IIFYM - how close to macros each day?

deadlift555
deadlift555 Posts: 18 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all!
How close do you all generally hit your macros? I'm really struggling with it ...getting my calories is no problem but I am always under/over macros (under.protien but over fat and carb some days) any other people out there doing IIFYM? I'd love to hear your experiences and any advice.

Replies

  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    Back when I used to track, I typically aimed to hit my protein goal which was higher than it needed to be so I had a bit of a buffer. But a little under or over was fine. Fats I never had an issue with again since I set mine high so never a worry of it being too low. Then just let carbs where they fall. Now I don't track but I aim to get enough protein (estimate). You want to be around the number depending on what you have them set at and your stats, the leaner you are the more important it becomes to get enough protein for muscle retention.. but in the end you don't have to drive yourself crazy either.
  • Running_and_Coffee
    Running_and_Coffee Posts: 811 Member
    I care the most about calories, not going over carbs and hitting my protein goals. I do keto and use fat for satiety and don't worry as much about whether I hit that one. If I hit or exceed protein, it's not hard for me to stay within the calories and not overeat carbs.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    The macro split you choose (the "Y") should help you stick to your calorie goal. If it makes it harder, and/or starts to turn into hitting the macro goals, you're doing it wrong.
  • deadlift555
    deadlift555 Posts: 18 Member
    Thank you!!!!
  • Kalex1975
    Kalex1975 Posts: 427 Member
    I was very obsessive with my macros in the past, usually hitting them within 5 grams every day. It made me eat some weird stuff at times! Recently I've taken the advice of many on here, like @sardelsa mentions, and focus mainly on protein. Although, I admit I still get a little nervous when my carbs or fat are over/under by 10 grams or more.
  • deadlift555
    deadlift555 Posts: 18 Member
    sardelsa wrote: »
    Back when I used to track, I typically aimed to hit my protein goal which was higher than it needed to be so I had a bit of a buffer. But a little under or over was fine. Fats I never had an issue with again since I set mine high so never a worry of it being too low. Then just let carbs where they fall. Now I don't track but I aim to get enough protein (estimate). You want to be around the number depending on what you have them set at and your stats, the leaner you are the more important it becomes to get enough protein for muscle retention.. but in the end you don't have to drive yourself crazy either.

    Thanks for the reply!!!
  • deadlift555
    deadlift555 Posts: 18 Member
    Kalex1975 wrote: »
    I was very obsessive with my macros in the past, usually hitting them within 5 grams every day. It made me eat some weird stuff at times! Recently I've taken the advice of many on here, like @sardelsa mentions, and focus mainly on protein. Although, I admit I still get a little nervous when my carbs or fat are over/under by 10 grams or more.

    I know!!! Same. Mine are over a lot lately. I think I'll focus on protein and see where the rest falls :)
  • deadlift555
    deadlift555 Posts: 18 Member
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    The macro split you choose (the "Y") should help you stick to your calorie goal. If it makes it harder, and/or starts to turn into hitting the macro goals, you're doing it wrong.

    What do you mean? Cals are fine and I'm never hungry but I'm usually over fat and carbs but under protein! What's the Y?
  • deadlift555
    deadlift555 Posts: 18 Member
    Running_and_Coffee wrote: »
    I care the most about calories, not going over carbs and hitting my protein goals. I do keto and use fat for satiety and don't worry as much about whether I hit that one. If I hit or exceed protein, it's not hard for me to stay within the calories and not overeat carbs.

    Thank you! This definititely makes sense
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    deadlift555 wrote: »
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    The macro split you choose (the "Y") should help you stick to your calorie goal. If it makes it harder, and/or starts to turn into hitting the macro goals, you're doing it wrong.

    What do you mean? Cals are fine and I'm never hungry but I'm usually over fat and carbs but under protein! What's the Y?

    The Y in IIFYM stands for your so you can customize it how you see fit. I was always going over on fat, so I set mine higher.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    deadlift555 wrote: »
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    The macro split you choose (the "Y") should help you stick to your calorie goal. If it makes it harder, and/or starts to turn into hitting the macro goals, you're doing it wrong.

    What do you mean? Cals are fine and I'm never hungry but I'm usually over fat and carbs but under protein! What's the Y?

    The Y in IIFYM is "your". There really isn't a universally optimal macro ratio...they can be very individual. The optimal macros for an endurance athlete for example are going to be different from a body builder.

    I was never super obsessive about mine when I logged...I usually had between 0.6 and 0.8 grams of protein per Lb of BW and that's all I really concerned myself with.

    Your macros are pretty irrelevant to weight loss or weight management in general. They are more relevant to satiety, fitness performance, and to some extent, body composition. The concept of IIFYM was born out of the fitness industry (specifically bodybuilding), and later adopted by that diet website. That website doesn't actually have anything to do with the original concept.
  • Scottgriesser
    Scottgriesser Posts: 172 Member
    Started doing macros very recently (little over a month) just to see where I was at. Carbs were easily above 50% daily intake.

    Wanted to switch it up to more of a 25c/30f/45p and ended up eating weird things at weird times until I got more used to it and started meal prepping.

    I'm usually within 5 grams of each when I'm actually trying to hit the macros now.

    As has been stated, if you just shoot to hit your protein you will generally be pretty close to the others unless you are not eating a "normal" diet. Being a few grams under or over isn't going to ruin you.
  • deadlift555
    deadlift555 Posts: 18 Member
    sardelsa wrote: »
    deadlift555 wrote: »
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    The macro split you choose (the "Y") should help you stick to your calorie goal. If it makes it harder, and/or starts to turn into hitting the macro goals, you're doing it wrong.

    What do you mean? Cals are fine and I'm never hungry but I'm usually over fat and carbs but under protein! What's the Y?

    The Y in IIFYM stands for your so you can customize it how you see fit. I was always going over on fat, so I set mine higher.

    Ah!!! Gotcha thanks :)
  • deadlift555
    deadlift555 Posts: 18 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    deadlift555 wrote: »
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    The macro split you choose (the "Y") should help you stick to your calorie goal. If it makes it harder, and/or starts to turn into hitting the macro goals, you're doing it wrong.

    What do you mean? Cals are fine and I'm never hungry but I'm usually over fat and carbs but under protein! What's the Y?

    The Y in IIFYM is "your". There really isn't a universally optimal macro ratio...they can be very individual. The optimal macros for an endurance athlete for example are going to be different from a body builder.

    I was never super obsessive about mine when I logged...I usually had between 0.6 and 0.8 grams of protein per Lb of BW and that's all I really concerned myself with.

    Your macros are pretty irrelevant to weight loss or weight management in general. They are more relevant to satiety, fitness performance, and to some extent, body composition. The concept of IIFYM was born out of the fitness industry (specifically bodybuilding), and later adopted by that diet website. That website doesn't actually have anything to do with the original concept.
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    deadlift555 wrote: »
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    The macro split you choose (the "Y") should help you stick to your calorie goal. If it makes it harder, and/or starts to turn into hitting the macro goals, you're doing it wrong.

    What do you mean? Cals are fine and I'm never hungry but I'm usually over fat and carbs but under protein! What's the Y?

    The Y in IIFYM is "your". There really isn't a universally optimal macro ratio...they can be very individual. The optimal macros for an endurance athlete for example are going to be different from a body builder.

    I was never super obsessive about mine when I logged...I usually had between 0.6 and 0.8 grams of protein per Lb of BW and that's all I really concerned myself with.

    Your macros are pretty irrelevant to weight loss or weight management in general. They are more relevant to satiety, fitness performance, and to some extent, body composition. The concept of IIFYM was born out of the fitness industry (specifically bodybuilding), and later adopted by that diet website. That website doesn't actually have anything to do with the original concept.

    Gotcha! Yes I knew it meant your but I didn't understand what you meant. This makes sense and is interesting, I didn't know that was where if it fits your macros came from . Thank you :)
  • deadlift555
    deadlift555 Posts: 18 Member
    Scottgriesser wrote: »
    Started doing macros very recently (little over a month) just to see where I was at. Carbs were easily above 50% daily intake.

    Wanted to switch it up to more of a 25c/30f/45p and ended up eating weird things at weird times until I got more used to it and started meal prepping.

    I'm usually within 5 grams of each when I'm actually trying to hit the macros now.

    As has been stated, if you just shoot to hit your protein you will generally be pretty close to the others unless you are not eating a "normal" diet. Being a few grams under or over isn't going to ruin you.

    Thank you!
  • emmamcgarity
    emmamcgarity Posts: 1,594 Member
    I use the default settings from MFP for macros, but I've been looking at increasing protein recently. I haven't tinkered with the settings at all, I just mentally made a note of my goals. I don't stress about being perfectly aligned on a specific day, just trying to stay "in the ballpark". I also view the macro pie chart to see the balance throughout the day each time I log a new food. Then I look at the "Weekly view" to see how I am doing on balance. It's much less stressful for me to worry about a specific day and it helps me view it mentally as a long term goal instead of a daily grind.
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    if you struggle with protein, make that your focus - take your daily goal and divide it up into the number of meals you eat a day, then aim for that goal

    40G a meal is sometimes easier than thinking about 120G a day (or similar)
  • Scottgriesser
    Scottgriesser Posts: 172 Member
    Side note...

    Switching to counting macros from calories lead me to finding some pretty solid replacement foods.

    My focus was increasing protein intake so things like "protein crepes" were introduced to my kitchen.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    IIFYM the website or IIFYM the flexible dieting philosophy?
    Flexible dieting and fixed/rigid/restrictive macros really are a contradiction!

    My priorities were:
    Calorie goal.
    Hit or exceed my protein target (grams not percentage).
    Fibre & fat hit or exceed goal (but after a short while realised I naturally hit a decent and healthy amount).
    Carbs fell wherever they fell but generally made up a large part of my diet, especially on big exercise days

    Flexibility is very important for adherence for me - fixed percentages and daily goal would have made weight loss 10 times harder.

    For your "how close?" question...
    Humans are extremely adaptable to wildly varied diets, sticking rigidly to fixed goals really isn't necessary unless you thrive on that kind of restriction.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    Pretty much like @sijomial - all I concern myself with is my calorie goal and hitting/exceeding my protein goal (in grams). I get plenty of fats (and fiber) so that's never an issue, and I let carbs fall wherever they fall.

    I eat a reasonably balanced/nutritious diet, but leave room for treats and have no problem at all with the occasional "off track" days. I didn't gain all the weight in one day, I didn't lose it all in one day, and I'm not going to completely undo all my progress in one day. But I make them the exception rather than the rule.
  • peaceout_aly
    peaceout_aly Posts: 2,018 Member
    deadlift555 wrote: »
    Hi all!
    How close do you all generally hit your macros? I'm really struggling with it ...getting my calories is no problem but I am always under/over macros (under.protien but over fat and carb some days) any other people out there doing IIFYM? I'd love to hear your experiences and any advice.

    Eh, I basically only aim to stay under for sugar, carbs and calories while hitting (or getting close to) protein. I usually stay within my goals or get to a point I want, but it can be hard. Lots of calculations.

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