IIFYM opinions
hokagenoob
Posts: 78 Member
Does it lead to results? Or eating disorders? What're your guys opinions?
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Replies
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Can lead to both... IIFYM is all about flexible dieting, however many of us takes it too serious (guilty as charged)..
It can lead to real results, either if your goal is losing, maintaining or gaining weight. Just make sure you stick to your macros, and if you go a bit over any of them don't panic, just eat those extra macros
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The only strong correlation I've noticed so far is that it can lead to bad misunderstandings during Internet discussions.0
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It's bogus because it can be unhealthy. Eating snickers bars is not the same as eating eggs and healthy fats for example.0
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The only strong correlation I've noticed so far is that it can lead to bad misunderstandings during Internet discussions.
Heh.
Depends on your goals and how you use it. I don't think macros matter that much for most people (although if you don't eat much protein you may find it helpful to focus on getting more and changing up food choice can help with satiety in general). But when people are just starting out and maybe don't feel like they know what they are doing it can be a nice way to structure things. Personally I think just eating a healthy diet is more significant, but I think some find it motivating to focus on some things beyond calories that they can track.
For people focusing on more specific or elite goals might it make more of a difference? Maybe -- protein probably does, for muscle -- but it seems humans are good with a huge range of macro mixes and IIFYM doesn't prescribe any particular ones.
I like it best as a form of flexible dieting -- to balance a concern for getting a sensible balance of macros that work for you and on eating healthy/micros but not taking it to an extreme of saying every food choice must be justifiable as the most nutritious. If, on the other hand, you feel like you are freaking if you don't hit macros perfectly, probably a misunderstanding or not the best approach for you. JMO, though.0 -
Like lemur said, depends on what you need. My BFF just got diagnosed with diabetes. Macros are DEFINITELY something he needs to pay attention to. Me? Not so much, as outside of the poundage, I haven't health issues otherwise. Though it never hurts to make sure you're not filling your calorie goal with, like, eight twinkies.0
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I think the idea behind it is good, as long as it's not taken to the extreme. I like how it proves that eating pizza and ice cream is perfectly fine every now and again as long as it's not taken to the extreme and that these foods won't kill you, but I also feel your diet should consist of more than just these sugary foods. Yes, you could lose weight on these foods, but eating nothing but sweets probably won't fill you and will leave you feeling tired and who knows what kind of deficiencies you could develop later down the road.
Everything in moderation!0 -
It has worked fine for me. I try and fail to completely kick sugar. I instead learn to live with it in a healthy manner. I don't worry abut going over on proteins (I have never gone over on carbs), but sugar is the important one for me to stick to. But IIFYM has taught me to eat what I like, but how to reduce it and add in other and healthier options. For example I can make homemade hamburgers and eat them, but I can change how I cook it, the beef I use, and my side dish. Also I have learned about important things like "not everything needs ketchup and/or mayo" haha. Basically, it is acting as a stepping stool into a healthier lifestyle. When I eventually reach my weight loss goal I will continue to log using IIFYM.0
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It has worked fine for me. I try and fail to completely kick sugar. I instead learn to live with it in a healthy manner. I don't worry abut going over on proteins (I have never gone over on carbs), but sugar is the important one for me to stick to. But IIFYM has taught me to eat what I like, but how to reduce it and add in other and healthier options. For example I can make homemade hamburgers and eat them, but I can change how I cook it, the beef I use, and my side dish. Also I have learned about important things like "not everything needs ketchup and/or mayo" haha. Basically, it is acting as a stepping stool into a healthier lifestyle. When I eventually reach my weight loss goal I will continue to log using IIFYM.
Hahah so true ! I need to learn how to lay off on the sauces!0 -
I think the idea behind it is good, as long as it's not taken to the extreme. I like how it proves that eating pizza and ice cream is perfectly fine every now and again as long as it's not taken to the extreme and that these foods won't kill you, but I also feel your diet should consist of more than just these sugary foods. Yes, you could lose weight on these foods, but eating nothing but sweets probably won't fill you and will leave you feeling tired and who knows what kind of deficiencies you could develop later down the road.
Everything in moderation!
It's an eye opener to how one meal can take up all ur cals for the day! Thanks for ur feedback:)0 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »The only strong correlation I've noticed so far is that it can lead to bad misunderstandings during Internet discussions.
Heh.
Depends on your goals and how you use it. I don't think macros matter that much for most people (although if you don't eat much protein you may find it helpful to focus on getting more and changing up food choice can help with satiety in general). But when people are just starting out and maybe don't feel like they know what they are doing it can be a nice way to structure things. Personally I think just eating a healthy diet is more significant, but I think some find it motivating to focus on some things beyond calories that they can track.
For people focusing on more specific or elite goals might it make more of a difference? Maybe -- protein probably does, for muscle -- but it seems humans are good with a huge range of macro mixes and IIFYM doesn't prescribe any particular ones.
I like it best as a form of flexible dieting -- to balance a concern for getting a sensible balance of macros that work for you and on eating healthy/micros but not taking it to an extreme of saying every food choice must be justifiable as the most nutritious. If, on the other hand, you feel like you are freaking if you don't hit macros perfectly, probably a misunderstanding or not the best approach for you. JMO, though.
As a flexible diet, true. I hate how u have to sacrifice the good junky foods for the healthy more volume foods but hey! Its all good
thanks for ur feedback!:) 0 -
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If you actively use MFP's food diary, then you're following IIFYM to some extent. It's worked pretty well for me.0
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I think the idea behind it is good, as long as it's not taken to the extreme. I like how it proves that eating pizza and ice cream is perfectly fine every now and again as long as it's not taken to the extreme and that these foods won't kill you, but I also feel your diet should consist of more than just these sugary foods. Yes, you could lose weight on these foods, but eating nothing but sweets probably won't fill you and will leave you feeling tired and who knows what kind of deficiencies you could develop later down the road.
Everything in moderation!
people who follow IIFYM do not just eat sugary foods all day.. there is no way a person could meet their protein macros by eating donuts and pizza all day. you don't have the correct understanding of IIFYM if that is what you think.0 -
smnarine624 wrote: »Does it lead to results? Or eating disorders? What're your guys opinions?
what eating disorder could IIFYM possibly lead to????0 -
smnarine624 wrote: »Does it lead to results? Or eating disorders? What're your guys opinions?
what eating disorder could IIFYM possibly lead to????
Binge eating was my main point. That is why I am asking, to hear peoples stories of iifym0 -
The only strong correlation I've noticed so far is that it can lead to bad misunderstandings during Internet discussions.
Clearly if they didn't explicitly write down that it isn't healthy, it has to mean eating whey powder, poptarts, canola oil, and a GNC once daily multi-vitamin is healthy.0 -
smnarine624 wrote: »smnarine624 wrote: »Does it lead to results? Or eating disorders? What're your guys opinions?
what eating disorder could IIFYM possibly lead to????
Binge eating was my main point. That is why I am asking, to hear peoples stories of iifym
Why should eating normally leat to binge eating?0 -
smnarine624 wrote: »smnarine624 wrote: »Does it lead to results? Or eating disorders? What're your guys opinions?
what eating disorder could IIFYM possibly lead to????
Binge eating was my main point. That is why I am asking, to hear peoples stories of iifym
I don't see what specifically about IIFYM could lead to a binge disorder.0 -
smnarine624 wrote: »Does it lead to results? Or eating disorders? What're your guys opinions?
what eating disorder could IIFYM possibly lead to????
Some individuals get just as rigid about their macros as other people do about foods being clean or unclean. Think of every thread we've seen someone that is afraid of eating at a restaurant because they won't be able to weigh their food. That's disordered thinking about food shoved into an IIFYM world.
That said, I think IIFYM is probably less likely to lead to disordered eating for most people. At the very least, it removes moralizing terms like clean from the discussion of food.0 -
stevencloser wrote: »smnarine624 wrote: »smnarine624 wrote: »Does it lead to results? Or eating disorders? What're your guys opinions?
what eating disorder could IIFYM possibly lead to????
Binge eating was my main point. That is why I am asking, to hear peoples stories of iifym
Why should eating normally leat to binge eating?
that was my thought too ...0 -
smnarine624 wrote: »Does it lead to results? Or eating disorders? What're your guys opinions?
what eating disorder could IIFYM possibly lead to????
Some individuals get just as rigid about their macros as other people do about foods being clean or unclean. Think of every thread we've seen someone that is afraid of eating at a restaurant because they won't be able to weigh their food. That's disordered thinking about food shoved into an IIFYM world.
That said, I think IIFYM is probably less likely to lead to disordered eating for most people. At the very least, it removes moralizing terms like clean from the discussion of food.
interesting, however I disagree on the clean thing, as most people that are clean eaters tend to think that IIFYM is eating donuts and pizza idea, so do not really see the correlation there.
As far as the food scale thing, I would view that more as an obsessive compulsive thing as opposed to an IIFYM thing; as a lot of non-IIFYM'ers can get narcotic about the food scale...0 -
smnarine624 wrote: »Does it lead to results? Or eating disorders? What're your guys opinions?
what eating disorder could IIFYM possibly lead to????
Some individuals get just as rigid about their macros as other people do about foods being clean or unclean. Think of every thread we've seen someone that is afraid of eating at a restaurant because they won't be able to weigh their food. That's disordered thinking about food shoved into an IIFYM world.
That said, I think IIFYM is probably less likely to lead to disordered eating for most people. At the very least, it removes moralizing terms like clean from the discussion of food.
interesting, however I disagree on the clean thing, as most people that are clean eaters tend to think that IIFYM is eating donuts and pizza idea, so do not really see the correlation there.
As far as the food scale thing, I would view that more as an obsessive compulsive thing as opposed to an IIFYM thing; as a lot of non-IIFYM'ers can get narcotic about the food scale...
I think the point @senecarr was trying to make is that IIFYM and clean eating in theory could both lead to disordered thinking about food, but for most people, it would be more likely that clean eaters would develop the disordered thinking (such as orthorexia) due to labeling foods as "bad".0 -
Exactly my point.smnarine624 wrote: »Does it lead to results? Or eating disorders? What're your guys opinions?
what eating disorder could IIFYM possibly lead to????
Some individuals get just as rigid about their macros as other people do about foods being clean or unclean. Think of every thread we've seen someone that is afraid of eating at a restaurant because they won't be able to weigh their food. That's disordered thinking about food shoved into an IIFYM world.
That said, I think IIFYM is probably less likely to lead to disordered eating for most people. At the very least, it removes moralizing terms like clean from the discussion of food.
interesting, however I disagree on the clean thing, as most people that are clean eaters tend to think that IIFYM is eating donuts and pizza idea, so do not really see the correlation there.
As far as the food scale thing, I would view that more as an obsessive compulsive thing as opposed to an IIFYM thing; as a lot of non-IIFYM'ers can get narcotic about the food scale...
I think the point @senecarr was trying to make is that IIFYM and clean eating in theory could both lead to disordered thinking about food, but for most people, it would be more likely that clean eaters would develop the disordered thinking (such as orthorexia) due to labeling foods as "bad".
I'd say the person who absolutely, positively has to meet their macros to the gram has disordered, orthorexic eating. If someone is worried they have to eat a pop tart because otherwise their carb grams will be off that day and that means all their protein eaten that week was a waste because they'll go anabolic overnight, they have somewhat different, but just as bad issues as someone that is a clean eater and thinks eating a single pop tart will lead to diabetes.
I find it sidesteps the issue of moralizing food with terminology like clean, but disordered thinking is disordered thinking. Having anxiety about what you did or didn't eat is an issue, whether you're worried because it was unclean or because it exceeded your fat macros.
I think Jason Blaha has a decent, but maybe overstated point about it in this article:
https://content.tigerfitness.com/iifym-new-eating-disorder/
I would even say there are some instances where IIFYM could have a worse effect on some people. IIFYM starts with a rational, evidence based reasoning for its recommendations. Knowing that could make it easier for someone to justify their disordered eating under IIFYM because they believe it is rational to weight out every ounce of potato with portable jeweler's scale at a restaurant.0 -
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But, I'm going to say, this isn't likely to be true for 99.9% of people out here.
In my completely non-scientific, biased recollections of times on MFP, I can think of 1 person in a thread who actually rigidly believed in getting his macros right to the gram everyday. I think the people who start threads about carrying a scale into a restaurants are touching on it, but most of them realize the issue. And full disclosure, I myself made a "do people actually take scales to restaurants" thread not because I intended to, but because it sounded like some people took their weigh everything advice that hard.0 -
Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »
Low carbing, when tracking foods, is a form of macro tracking. It wouldn't be following the normal guidelines most IIFYM's guides recommend, and a person might not follow most IIFYM's recommendations of starting with a whole / minimally processed foods base.0 -
stevencloser wrote: »smnarine624 wrote: »smnarine624 wrote: »Does it lead to results? Or eating disorders? What're your guys opinions?
what eating disorder could IIFYM possibly lead to????
Binge eating was my main point. That is why I am asking, to hear peoples stories of iifym
Why should eating normally leat to binge eating?
More like would* xD because for some people that freak out if they go 5 more over they tend to binge. Well from YouTube video experiences that I've watched.0 -
smnarine624 wrote: »Does it lead to results? Or eating disorders? What're your guys opinions?
what eating disorder could IIFYM possibly lead to????
Some individuals get just as rigid about their macros as other people do about foods being clean or unclean. Think of every thread we've seen someone that is afraid of eating at a restaurant because they won't be able to weigh their food. That's disordered thinking about food shoved into an IIFYM world.
That said, I think IIFYM is probably less likely to lead to disordered eating for most people. At the very least, it removes moralizing terms like clean from the discussion of food.
Thank you for clearing that up for everybody!0
This discussion has been closed.
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