IIFYM

IIFYM - If It Fits Your Macros

This is an acronym for the term If It Fits Your Macronutrients.

I believe that Ian McCarthy prefers the term Flexible Dieting due to some of the misconceptions that folks have with IIFYM.

Essentially the term IIFYM is used to indicate that food type/name is not as important as some make out. What is important is the nutrients in the food and that actually includes the micronutrients. Macronutrients are of primary importance to a person's body composition.

IIFYM is also a backlash to the clean eating and dirty food concept that became ridiculously common in many fitness circles. Where for example many foods are excluded from the diet and only "clean" foods are left like steamed chicken breast, broccoli, brown rice, oatmeal, egg whites. The reality is that these foods are not special in any way except that perhaps no-one ever ate over their Calorie goals on dry, boring steamed chicken breast and broccoli with zero sauces. The required nutrients and quantities however can easily be had from a wide range of foods.