Low carb or not
einafets013
Posts: 2 Member
Question: Does anyone here follow IIFYM? And if so, do you find it easy to follow and stick with over other things you may have tried? Is it successful?
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Replies
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Most people here do an IIFYM kind of approach. They count calories, and for several different reasons, they try to eat to meet their macros.3
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I don't do IIFYM -- I don't really focus on macros beyond getting enough protein and instead focus on just making healthful choices. However, some find that focusing on macros is a good way to improve their diet (a really basic structure for making sure meals are balanced in some way without making it too complicated or burdensome so they won't do it). Others find that watching macros helps them figure out what diet is more filling and satisfying for them (and in this sense low carb is a form of IIFYM, as if focuses on a specific set of macro goals, often).
Anyway, sure, it can be an easy approach and if you eat a satisfying diet and hit your calories (and the calories make sense), it will be successful.2 -
I don't really do IIFYM. I do try to always reach my protein goal, but other than that I just focus on calories. It has worked well for me because I basically eat all the things I ate before. I just eat smaller portions and I eat higher protein items more often and "junk" foods less often.2
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I've found those who are new to IIFYM/flexible dieting find it a bit daunting to start out with. Usually I start my clients off just tracking calories and protein and they still get amazing fat loss results.
This way your carb and fat numbers are decided by your food preferences.1 -
I focus on calories first and protein second. I try to keep fat low and do want to get a certain level of carbs or my energy levels sag and hunger tends to strike, but I'm not too fussy about things. I'm only really careful about getting enough protein.2
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Never focused on IIFYM, I'm always going overboard with my carbs and never enough protein and fat. However, I am still losing weight fine, so I don't feel like I need to pay attention to that, just my calories.
If I do feel that I want to tone up and get muscle, I will start paying attention to my protein intake. Other than that, I probably won't pay attention to it.0 -
I do kinda IIFYM - I just make sure I get 100 grams of protein, hit my calorie goal, and don't go too crazy on fats or carbs.
IIFYM is not low carb you know. I find no benefit to high or low carb- just a good balance. Protein is the thing you want to focus on- make sure you get enough.0 -
Never focused on IIFYM, I'm always going overboard with my carbs and never enough protein and fat. However, I am still losing weight fine, so I don't feel like I need to pay attention to that, just my calories.
If I do feel that I want to tone up and get muscle, I will start paying attention to my protein intake. Other than that, I probably won't pay attention to it.
You might want to start paying attention... you could be losing muscle along with fat or even losing MORE muscle than fat which will leave you weighing less but with a "skinny fat" physique.
Also more lean mass (muscle) means better health and a faster metabolism (and less lean mass and more body fat means the opposite).
Getting enough protein is also important for energy, your immune system, organ functioning, hair, skin, nails... it's not just for looking "toned".0 -
courtneyfabulous wrote: »Never focused on IIFYM, I'm always going overboard with my carbs and never enough protein and fat. However, I am still losing weight fine, so I don't feel like I need to pay attention to that, just my calories.
If I do feel that I want to tone up and get muscle, I will start paying attention to my protein intake. Other than that, I probably won't pay attention to it.
You might want to start paying attention... you could be losing muscle along with fat or even losing MORE muscle than fat which will leave you weighing less but with a "skinny fat" physique.
Also more lean mass (muscle) means better health and a faster metabolism (and less lean mass and more body fat means the opposite).
Getting enough protein is also important for energy, your immune system, organ functioning, hair, skin, nails... it's not just for looking "toned".
Hmm okay, I'll try to add more protein then. Thanks
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I do a LCHF IIFYM approach, although some don't think the two fit together well.courtneyfabulous wrote: »Never focused on IIFYM, I'm always going overboard with my carbs and never enough protein and fat. However, I am still losing weight fine, so I don't feel like I need to pay attention to that, just my calories.
If I do feel that I want to tone up and get muscle, I will start paying attention to my protein intake. Other than that, I probably won't pay attention to it.
You might want to start paying attention... you could be losing muscle along with fat or even losing MORE muscle than fat which will leave you weighing less but with a "skinny fat" physique.
Also more lean mass (muscle) means better health and a faster metabolism (and less lean mass and more body fat means the opposite).
Getting enough protein is also important for energy, your immune system, organ functioning, hair, skin, nails... it's not just for looking "toned".
Hmm okay, I'll try to add more protein then. Thanks
Protein minimums for women are often around 60g depending on size. More if you are active.0 -
IIFYM is a viable way to manage weight.0
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I do a LCHF IIFYM approach, although some don't think the two fit together well.courtneyfabulous wrote: »Never focused on IIFYM, I'm always going overboard with my carbs and never enough protein and fat. However, I am still losing weight fine, so I don't feel like I need to pay attention to that, just my calories.
If I do feel that I want to tone up and get muscle, I will start paying attention to my protein intake. Other than that, I probably won't pay attention to it.
You might want to start paying attention... you could be losing muscle along with fat or even losing MORE muscle than fat which will leave you weighing less but with a "skinny fat" physique.
Also more lean mass (muscle) means better health and a faster metabolism (and less lean mass and more body fat means the opposite).
Getting enough protein is also important for energy, your immune system, organ functioning, hair, skin, nails... it's not just for looking "toned".
Hmm okay, I'll try to add more protein then. Thanks
Protein minimums for women are often around 60g depending on size. More if you are active.
Yeah, MFP gave me 60g of protein daily, though my weekly average for this week has been 48g. I'll try swapping out my breakfast for eggs tomorrow and see how I do.0 -
I eat food, and try not to eat more than maintenance. (I am currently averaging about 800 cals/day less than I burn so I don't mean that quite as casually as it sounds. My official target is 500 cal/day deficit, but my activity level is high so I am cautious about getting used to too high of a calorie intake.)
For macros, I know that I tend to eat primarily carbs if I don't pay attention, so have built in a number of "tricks" to add fat and protein into my diet. I don't always meet my target % goal for protein, but the grams are okay and that's what matters.
I have been losing 1.5-2 pounds/week. I do not do low carb. I cannot do low carb. My body doesn't tolerate large amounts of fat (which is what you have to do to eat low carb in a healthy way).0 -
Interesting thread. Apparently MFP is NOT primarily IIFYM anymore. The times, they are a changing?2
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Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »Interesting thread. Apparently MFP is NOT primarily IIFYM anymore. The times, they are a changing?
Mostly it's because everywhere you go, the focus is more on the calories instead of IIFYM. Like not losing enough weight? Calorie intake. Gaining too much? Lower calories. Doing exercise a lot? Eat back your calorie burn, at least half.
You never hear people talk about IIFYM (at least in this board) unless they're specifically asking about the keto diet or if they're asking if they're eating too many carbs. Other than that, no one really focuses on macros. You may find people who does use the IIFYM feature of MFP if you go on a board related to building muscle mass though.0 -
Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »Interesting thread. Apparently MFP is NOT primarily IIFYM anymore. The times, they are a changing?
Mostly it's because everywhere you go, the focus is more on the calories instead of IIFYM. Like not losing enough weight? Calorie intake. Gaining too much? Lower calories. Doing exercise a lot? Eat back your calorie burn, at least half.
You never hear people talk about IIFYM (at least in this board) unless they're specifically asking about the keto diet or if they're asking if they're eating too many carbs. Other than that, no one really focuses on macros. You may find people who does use the IIFYM feature of MFP if you go on a board related to building muscle mass though.
A year ago, six months ago lots of folks would have been chiming in saying they used an IIFYM approach. Three months ago, folks were asking about the "IIFYM diet".
A basic search yields thousands of threads.
You see a lot of patterns and trends on here, over time. I guess that was the last one.
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Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »Interesting thread. Apparently MFP is NOT primarily IIFYM anymore. The times, they are a changing?
Mostly it's because everywhere you go, the focus is more on the calories instead of IIFYM. Like not losing enough weight? Calorie intake. Gaining too much? Lower calories. Doing exercise a lot? Eat back your calorie burn, at least half.
You never hear people talk about IIFYM (at least in this board) unless they're specifically asking about the keto diet or if they're asking if they're eating too many carbs. Other than that, no one really focuses on macros. You may find people who does use the IIFYM feature of MFP if you go on a board related to building muscle mass though.
A year ago, six months ago lots of folks would have been chiming in saying they used an IIFYM approach. Three months ago, folks were asking about the "IIFYM diet".
A basic search yields thousands of threads.
You see a lot of patterns and trends on here, over time. I guess that was the last one.
Oh I see, I never knew that. Then again, I only came by a month and a half ago.0 -
I use it from time to time and have had some success with it as long as you remember that not all carbs are created equally an certain ones should be used sparingly.0
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Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »Interesting thread. Apparently MFP is NOT primarily IIFYM anymore. The times, they are a changing?
Mostly it's because everywhere you go, the focus is more on the calories instead of IIFYM. Like not losing enough weight? Calorie intake. Gaining too much? Lower calories. Doing exercise a lot? Eat back your calorie burn, at least half.
You never hear people talk about IIFYM (at least in this board) unless they're specifically asking about the keto diet or if they're asking if they're eating too many carbs. Other than that, no one really focuses on macros. You may find people who does use the IIFYM feature of MFP if you go on a board related to building muscle mass though.
A year ago, six months ago lots of folks would have been chiming in saying they used an IIFYM approach. Three months ago, folks were asking about the "IIFYM diet".
A basic search yields thousands of threads.
You see a lot of patterns and trends on here, over time. I guess that was the last one.
Hmm, yes, now you mention it, I think I can see that.
Maybe those people all found it too restrictive, and involved too much micro-managing, and have dropped out.
"Eating what you like within your calorie limit, while keeping an eye on protein" seems to have longevity.
Not sure the same can be said for the rash of LCHF dieters lately.1
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