Caity Healy | Lifestyle Editor

A recent trend that has been gaining more visibility is a type of dieting called IIFYM — if it fits your macros. Seen and often advertised by fitness enthusiasts and professional athletes, it’s a diet that revolves around providing the right amount of nutrients that your body needs, down to the exact gram.

Often displayed by fitness accounts on Instagram, the diet for many is regarded as the one that finally worked for them — it’s the flexible eating that allowed many to see the results they want in and out of the gym. It can be adjusted to match any need and will help you get to where you want to be.

Essentially, this dieting revolves around three main macronutrients: your protein intake, your carbohydrate intake and your fat intake. By calculating your fat percentage and describing your fitness goals, which is either to lose, maintain or gain body fat and muscle, you can determine what your macros should be. You can also determine how many calories you should be consuming a day. In other words, you’re figuring out how to reach the appropriate amount of each macro, and the amount of calories you should be aiming for in your consumption of these macronutrients.

IIFYM is an ideal option for those who are serious about trying to attain specific goals in the gym. “It can work for anyone who wants to use that mode of motivation to reach their goals,” commented sophomore exercise science major Mikaela Wong. “If your goal is to become more aware of what you’re eating and what you’re putting in your body, macro counting is an option to do that.” You break down the food you’re eating and know the ways that each type of nutrient affects your body. It allows you to be more flexible in your eating and can also make meal prepping a simple task, as you know exactly what you should be consuming.

That being said, it’s also a difficult diet for many to follow. As a student at Western, if your only option is Valsetz, prepping for this type of diet will take far more planning and time than if you were shopping for yourself.

Speaking from my own experience, I tried planning meals for a while under the IIFYM diet, and I struggled greatly. It was a lot more work than I had anticipated, and I truly just didn’t have the time or the resources to eat like that. Instead, I just focus on aiming for what would be the right amount of protein, carbs and fats for myself. I don’t focus on hitting an exact mark, I just eat in a way that hits close to where I should be.

Ultimately, this diet is meant for those who have the time and resources to be dedicated to it.  If you have those options, then this diet is an effective one that is tailored to your needs and your body’s composition. But if you’re someone who lacks the ability to follow through, or you simply don’t have the right tools to do it, then you might want to consider another nutritional path. “If you want to have a successful macro-counting diet, then I’d say go for it, but set realistic goals.” Wong added. “And if you’re going to do it, think long-term. Because if you only go through a three-week dedicated phase, it could potentially hurt your body by going into extremes. Just choose something realistic for you.”

Contact the author at chealy16@wou.edu

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