IIFYM ... what?

What’s this new flexible dieting or “IIFYM” trend?

There are so many “diets” out there like Atkins, Paleo, and Gluten free, that I could go on forever. One of the newest diets taking social media by storm is “flexible dieting” or “IIFYM”, which stands for “if it fits your macros”. “Macros” is short for macronutrients, which consist of carbohydrates, fats, and protein. In short, this diet states that you have a set amount of calories based on your level of activity each day. You must try to eat X amount of carbs, fats, and proteins that total up to your daily calories, giving you the flexibility to treat yourself. Instead of regularly eating clean and then binging one or two days a week, this diet is encouraging people to eat clean and enjoy a small treat on a regular basis if they feel the need. However, this is quickly becoming one of the most misunderstood diets today. 

People automatically think that on this diet, you can eat junk food such as donuts, Pop-Tarts, etc. because “it fits your macros”. You may see people posting pictures of themselves eating donuts, ice cream, and other unhealthy treats, yet they are ripped. What you don’t see is that they’re eating a strict diet on a daily basis while leaving room to treat themselves. Do you really think that someone could just eat these treats on a regular basis and still look the way they do? No! It’s impossible to eat junk food throughout the day and have a healthy balance of fats, proteins, and carbs. 

My thoughts on this diet? 
I think the concept of eating a balanced diet of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates is great. We need to have all three to have a well balanced diet. Do I think that eating poptarts and other processed crap is good? Absolutely not! It’s good to treat ourselves once in awhile, but do it the right way. Don’t go for those processed snacks because all of the artificial stuff is doing more harm than good. Eat a well balanced diet and do what works for you; don’t let all of the social media images get in your head because a certain diet worked for someone else. What works for them may not work for you!

- SW