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Hi all, I hope this won't turn into much of a debate but what is your opinion on IIFYM? I realize a lot of you guys on here are competing bodybuilders, power lifters and such so you might be a bit biased towards anything outside of a strict contest diet... Has anyone ever tried this method? Any thoughts on it? Just curious...
-Primal
Its a cookie cutter program that bases your macros on a formula (BMR and TDEE not very accurate) and does not take into account hormones such as insulin etc. Its better then just eating crap or having no plan whatsoever but for a competing BB etc it is way too loosey goosey and needs to be more specific for each individuals needs. If you are a couch potato then its fine.
P
Yeah I heard a bunch of people talking about it in my gym, I also hear about it a lot in these 'broscience' videos and such... Just curious that's all.
-Primal
Depends on how it is done. I am working with a coach who has me on it and I have to say it was the best change I could make. My macros were not based on a formula and my carb intake is adjusted to take into account my work out time. If you also have Fiber as one of the macros you follow you really can't eat too much "junk" food. I've made some amazing gains using it. It also allows me to enjoy a much more diversified diet. Coaches like Layne Norton and Ben Esgro use this with clients all the time. Take a look at Simone Sinclair if you wanna see an IFBB pro who uses the approach. She looks amazing. Just my 2 cents.Quote:
Originally Posted by Praetorian
I have heard a TON of people say that they have had great success with this method as well including a lot of physique looking looking men and women. This is the point of why I wanted to bring it up. People either really like it or are completely against it. I do agree with Praetorian that it is off the radar for any serious BB and I completely see why. However there is no denying the fact that there are some pretty good results seen across a wide variety of people who have tried it, including a few people I know. For the record, I'm not saying that I'm trying it or am going to try it, I have just noticed that there isn't a thread on it on this site and I wanted to hear what your guys opinions were about it. Hopefully we can get a few other perspectives into this thread as well!Quote:
Originally Posted by jsmills
Thanks!
Quote:
Originally Posted by jsmills
The diet the OP posted was based on a formula and TDEE if thats not what you are doing then you are not comparing the same things. Also fiber is not a macro. Im not saying you cant use it successfully but both Layne and Ben are tweaking the program to individual clients...again you arent comparing apples to apples. Basing a a diet on what an IFBB pro looks like is to say the least...naive.
P
What diet did the OP post? I don't see a diet listed nor do I see an indication that he edited his original post.Quote:
Originally Posted by Praetorian
Hey Natenator, you are right, I didn't post a diet at all. I was just referring to the method in general. I think posting a diet would be useless since this diet specifically varies between people on a large scale. I was just curious about the method in general and wanted to hear your opinions on it, or if you have tried it any.
Thanks!
Nate IIFYM is based on calculating energy expenditure and BMR....the OP posted IIFYM without any specific variables so I would take that as the basic IIFYM diet.
P
the way I see it is that when someone says "IIFYM" they mean a looser diet based on hitting certain macro's but not necessarily worrying where those macros come from. The whole concept of it has developed its own misconceptions and is often ridiculed by bodybuilders or other fitness competitors who think IIFYM means you just eat poptarts and a few protein shakes so that your macros add up.
I'll admit I don't actually know the 'real' program or what IIFYM bases their numbers on. But I am for any diet that is easier to follow for the average joe. Sure, it might not work for all competitors since there is always something 'better' you could do. For example, if one guy is on IIFYM and in his day he ends up eating a granola bar, vs. the other guy who is strict and following the traditional bodybuilder diet, and instead of that granola bar, he has whatever it might be - dextrose, oatmeal, a sweet potato, whatever... In that oversimplified example I'd say in the end it really won't make that much of a difference physically.
The difference IMO is mental. if having a piece of a chocolate bar lightens your day, makes things seem easier, than it really doesn't matter that there was a better alternative - if that alternative gets you in a state of pure stress, etc. Bodybuilding isn't for everyone, and getting to absolutely low levels of bodyfat isn't for everyone either.
Personally I guess I sorta follow a version of IIFYM. I'd rather 'feel' normal then eat everything on a traditional bodybuilder list. I'll be the first to admit that there are better ways to diet, but in the end I think the fact that I keep myself mentally strong as long as possible allows me to get the physique to a level I need it to be. Everyone's thresholds are different. Some people feel great eating talipia and nuts all day - but I wouldn't be able to handle it. On the other extreme some people can't eat as 'clean' as me and feel ok, and those people tend to not fit the sport as well.
I say stick to a reasonable diet that you can follow. If you can't then more times than not, getting past that level of bodyfat is simply not worth it in the long run. I can honestly say that at least 2/3 of people who compete should not be competing because they are doing it for the wrong reasons and hurt themselves in the long run more than anything. And I am not talking about drugs - just pure and simple diet and not being able to understand their bodies and minds enough to go through the entire process - from getting lean, to the reverse... and getting back to normal, whatever their normal should be.