In the world of nutrition, it’s not just about pushing carbs or any single way of eating. It’s about figuring out the right mix of carbs, fats, and proteins that works for you.
This isn’t about following strict rules; it’s based on science and understanding that everyone’s body and lifestyle are different.
IIFYM is all about giving our clients and readers diet plans with just the right amount of carbs. And we’re also not afraid to switch things up with a little extra fat or protein if that’s what you prefer.
Because let’s face it, we’re all unique, and flexible dieting is all about catering to your unique needs.. That’s why, at IIFYM, we offer you a variety of options with different macro splits.
"IIFYM (If It Fits Your Macros) offers flexibility to choose foods you like while still hitting your goals, designed to fit into your busy life without adding complication"
The Reality of the IIFYM Diet Plan
IIFYM (If It Fits Your Macros) is about giving you the flexibility to choose foods you like while still hitting your goals. It’s designed to fit into your busy life, not make it more complicated.
This approach is about making things work for you, with a focus on reducing stress and confusion about what to eat.
It’s about being realistic and forgiving with yourself, recognizing that life happens and sometimes you need to adjust. IIFYM offers a way to manage your diet without feeling overwhelmed, keeping you on track with your goals while allowing for the ups and downs of daily life.
Our ultimate goal?
To help you achieve real results with as much ease as possible.
So, if that means adding a bit more fat or carbs into the mix, no problem! What matters most is that you’re rocking a calorie deficit that you can stick with for the long haul.
When starting your journey of flexible dieting, using a reliable macro calculator can be a game-changer. It can help you create and customize your own personalized diet plan for weight loss.
By following the recommended macros for weight loss from a macro calculator, you can customize your diet to meet your specific goals while enjoying flexibility in your food choices.
What is Flexible Dieting?
Also known as “If It Fits Your Macros” (IIFYM), “Flexible dieting” is a revolutionary weight loss approach built on a practical idea.
I am the founder and designer of the original IIFYM or flexible diet, a concept I developed out of my own frustration with the limitations of traditional diets.
As a fitness enthusiast, my goal was to innovate dieting by focusing on macronutrients instead of just counting calories. This approach has become known as IIFYM.
This program avoids strict rules or meal plans. You’re not limited to certain foods, whether they’re considered good or bad.
When it comes to IIFYM, the focus is on enjoying your favorite foods as long as they fit within your macronutrient and calorie requirements.
In simpler terms, If It Fits Your Macros (IIFYM) lets you pick any food without labeling it as “bad,” as long as they match your daily macronutrient requirements.
A well-designed diet plan for weight loss using the principles of flexible dieting, allows you to customize your macros according to your preferences and lifestyle.
By using our cutting-edge macro calculator, you can adjust your macros to accommodate any changes in your dietary needs and preferences.
This will make it easier for you to stick to your diet routine and achieve success in your weight loss journey.
How Does Flexible Dieting Work?
Flexible dieting isn’t your typical diet; it’s more like a way of life. It gives you power. So, there are no food restrictions or set meal plans to stick to.
Now, you might be curious about how people shed pounds while seemingly eating anything they want.
Well, in flexible dieting, your calorie and nutrient needs are calculated based on your weight loss goals.
To make the most of this approach, you need to figure out your TDEE or total daily energy expenditure and your precise nutrient requirements.
Our website has a handy IIFYM macro calculator for this, but you can also do the calculations manually if you prefer. It’s all about putting you in control of your eating without a strict plan.
"At the heart of IIFYM is the belief that no food is inherently 'bad'; it's about how they fit into your daily macronutrient requirements"
How to Calculate Your Energy Needs?
Your body burns calories in different ways every day. Here’s a breakdown:
REE (Resting energy expenditure): The calories you burn when you’re at rest.
NREE ( Non-resting energy expenditure): Calories burned during activities like exercise, daily tasks, and digestion.
TDEE (Total daily energy expenditure) calculation: It gives you an idea of how many calories you burn in a day, which is useful for people trying to manage their weight.
You can use the Mifflin-St Jeor Equation to calculate TDEE. Here’s how you do it:
For Males: (10 x weight in kg) + (6.25 x height in cm) – (5 x age) + 5
For Females: (10 x weight in kg) + (6.25 x height in cm) – (5 x age) – 161
Alternatively, you could use our user-friendly and very accurate TDEE calculator to determine your TDEE within seconds.
Our calculator automatically multiplies your TDEE by an activity factor to get your daily calorie needs:
Sedentary (if you perform minimal exercise): TDEE x 1.2
Lightly active (if you exercise 1 to 3 days a week): TDEE x 1.375
Moderately active (if you exercise 6 to 7 days a week): TDEE x 1.55
Very active (if you exercise almost every day): TDEE x 1.725
Extra active ( if you’re an elite athlete): TDEE x 1.9
If you want to lose weight, you create a calorie deficit by subtracting a percentage from your TDEE.
We recommend a 20% reduction. For example, if your TDEE is 3000 calories, you’d subtract around 600 calories every day for effective weight loss.
However, the exact deficit can vary based on your activity levels and weight loss goals.
How to Calculate Your Macronutrient Needs?
Once you’ve set a calorie target, the next step is to figure out your macronutrients or “macros.”
Macros are the big nutrients we need in large amounts.
These are carbs, fats, and protein.
Carbs have 4 calories/gram, usually making up 45–65% of your daily calories.
Fats have 9 calories/gram, usually around 20–35% of daily calories.
Protein has 4 calories per gram, typically accounting for 10–35% of daily calories.
At IIFYM, we offer both macro blueprint and macro calculators to determine your daily macro needs.
All you need to do is input your height, age, weight, and your activity level to get a custom breakdown of your macros.
But if you prefer, you can do it yourself by breaking down your total calorie needs into carbs, fat, or protein depending on your precise goals.
What’s cool about flexible dieting or IIFYM diet is that you can adjust your macro ranges to fit your weight loss or lifestyle goals.
It gives you the freedom to tailor your diet to what works best for you.
Counting macronutrients for weight loss is a key strategy in achieving your goals effectively.
By understanding the recommended macros for fat loss and incorporating them into your meal plan for healthy eating and weight loss, you can optimize your nutrition to support your fitness journey.
To achieve sustainable weight loss, the IIFYM diet focuses on nutrition macros for weight loss and design a meal plan that aligns with your goals.
Our macro calculator can help you determine the optimal distribution of carbs, fats, and proteins for your individual needs.
With the right balance of macros and a personalized meal plan for healthy eating and weight loss, you can achieve your desired body composition effortlessly.
How to Track Your Macronutrient Intake?
Once you figure out how many calories and nutrients you need, the next step is to keep an eye on what you eat to make sure it fits your goals.
There are several ways to accomplish this, but the go-to method is using websites or apps.
There are some very good apps out there, and they come in handy. They have massive databases, letting you find the calories in any food or portion size in a snap.
These apps are great because you can track your snacks or meals on the fly without dealing with pen and paper.
Some popular ones for keeping tabs on calories and macros are My Macros and MyFitnessPal.
Benefits of Flexible Dieting
Flexible dieting offers a unique way to lose weight. There are some great advantages to this approach. Let’s take a look:
1. IIFYM Diet Plan is Easy to Stick With:
The only tricky part of a flexible diet is figuring out your macro and calorie needs. But, the actual diet is pretty straightforward. No complicated recipes or restrictive food plans.
You pick the foods you like, stay within your set macronutrient and calorie range, and you’re good to go.
2. Helps You Achieve Long-term Weight Loss:
Studies show that people with more flexibility in their food choices tend to keep extra weight off over a longer time than those on stricter diets.
Stricter diets can also negatively affect mental well-being.
3. You Can Eat Anything:
Unlike diets that restrict numerous foods, flexible dieting avoids the resentment that can come with feeling deprived.
It shifts away from the “good food vs bad food” mindset, potentially helping you build a healthier relationship with your food.
4. Gives You Freedom and Choice:
Super-restrictive diets can be tough, especially when socializing. Flexible dieting lets you have more food options.
This makes it easier to stick to your plan even in social settings or with limited food options.
5. Good for Meeting Special Nutritional Needs:
If you’ve any specific macronutrient needs, IIFYM diet is your best option to reach your goals.
If you’re an athlete and someone with particular fitness objectives, you can also benefit by determining your macro goals depending on your training schedule.
Are Carbs Healthy or Unhealthy?
At IIFYM, we challenge the misconception that carbohydrates are inherently “bad” and the main cause of weight gain.
The primary reason for weight gain is consistently consuming more calories than your body needs, not just from carbs but also from fats, proteins, and alcohol.
Scientific evidence doesn’t support the notion that a low-carb diet is superior for long-term weight loss compared to other dietary approaches.
The key factor for weight loss is maintaining a calorie deficit, regardless of the specific macronutrient composition.
It’s advisable to vary your carbohydrate intake rather than sticking to the same types every day. Our bodies are adaptable, and rigid dietary patterns can result in weight loss plateaus once adaptation occurs.
To keep our bodies responsive to diet and exercise, try to introduce variety rather than sticking to a fixed routine. IIFYM or flexible dieting aims to achieve this.
Flexible dieting offers the best way to lose weight by providing a balanced approach to nutrition that focuses on overall calorie intake rather than restricting specific food groups.
By following a meal plan for weight loss that includes a variety of foods and incorporates diet meal plans for weight loss, you can achieve sustainable results while enjoying greater flexibility.
You can effectively lose weight by counting macros, which allows for a flexible approach to nutrition while still achieving your weight loss goals.
Optimizing carbs may be a part of your strategy, but it’s important to do so in a balanced way that supports overall health and well-being.
With the support of a macro blueprint, you can adjust your carbs while ensuring that your body receives the nutrients it needs to thrive.
"The key to successful weight loss isn't cutting out specific foods or food groups but maintaining a calorie deficit over time."
What Should You Eat in Flexible Dieting
The truth is that almost every diet agrees on a common set of principles. Check it out:
1. It’s crucial to understand energy and calorie balance.
2. Include lean protein in most meals, whether it’s from animals or plants—pick what works for you.
3. Load up on veggies—they’re good for you.
4. Listen to your body. Recognize when you’re genuinely hungry and when you’ve eaten enough.
5. Opt for more nutritious foods and cut back on processed stuff. The ratio might be 80/20 for some, 70/30 for others, or even 90/10.
6. While we can’t give you a mind-blowing food list, here’s one anyway because, well, that’s just how we roll.
The smart way to go about it is to make your meal plan. Choose your top 3-5 sources of proteins, starchy carbs, healthy fats, fruits, and veggies.
If you’re into flexible dieting, your list might look something like this:
Proteins: Chicken thigh, turkey, unsweetened Greek yogurt, eggs, ground beef
Veggies: Carrot, asparagus, broccoli, salad greens, green beans
Starchy carbs: Potato, oats, bread, plantain, rice, (yes, you read that right – make a sandwich)
Healthy Fats: Avocado, coconut oil, cheese, olive oil, and nuts.
Fruits: Blackberries, Kiwi, apple, banana, peach
Congratulations! You now have an incredibly effective and easily available shopping list. If you don’t know how to eat these foods, don’t worry—We have got you covered with our easy and delicious recipes.
How do I make the most out of flexible diet?
With over 15 years of experience in the fitness industry and as the founder of original IIFYM diet, the creator of the IIFYM diet and over 17 macro calculators, our proven strategy combines self-education, expert support, and personalized training for guaranteed success.
That’s why we created IIFYM Meal Plan MEGA Bundle, a comprehensive macro-based system personalized to your preferences, including home-based and gym workouts.
You’ll get to know EVERYTHING about optimizing your macros for a complete transformation – impacting not only your physique but also your attitudes to life and food.
What Amount of Macros Should You Be Eating?
Most of the online calculators will give you a decent enough estimate of the calories you should aim for.I like our IIFYM’s reliable and accurate calculators.
For example, our Macro Calculator, and TDEE calculator are some of the most precise ways to plan your diet. These tools consider factors like your age, weight, gender, height, and activity levels.
Another way is to simply multiply your present weight by the following numbers depending on your fitness goals:
If you want to lose weight: Bodyweight x 10-12
If you want to Maintain your weight: Bodyweight x 13-15
If you want to gain weight: Bodyweight x 16-18
For example, if you weigh 120 pounds, you’d calculate:
– Weight loss: 120 x 10 to 12 = 1,200 to 1440 calories
You’ll see a range. You don’t have to hit the numbers exactly to succeed.
Is this method accurate? No, but it can give you a rough idea of your goal, and with a goal, it’s easier to keep yourself on track.
If you’re looking for a more accurate or perfect method, simply use our Free TDEE calculator or macro calculator.
When determining your macros for weight loss, a reliable macronutrient calculator for weight loss can provide you with personalized recommendations customized to your individual needs.
Furthermore, by including weight loss foods into your diet plan and using the best diets for weight loss, you can optimize your nutrition for effective weight management.
Following a healthy diet plan for weight loss that aligns with your macronutrient goals can improve your overall health and well-being while supporting your weight loss journey.
How To Lose Weight with a Flexible Diet?
Losing weight boils down to one simple thing – having a calorie deficit.
This means you consume fewer calories than your TDEE consistently over time. If you stick to this, you’ll shed both body weight and body fat.
Here are a few easy ways to achieve this:
1. Make a small deficit every day
2. Create a small deficit over a long time
3. Measure your food and keep track of calories with apps like myfitnesspal.
4. Eat better, choose less calorie-packed foods, and watch portion sizes.
Flexible Dieting: Is it Good For You?
Flexible dieting suits most people well. This is a perfect option for people who can enjoy their food but can easily stop. These people don’t have many foods that set them off, and they’re great at knowing when they’re hungry or full.
On the other hand, restrictive diets need more stringent rules about what you can and cannot eat.
So, you might struggle with certain foods and find it hard to stop after just one bite.
If you’re analytical and love numbers, flexible dieting could be a good match for you. Instead of thinking about hitting your numbers as good or bad, you see it as information.
A Flexible or IIFYM diet is also great if you have serious body composition or athletic goals.
Whether it’s increasing lean muscle mass for some event, reaching a specific body fat percentage, or achieving short-term goals like getting ready for a wedding in a few weeks, this approach works.
The more precise your goals, the more tracking and weighing can help.
It’s also a good option if you want to become more aware of your food and calorie intake.
You’ll learn a lot about portion sizes, what’s in your food, how much you’re eating, and the calorie content of different foods.
Experience Unmatched Flexibility With IIFYM Diet
Take Advantage of our Personalized Meal Plans and Macro Calculators For Your Goals:
The essence of flexible dieting lies in its adaptability to your preferences and goals.
Whether you prefer a high carbohydrate diet or opt for a lower-carb approach, the key is finding what works best for you while staying within your macronutrient targets.
To start your personalized flexible dieting journey, take advantage of IIFYM’s powerful tools.
Use our Macro Calculator and TDEE Calculator to determine your ideal macronutrient distribution and total daily energy expenditure.
Or, for the ultimate convenience and effectiveness, explore our macro blueprint tailored to your specific needs and goals.
With the flexibility and guidance offered by these resources, you can unlock the full potential of flexible dieting (IIFYM) and achieve sustainable, long-term success in reaching your fitness and nutrition goals.
Start your IIFYM journey today and transform your approach to dieting and health.
Ready to Transform Your Fitness Journey with IIFYM Macro Tracking?
You don’t have to tackle a new nutrition and fitness plan alone. Here at IIFYM, we will support you in building habits that enhance your physical and mental well-being. Our Macro-based diet plans are designed to strengthen your immunity, manage stress better, and achieve sustainable results.
Calculate your macros with our FREE Macro Calculator or explore our macro blueprint to take the next step with IIFYM. Your journey, our support – let’s make it happen together.
FAQs:
1. Is Flexible dieting good for you?
Flexible dieting offers a convenient and effective option for people with specific macronutrient requirements to achieve their health and fitness goals.
For instance, whether you’re on an extremely low-carb or high-fat routine, you can effectively manage your macronutrient intake through flexible dieting.
Flexible dieting or the “If It Fits Your Macros” (IIFYM) approach might suit most people well, and we have observed it can lead to impressive results for those without underlying digestive health concerns, nutrient deficiencies, or hormone imbalances.
2. Is flexible dieting good for weight loss?
Absolutely! Flexible dieting offers numerous advantages, with sustainability being a key factor. Most of our clients have successfully achieved and maintained their weight loss goals through this approach.
Additionally, flexible dieting is beneficial for those looking to build lean muscle. It allows you to consume foods that align with your daily macronutrient targets.
So, it offers a lot of freedom in food choices while supporting long-term weight management and fostering a healthy relationship with your favorite food.
3. Is it all right to exceed your carb macros?
While it’s important to keep track of your macros, there’s no need to obsess over hitting them perfectly daily.
As long as you stay within 5 grams over or 10 grams under each macronutrient, you should still achieve your desired results.
Moreover, scientific studies have shown that carbs are less likely to contribute to weight gain compared to dietary fat.
While low-carb dietary options can be effective for weight loss when implemented correctly, they’re not inherently superior to other diets with matching calorie intake.
4. How do I start a flexible diet?
Looking to kickstart a flexible diet routine? Here are our top recommendations:
1. Keep it simple at the outset. Start by making small changes to your eating habits.
2. Prioritize whole foods, aiming for 80-90% of your intake to maintain optimal health.
3. Get savvy with portion control. Learn how to determine appropriate serving sizes.
4. Utilize a mobile app that allows you to easily track the macros you get from your foods throughout the day.
Here’s a structured approach to launching your flexible diet:
1. Determine your Total Daily Energy Expenditure or TDEE depending on factors like your present weight as well as your activity level.
2. Determine the macro ratios that suit your specific goals.
3. Monitor your food intake closely, striving to hit your macro targets and TDEE regularly and consistently.
5. Can you build muscles with flexible dieting?
By focusing on macronutrients instead of just calorie counting, flexible dieting can significantly enhance your muscle development without major changes to your weight.
If you’re simultaneously losing fat and gaining muscle, this means your body composition is improving.
Achieving optimal results requires a balanced and nutritious diet and a well-designed exercise regimen. Both physical activity and nutrition play crucial roles in muscle gain as well as weight loss.
While challenging your body through exercise is important, it’s equally essential to provide it with proper nutritional support to prevent progress from stalling.
6. What is the difference between a flexible diet and a strict diet?
What sets flexible dieting apart from strict dieting is the approach to controlling eating habits. With a strict diet, people often adopt an all-or-nothing mindset, which can negatively impact their weight over time.
On the other hand, flexible dieting takes a more balanced approach, allowing for moderate flexibility in food choices and behaviors.
In a study comparing the two approaches, researchers found that there was no major difference between the groups during the diet phase. However, after their dieting phase, those following a strict diet experienced a significant fat gain.
However, the flexible dieters did not gain any substantial weight. Additionally, the flexible group gained more fat-free mass compared to the strict group.
7. How to burn belly fat?
Here are a few effective strategies to help you shed belly fat and improve your overall health:
1. Create a calorie deficit by burning more calories than you consume.
2. Adopt a balanced or flexible eating plan (IIFYM diet) rather than following a restrictive diet.
3. Stay physically active by incorporating regular movement into your daily routine.
4. Incorporate strength training into your workout regimen to build muscle and boost metabolism.
5. Pay attention to food labels and choose whole, unprocessed foods whenever possible.
6. Minimize your consumption of processed foods, which are often high in unhealthy fats and sugars.
7. Monitor your progress by tracking your macros and paying attention to how your clothes fit rather than solely relying on the scale.
8. Surround yourself with friends and family members who prioritize health and wellness, as their habits can influence your own positively.
9. In addition to aerobic exercises like walking, running, swimming, or dancing, simple activities such as gardening or housework can also help you burn calories and reduce belly fat.
10. Strength training, yoga, and pilates are other effective forms of exercise that can contribute to your weight loss goals.
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