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While it is a sensible approach, I personally cannot handle the flexibility of IIFYM because I start wasting my macros on poor choices... thereby making myself feel like crap. This is one of those areas where I function best with very strict boundaries.
Yup.
I can't help but notice that the vast majority of the IIFYM types I've come across tend to look like crap, on a decade long "perma-bulk" and stuff.
I think when you are in your teens, early 20's you can get away with eating a lot of rubbish, as you get older, your margin for error becomes less and less and I've discovered that I perform far better, both professionally and fitness wise when I'm eating clean. I love to eat, I just eat a lot more sensibly and healthy nowadays without feeling like I'm missing out on anything.
While it is a sensible approach, I personally cannot handle the flexibility of IIFYM because I start wasting my macros on poor choices... thereby making myself feel like crap. This is one of those areas where I function best with very strict boundaries.
Yup.
I've met some people who can't handle iifym approach. I thought I would be the same at first since I used to correlate eating any bit of something sweet or junky to losing control over my diet and go back into binge eating. I think meal prepping healthy whole foods also helped me with flexible dieting and already having portioned out meals I make for the whole week. I add the snacks/treats with them so all of my macros are calculated in advance and leaves no room for second guessing the calories and macros in each meal. Myfitnesspal is a godsend, lol.
Like someone else said, everyone is different and will find ways to help them sustain their diet and fitness goals.
This is sort of a springboards off the "Abused for Getting in Shape" thread. As I thought about how a lot of people commented how hard they worked to get fit such as exercising, eating certain things and saying no to other foods, etc., I thought later this is why some people who are not fit think that people who are in shape are not "enjoying life" or "limiting themselves", not being able to live to the fullest "eat, drink and be merry!"
For my birthday, I got a slice of my favorite cake. Yes, it's probably an extra 400 calories but I'll just work out harder. I'd rather do that than live in a way in which I have to always so "sorry, I can't eat this, I can't have that, I have to pass on that, not being able to share with food and fellowship with family members during get-togethers." What kind of way is that to live? If more fit people explained that eating what you like in moderation and exercise is the key to keeping your weight under control, then more people would get on board on trying to win the battle of the bulge. Instead, constantly living on food restrictions and food neglect turns a lot of people away from trying to get fit (so they become overweight and then obese) because they don't want to live like that.
I welcome your thoughts on this...
Thats the way to go.
I wouldnt spend 30 mins running, 15 mins getting there to the park and 15 mins coming back. Incorporate the work out in your schedule by using the stairs, parking far and working on the house chores.
We have come to point where we focus more on the process, equipment than the actual work out itself. I see so many people fiddling with the pedometer, ear phones, cell phones, monitoring the heart rate, seeing the time, lap , split etc. Running or walking gets you the result, not these tech equipments.
And of course exervcise and working out is absolutely necessary since our body itself is an industrial wasteland of chemicals in what we eat. Was shocked to see "Gelatin Free" in some yoghurt packs ( I have heard its used to make bombs and explosives )
I can't help but notice that the vast majority of the IIFYM types I've come across tend to look like crap, on a decade long "perma-bulk" and stuff.
The problem with the IIFYM types are twofold IMO.
- They're basically OCD cultists to begin with, so they turned IIFYM into a religion too. Because of this, they're usually big into intermittent fasting/lean gains and are absolutely TERRIFIED of even the slightest fat gain, so they make terrible gains.
- They tend to focus on macro percentages, rather than saying "ok, I need X number of carbs/protein...etc". I think the percentage approach is a bad idea.
For a long time my rule was that I could eat anything I wanted. As long as I did the equivalent additional exercise first. I had a Snickers in the freezer. Every now and then I would take it out and look at it longingly. But I never wanted it enough to run an extra 2 miles. It stayed in the freezer for months. Finally my mom ate it.
All my life I have tried to find a middle ground that would let me eat like everyone else and look OK body wise. I have never found it. Not enough hours in the day. If I eat as I please I have to spend hours in the gym every day. Not possible long term when you have too many other responsibilities competing for your time. If I do without the gym I have to live food deprived. And fat. Worry about every morsel I eat.
This is sort of a springboards off the "Abused for Getting in Shape" thread. As I thought about how a lot of people commented how hard they worked to get fit such as exercising, eating certain things and saying no to other foods, etc., I thought later this is why some people who are not fit think that people who are in shape are not "enjoying life" or "limiting themselves", not being able to live to the fullest "eat, drink and be merry!"
For my birthday, I got a slice of my favorite cake. Yes, it's probably an extra 400 calories but I'll just work out harder. I'd rather do that than live in a way in which I have to always so "sorry, I can't eat this, I can't have that, I have to pass on that, not being able to share with food and fellowship with family members during get-togethers." What kind of way is that to live? If more fit people explained that eating what you like in moderation and exercise is the key to keeping your weight under control, then more people would get on board on trying to win the battle of the bulge. Instead, constantly living on food restrictions and food neglect turns a lot of people away from trying to get fit (so they become overweight and then obese) because they don't want to live like that.
I welcome your thoughts on this...
I don't diet, because they don't work, needs be a lifestyle change... I'm also health nut, I only consume organics, no processed or fast foods, GMO's ,etc, etc. I cook and bake , we garden and have fruit tress as well, I eat pizza, cakes, pies the only different is I make em so I can control what's going into it, everything organic, plus eating healthy doesn't have be tasteless or boring, it does require one to get involve in preparing these meals... The upside, you don't gain unwanted weight, plus your eating healthy! I'm 52 been doing this since my early 20's~
I think if you want the cake eat it. Eat if it is good. And I mean worth the calories good. And you probably don't want to have cake every day. But never having cake again? That sounds extreme to me unless it causes you issues.
It is your birthday! Eat cake! What kind of diet says you have to skip cake or your favorite treat on special occasions?
I eat at least 3,000 calories a day, about 400 of those from simple carbohydrates. But I'm an active person, so I don't gain any weight from it. I love working out, and those 400 calories I can burn off quite easily.
When you think how hard our ancestors worked back in the 1800's and early 1900's its no wonder people have a hard time maintaining their weight sitting in an office. I diet every day, but if my husband and I are asked over to dinner at a friends house, go to a picnic or anywhere where I don't know the calorie count I eat what I want and know that my diet and exercise will take care of the rest. We are active seniors going for walks, riding our bikes, boating, snowmobiling and x-country skiing in the winter. Its easy to stay slim if you aren't sitting all day. We are retired and always have home projects going and I love to putter in my garden and backyard pond. There is just so much to do to stay healthy but what fun is exercising if you can't enjoy treats in moderation.
Eat right....Exercise...Die anyway...What's the point?
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