If you missed the previous post, check out Part Three here. And if you missed the introductory post IIFYM Flexible Dieting In a Nutshell that kickstarted this series, check it out here.
With the focus around the macronutrients in foods and how those can impact your overall health and fitness goals, individuals typically learn far more about proper food choices with “Flexible Dieting”.
By tracking and focusing on what nutrients are in each food, individuals learn of a wide variety of foods that can allow them to reach their goals and thus form a better understanding of the nourishment coming from each food.
When an individual becomes accustomed to tracking foods, they are able to make food decisions much more quickly and easily that will help them reach there macro goals because they learn which foods have higher amounts of the macro or macros they need (i.e. they become aware that chicken breast will be high in protein and low in carbs and fat; they also learn that a chip dip will most likely be high in carbs and fats but low in protein).
Simply through experience of tracking macros over time, individuals begin to learn more about which types of foods provide certain macros and how they will affect their body and health overall.
With “Clean Eating” generally the restrictive list of foods and rules remain rigid and unchanged. Thus the individuals following these plans may learn a bit more about those specific foods and what sort of nutrients they provide, but thats it. Generally without their meal plan and set list of foods or few substitutions provided for “clean dieters”, they become lost as to what other foods might be able to help them achieve their goals.
This reliance on the “clean foods” can lead to a lot of stress, frustration and discouragement in individuals who find themselves unable to access these foods or “falling off” their plan for a period of time.
Conclusion…
#IIFYMFTW (If It Fits Your Macros For The Win!)
Continue reading the “IIFYM” (Flexible Dieting) vs. “Clean Eating” blog series with Part Five here.
Get the “IIFYM Flexible Dieting Bodybuilding Guide” Today!
– Tyler Johnston
IG: @THEAPECOACH
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