"With so much hype and confusion created around dieting, I wanted to launch a website that promoted a nutrition plan that is not only easy to comprehend, but easy to implement at well.
A weight loss program based on science, and intuition, rather than hyperbole and hope.
That is why I created the best macro calculator the fitness industry has to offer.
Carb Friendly Macro Calculator • Calculate Your Macros For Free • Macronutrients
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Diet calories based on your fat loss goals
A message from Your Coach,
You landed on my macro calculator for one of two reasons:
You want an easy way to lose weight, and someone sent you here because they trust our site.
A search engine sent here because you want an easy way to lose weight
In either case, this isn’t a coincidence.
About 10 years ago we created the world’s first and best macronutrient calculator to show people an easy way to burn body fat while eating the meals they love.
Eventually meal plan and fitness coaches asked us to build diet calculators to help their clients reach their ideal body weight.
Now our calorie calculators are used on over 200 websites and we have added Meal Plans and Training Programs to help our clients reach their goals faster.
Why are we telling you this? One word: Accuracy.
When people first see their numbers, they kind of freak out a bit; male and female clients alike. Their fear is that they will gain weight due to high amount of carbs and calories we suggest.
The first question people ask?
“How on earth am I supposed to lose body weight eating so many carbs?“
The truth is that carbs simply don’t make you overweight.
To the contrary, carbohydrates build muscle, increase energy, boost your metabolic rate which helps you lose lbs. while improving athletic performance.
This change allows you to maintain your muscle mass, even if you have a sedentary lifestyle.
The key is to eat the right number of grams of carbohydrates for your body based on your activity level (since your carb intake is directly related to your energy, goals and metabolism).
Remember that my goal is to optimize your metabolic health so your body will burn fat and maintain your muscle mass, with or without exercise. Not for you to gain body fat.
This is why your amount of carb, protein, fats and fiber grams are set up exactly how they are.
I want you to be healthy, happy and fit with a sense of well being rather than hungry and moody.
Let me explain it this way.
The IIFYM macro formula below is the 8th and most accurate one we’ve developed which promotes carbs as your primary source of fuel. No other website uses the same weight loss calculations for male and female clients, not even our corporate dietitians & personal trainers.
This is why IIFYM is on the first page of google for over 600 diet and exercise search terms.
Our weight loss program works so well that thousands of people link their friends and family to our macronutrient calculator and as a result we gain favor with Google and get loads of traffic.
In short, you’re here because IIFYM is the most trusted source for accurate macros in the world.
Our hope is that you see your carb intake and get excited that you can eat the meals you love, maintain your muscle mass and lose weight in the process.
We are glad you are here and excited for you to lose the pounds for good!
Scroll down and be as honest as possible to get the most accurate macros and calorie intake for your weight loss goals.
Your Coach at IIFYM.com
We determine your weight loss calories based on several basic points of data.
Your age, height, weight, gender, activity level and the goal of the amount of pounds you want to drop.
We used this information to calculate the number of calories your body uses per day. More more info about your current lifestyle the better.
This data we collect above will guide us closer to your ideal weight loss metrics, so it is uber important that you enter the right info and click the right buttons.
Here is how it works:
TDEE, (total daily energy expenditure) = The number of calories you need per day to maintain your energy (not including your fitness workouts)
To get this we follow a specific formula that is much more advanced than the Mifflin St Jeor that so many other nutrition coaches use. We analyze your energy output for an entire week, then split it up in to the appropriate ratio for each day.
We analyze your BMR – Basal Metabolic rate (the number of calories you burn at rest)
We look at your NEAT – Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (the calories you burn while being active; working, playing, fidgeting and all other physical activity beside working out.
We examine your EAT – Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (the calories you use while lifting weights, strength training, cardio and all other strenuous physical output from your exercise routine)
Finally, we take in to account your TEF – Thermal Effect of Food (the energy that is required to digest your food in to nutrients it can use to repair muscle and complete all other bodily functions)
Together, all of these numbers add up to your TDEE. Which we then use to create a moderate caloric deficit to trigger your body’s fat loss response, week after week.
Basically, we shift the energy balance in favor of your body fat being used as fuel and POOF!! You get leaner and drop the lbs.
In order to for this to work you need to consume less calories than your body needs.
A calorie deficit of 15-20% off of your TDEE is used as a safe caloric deficit to shoot for to insure fast fat loss so you maintain your lean muscle mass.
To gain muscle, you need to consume slightly more calories than your TDEE. This is not a new concept whatsoever but many of today’s current dieting coaches get it wrong.
Rather than let the diet do the work, they try to use fitness as the deficit which is a horrific idea. Our macro calculator uses a safe and conservative caloric surplus calculated at 5-10% over your TDEE to encourage muscle growth without packing on too much unwanted body fat.
In either case, our plan will provide the perfect macronutrient ratio that will work for you regardless of the success you’ve been denied from other body building coaches and so-called instagram models. I designed it that way from the very ground up so that our readers learn how to reach their goals, and confidently understand the essential conditions that are optimal for humans to access perfect protein saturation levels, for example.
Without this kind of attention to detail, I really don’t think that average people (beginners, natural bodybuilders and novice athletes) will benefit from the difficult and intense programs that these certified coaches continue to push on social media.
At the end of the day getting in the best shape of your life is pretty simple.
Eat less food than you were eating when you gained weight
Move your body more than you currently are, to help get your blood flowing (this will also help with digestion which is a good thing).
Focus on being consistent. Though accuracy is super important and pretty much, undeniable.
…and if you can, try to get a wide variety of foods that are high in micronutrients, minerals, electoleyes, phytonutrients, plant sterols and probiotics (fermented foods are easy enough).
Otherwise, get loads of sleep, lower stress and perform those things that add to your happiness rather than add to your chaos and before long, you will have the physique and the life you want.
You deserve it, and I am here to help
Many people have a very hard time losing weight. It is very easy to say “exercise more and eat less” and when you really boil down weight loss to the basics it is true that the thing that matters the most is calories. See more about using our free macro calculator.
However, what many people have a tendency to forget about is that human beings are not robots. Most people can’t simply decide that they are going to exercise for 60 minutes at medium intensity for a set number of times each week and eat exactly 2,000 calories every day.
We get sick, we get cravings, we get tired, and we are bombarded constantly with temptations everywhere we go, whether it is at the store, at work, or at home.
Even if you are able to manage to eat a certain number of calories per day over a specific period of time you may lose weight but will it result in the body that you truly desire? If you eat the wrong types of foods, you might end up losing muscle along with fat.
In general, losing weight may be useful for a person who is obese or overweight, but having lots of lean mass and a low (yet still healthy) percentage of body fat is better for your looks, well-being, and health.
When you determine the right amount of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins for your body goals and lifestyle you can run on a calorie deficit in order to lose weight but still maintain your muscle mass, have plenty of energy, and feel full.
Is there an Ideal Macro Split?
You might be wondering if there is one ideal macro ratio that can work for everybody. Unfortunately, there is not. The best macro ratio for you will depend on many different factors, which include what your specific goals are and your activity level.
If you have a good amount of muscle that you want to maintain, then you should eat plenty of protein. Protein is a major building block for muscles, and if you do not consume a sufficient amount of protein then your body will start breaking down muscle tissue to use for energy as well as to repair muscle tissues that are damaged.
Many builders when they are attempting to get very lean, use what is called a ‘protein sparing modified fat.’ That involves eating a very low amount of calories with most of the calories coming from protein.
It isn’t a good idea for the average individual to eat just protein. However, increasing your intake of protein while running a calorie deficit can help to improve your satiety as well as helping you maintain your lean body mass and strength.
If you are a performance athlete or endurance athlete then you will want to have carbohydrates incorporated in your diet, since carbs are a good ‘rapid energy’ source.
Compared to simple sugars, complex carbohydrates are superior at providing steady energy while helping you to avoid a sugar crash as well.
Fats are essential for hormone production, and also can be used as an energy source. It takes longer to digest fats compared to carbohydrates and can also help to improve satiety.
Some diets, like the Atkins diet and Keto diet, use fats as their primary energy source instead of carbohydrates. Although some people swear by Keto, it doesn’t suit every lifestyle.
After you have found the proper balance of macronutrients, you will be able to eat whatever foods you want as long as it fits in with your calorie allowance and your macros.
What is IF It Fits Your Macros or IIFYM?
The concept behind IIFYM is just because you are following diet doesn’t mean you need to give up ice cream or pizza.
With this type of diet, you may be telling yourself that you have to eat 150 grams a day with an 1800 calorie allowance per day (running a calorie deficit).
You may choose to eat a tuna salad with a bit of oil in order to hit your fat and protein allowance, and know that you have reached your daily macros and can treat yourself with a large ice cream serving at the movies that night.
You make room for your ice cream by not having ranch dressing or croutons on your salad, so you can enjoy yourself since it fits in with your macros.
How Can You Tell What Macro Ratio You Should Follow To Lose Weight?
Finding the proper macronutrient ratio that you should follow will depend on your fitness goals and lifestyle. You might want to try out a couple of different macronutrient ratios in order to determine what works the best for your activity level and help you to avoid cravings.
However, it is very important to have a certain macro ratio. If you only count calories you may end up not eating enough protein or not enough healthy fats while you are still running at a calorie deficit.
At IIFYM.com, there are macronutrient calculators that can help you understand what macros work the best for various lifestyles.
The calculators can ask you for your sex (men and women have different nutritional needs), height, weight, and wage, and also your activity level and how frequently you do cardiovascular exercise and lift weights.
The calculator also will ask you about any medical conditions you have that could impact your diet, along with the kind of diet you are following currently and what your weight loss goals are.
Based on all of your information, it will provide you with recommendations on macronutrients to sustain your body and also allow you to retain lean muscle mass, promote satiety, reduce cravings, and lose weight.
The recommendations are tailored specifically to you based on the information you have entered into the weight loss calculator.
A relative or friend might get a very different recommendation due to the fact that they have really different goals and lifestyles.
Make sure you track, measure, and weigh your food intake, and then re-evaluate your calorie and macro goals every few months based on what your progress is and how you are feeling.
Keep in mind that losing weight takes a lot of discipline and patient, but it is possible!
Losing weight is not an easy proposition for a lot of people. It’s easy to say “eat less and move more” and when you boil weight loss down to its core it’s true that calories are the thing that really matters.
What many people forget is that humans are not robots. Most of us can’t just decide that they’re going to eat precisely 2,000 calories per day and exercise at medium intensity for 60 minutes a certain number of times per week.
We get tired, we get cravings, we get sick, and we are constantly bombarded with temptations at home, at work, and when we go to the store.
Even if we were able to simply ‘eat X number of calories’, over a given period of time we might lose weight, but will we get the body that we want? If we’re eating the wrong foods, then we could end up losing muscle as well as fat.
Losing weight in general might be useful for someone who is overweight or obese, but having a low (but still in the healthy range) body fat percentage and plenty of lean mass is better for health, well-being, and aesthetics.
Macros Matter
Calories are important for weight loss, but calories aren’t the only thing that matters. Macros matter too!
By working out the right range of proteins, carbohydrates and fats for your lifestyle and body goals you can run a calorie deficit to lose fat while still feeling full, having energy, and holding on to muscle mass.
Is there A Perfect Macro Split?
You may be wondering if there’s one perfect macro ratio that will work for everyone. Unfortunately, there isn’t. Your macro ratio depends on a number of factors, including how active you are and what your goals are.
If you have a decent amount of muscle and you want to maintain it then you will want to eat lots of protein. Proteins are the building blocks of muscles, and if you are starved of protein then you will find that your body breaks down muscle tissue for energy and to repair other damaged muscle tissues.
Indeed, many bodybuilders, when trying to get super-lean, run what is known as a ‘protein sparing modified fast’ where they eat very few calories but consume most of their calories from protein.
It’s not a great idea for the average person to eat ‘only protein’, but upping your protein intake while you are running a calorie deficit can improve satiety and help you to maintain your strength and your lean body mass.
If you’re an endurance athlete or a performance athlete then you’ll want some carbohydrates in your diet, because carbs are a good source of ‘rapid energy’.
Complex carbohydrates are better than simple sugars for providing a steady source of energy while also avoiding the ‘sugar crash’.
Fats are vital for hormone production, and can also be used as a source of energy. Fats take longer to digest than carbohydrates and therefore can improve satiety too.
Some diets, such as the Keto diet and Atkins diet, use fats instead of carbohydrates for the primary energy source. While Keto advocates swear by this practice, it doesn’t work well for everyone’s lifestyle.
Once you’ve found the right balance of macronutrients, you can eat whatever you like as long as it fits your macros and your calorie allowance.
If it Fits Your Macros, or “IIFYM” is the idea that just because you’re on a diet it doesn’t mean you have to give up pizza or ice cream.
With this kind of diet, you might tell yourself that you absolutely must eat 150g of protein per day, and that you have a daily calorie allowance of 1800 (while running at a calorie deficit).
You might opt to eat tuna salad with a little oil to hit your protein and fat allowance, then, knowing you’ve hit those macros for the day decide that you are going to treat yourself to a big serving of ice cream at the cinema that night.
You made room for the ice cream by having no croutons or ranch dressing on your salad, and you can enjoy yourself because it fits your macros.
How Do You Know What Macro Ratio to Follow For Weight Loss?
Finding the right macronutrient ratio to follow depends on your lifestyle and fitness goals. You may want to try a few different macronutrient ratios to find out what helps you avoid cravings, and what works for your activity level.
It is important that you have a macro ratio in mind, though, since if you just count calories by themselves you could end up eating too little protein or too few healthy fats while running a calorie deficit.
There are macronutrient calculators on IIFYM.com that will help you to understand what works best for different lifestyles. The calculators will ask you for your age, weight, height and sex (women and men do have different needs in terms of nutrition), and will also ask for your activity level as well as how often you lift weights and how often you do cardiovascular exercises.
The calculator will also ask you for information about any medical conditions that might impact on your diet, as well as your weight loss goals, and the type of diet that you currently follow.
Based on this information, it will offer recommendations for macronutrients that will sustain your body while reducing cravings, promoting satiety, retaining lean muscle mass and allowing weight loss.
These recommendations are tailored to you based on the information that you enter, and it may be that a friend or relative will get a rather different recommendation because their lifestyle and goals are different.
Be sure to weigh, measure and track your food intake, and re-evaluate your macro and calorie goals every month or two based on your progress and how you are currently feeling. Weight loss takes patience and discipline, but it can be done!
If you were told that you could eat all the pizza, lasagna and tacos that you want, and lose weight while doing so, would you believe it?
This may be hard to believe, but it is possible! You can eat whatever you want to and lose weight in the process. All you need to do is to eat it in the right amounts. How so, you ask. This is where IIFYM or “If It Fits Your Macros” comes in. It is a flexible dieting technique that helps people lose weight without being restricted.
It focuses on the macronutrients, rather than calories, as many diets do. So, what does IIFYM entail, and does it work? Read on to find out.
If It Fits Your Macros (IIFYM)
This dieting technique works on tracking one’s macronutrients (proteins, fats, and carbohydrates), rather than the calories that one is consuming. It is quite flexible, as opposed to other diets that need one to make drastic changes to their eating habits. It focuses on the three main macronutrients, which include; proteins, fat, and carbohydrates.
Fiber is also considered as it is a significant component when one is tracking their macros. It is essential for fast weight loss. IIFYM works on allowing people to eat all the foods that they love, with no restrictions such as healthy eating. You can eat your pizza, as long as you stay within your weight loss macros. The fat will soon start melting off as you will lose weight at a steady rate.
How To Start
IIFYM involves three steps:
• You will need to calculate the calories you need to maintain your current weight. (TDEE)
• You will also need to know the number of calories you need to cut for the desired weight loss. (Weight loss deficit)
• The calories will then be grouped by macronutrients and ensure that you have adequate fiber intake.
There are many online macro calculators that you can use, with the most popular one being on the IIFYM website. You can either use the calculator or calculate your calories manually, which will be a longer process. Both ways are efficient, and it depends on what you are most comfortable with.
• Determining Your Basic Metabolic Rate (BMR)
It is the first step when it comes to tracking macros. If you are using the online calculator, all you need is to key in important details such as your weight, height, and sex. Your BMR represents the number of calories that your body burns while it is at rest.
Once the BMR has been calculated, it is multiplied by a factor determined by your activity levels. It is added to the calories that you burn through all the activities that you partake in during the day. Once all this is added up, you will have TDEE, which is a rough estimate of how many calories you burn in the day.
Step 2: Adjusting Your Calorie Needs For Weight Loss.
If you desire to lose weight, then you will have to ensure that your daily calorie intake is about 10 to 25 % lower than your TDEE. On the other hand, if you want to gain weight, then your day to day calorie intake should be around 5-15 % higher than your TDEE. It will ensure that you build the desired muscle that you want.
Step 3: Determining Your Macro Needs Per Day.
Once you have done all the above, you will then need to calculate your macros based on your goals. For weight loss, once you have subtracted the 10-25% off your TDEE, you can then split the weight loss calories into their macros, as shown below.
• You should set your proteins at 0.8-1.15 grams per lb of your body weight. Afterward, you can subtract the protein calories from the weight loss calories.
• For fat, calculate it at around 0.25-0.4g per lb of body weight. Subtract the fat calories from your weight loss calories.
• For carbohydrates, this will be the value remaining from the adjusted score.
Once all this is done, and you have determined your daily macro goals, then you can begin your diet. If you are serious about it and stick to it daily, then you will see some positive results in a short time. It is, however, advised that you need to be as active as you had claimed to be when you were calculating your macros.
If you do not do that, then you will not get the expected results that you were waiting for.
The Benefits Of the IIFYM Diet.
• It Is Flexible.
IIFYM is very flexible, and you do not have to let go of those foods that you love; all you need is to eat them in moderation.
You do not need to do the traditional dieting to lose weight. You are also encouraged to eat diverse foods, as long as you meet your daily macro goals, and do not exceed them.
Amazing, right? This will make you more likely to stick to it as opposed to other diets that you may find yourself quitting in a few weeks.
• It Helps With Weight Loss.
Weight loss is possible through a calorie deficit, and IIFYM will help you with that. Similarly, if you want to gain weight, IIFYM can guide you through it effortlessly.
• It Helps Those People That Are Unable To Exercise.
When calculating macros, IIFYM takes into account one’s activity levels, therefore, it is useful for those people who cannot exercise due to some restrictions.
Is Macro Diet For You?
You may be asking yourself if this is something that will benefit you. The truth is that macro diets work if people stick to them. The only problem is that people tend to be dishonest when using the calculator by not giving the correct details. Also, some do not stick to their daily macro goals. For this to work, you need to follow it daily.
The best part about a macro plan such as IIFYM is that it ensures weight loss, without restrictions on food choices.
IIFYM is a flexible method of weight loss, with its focus on macronutrients, instead of calories. However, it is crucial for people following this diet to consume their micro-nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals.
If you think this is the plan for you, it is advised to follow a guide on macro dieting to help you through this process.
IIFYM: For our readers that might not be familiar with you, can you please tell us a bit about yourself?
TNT: I’m Tyler, and I’m a nutrition consultant and strength coach for my company.
Team TNT. I’m also an IFPA pro bodybuilder, competitive powerlifter, and a Diet Doc licensed clinician.
IIFYM: How did you get started in natural bodybuilding?
TNT:I’ve always been an athlete at heart. I was a four-sport athlete (basketball, football, track, and baseball) in high school and eventually played college football. I only played for a year, because I decided to go into the medical field. I had always been active and still hit the gym a lot during my college years, but once I got out of college…I started losing my drive and motivation for working out.
I knew that I wanted to stay in shape to both maintain some athleticism and to look good, but doing the same thing day-in-and-day-out wasn’t getting me anywhere. I realized that if I wanted to take my athleticism and physique to the next level that I needed to set some goals and train like I never have before. That’s when bodybuilding sparked my interest.
In 2007, I dove in headfirst and competed in my first show bodybuilding show…and was hooked! What’s ironic, is that prior to stepping on stage, I actually had never even seen a show before! I kept competing and eventually, I earned my IFPA pro card in 2011, then made my pro debut in 2013.
IIFYM: What about powerlifting. I know that you have been perusing powerlifting the last few years. What is it about powerlifting that you prefer over bodybuilding?
TNT: I love powerlifting. It’s definitely a different world compared to bodybuilding but there are pros and cons to both sides. It’s individualistic, it’s measurable, in some ways it’s predictable and it’s rewarding on multiple levels. There’s nothing better than getting a PR that you’ve been working so hard to get for a period of time.
Additionally, I love powerlifting because you can typically eat more food (assuming you’re not cutting for a weight class) and get stronger at the same time. You don’t have to be stage-lean while prepping for a meet, and because of that, when training for powerlifting, my energy is much higher and I feel a lot better. Don’t get me wrong, I still apply some bodybuilding lifts to my powerlifting programming so I’m not losing progress in that area of my life.
IIFYM: What are your numbers on the big 3? (squat, bench press & deadlift for those readers that don’t know about powerlifting)
TNT:My best powerlifting numbers are: 520lb squat in the gym, 380lb bench press at a meet, 600lb deadlift at a meet.
IIFYM: How about coaching?
What got you into helping others achieve their physique goals?
TNT:This might sound cliché but I truly wanted to help people. In Arizona, there were a lot of bad contest prep “diets” floating around and I watched a lot of people get hurt pretty badly. I wanted to spread the word that competitors DON’T have to go to extreme measures to diet for a show and they can STILL come out looking their best ever while enjoying some pleasure foods. Back when the idea of “flexible dieting”/”IIFYM” was still fairly new, the majority of individuals I talked to about it didn’t believe me or the concept.
As a result, I got a lot of criticism for it. I fell in love with coaching pretty hard, particularly when athlete clients would tell me that flexible-dieting changed their lives because of the non-restrictive nature of the process, which aided in developing a better physique than they ever thought possible.
For me, it was never about winning a stack of pro cards, it was about changing lives for the better…about changing minds to become permanently healthier mentally, having bodies heal and develop healthier, and watching clients maintain balance in their lives and in their relationships.
I believe there’s no shame in admitting that even coaches need coaches…Despite being a prep coach for so many others, I HIGHLY recommend all competitors have a trustworthy and quality coach with integrity.
IIFYM: Do you manage your own contest prep diet or do you have a coach?
TNT:I believe there’s no shame in admitting that even coaches need coaches, and I definitely reach out to others when I am prepping for a show, or even for training programs. It’s not a matter of not knowing how to prep a competitor for a show or not knowing how to design a training program, but sometimes I just need to put control in hands I trust so I don’t overthink things.
I also really love the accountability, so when I’m prepping for a show, I have my coach Dr. Joe Klemczewski to guide me to the stage. He’s the one that introduced to me the concept of flexible-dieting a couple of years into my stage career, and he turned things around for me when my contest preps weren’t going well, and I’ve never looked back since. I could diet myself down, without a doubt, but it can become a real psychological battle that’s just exhausting.
I would rather have someone that I trust tell me what to do and take the guess-work out of it for me. I’m sure a lot of people reading this who have prepped themselves can relate to the struggle, and likewise, others can relate to the experience of having a knowledgeable coach by your side and its stress-relieving effects on a prep experience. Despite being a prep coach for so many others, I HIGHLY recommend all competitors have a trustworthy and quality coach with integrity.
IIFYM: What role does IIFYM play into your offseason and contest prep diet? Do you keep it clean most of the time or do you allow yourself to indulge?
TNT:I love the IIFYM approach in the off-season! It allows me to experiment with more varieties of foods and also enjoy the seasons of food: holidays, seasonal flavors and fun limited edition goodies.
I typically eat fairly “clean” 70-80% in the off-season (so I’m getting enough micronutrients through whole veggies and meats), but I do enjoy my fun food equally. I’m a huge lover and indulger of ice cream, and I usually work in (usually) daily. I love flexible dieting!
IIFYM: What about your clients? Do you encourage them to keep it clean most of the time or do you see a benefit in allowing some “cheat” type foods in to help?
TNT:I’m a big advocate of eating more whole foods that are nutrient-dense first before deferring automatically to “cheat-type” foods. Those who are dieting-down for competitions or significant fat-loss gravitate towards cleaner and more whole-food-based choices, and as a result, many experience an overall sense of satiety, energy, and fullness.
I do advocate for variety throughout the day and week because balance is healthy and it’s key for a well-rounded diet, but for sanity and saving social graces, I realize and encourage that partaking in pleasure food is important too. The qualifier to that belief, though, is in implementing careful strategy and not falling into “loose-tracking”—that’s the pitfall and often the gateway for over-indulging in craving-based treats that for some can lead to excessive over-indulging and into all-out binging sessions.
It’s been my experience that one has to have a pretty strong mindset, approach and strategy for curbing cravings or lightly indulging within control, and I think every individual can achieve that. But, I am a believer of integrating small portions of pleasure foods to build a more controlling and healthy relationship with trigger foods than all-out restriction. Restriction is a powerful thing, and time and time again it’s proven that saying “NO” causes a tremendous (and sometimes unavoidable) inability to have the off-limits item.
Lastly, I believe the IIFYM concept is often mis-contextualized and misunderstood. A lot of flexible-dieters attempt to make a point to non-flex-dieters that one can make progress while eating designated “bad foods”, and that’s what others come to believe: that the whole IIFYM approach consists of the junk food they’ve been presented in those advocating arguments…and that’s inaccurate.
Having a diet consisting of macro-dense, low-volume pleasure foods can set new flex-dieters up for failure and over-indulging, so I recommend new flex-dieters to really research and seek out a coach that will demonstrate and provide the resources to implement this successfully from square 1.
IIFYM: What are your thoughts on refeeds vs. cheat meals?
TNT:I like the idea and term “refeeds” more than “cheat meals”. Refeeds are more controlled, can be explained as purposeful for athletes, whereas “cheat meals” have a negative connotation hovering around “NO-NO foods”, are uninformative about their scientific purpose on the body, and can lead to total destruction.
During the off-season, or for some clients transitioning into a maintenance phase, I also implement “relaxed meals” occasionally that are strategically untracked, SINGULAR meals—typically used in conjunction with family and social events.
There’s a degree of criteria that’s outlined as it’s part of the process of working with my client to build a strong mindset around this untracked eating experience, but it’s also about pushing for growth and release of responsibility, mindfulness, and the power of their learned knowledge to enjoy the meal stress-free but mindfully and balanced, too. Immediately after, we’re right back to tracking so there’s no hope for spinning out of control.
I won’t designate an amount of protein that makes my clients feel like they’re stuffing themselves. That can leadn to discouragement and defeat in my experience.
IIFYM: Let’s talk macros for a minute.
What are your thoughts on protein consumption? Many people subscribe to 1 gram per lb of body weight, while guys like Dr. Joe go closer to .75 grams per lbs of lean mass, as he talked about in this awesome interview. IIFYM interview with Dr. Joe Klemczewski. What is your take on setting protein for your clients?
TNT: Honestly, I don’t really have a specific protocol that I give clients when it comes to protein amounts. I like to evaluate their history and overall goals before determining an amount.
Every EVALUATION is different: sometimes competitors have higher amounts compared to someone just looking for fat-loss, or if someone is used to a higher protein intake by preference, I consider that, likewise if someone explains they’ve always had a hard time getting in adequate amounts of protein, I won’t designate an amount that makes them feel like they’re stuffing themselves with protein: that leads to discouragement and defeat in my experience.
Additionally, sometimes medical conditions and circumstances play an important role in those designations—that’s all informed, educated knowledge that I bring to my efforts when calculating.
IIFYM: What about carbs? Being one of your clients, and because I know many of the people you work with, and though I have to say that I don’t know of many coaches that have a client list that is as shredded as yours is. You seem to have loads of clients that are not only getting diced with IIFYM, but also eat tons of carbs while doing it. Do you think this has more to do with the individuals or your own contest prep system?
TNT: There are a lot of variables for how one intakes, adjusts to, and maintains their general carbohydrate intake. In my experience, a lot of individuals can’t handle a large quantity, some don’t need to, so it’s important to handle that intake carefully. Not all of my clients have a large carb intake, but many start their diets with a higher intake and as they approach and achieve their goal, they are at a relatively low intake.
Others, however, start low and over time are able to progress it upwards. Many initial clients who come to me with existing low-intakes and express a desire to prep for a show, are often turned down and we go through a process of reevaluating wants/desires/dreams versus the absolute need for HEALTH. With that in mind, I’ve had tens and tens of competitors and athletes hold tight to their goals, but defer their competition date in order to rebuild metabolically with a progressive experience of adding in calories while maintaining leanness and conditioning.
This approach allows for them to come in with more preserved muscle-mass, general leanness and conditioning while maintaining a healthier-functioning body, and 100% of the time they place better because of these variables. In my experience of coaching people over the years, those that work with me the longest and do many shows together, typically end up eating a lot more carbs coming into shows.
IIFYM: Let’s talk about reverse dieting and metabolism damage. There are many contest prep coaches that swear by it and many naysayers that hate the concept. What are your thoughts on reverse dieting?
TNT:I’m a fan of reverse-dieting but it really depends on the person too. There are some people that just need to increase food at a slower rate simply because of the psychology aspect of it. Some have a huge panic attack if you tell them to eat at maintenance levels. For someone like that, I’ll give them smaller, gradual increases to prevent rapid weight gain and to let their body adjust to the intake before increasing again.
Other clients can handle more aggressive jumps; I’ll have them go into maintenance much quicker to jump-start their off-season more quickly.
When dieting-down, I believe metabolic adaptation is 100% real.
As one diets down and loses weight, studies have proven the metabolic rate will slow down because of lesser overall mass on the body—because of this decrease in mass, the metabolism naturally doesn’t NEED as much energy to maintain homeostasis…so it adapts. But this adaptation doesn’t last forever, either, it can increase again.
I know research is being done on this topic, specifically, without definitive answers (yet) so I can only speak anecdotally about my experience with clients.
Though I have to admit, initially I WAS skeptical of metabolic “damage” or “adaptation” concept until I worked closely, in person, with a client who was a seasoned bikini competitor. Prior to that when I had had potential clients approach me 1) eating very little and 2) claiming to be unable to lose weight, I’d assume that they were binging or not being truthful.
Before I started working with this experienced bikini competitor, closely, she was eating about 700 calories a day and doing 2-3 hours of cardio a day…she had been doing this for TWO YEARS! (I don’t know how she survived that long!) Because we were working closely in proximity together, I knew she wasn’t binging. Progressively over a 2 year period of time, she did gain about 25 pounds during her reverse.
Now, 3 years later, she’s lost all of that weight-gain, has added muscle mass, and is now eating almost triple her 700-calorie intake. Throughout the reverse process, she rarely had decreases in food and had minimal (almost no) cardio.
IIFYM: Tell us about your approach to cardio. Hiit, LISS or both? How often?
TNT:I like to have my clients do as little cardio as possible while eating the highest macro-intake they possibly can while consistently making progress. I prefer HIIT over LISS cardio but I have them do both, for purposeful reasons.
There are trends that have been true to inform a lot of my process with clients, like, if a competitor trains legs often throughout the week, typically they’re getting beat down pretty badly and adding in large sessions of moderate of LISS leg-based cardio can compound issues for recovery. By adding HIIT, many competitors can take more of a beating on the legs since the HITT session can be close to a leg workout by itself.
I’m also a fan of bringing in LISS to help with recovery–how much depends on the person and the goal. Typically, I have some of my competitors doing more as they get closer to a show, but it’s a process of working the sessions up in quantity over the entire prep process than starting a prep with a ton. I like to keep LISS sessions no longer than about 40 minutes at a time, and I’ll have advanced competitors do as many as 15 intervals in a HIIT session.
Again though, it depends on the competitor, the goals, the timeline, and for most competitors: each prep is different!
IIFYM: How much time do you usually like to give your clients to diet down for a show?
TNT:In my experience, 100% of the time: the more time that we have, the better the outcome. If they take the time to get ready for a show, their bodies will come in much LEANER, HARDER, and eating MORE food because of it (who wants to starve?) Those that are in panic-mode, are trying to cut a lot of weight to make the stage…typically look flatter, lose more muscle mass, and aren’t as lean.
I use macrotracker.com to track my macros. But when it comes to designating my personal or clients macros: no, I don’t use any website or calculator for that. I like to get a thorough history of the person and use informed knowledge for designating macronutrient numbers.
IIFYM: Do you rely on websites like MacroTracker.com to calculate your macros or can you just eyeball it?
TNT:If you’re referring to tracking MY PERSONAL macros, yes, I use Macrotracker.com to track my macros. But when it comes to designating my personal or clients macros: no, I don’t use any website or calculator for that. I like to get a thorough history of the person and use informed knowledge for designating macronutrient numbers.
IIFYM: What supplements do you encourage your clients to take while dieting? What about offseason?
TNT:I’m a huge fan of the quality and results from Core Nutritionals products. I’ve always firmly believed in the company and the quality of supplements they put out on the market…eventually, I was able to earn sponsorship from them!
The supplements I recommend while dieting are: Core ABC’s (aminos), Core PRO/ISO (protein), Core Fury Extreme (pre-workout), and their creatine monohydrate. In general, to ALL my clients, I recommend a good multivitamin, fish oil, and a fiber supplement (only if they need the added fiber.) In the off-season, add Core Alpha and Core Hard to the mix.
IIFYM: Who are your sponsors and how have they helped you get where you are?
TNT:I have two sponsors that have treated me extremely well, and as the fitness industry has shifted and changed, I can sincerely say it’s an honor to be part of both of their teams.
The first is Core Nutritionals. Doug Miller and the Core team are very respectable in the fitness world and they are growing at an exponential rate. They have always been very helpful with putting the TNT name out there and on social media. Just that support alone goes a long ways with me.
The second is MyOatmeal.com. This one goes out to you personally, Anthony. I don’t think I would be where I am today if it wasn’t for Anthony Collova and MyOatmeal.com. Anthony has helped me tremendously with business mentorship and just being an awesome friend and confidante. By being part of the MyOatmeal.com family, I have learned a thing or two about what quality of service is and how it should be provided to customers, which I’ve in turn provided to my own clients. I can’t thank you enough for everything!
IIFYM: These next questions are from our followers on the IIFYM facebook page. We call this part of the interview “rapid fire”. Feel free to be as brief as possible.
-What is your favorite cheat meal?
Sushi or pizza, and on the regular: ice cream
-What are the lowest your calories get while dieting?
Lowest for me, ever, (and about a week in length before an increase) was 2000 calories…not my favorite range of macros!
-What is the most food you have ever consumed in a day?
Years ago, if I had to guess, I probably have put down 10k or so calories in a day before…also, not my favorite experience.
-How do you “grow into a show”? Eat MORE food and keep WATER HIGH!
-How many hours do you spend in the gym each day?
1.5-2 hours tops a session, 4-5 times a week depending on my workout for the day and how much time I need to recover between sets.
-Do you follow a periodized program?
Sure do!
-What kind of volume and frequency works best for your body?
High frequency, higher volume over time seems to respond better with my body.
-Does your training change when you start dieting for a show?
Typically not when I start the diet. But changes over the course of my prep.
-What are your thoughts on Crossfit?
When performed appropriately and in a safe manner, I don’t see anything bad with it. But…personally, I don’t have much interest in it; it’s just not for me.
-What is your favorite machine or apparatus at the gym
Squat rack
IIFYM: Thank you for your time and insight Tyler! If someone wants to hire you as a coach, how do they contact you?
Here at IIFYM, we prefer to believe we know how to turn up. Ok I need, to be honest, I had to look up exactly what that meant in the Urban dictionary—that shows my age, I’m actually typing this on my rocking chair. Yet, regardless of your age, we all want to let loose every now and then to have a good time.
Some may say including alcohol in the mix can bring out the best in people. The great news is, with the IIFYM lifestyle you can let loose and enjoy yourself on occasion. Finding the lowest calorie alcohol, however, would still be your best bet. So, let’s uncover some options you may have when you want to head out to a party or event.
IIFYM does not include alcohol consumption in any of their programs or even recommend a preferred lowest calorie alcohol source, yet you have the ability to work around that through manipulating your macronutrients for a given day should you decide to have a drink.
To have your macro split (calorie intake) calculated for FREE, use our macro calculator!
Lowest Calorie Alcohol Drink Choices
At IIFYM, we want to give you the best experiences possible with your life and allow you to have fun. Therefore, the last task you want to deal with when you go out to a bar is ask your bartender what the lowest calorie alcohol is.
You’re going to get an uncomfortable look and it’s going to buzzkill your experience. So, let’s generalize a little here and put stuff into perspective when you are working with your IIFYM lifestyle and finding you the lowest calorie alcohol when you’re out.
A 3.3 ounce Manhattan will get you 153 calories and 3.6g of carbohydrates and if you wanted something a little lower you can pick the Martini which at 2.2 ounces will give you 135 calories and 0.2g of carbohydrates.
In 5 ounces of red or white wine, you are looking at around 100 calories and 2g of carbohydrates. 1.5 ounces of scotch, whiskey, rum or vodka has around 104 calories and 0g of carbohydrates. 12 ounces of a light beer will land you 108 calories and 6g of carbohydrates while 12 ounces of a draft beer will yield 144 calories and 13.2g of carbohydrates.
Maybe you want to live it up a little with a cocktail, yet try and maintain the lowest calorie alcohol you can find? You can also have mixed drinks such as a diet soda (like Diet Coke or Coke Zero) with your rum or whiskey and not change the calories or carbohydrates listed above. Now that you have the list of lowest calorie alcohol, pick and choose wisely and drink responsibly.
Health Consequences of Drinking Alcohol
I think we all know the consequences of drinking too much alcohol you’re going to possibly get sick and start vomiting. Also, depending on the quantity, you can get alcohol poisoning and need to get your stomach pumped. Let’s not forget the consequences of drinking and driving.
Not a good plan my fellow IIFYM friends. Please be responsible and have a designated driver or a way home that does not involve you getting behind the wheel. But let’s dig a little deeper into the health issues that can arise from bingeing on your favorite lowest calorie alcohol choices.
When we drink it’s normally in a social setting, right? You’re out with friends or family and you don’t count how many drinks you have. For that reason, it’s extremely wise even when following IIFYM to choose the lowest calorie alcohol so you aren’t consuming an entire day’s worth of calories in one night out.
Whether you have a drink that is the highest or lowest calorie alcohol, you’re still taking in 7 calories per gram. Ultimately, what you’re consuming are empty calories and essentially a beverage with no nutritional value.
The Unfortunate Downside
Having a few drinks even when it’s the lowest calorie alcohol can still promote weight gain. All those empty calories add up and if you’re consuming these drinks on a regular basis throughout the week rather than during one night out, those calories will add up quickly. IIFYM does not recommend filling your daily carbohydrates through the consumption of alcohol. This isn’t the true reason behind the IIFYM nutrition plan and flexibility.
The immune system weakens which opens the door for illness and diseases, including certain types of cancer (mouth, throat, liver, esophagus, and breast).
Think about what is normally out at parties where alcohol is served… chips, pretzels, and other unhealthy snacks. Alcohol also has the tendency to make people reach for fatty and salty foods—generally snack foods. Even the low carbohydrate and lower calorie alcohol have this effect.
Sure, with IIFYM, you can indulge in these types of foods to some degree, but again, if the habit repeats itself multiple times during the week, those added calories can cause havoc on your waistline.
How Much Can You Drink Before It Affects Your Health?
One notion that everyone should know up front is that when you drink—even just one serving of your favorite lowest calorie alcohol—your body makes metabolizing that alcohol its first priority above everything else. Through the process of getting rid of alcohol from your blood, the liver needs to detoxify it. With just a single drink, you are already putting some stress on your body.
When you think about what takes place over the course of a night of drinking, your brain goes through some changes where it disrupts communication pathways and your behaviors and cognition may be impaired.
Drinking too much of your favorite lowest calorie alcohol source can even damage your heart. Issues such as high blood pressure, stroke, and even arrhythmias are possible.
Find out more about your macro intake and how you can consume alcohol with your IIFYM lifestyle with a Macro Blueprint.
Please know that the IIFYM crew does not condone the abuse of alcohol and does not want you to damage your body. When looking at the long-term effects that drinking causes on the body we need to look at the liver, pancreas, and the immune system.
When alcohol is abused, no matter if it’s the lowest calorie alcohol sources or a high-calorie source, you put your liver in danger of cirrhosis, fibrosis, and steatosis.
What Else It Affects
The pancreas can also become inflamed causing pancreatitis due to the toxic substances the pancreas produces when alcohol is present in the body. Your immune system also takes a toll when you abuse alcohol.
As you can see from the above, while drinking in moderation can have some health benefits, the long-term effects definitely have some negative consequences. Even with as little as one drink from your lowest calorie alcohol source can start the downward spiral if you don’t keep yourself in check.
If you are trying to figure out if IIFYM is for you, check out the many articles and FAQ page available on the website. IIFYM also has several amazing programs available to help you reach your health and fitness goals. IIFYM is a lifestyle, not a fad. Check out the site to learn more!
Our society has become pretty comfortable blaming just about anything for their weight management issues. Gluten, dairy, eating too little, even blood types have been suspects over the years. Although a relatively simple concept, admittedly there are a lot of nuances that go into a really successful dieting effort.
Tracking and adjusting your total calorie intake through macronutrient goals with tools like the IIFYM Macro Calculator or an online physique coach is a great place to start. Plenty of bogus excuses float around the Internet any given week.
Through all the bizarre justifications that should just be ignored altogether, one often-underestimated consideration in successful weight management is that of highly palatable foods and how they should fit into the daily intake.
What are Highly Palatable Foods?
By highly palatable foods, I’m referring to foods that you personally really enjoy consuming. Foods like pastries, chips, or comfort foods like pizza. Most often, highly palatable foods are those we not only deeply crave and enjoy but also tend to be very calorically dense. I typically refer to highly palatable foods as “fun” foods with the online clients I work with.
The reason being, it’s not that any one food or food group is “good” or “bad” but simply offer differing proportions of nutrients per calorie that must be taken into account with our current diet and body composition goals.
The IIFYM coaches help their clients understand it. Articles myself and others have written here on IIFYM explain it. And nutritional science continues to teach it. There’s simply no reason to completely restrict any one food for the sake of your physique or health goals (allergies and intolerances aside).
Instead, it is prudent to identify the very highly palatable foods to us personally. Then determine how they should fit into our overall diet goals while allowing us to balance our health & physique goals with pure enjoyment.
Blame Sweet Teeth, not Sweet Treats
Of all the unfairly blamed culprits for failed weight management, sugar has to be the most widely criticized. One of my most proud works as a fitness author, I have an in-depth article which covers the science behind just why blaming sugar in itself for widespread weight gain is largely-scientifically unfounded.
Checking that article out after this can help explain just why being afraid of sugar isn’t necessary. Along with that, it’s important to identify that these “high sugar” foods apparently causing all the country’s weight gain problems to tend to be contributing much more than just added sugar for those who over-consume them on a weekly basis. (“over consume” being the key phrase).
Sugar can not only be part of a balanced diet but also can even serve as a beneficial tool for athletes during prolonged exercises or in need of additional calories to support weight gain goals.
Some of the common culprits contain just as much “non-sugar” carbohydrates and even more notably, calorically dense dietary fat to those consuming them regularly. The big factor is their very low volume in comparison to calorie content. In other words, they don’t take up much space but pack plenty of calories.
Making them very easy to consume in large quantities and easily overshoot intake needs with. It’s not the sugar in them causing you problems, it’s how likely you are to overeat with them, busting up your diet.
Food
Serving Size
Calories
Carbs (grams)
Fat (grams)
Snickers Bar
44
215
28
11
Glazed Donut
48
190
21
11
Oreos (4)
68
320
50
14
If you’re successfully tracking your daily food intake on a regular basis, having some of your daily carbohydrates from sugar in highly palatable foods isn’t going to derail your physique or health progress. What will cause major issues is completely blowing your daily macro goals with highly palatable foods you love but just aren’t able to enjoy in moderation when dieting.
Flexible to a Fault
Let’s explain this in a different way. As my Don’t Blame Sugar for Wide Spread Weight Gain article explains in full, it’s certainly possible to include some sugar-containing foods into your daily macro goals while still achieving health and body composition improvements.
Sugar can not only be part of a balanced diet but also can even serve as a beneficial tool for athletes during prolonged exercises or in need of additional calories to support weight gain goals. In those cases, highly palatable foods can be especially helpful.
When highly palatable foods do become an issue is when we can’t incorporate them into our diet with moderation. Keep a package of Oreos in the cabinet and fit 1-2 into your diet here and there with leftover macros and progress will still keep on rolling along.
That is, as long as total macros and exercise are both adjusted appropriately from week to week. Keep that same Oreo package in your cabinet but plow through an entire sleeve in a sitting- that same innocent treat quickly derails a diet.
Food Selection by Physique Goal
This article isn’t to suggest we should completely avoid highly palatable foods and stick with bland meals to prevent overeating. Instead, it’s to suggest we should align our eating habits with our current goals.
If you’re in the offseason focused on muscle growth and performance with a higher calorie intake to work with, then enjoying highly palatable foods will likely be easier while still hitting your intake goals more consistently.
Not to mention, these foods that may be less nutrient dense can still be consumed while easily consuming sufficient fruit, vegetables, whole grains and unsaturated fats with the higher macros you’re assigned.
On the other hand, when it comes time to diet and calories decline (and subsequently hunger levels rise), it may be prudent to buy less and less highly palatable foods. That way, triggers you may always struggle with are largely unavailable in your day-to-day routine. Making it easier to focus on eating geared towards your goals and not dreaming of your next oatmeal pie.
Midnight Snacks
As a personal example, I’m a self-proclaimed donut connoisseur. Mini little calorie bombs, you better believe when I’m not dieting, I’m never afraid to enjoy easily the most highly palatable food on earth. Roughly 200 calories for most original doughnuts and around 10g fat and 20-25g carbs, some of the best macros I spend in my week.
Now when it comes time to mini cut or especially begin contest prep, I almost entirely avoid donuts. One reason being, I want to maximize the use of limited macros to continue supporting general health. The other being, they’re quite calorically dense and take up a lot of macros, with little aid in satiety.
If my self-control ever wanes, I could easily knock back a half-dozen without blinking. It’s simply better to limit such a highly palatable food and make it easier on myself to adhere to my dieting macros.
If we’re the culmination of the five friends we surround ourselves with the most, our diets are the culmination of the food types we consume most as well.
By focusing on more nutrient dense, high volume foods and keeping highly palatable foods to a minimum, dieters can stay fuller for longer, ensure health-promoting nutrients are consumed sufficiently and avoid triggers that may make it much harder to adhere to the plan.
If you have an iron will, this may be irrelevant as you’re able to fit small portions of favorite foods into your lower macros without much difficulty. For the many others not quite as mindful with their macros, limiting those highly palatable, fun foods can be hugely beneficial for dieting success.
Not because energy balance is necessarily different from highly palatable foods versus other foods. Instead, simply because for most, adherence greatly improves as triggers are minimized and healthy, productive habits are cultivated.
Not many people wake up in the middle of the night and search for fruit, vegetables or whole grain bread to snack on. Cookies, cakes and other highly palatable, calorically dense treats on the other hand- they’re fair game! Limiting those can make otherwise tempting situation less likely to be an issue.
Addition by Subtraction
If we’re the culmination of the five friends we surround ourselves with the most, our diets are the culmination of the food types we consume most as well. I can say from personal experience, along with dozens of conversations I’ve had with other online physique coaches, that dieting phases become much easier once highly palatable, calorie-dense foods are dropped from diets.
By avoiding them, we’re simply able to more easily keep health bases covered, and limit temptation in breaking dietary adherence when the one serving of packaged cookies is looking more appealing as five servings, regardless of remaining macros for the day.
Without pretending to be a psychologist, there’s something to be said about cravings increasing for a food the more often we eat or are around it. Nowadays if I’m in a mini cut or contest prep, I skip pastries nearly completely because the longer I go without them, the less often I am tempted to break my dietary adherence.
Pastries are my culinary kryptonite, so if I want to get through the dieting phase feeling as much like Superman as possible, I’m personally better off sticking to less craving inducing, more filling foods until I’m finished dieting. Then when calories are back up to a good spot I can more easily fit things like doughnuts into my macros.
Let’s Get This Straight
Sugar isn’t the enemy. Highly palatable foods aren’t the enemy. Non-organic foods aren’t the enemy. Our inability to adhere to a consistent diet that allows us to adjust our total daily calorie intake and support our exercise routines with is the enemy.
Continually fine-tuning our nutritional knowledge and areas we can personally tweak in our everyday life makes each phase of our dieting efforts easier to manage. Not to mention less mentally taxing as we continue pursuing the best version of ourselves, inside and out.
If you are reading this, chances are that you are either about to start the macro diet to lose weight and get healthy, or already began and have some questions how it plays out when it comes to exercising and other physical activities.
Either way, good!
As we have stated before, macro dieting is simply the most reliable, science-based method to lose weight and get in shape.
The thing is that due to decades of misconceptions and misinformation about nutrition and exercise regimes to lose weight, most of the info out there is geared towards addressing the former while leaving the latter sitting in a blind-spot for the most part.
There isn’t nearly enough clear information on how these two things interact with each other. Especially if we consider how wildly successful the macro diet is proving to be.
I want to start remedying that.
In this piece, I’m going to quickly go over the basics of how – and why – the macro diet works so well. Then, I will address a few common queries I get from people relating to this dieting method and physical training.
So, here’s Macro Diet and Exercise: What You Need to Know!
How does the Macro Diet work?
It’s difficult to understand why the macro diet works so well if you don’t have a clear picture of what macros actually are. So, let’s start with a quick overview of what macros are, and how they work.
“Macro” is short for macronutrients, which is a term we use to classify the compounds that our body needs in large quantities to operate. In short, macronutrients are what we get our energy from.
The three primary macronutrients we receive from foods are protein, fats, and carbohydrates. Sometimes, alcohol gets cataloged as a macronutrient, but it is processed differently from the other three. Nonetheless, these components are where our calories come from, and they contain certain number of calories per gram.
Specifically:
Carbs contain four calories per gram.
Proteins contain four calories per gram.
Fats contain nine calories per gram.
Alcohol contains seven calories per gram.
The macro diet, then, is a nutrition method that accounts for your specific body needs and creates a plan to provide you a percentage of the macros you require – regardless of the type of food you use to get them – to keep your body constantly burning stored fat as fuel for energy.
A measurable, science-based, and incredibly effective approach to losing weight.
Can You Lose Weight just by eating right?
It’s one of the most common questions I hear on the topic. Particularly since traditional dieting usually proposes that you can’t lose weight without exercising. The old Cardio, cardio, cardio… mantra.
But the fact of the matter is that, yes! You can indeed lose weight just by eating right. It’s actually a pretty straightforward reasoning, once you understand how our bodies utilize food to function.
Nutritional science has figured out that if you just eat fewer calories than your body requires – accounting for activity level, energy needs, size, goals, etc. – while still getting an adequate supply of protein, carbs, fat, and fiber, you start losing weight at a relatively steady and predictable rate. This happens because your body has no choice but to tap into your energy storage (fat) and burn them to supplement itself.
Likewise, the main reason behind your weight gains usually come from your dietary habits. Too many calories result in more stored energy or fat.
So, as long as you follow a carefully planned nutritional system that keeps you in a calories deficit, you’ll lose weight. Regardless of your particular level of activity.
That being said, physically demanding activities like fitness training, weightlifting, and bodybuilding DO bring a host of health benefits with them and a general improvement to your daily life.
In such cases, the macro diet becomes even more of a boon, since it can help you attain the energy levels required to keep up with said increased physical activity, and reach your exercising goals even faster!
The Macro Diet Can Help You Lose Weight and Build Muscle
Like everything else in life, getting in shape or losing weight is all about knowing what your goals are, and what you need to do to achieve them. And in this topic, knowing when to transition from a fat loss-centric diet to a muscle growth one is vital.
Now, individual values are bound to vary since each person is different and have different requirements.
But the most straightforward advice I can give you, on the particular subject of finding the right transition point, is to take a look at where you stand in your weight loss process.
As a rule of thumb, this range sits around 10 to 15 lbs. above the previous ideal body weight for males and 8 to 12 lbs. above the previous ideal body weight for females.
Within these ranges, you don’t need to start counting macros to lose fat necessarily. You can instead adopt a macro diet that promotes muscle growth and strength to reap the benefits at the gym.
Any Macro Diet-Specific Advice for Training, Exercising, And Muscle Building?
Now, before you go, I’d like to talk a bit more about specific advice for those looking into the use of macro diets to help them with weight training and the like.
As you know by now, the success of a macro diet depends on you counting your macros correctlyand using a formula designed specifically FOR YOU.
Just like creating a training regime, you can benefit a lot from tailoring your macronutrient ratios to go with your specific body type, exercising goals, and energy needs. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t a few general guidelines you can use to get you started.
If you are using the macro diet to build muscle, a good macronutrient ratio breakdown to use is 40% carbs, 30% protein, and 30% fat. Entirely within the recommended parameters suggested by the national institute of health for active individuals.
However, keep in mind that although these ratios reflect your overall consumptions throughout the day, not all the meals should follow this spread within that day. As they should adapt to your energy needs to be processed optimally. Leave high-carbohydrate, low-fat meals for shortly after training, and leave adequate protein proportions with a bit of fiber for dinners.
If your goal is losing weight and getting in shape, the macro diet will work for you. Regardless of your physical activity – or lack thereof.
However, there are so many health benefits to exercising that it can be difficult not to recommend it. Especially, once you are enjoying the improved energy levels the macro diet is going to provide you consistently.
If you are getting into macro dieting and also enjoy exercising, this advice can help you reach your training goals more reliably and efficiently. Keep them in mind and use what suits you to make your “getting fit” experience much more enjoyable and productive.
Sometimes we need reminding that food has powerful impacts on our health. What if I told you that blueberries can make you have a better memory? What if I told you dark chocolate could improve your concentration?
And what if I told you that to date, 99.6% of pharmaceutical drugs developed to combat neurological diseases like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease [AD] have failed? I think I have your attention.
This article will give you a rundown of the nutrients and foods with the strongest evidence for neuroprotection, and for improving cognitive function.
(Side note: understanding how to fuel your mind and body starts with a proper intake, our macro calculatoris a great starting point.)
1. Fish
The strongest evidence for any nutrients protecting against cognitive decline lies with the marine omega-3 fatty acids, EPA & DHA; as little as 1 oily fish meal per week is associated with less incidence of AD and dementia.
The primary benefit appears to derive from the fatty acid DHA, the main fatty acid in brain tissue that is found highly concentrated in oily fish like salmon, mackerel, sardines, herrings and anchovies.
A consistent feature of this research is that the effects of marine omega-3 fatty acids are preventative, and intake throughout the lifespan is the strongest association with protection against cognitive decline. At a minimal intake of 1-2 meals per week, this is a simple dietary addition to any IIFYM strategy.
Your Dose: 3 x 90-120g servings of oily fish per week.
2. Dark Green Leafy Vegetables
Several nutrients vital for cognitive health are provided by this broad food group, which encompasses foods like spinach, kale, Swiss chard, lettuce, rocket, cabbage, broccoli etc. In particular, vitamin E and vitamin B9.
Next to the omega-3 fish oils, high dietary intake of vitamin E is strongly associated with lower risk of neurodegenerative disease.
An interesting feature of vitamin E research worth paying attention to is supplementation in controlled trials has failed to improve cognitive function. Vitamin E thus appears to be a nutrient where dietary intake comes first.
Our client’s macronutrient intakes allow for plenty of Vitamin E consumption with their Macro Blueprint.
Vitamin B9 is another nutrient abundant in dark green leafy vegetables, and the B-vitamin family has been implicated in neurological disease, due to their multiplicity of roles in neurological processes.
Additional Cognitive Benefits to Dark Leafy Greens
The mechanism may be through lowering homocysteine levels; traditionally considered a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, high homocysteine levels have been associated with risk of AD. Recent controlled trials have found improvements in cognitive function with supplementation of vitamins B6, B9 and B12, via reducing homocysteine levels.
Vitamin K is also abundant in vegetables of the dark green variety and is an oft-overlooked nutrient in brain health. Higher circulating vitamin K levels are associated with less cognitive decline with ageing.
Dark green leafy veggies serve another purpose for our IIFYM coaches: adding bulk to clients diet plan’s during fat loss phases.
With that said, it’s nice to able to eat a lot of something during a diet, and with this low- calorie food group, you not only get density for your diet but nutrient density for your brain and overall health.
Your Dose: 1 large greens salad – about 2 cups chopped vegetables – daily.
3. Berries
Specifically, blueberries and strawberries have been singled out as particularly beneficial for cognitive health. The reason lies in a group of non-nutrient compounds known as flavonoids. Flavonoids are a diverse group of plant chemicals that are highly concentrated in berries, grapes (yes, this includes red wine), cacao and teas, and high dietary intake of flavonoids are associated with lower risk of dementia and AD.
Citrus fruits are home to another member of the flavonoid family, namely the compounds hesperidin and narirutin, both of which have been shown to result in boosted brain function.
Anthocyanins, a subtype of flavonoid, have been shown to improve cognitive function across the lifespan. Supplementing elderly adults suffering mild cognitive impairment with anthocyanin-rich concord grape and blueberry juice, respectively, improved their cognitive function when consumed daily over 12-weeks.
In otherwise healthy children aged 7-10yrs, supplementing with blueberry anthocyanins – equivalent to 120-240g fresh berries – improved memory performance acutely assessed 6-hrs after ingestion of blueberries at breakfast.
Eating blueberries, strawberries, and dark-skinned berries daily is a simple, low-calorie and carb, easily IIFYM-compliant way to boost your memory and cognitive function.
Your Dose: 120g blueberries daily.
4. Citrus Fruits
Alarmism over the fruit sugar, fructose, may have chased orange juice away from your breakfast table. Your brain may be calling it back. Citrus fruits are home to another member of the flavonoid family, namely the compounds hesperidin and narirutin, both of which have been shown to result in boosted brain function.
In a randomised, placebo-controlled crossover design trial [the gold-standard in research], consuming 500ml orange juice with 549mg hesperidin and 60mg narirutin [total 45g sugars, FYI] for 8 weeks improved executive function – the brain tasks which regulate attention, focus and organisation – an effect that had not been measured in other flavonoid studies.
From an IIFYM perspective, commercially available orange juice may be a bit of a waste of your macros. 45g of carbs in OJ could be 300g of potatoes, and you’ll be fuller for a lot longer on a fat loss diet with the latter.
Setting up your diet for satiety and adherence is a common issue our IIFYM coaches work through with clients. With the main resource being aMacro Blueprint to alleviate these issues.
The positive feature of the studies into flavonoid-rich citrus is that they used otherwise healthy adults, without any cognitive impairment, and found improvements in global assessments of brain function.
Cognitive Benefits with a Caveat
These studies do, however, come with a caveat: it would be hard to find a commercially available orange juice with the same hesperidin content (circa 500mg). Citrus fruits contain an average of 15mg/100g fruit flesh, and analysis of commercially available orange juices has shown a range of 12-15mg/100ml.
Thankfully, then there is a solution from Chinese researchers to obtain an equivalent dose of hesperidin used in studies: sun-drying tangerine peels, which contain the highest concentration of hesperidin at 50-100mg/g. 5-10g of sun-dried tangerine peels will give you an equivalent dose of hesperidin used in the research.
Your dose: 5-10g sun-dried tangerine peels daily or regular citrus fruit consumption.
5. Dark Chocolate
Need an excuse to eat chocolate? Your brain health is one. The caveat here is that it is dark chocolate [min.70% cacao] that we’re talking about, as the benefit is derived from cocoa flavonols.
Cocoa also contains caffeine and another brain-boosting plant chemical known as theobromine. The synergistic effect of these phytochemicals has led to some interesting results; improvements in visual acuity, working memory, attentiveness and response time.
And if you need that mid-afternoon cognitive lift, without the over-stimulation or sleep-disrupting effects of caffeine late in the day, then dark chocolate may give you the lift you need. In a randomised, placebo-controlled trial in healthy adults, consumption of 520mg cocoa flavonols – equivalent to around 20g dark chocolate – reduced subjective mental fatigue, where subjects underwent a battery of cognitive test performed 2-minutes apart.
All in all, this happens to be both a delicious and, from an IIFYM perspective, minimally invasive means of boosting cognition.
Your Dose: 20-40g dark chocolate containing 80-90% cacao daily.
6. Cruciferous Vegetables
I know, I mentioned some of these – kale, cabbage – in no.2 above, but the reality is that the Brassica family of veg deserve their own slot, due to the presence of a family of compounds known as glucosinolates. In particular, a compound known as sulforaphane looks particularly promising for brain health.
Brain inflammation is gaining recognition as a cause of depression, and sulforaphane has demonstrated similar efficacy to pharmaceutical anti-depressants, an effect mediated through its potent anti-inflammatory action.
The effects of sulforaphane may convince you never to pass on the Brussels sprouts again at Thanksgiving: the highest food sources of sulforaphane are Brussels sprouts, broccoli sprouts, cabbage and raw broccoli.
The point from no.2 also applies here: this food group count minimally against your carb and calorie goals from yourMacro Blueprint, and are easily incorporated in the recommended doses daily.
Sulforaphane protects against the accumulation of amyloid-β, the plaque which builds up in AD, and oxidative damage to the brain.
This is yet another example of the preventative effects of nutrition in relation to brain health, as a diet rich in sulforaphane in youth protects against later cognitive impairment.
Your Dose: 50g broccoli sprouts; 100g Brussels sprouts; 250g broccoli; daily intake. NB: consume raw, or lightly steamed – never boil.
7. Green Tea
You can drink your way to a better brain, too. For green tea, not unlike dark chocolate, the effect is a result of a combination of compounds, namely green tea catechins, caffeine, and the amino acid theanine, which is unique to tea.
Recent evidence has shown that catechins and theanine improved cognitive function over a 16-week period. Neuroimaging shows green tea significantly increases calmness, shown through increases across alpha brain bandwidths, which is the brain frequency associated with relaxed attention.
Caffeine positively impacts mood and cognitive processes and interestingly can promote neuroplasticity
Green tea consistently shows improvements in mood, alertness, and attention in healthy adults. Interestingly, these effects appear to be dependent on interactions between caffeine, theanine and catechins, as the compounds in isolation are less potent. The good news? No need to consider green tea within your IIFYM framework: the drinks, my friend, are free.
Your Dose: 3 cups per day (each containing 3-5g leaves dry weight)
8. Eggs
The concern over diet and cholesterol is a concern our IIFYM coaches hear regularly. However, they also have the evidence-based answer: the evidence no longer supports associations between eggs, dietary cholesterol, and blood cholesterol levels.
This has been put to bed in dietary fat research, but still, hasn’t trickled down to the lay public. Even in obese subjects, consumption of 3 eggs per day improved their lipid profile – there was no change in LDL-cholesterol and increased HDL-cholesterol.
So, with that aside, what do eggs do for your brain? Provide the richest dietary source of choline, the raw material required to synthesize the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which is responsible for learning and memory.
Higher dietary choline intake is associated with better memory performance and reduced risk of neurodegenerative disease. From an IIFYM standpoint, a 4-egg omelet may take up a lot of macros. Our coaches at IIFYM, in this case, will recommend smaller servings for a client, but more regularly.
It truly depends on your allotted fat intake, which you can find out with a Macro Blueprint.
Your Dose: Up to 12 eggs per week (average 2 per day, 6-days a week).
9. Coffee
I know you were waiting with bated breath to see if it made the list, and it deservedly does, due to the presence of multiple compounds which exert beneficial effects on cognitive function. Coffee contains caffeine, cholinergic compounds [i.e. boosting acetylcholine] and other plant compounds like theobromine [which you’ll recall from dark chocolate/cacao].
Where our coaches at IIFYM notice, many clients tripping up on fat loss diets is a cognitive dissonance toward liquid calories: “coffee” does not mean the 200kcal Grande Starbucks caramel latte.
With that said, there is strong evidence that habitual coffee consumption protects against Parkinson’s Disease. Caffeine positively impacts mood and cognitive processes and interestingly can promote neuroplasticity i.e. the ability of the brain to change and develop new connections.
Evidence suggests caffeine reduces inflammation in the brain, providing a protective mechanism against depression and neurodegenerative disease. As with green tea, the drinks are free: just remember that from both the cognition perspective and the “free” IIFYM standpoint, we are talking about black coffee.
Your Dose: 1-2 cups per day.
Conclusion
You may have noticed that a theme of much of the research in this area is preventative effects of consumption. Ultimately, the earlier your diet includes a consistent intake of the doses of these foods – or more particularly the beneficial compounds within them – the better.
From an IIFYM perspective, one of the uniform benefits of these foods, perhaps except for eggs and oily fish, is that they come with minuscule caloric weight. Berries, greens, and cruciferous veg can all be included daily without detracting much from your diet plans and weight loss goals.
Green tea and black coffee are free, but if your weakness is the matcha latte or pumpkin-spiced frap, obviously, the purpose of the IIFYM framework is that you can have it – just make sure to plug it into your macro tracker, liquid calories still count.
Nutrition is vital to cognition, so be sure to take this aspect of your brain health seriously, as prevention remains the only cure.
