Do What Works For You: An IIFYM Rebuttal

By now most of us have heard the cries of the “if it fits your macros” army, and although admittedly counting your macros by weighing your food and inputting it into a database or spreadsheet is a surefire way to be able to assess what you’re actually putting into your body, the message that IIFYM advocates are sending is the wrong one. The majority of us cannot manage to eat Pop-Tarts and Reese’s cups all day and still lose weight. The images of fitness models with chiseled abs gobbling away on chips, ice cream, and donuts are an inaccurate depiction of the IIFYM lifestyle. I’d argue that an individual who is counting their macros, weighing and measuring all their food, and taking time to incorporate treats into their meals on a deficit typically wouldn’t be eating more than a serving of any junk food on any given day. It’s not just the fact that a food is able to fit into your macros, but that if you sacrifice whole foods in exchange for processed foods, you will in turn be sacrificing the satiety that comes with whole foods. Anyone can tell you that 200 calories of fibrous veggies is going to leave you a lot more satisfied than a Pop-Tart or Reese’s Cup. Going to absurd lengths and showing off these catastrophic carb-heavy processed foods to a group of people who don’t understand the fundamentals of nutrition is just setting up the public for confusion and a greater misunderstanding of what it really means to track macronutrients.


That is not to say that IIFYM doesn’t work, it absolutely does, and when we’ve been dieting for weeks and are craving a sweet treat, it’s nice to know that having a Pop-Tart won’t make us crash and burn. But IIFYM is meant for those who are ready to take on the task of weighing, measuring, and logging food. And let’s face it, most people aren’t. So if your goal is to lose weight, and you’re losing weight by eating clean (whatever you decide that to mean), then by all means eat clean. If you love your carbs and pastries and notice that you can lose 5 lbs to fit in your favorite dress for an event if you cut them out, then go for it! If you’re doing the Paleolithic diet, and you’re seeing results, stick with it! If you’re doing the Zone, Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem, Weight Watchers, Atkin’s, or any of the other tens of thousands of programs out there and you’re seeing results, then why fix what’s not broken?


If you are serious about committing to getting lean, though, and are ready to take on the task of weighing and logging your food, IIFYM can be one of the most efficient tools you have ever used. Just know that it’s not all Pop-Tarts and Reese’s Cups.