

its a big NO, should be eating to your macronutrients

umm IIFYM is eating to your macros = If it fits your macros...

protein is about .65 to .85 grams per pound of body weight; fats are .45 grams per pound of body weight; and you fill in the rest with carbs.

Don't be coming up in here making all kinds of sense and stuff!

Just as an aside whilst the term "flexible dieting" is often used as being synonymous with IIFYM the term derives more from various different approaches many of which Lyle McDonald outlined in his book aptly titled "A Guide to Flexible Dieting".

In short, what was suggested is a person would follow a "standard" diet for example Zone, Atkins or whatever but deliberately introduce a day where they ate contrary to the diet (so a high carb day on Atkins for example) or a free day to eat whatever the person wanted at maintenance an so on to break the pressure of dieting.

IIFYM is a good way of adding flexibility into your diet and is certainly worth a bash if it suits a person's preferences though.