People often ask me what my diet consists of that allows me to be so lean. I am not doing anything secret or special. I eat pretty clean most days, but I will admit, just about every day I eat something that most would consider a “cheat” meal or a dieting/healthy eating no-no. On any given day, I might eat cookies, French fries, or even fried chicken. I am able to do so because I know my numbers. I follow a variation of what has been dubbed the “If It Fits Your Macros” or IIFYM system of eating. Basically, this “diet” allows one to eat pretty much whatever they desire also long as it first your individual macronutrients. A macronutrient in this context is a type of food (e.g., fats, proteins, carbohydrates) required in various amounts in the human diet.
The premise of IIFYM is basically if you are overweight, it is simply because you consume too many calories, not that you consume carbs, sugar or dairy, for example. Now, although I like the basic premise of this diet, I am not a fan of eating anything because I do believe that consuming some types of foods, (no matter what their caloric content may be) can be detrimental for many reasons. But, I like that this diet encourages people to do the math.
I often ask people who say that they eat “clean” but they are not losing weight if they even have a clue how many calories they are eating each day? Most have no idea. If you are trying to lose weight and you just are not able to get that scale to budge, I challenge you to start keeping track of everything you eat and calculating the calories. I guarantee that you are likely consuming more calories than you think. Or, the flip side, your metabolism could be stalled because you may not be consuming enough calories and you have placed your body into starvation mode, causing your body to hold on to fat.
The bottom line is losing weight will require some work on your part. Do the math and do your research. Am I saying that means you can eat ice cream every day? Not exactly. But, you have to know the numbers in order to be successful, even if you choose to eat super clean all the time. Check out www.iifym.com for more information and they even have a calculator to help you.
