Welcome to our official quick-start, flexible dieting guide on how to start tracking macros and burning fat with IIFYM!
In this guide, we take the guesswork out of IIFYM and flexible dieting, giving you a specific path to follow to start your weight loss journey today.
These steps are your roadmap to success.
IIFYM is guaranteed to work if you follow the process.
- Use the IIFYM Macro Calculator to get your exact fat loss macros based on your unique body, and your specific energy levels. Here’s a sample report.
You can get a custom macro blueprint that takes the guesswork out of your diet and guides you to success.
Have all the guesswork taken out of the equation with all your meals planned for you, according to your exact macro requirements!
We’ll adjust your macros, and your meals accordingly as you lose weight so you’ll never have to worry about the dreaded plateau.
Want to do it yourself? Follow these steps:
1. Buy a digital food scale and weigh your food in grams, uncooked.
2. Sign up to Macro Tracker. Log all of your food in grams, uncooked.
3. Weigh everything you eat for the first 3 months. Eventually, you can eyeball it but we suggest staying consistent with the scale for best results.
4. Log every single thing you eat at Macro Tracker, no matter how small, or how “healthy” you think it is. If you eat it, track it!
5. If dieting to burn fat and lose weight, eat between 15% – 20% calories less than your body needs. This is your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure).
6. Calculate your TDEE with our TDEE Calculator. If you are trying to put on muscle mass and gain weight, eat between 5% and 10% more calories than your TDEE, every day (preferably from carbs).
To dial in IIFYM with more accuracy, follow these steps:
To make the most of IIFYM, follow these steps:
• Eat at least .8 grams of protein per pound of lean body weight (total body weight, less total fat weight).
• Eat between .3 – .4 grams of fat per pound of lean body weight.
• Any remaining calories you have left in your daily total will come from carbs.
• Take in 20-25% of your lean body weight (in grams) in fiber every day (this should be included in your carbohydrate total).
• Drink 3-4 liters of water per day in addition to any other liquid you consume.
• The more consistent your sodium and water are, the more stable your weight will be.
While important to many functions in the human body, sodium and water have very little relation to fat loss, but does have a large effect on water retention and body weight fluctuations.
We mostly encourage sodium tracking so that it is easier to track your body weight, and thus make your adjustments based on more accurate information.
7. Once your fat loss stalls, reduce your daily intake of carbs by 10-15 grams (people with more weight to lose can go higher than those with less to lose).
Adjust your macros ONLY when your fat loss stalls for 10 days or more.
Never reduce calories, carbs, or fat if you are still making fat loss progress. Any changes you make should be few, infrequent, and deliberate.
8. Things to remember:
• Select foods that are rich in micronutrients (vitamins and mineral) first. Once your micronutrients are met, go for food that you enjoy eating, while staying within your personal range of macros.
• Take a gender-specific multivitamin to ensure your micronutrients are being met.
What is IIFYM? Decoding IIFYM (If It Fits Your Macros) Diet
IIFYM, stands for “if it fits your macros,” is a dietary approach centered around tracking macronutrient intake rather than solely focusing on calorie counting.
I am Anthony Collova – the founder and designer of the original IIFYM diet. I developed the IIFYM diet 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.
In contrast to restrictive diets, IIFYM users tout its flexibility. This means that it can facilitate weight loss without drastic changes to your current eating patterns.
However, if you want to make the most of the IIFYM (If It Fits Your Macros) diet, you need to carefully monitor three primary macronutrients:
1. Proteins
2. Carbohydrates
3. Fats
You can take these macros in any ratio, provided that the quantities remain within the body’s daily macronutrient requirements.
In other words:
As long as the macro calculations align with your fitness goals, you can enjoy a wide array of foods while still achieving your weight loss or overall health goals.
Counting macros is an integral part of the macro diet plan. It allows you to customize your nutrition to support weight loss or muscle gain goals.
But wait, there’s more:
By using a macro calculator for muscle gain or fat loss, you can determine your optimal macro percentages for weight loss or muscle building, ensuring that your diet aligns with your fitness goals.
Why is this important?
Understanding and optimizing macros for weight loss is key to the success of the IIFYM approach.
With the flexibility to adjust macro percentages for weight loss based on your preferences and goals, a well designed IIFYM diet allows you to enjoy a sustainable and adaptable approach to nutrition while achieving your desired outcomes.
"IIFYM stands for 'if it fits your macros,' a dietary approach centered around tracking macronutrient intake to support weight loss or muscle gain goals."
The IIFYM Diet: How to Get Started
Here are some crucial steps you need to follow to get started with IIFYM:
1. Calculate the number of calories required to sustain your present weight.
2. Create the calorie deficit necessary for achieving desired weight loss.
3. Allocating these calories into macronutrient categories: proteins, fats, and carbohydrates.
These targets and values are subject to variation, depending on factors like age, gender, height, weight, and activity levels.
You can start by utilizing IIFYM’s Macro Calculator. Or if you’re good with numbers, you can follow the steps outlined below. Let’s go:
1: Calculating Your Current Calorie Requirements
Understanding your basal metabolic rate (BMR), or resting metabolic rate(RMR), as well as your TDEE, can help you determine your daily energy needs.
Let me explain.
Your BMR reflects the calories required by the body during rest over 24-hours . It is essentially the energy required for supporting your vital functions like breathing, circulation, and maintaining body temperature.
The Mifflin-St. Jeor equation is one of the most accurate methods for calculating BMR.
Here’s what you need to do:
BMR Formula For Men:
10 x weight (in kilograms) + 6.25 x height (in centimeter) – 5 x your current age ( in years) + 5
BMR Formula For Women:
10 x weight (in kilograms) + 6.25 x height (in centimeter) – 5 x your current age (in years) – 161
2: Consider Your Activity Level to Adjust Your Calorie Needs
Moving forward, it’s important to consider the typical level of your physical activity, as it directly influences your body’s calorie expenditure.
This parameter is known as TDEE or total daily energy expenditure.
You can determine your TDEE using IIFYM’s reliable and user-friendly TDEE calculator. It automatically incorporates your basal metabolic rate (BMR).
3: Fine-Tune Your Calorie Requirements for Target Weight
If you want to lose weight, deduct 15–20 percent from your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) to determine your daily calorie intake.
4: Calculate Your Daily Macro Needs
The last phase of IIFYM dieting involves breaking down the derived value from above steps into three major macronutrients or “macros”.
This will help you determine the required macro intake customized to your present and target body weight:
So, what should your protein, fat, and carbs intake be in general?
Protein: Ranging between 0.7 and 1.0 grams per pound of your body weight.
Fat: Approximately 0.25 to 0.4 grams per pound of your body weight.
Carbs: This macronutrient will consist of the remaining calorie allocation from your total macros score.
Using an IIFYM calorie calculator can streamline the process of determining your exact daily calorie and macro requirements for a structured approach to flexible dieting.
By using a personalized approach, the Macro Blueprint helps you stay on track and reach your fitness goals faster.
To boil it down:
Losing weight with macros involves calculating your macros and adjusting your diet meal plans for weight loss accordingly.
By incorporating the recommendations from our IIFYM calculator, you can create a sustainable meal plan that supports your weight loss journey while allowing flexibility in your food choices.
How to Stick to an IIFYM Diet for the Long Haul?
Following the IIFYM (If It Fits Your Macros) diet routine requires you to determine your macro intake per meal and diligently monitor your daily consumption to align with your set targets. For optimal precision, make sure to use a digital scale to weigh your food portions.
You can find a range of delicious macro-based recipes on IIFYM‘s site. These are specifically created to cater to diverse tastes and preferences.
But wait, there’s more:
At IIFYM, we offer an array of meal plans spanning breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, and snacks.
To maximize your results from the IIFYM Diet and achieve long-term success, you need to accurately calculate your macronutrients for weight loss and establish appropriate macro ratios for weight loss.
In short:
Using tools like our macro calories calculator or an IIFYM calculator can optimize this process and provide you with the guidance needed to stay on track with your goals.
A macro diet offers a flexible approach to weight management. With a commitment of just 16 weeks , the Deadline Diet weight loss program ensures you’re on the right track to achieve your goals.
What are the Advantages of IIFYM?
1. Unmatched Flexibility
Say goodbye to traditional dieting restrictions. IIFYM is a ground-breaking dieting approach that offers unrivaled adaptability by including a wider range of foods compared to other popular diets.
IIFYM diet promotes eating a variety of foods, provided you stay within your specified macro targets.
The goal of the IIFYM is to enhance meal satisfaction and reduce the anxiety associated with meal planning, making it easier for people to stick to this diet.
2. Weight Management
Typically, weight loss occurs when your body uses more calories than you consume. This means that to lose weight, you should reduce your daily calorie intake by approximately 500 to 700 calories.
Many people successfully achieve this goal by following the IIFYM (If It Fits Your Macros) diet.
On the other hand, if you want to gain weight, you need to increase your calorie intake accordingly. Those looking to increase their weight (lean muscle mass) may also find success by using the principles of the IIFYM approach.
3. Can Be Used by People with Limited Physical Activity
IIFYM proves beneficial even for individuals with minimal or no exercise regimen, as it customizes macronutrient intake based on activity levels.
4. IIFYM is an Enlightening Journey
By focusing on macronutrients over mere calorie counting, IIFYM serves as an enlightening educational tool, particularly for those unfamiliar with the nutritional breakdown of foods.
Take, for instance, a comparison between 5 ounces of salmon and a chocolate bar—despite similar calorie counts, their macronutrient profiles differ significantly.
Why does this matter?
While both are rich in fat, the carbohydrates are significantly higher in the chocolate bar. On the other hand, salmon is abundant in protein.
So with IIFYM, you can understand the educational value of determining and meeting your macronutrient needs, especially if you’re new to tracking macros.
To optimize your nutrition for weight loss and muscle gain, our user-friendly Macronutrient Calculator for Weight Loss and Muscle Gain can be the game changer. This handy tool can help you determine your ideal macro split to support your goals effectively.
Additionally, focusing on the best things to eat for weight loss, such as nutrient-dense foods rich in protein and healthy fats, can further enhance your results. By understanding the macros to lose fat and gain muscle, you can easily achieve the desired body composition.
Remember this:
Consuming foods that make you lose weight fast can accelerate your progress towards your weight loss and muscle gain goals. By aligning your macros to lose weight and gain muscle, you can optimize your nutrient intake to support both fat loss and muscle growth.
Explore the variety of weight loss programs we offer, each designed to help you reach your goals more effectively.
5. Unlimited Food Choices
With IIFYM, there are no restrictions on what you can eat as long as it fits your macros.
This approach promotes a balanced diet and enhances awareness of macronutrient sources.
Permitting all foods eliminates the stress and guilt often linked with stricter diets.
This means, you can enjoy a more pleasurable journey towards your health and fitness goals.
"IIFYM is guaranteed to work if you follow the process. Use the IIFYM Macro Calculator to get your exact fat loss macros based on your unique body and specific energy levels."
6. Adaptability and Sustainable Commitment
One of the key advantages of following the IIFYM approach is its adaptability to your lifestyle. This ensures long-term adherence without imposing strict limitations.
For instance, when you have plans to dine out, you can proactively search for nutritional information beforehand and adjust your remaining meals accordingly for the day.
The level of flexibility IIFYM offers greatly enhances the feasibility of following the IIFYM routine, minimizing restrictions.
Moreover, an IIFYM diet plan can include almost all types of dietary preferences such as vegan, paleo, gluten-free, or vegetarian diets.
Thanks to its flexibility, the IIFYM diet can seamlessly integrate with various cuisines and culinary preferences, catering to a wide range of individuals.
7. Embracing Flexibility in Eating Habits
Traditional dieting methods often revolve around rigid rules such as strict calorie counting, limited food choices, or regimented meal plans. Many traditional dieting plans completely eliminate certain foods or food groups (think of low-fat or low-carb diets).
While such approaches may yield some results in the short term, they often prove unsustainable in the long run, leading many individuals to derail their progress.
Here’s why:
Feelings of deprivation and low energy can easily make someone indulge in unhealthy foods, which can escalate into full-blown cheat days.
Within a matter of weeks, you may find yourself right back at your starting weight, or even heavier.
The familiar pattern is commonly referred to as the “yo-yo dieting” cycle. Feedback from our community indicates that adopting a flexible approach to dieting has been instrumental in breaking this cycle for many individuals. The IIFYM diet can also help you achieve sustainable weight loss.
We have come to realize that labeling foods as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ is futile.
But, here’s the thing:
When determining the best macros for weight loss, it’s important to focus on including healthy foods to lose weight in your diet.
By choosing nutrient-dense options and using a balanced approach to eating for weight loss, you can nourish your body while achieving your fitness goals.
An easy way to lose weight is to shift your mindset from restriction to abundance by understanding that you can eat more to lose weight when you make nutritious choices.
By including a variety of foods and flavors in your meals, you can enjoy a satisfying and sustainable approach to weight loss that supports your overall well-being.
8. Enhancing Athletic Performance
Trying to follow a rigorous training regimen while on a calorie-restricted or strict diet, or one that severely limits carbohydrates or fats can be quite challenging for anyone. It can adversely affect your workouts.
While it’s true that abs are often made with nutritious foods, achieving them also demands months of targeted abdominal exercises and cardiovascular training.
If you want to achieve long-term improvements in your body composition, this aspect is crucial. Extreme calorie-cutting simply won’t work.
The “If It Fits Your Macros” (IIFYM) approach understands the distinct roles of nutrition and exercise in both aesthetics and performance.
IIFYM users feel more energized and perform intense training sessions even while shedding pounds.
9. Good For Social Eating
If you have ever followed a strict diet regimen with a detailed meal plan and excluded a roster of foods from your diet, you might have felt the pang of guilt arising merely at the thought of indulging in a burger or cake.
It’s all too common for individuals to give in to temptation and then punish themselves by drastically reducing their food intake.
We have observed that such an extreme approach is not sustainable in the long run.
So, what’s the solution?
The good news is that the IIFYM approach eliminates much of the stress associated with such situations.
By simply monitoring your macros, you have the flexibility to allocate a portion of your allotted fats or carbohydrates from your previous meal for later enjoyment.
How to Achieve Your Macronutrient Goals?
Once you have established the optimal amount of the three macros for your daily intake, the next step is to monitor your food consumption to ensure alignment with your macronutrient targets.
Several popular websites and apps are available for this purpose:
Top Tracking Apps:
1. My Macros+
3. Cronometer
4. Lose It!
Additionally, we recommend investing in a digital scale for precise macronutrient tracking. To effectively manage your nutrition and achieve your weight loss goals, make sure to calculate macros for weight loss and incorporate them into your daily diet.
Following the IIFYM approach allows for flexibility while ensuring you meet your macros for weight loss (or muscle gain) consistently.
Using tracking apps and digital scales can help you stay on track and make adjustments as needed to optimize your results.
High Protein Foods
Animal meats such as chicken, beef, lamb, turkey, and pork
– Eggs
– Dairy products, such as cheese, whey protein, yogurt, and milk
– Legumes, such as beans, peanuts, soy, lentils, and peas
– Quinoa
– Nuts
– Seafood, such as shellfish and fish
High Fat Foods
– Egg yolks
– Full-fat dairy items, such as cheese, whole milk, yogurt, and cream
– Peanut butter and nuts
– Olives
– Avocado
– Fatty fish, such as sardines and salmon
– Mayonnaise
– Oils from seeds and nuts
– Seeds, such as flax and chia
High Carb Foods
– Breads, pasta, and baked goods
– Lentils, soy, peanuts, peas, and beans(legumes)
– Wheat, barley, oats, rice, and rye( grains)
– Mangoes, plantains, bananas, and apples (fruits)
– Teff, wild rice, quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, and millet (pseudocereals)
– Sweet potatoes, corn, winter squash, and potatoes (starchy vegetables)
What Exactly Are Macros?
Macros, which stands for “macronutrients,” refer to the essential nutrients that we consume in large amounts. These macronutrients form the calorie content of your diet i.e. protein, fats, and carbohydrates.
Why does this matter?
Instead of just focusing on calorie counting or restricting certain macronutrients such as carbohydrates or fats, the “If It Fits Your Macros” (IIFYM) is all about achieving daily “targets” for all three macros.
When executed effectively, this approach ensures a consistent calorie intake while offering ample room for personalization.
Initially, this method might appear somewhat intricate.
Why bother tracking three distinct elements when you could simply focus on one?
The rationale lies in the ability to fine-tune your dietary intake by paying attention to specific quantities of each macronutrient, coupled with selecting high-quality sources.
This approach allows for a more tailored fit to accommodate your lifestyle, preferences, and aspirations.
To achieve your fitness goals effectively, make sure you understand the best macros for weight loss and muscle gain.
By focusing on macros to lose fat and gain muscle, you can optimize your nutrition to support both your weight loss and muscle-building efforts.
Here’s why:
Incorporating healthy foods to lose weight into your diet can further accelerate your progress by providing essential nutrients while promoting overall well-being and keeping hunger at bay.
Remember this:
Foods that make you lose weight fast are those that are nutrient-dense and support a calorie deficit, making them an integral part of macros to lose weight and gain muscle.
By choosing healthy foods to lose weight, you can fuel your body with the nutrients it needs to thrive while achieving your weight loss and muscle-building goals.
Calories Vs. Macros
For the longest time, counting calories was the golden rule of dieting. Stick to a deficit, shed pounds; slip up, gain weight. While this method worked for some, it left many feeling frustrated and miserable.
But then, a game-changing question emerged: ‘
What if not all calories are the same?’
Turns out, there’s more to the story than just counting calories.
Enter IIFYM (if it fits your macros), a dietary approach that skyrocketed in popularity. Whether you’re new to using a macro calculator and want to understand those numbers better or you’re simply curious about a better way of eating, it’s crucial to understand the distinction between calories and macros.
Consider this example:
Picture a 2,500-calorie intake. There are countless ways to reach that number, ranging from unhealthy to nutritious.
This is where the conventional “calories in, calories out” approach rarely works.
A 2,500-calorie day could go two very different ways: one could power you through intense workouts, help build muscle, and keep hunger at bay.
But the other?
Well, it might just send your blood sugar on a wild roller coaster ride, leaving you feeling drained and sluggish during your workouts. We’re all about making sure you’re fueled up right for maximum energy and performance!
Certainly, if you slash your daily intake from 5,000 calories to 2,500, weight loss is almost inevitable for a period.
However, what if you’ve been stuck at 2,500 calories for a long time, and the scale refuses to budge? That’s when delving into your macros becomes imperative.
Instead of freely spending as long as you hit a certain caloric target, you must consider three distinct parameters: protein, fats, and carbohydrates.
What does this mean for you?
You’re free to enjoy your pancake breakfast using up your carb allowance but remember, you can only do so as long as you’re in your daily macro limits— i.e. you’re not exceeding your fat and protein requirements for the day.
Here lies the power of IIFYM: it empowers you to be deliberate in your food choices and make informed decisions about what you consume and why.
The world of “health food” has evolved light years beyond what it once was during your formative years.
The IIFYM Diet: Does It Work?
If you’ve used traditional dieting methods with little or no success, it’s totally normal to see IIFYM as your next big thing.
However, it’s important to note that maintaining a caloric deficit remains crucial for weight loss, regardless of food choices.
Yet, IIFYM diet has some distinct advantages that can help you crush your diet goals.
Understanding macronutrients for weight loss and knowing your macro ratios for weight loss are crucial for achieving your fitness goals effectively.
By using advanced tools like a macro calories calculator or an IIFYM calculator, you can accurately track your macros and tailor your diet to support your weight loss journey.
Using a macronutrients calculator for weight loss and muscle gain can help you make informed decisions about your nutrition, leading to better results in your quest to lose weight.
To optimize your weight loss efforts, focus on consuming the best things to eat for weight loss while following our Macro Blueprint which provides you with hyper-accurate macros tailored to your specific needs, ensuring optimal results.
Optimizing carbs may be part of your strategy, but it’s important to do so in a balanced way that supports overall health and well-being.
In short:
By using flexible dieting, a reliable macro calculator and expert guidance from an IIFYM coach, you can get a sustainable meal plan and training program for weight loss that aligns with your goals and preferences.
IIFYM Diet: Strategies For Success
Here are some effective things you can do:
1. Determine your current weight by averaging over at least 7 days to accommodate fluctuations caused by factors like salt intake, sleep, and daily activity levels.
2. Take charge of your meals by either cooking at home, prepping meals in advance, or selecting from restaurants with offerings listed on MFP (My Fitness Pal app).
3. Keep pre-cooked ingredients on hand to effortlessly meet your macro goals, even when you’re short on a specific nutrient.
4. Simplify tracking by saving frequently consumed meals in the app’s designated section.
5. Streamline your meal planning by utilizing the copy feature to replicate meals from your previous days.
6. Maintain consistency in your routine meals while still accommodating variations by adding non-routine items to the snacks category.
7. Enhance efficiency by weighing your food containers and storing this information for quick and accurate portioning.
8. Optimize tracking of small quantities of foods like oils and sauces by measuring the container before and after using them.
9. Use the scan feature for packaged foods to easily access nutritional information.
When dining out, deconstruct dishes and estimate portions to track your intake accurately.
That’s all you need to kickstart your IIFYM journey and indulge in your favorite foods while achieving your fitness goals! Let’s do this!
Transform Your Eating, Transform Your Life: Start IIFYM Now!
There you have it – everything you need to know about starting the IIFYM diet and achieving your weight loss goals effortlessly.
From understanding macros to fine-tuning your calorie intake, we’ve got you covered.
But why stop there?
Take your journey to the next level with our free Macro Calculator and TDEE Calculator. By using a personalized approach, the Macro Blueprint helps you stay on track and reach your fitness goals faster.
Don’t let confusion hold you back – start transforming your body today!
Real Stories, Real Results
What our clients say about IIFYM
Laura Wand
32 y/o
IIFYM has been a game-changer for me! I've lost 20 lbs while enjoying my favorite treats. Thanks to this flexible approach, I've found a sustainable way to maintain my progress.
Sophia
41 y/o
IIFYM's Macro Blueprint transformed my diet. I've lost 15 pounds and feel amazing! It's the most personalized program I've ever tried.
Olivia
29 y/o
IIFYM made me realize that healthy eating doesn't have to be boring. It's been a delicious journey, and I've never felt better! 🥦🍔🍰
Jake
32 y/o
IIFYM is the ultimate tool in my fitness toolbox! I've reached my dream physique without restrictions. This approach has shown me that food is fuel.
Ben
45 y/o
IIFYM turned my fitness journey around. With the help of a personalized macro plan, I've packed on muscle and lost fat. It's all about the numbers and the gains!
Mike
41 y/o
I used to struggle with portion control until I discovered IIFYM. It's taught me how to balance my macros, and I've lost fat while keeping my muscle.
Haley
41 y/o
The 16-Week Deadline Diet helped me reach my goals. The support and coaching are incredible—I can't recommend it enough!
Isabella
41 y/o
IIFYM is the secret behind my transformation! I've achieved my weight loss goals while indulging in my guilty pleasures. Don't count the days; make the days count!
Haley
32 y/o
I never thought losing weight could be this easy. The personalized macros have made all the difference for me. Thank you, IIFYM!
FAQs
IIFYM stands for “If It Fits Your Macros,”. IIFYM is all about flexibility. Instead of obsessing over calorie counts, IIFYM focuses on tracking macronutrients, like protein, fat, and carbs.
In simpler terms, IIFYM is a dieting approach where you eat whatever you want as long as it fits your macro goals. It’s a method for losing weight without feeling like you’re constantly saying no to foods you love.
Since macros are where calories come from, hitting your macro targets means you’re also hitting your weight loss calorie goals.
Well, the good news is, you can enjoy any food you like, whether it’s pizza or salad, as long as it fits into your daily macronutrient targets.
IIFYM, also known as “If It Fits Your Macros,” is gaining popularity for its flexible approach to eating. It’s all about balance and understanding where your protein, fats, and carbs are coming from.
So, go ahead and indulge in your favorite treats while still reaching your nutritional goals.
Clean eating usually involves strict diets that can be hard to stick to for a long time. However, following IIFYM doesn’t mean you can eat junk all the time.
Most people who do IIFYM focus on eating lots of nutrient-rich foods but also include other foods (which might not be considered “clean”) in moderation.
While there’s no single definition of clean eating, for most people, it’s about choosing healthier options from various food groups instead of unhealthier ones.
This means enjoying whole foods like veggies, fruits, proteins, healthy fats, and whole grains, among others.
IIFYM, or If It Fits Your Macros, was pioneered by bodybuilder and fitness enthusiast Anthony Collova.
It marked a significant shift from traditional calorie counting to focusing on macronutrients. With IIFYM, you analyze the protein, carbs, and fat in your food to find a personalized balance.
I’m Anthony Collova, the brain behind IIFYM.com and the Macro Calculator. He has also developed 17 other calculators, now utilized by over 200 websites, alongside numerous companies and nutrition coaches.
MyFitnessPal and Macro Plus are the go-to choices for most people. They’re the top picks among users for a reason.
With their wide range of foods in the database and user-friendly interface, these apps are perfect for everyone, whether you’re just starting out or already know your way around.
If you don’t move around much (like little to no exercise), you can calculate your calories by multiplying your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) by 1.2.
If you’re somewhat active (doing light exercise or sports 1-3 days a week), multiply your BMR by 1.375.
And if you’re moderately active (exercising or playing sports 3-5 days a week), multiply your BMR by 1.55.
Your ideal calorie intake can vary based on things like your age, metabolism, and how much you move. But generally, women aim for around 2,000 calories per day, while men aim for around 2,500.
Alternatively, you can use our TDEE calculator to determine your daily calorie needs.
Here’s the macro breakdown: Aim for 0.7–1.0 grams of protein per pound of your body weight. For fats, it’s 0.25 to 0.4 grams/ pound. The rest of your calories can come from carbs.
As for protein needs, they should make up 10-35 percent of your daily calorie intake. For example, if you’re on a 3,000-calorie diet, that’s 300–1000 calories from protein.
To prevent any deficiency, experts recommend 0.8 grams of protein per kg of your body weight. This is for an average adult with a sedentary lifestyle.
Here are some scientifically-backed methods for weight loss:
- Give macro-based IIFYM dieting a try.
- Keep tabs on what you eat and your physical activity.
- Be more aware of your eating habits.
- Make sure to have protein with your meals.
- Cut down on sugary and processed foods.
- Amp up your fiber intake.
- Maintain a healthy balance of gut bacteria.
- Prioritize getting quality sleep
Reducing added sugars and processed foods in your diet can kickstart weight loss in just seven days.
Hydrating well and increasing fiber intake can also be beneficial.
However, keep in mind that many factors influence weight loss, and going for a slower, steadier approach of losing 0.5 to 2 pounds per week is often more sustainable.
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