The concept of IIFYM or “if it fits your macros” has been spreading like wildfire through the online bodybuilding community over the past couple of years.This has led to huge debates on discussion forums, chatrooms and YouTube videos between proponents of “clean eating” and those who side with IIFYM.The “clean eaters” typically point the finger at IIFYM’ers as being lazy and unmotivated, while the IIFYM’ers accuse the clean eaters of being uninformed “bro scientists” with a poor understanding of nutrition.At the end of the day, there isn’t really much to argue here.IIFYM is actually not a “diet” or a specific nutrition protocol. All IIFYM really means is this…As long as your overall macronutrient totals (protein, carbohydrates and fats) as well as your micronutrient needs (vitamins, minerals, antioxidants etc.) are being met for the day, it doesn’t matter which specific foods you consume in order to meet those totals.That’s it. That’s all “if it fits your macros” really means. (I actually think it would be more accurate and cause less confusion if it was called “if it fits your macros AND your micros”, but I digress)At the end of the day, there’s no real way to argue against this.Your body does NOT view your nutrient intake within the context of individual food items.1 chicken breast, 1 cup of rice and 1 bowl of Fruit Loops are not seen as separate entities. The body can’t say “that’s a chicken breast”, “that’s rice”, “those are Fruit Loops”. In addition, it doesn’t say “those first 2 items are healthy” and “that last item is unhealthy”.What does the body actually recognize? 468 calories, 36 grams of protein (broken down into individual amino acids), 70 grams of carbs, 6 grams of fat (broken down into individual fatty acids) as well as an assortment of fiber and micronutrients all mixed together in a giant blob of chewed up goo.The truth is that bodybuilding nutrition is really just a numbers game.As part of a diet designed to support muscle growth and overall health, you have specific daily macronutrient and micronutrient needs in order to achieve optimal results. Your goal is to meet those numbers at the end of the day, period.As long as the total “mixture” of food that you consume throughout that day meets those numbers, it really makes no difference at all what those exact food items are.I’m sure some of you reading this are shaking your head by now because you think I’m saying that it’s possible to eat nothing but pizza, burgers and ice cream and still maximize your results.That is definitely NOT what I’m saying, nor is it what people who actually understand IIFYM are saying.Even those who follow the overall “philosophy” of IIFYM (if that’s what you want to call it) still get the majority of their food intake from traditional “clean” bodybuildingfoods such as chicken breast, rice and vegetables.Why?Because the diet still has to meet your macros AND your micros and it is NOT possible to meet those totals by eating large amounts of “junk” food.It’s not possible to eat pizza and burgers all day without over-shooting your fat totals.It’s not possible to pig out on ice cream and 7-up and still meet your fiber/vitamin/mineral requirements.It’s not possible to eat low quality protein all day and still obtain the proper amino acids needed for maximizing protein synthesis.Those who stand behind IIFYM still consume a diet mostly comprised of “healthy” bodybuilding foods since that’s the only way to actually get your macronutrient and micronutrient totals met in the first place.Beyond simply looking at grams of protein, carbs and fats, there are other important dietary needs that need to be met…- You need high quality proteins with favorable amino acid profiles and high bio-availability that optimally support muscle growth.- You need a certain amount of fiber each day.- You need adequate intake of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytonutrients and essential fatty acids.The only way to get all of these needs met is to have the bulk of your diet coming from lean, high quality proteins, minimally refined carbohydrates, fruits/veggies and*foods high in poly and monounsaturated fats

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