How to IIFYM

If you already read my “If it fits your macros - What is “Flexible Dieting” Blog and you’re interested and want to dive in deeper then this is for you.

NOTE: If you are a client, I have you go in phases until you reach this point. I don’t believe in having your diet be a massive change that you aren’t able to stick with – rather changes over time until this new lifestyle becomes easy.

You can google and find lot of information about this subject – Here I will just give you my overview….
First you need to find out the calories needed to reach your goal.  The easiest way would be to google TDI Calculator.  You will enter your age, height and weight and activity level and the calculator will generate your maintenance calories (calories needed to maintain your current body weight).

There are 3600 calories to a pound.  So if you goal is to lose weight you would have to deduct calories from your maintenance amount and if you are wanting to gain muscle you will have to add calories to your maintenance amount. 

For example – let’s say your maintenance calories are 1800 and your goal is to lose weight.  You will take 3600 / 7 (days in a week) = 500 calories.
1800 – 500 = 1300 Your daily allotment would then be 1300 per day, in order to lose 1lb of fat.
Caution:  Some people get over anxious and then believe that they should cut 1000 per day so that they can lose 2lbs a week – therefore eating 800 calories per day.  This is unhealthy and not recommended at all.  I guarantee you will lose weight, and then plateau and then regain.  So…..slow and steady and stick to being consistent. 

I do notice that I can decrease the calories by less than 500 per day for majority of my clients and they still lose the amount they should by either just starting to be mindful of their eating and/or because they are starting an exercise program.  I believe you should gradually add in factors to assist in your goals versus throwing all your cards on the table in the beginning and then plateauing later.  Your body is highly adaptive and will learn to function with less calories and more exercises; therefore having factors you can add when your body stops responding is key.

Using the example from above, you will now find your macros for the 1300 calories.  First I figure out the protein portion (as most of us want to have muscle tone) – this will be approximately 0.8 - 1 gram per body pound.   Let’s say you weigh 130 – you would try to intake at least 100g of protein.   (again this is just generalization and an example – men vs women; bodybuilder vs sedentary individual – all plays into figuring out the right macros.

There are 4 calories per gram of carbs and protein – so 130*4 = 520 (40%) of your diet.
Fat should typically be 15-30% of your diet and has 9 calories per gram.  35 * 9 = 315  (24%)

Then I take the remaining calories;  1300 – 520 – 315 = 465 / 4 = 116g of carbs (36%).  Foof math sucks huh?
So that is the easiest way for me to explain how you can figure out your own macros. 

Need help?   Message me, I will figure it out for you. 

Need more help than that? Contact me for program information.