IIFYM

For three years straight, I followed a lifestyle method called If It Fits Your Macros (IIFYM!). This is a TOOL someone can use in order to reach their physique goals, but it is NOT the end all be all. During my fitness journey and body building competitions, I tracked everything I ate to a T.

I have tried all of the methods over the years, but what works for me is a mix of IIFYM and traditional clean-eating/meal plans.

Now though, my diet is always a flexible dieting macro counting approach, a kind of 80/20 deal based on IIFYM. Most of my food will be fresh, whole foods that aren’t overly processed, but I alllllways leave room for ‘treats’ or foods I really enjoy.

I touched on this a little bit already but my main goal is to get in nourishing foods. I don’t follow any type of specific plan or style of eating like paleo or IIFYM. The way I eat would be closest to intuitive eating if I had to give it a name.

I follow IIFYM (If It Fits Your Macros) during my off and improvement seasons but then I also use a meal plan set up and flexible dieting between a list of foods for my prep season. The closer I get to a show the more strict I become.

Currently and traditionally during my offseason, I use an IIFYM format. Still utilizing clean food choices but will indulge here and there for a date or family night meal on the weekends.

There are many approaches to nutrition, the approach that I take is “if it fits your macros” (IIFYM). That being said this approach does not mean that you eat junk food daily. What this means is you have a variety of food options that you are allowed to have, there is no such thing as good and bad foods.

I follow more of an IIFYM approach with eating so if I feel like eating some vegan ice cream or donuts here or there, I don’t worry about it at all as long as it fits my macros occasionally.

As I’ve mentioned in previous questions of this interview, I was introduced into natural bodybuilding through Matt Ogus, Chris Lavado, Layne Norton, etc. and all of those guys were really into Flexible Dieting or better known as “If It Fits Your Macros” (IIFYM).

In my experience with 100’s of clients they are ALWAYS on some kind of diet…but have never been baselined. They jump from the Standard American Diet (which we know is LITERALLY killing Americans) to Vegan, Keto, Paleo, Pesco, Modified Keto, Atkins, IIFYM, IF, etc.

I do IIFYM (If It Fits Your Macros), check it out here.