Considering adopting the IIFYM diet for my offseason bulk.

CompeteNPC

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So my offseason bulk will begin this week after I meet with my coach on Thursday which then he will give me my new macros to follow for the next few months. We have pushed back me making my debut in my first show till end of June of 2018, so lets just say I will have lots of time to do a nice bulking cycle. I am considering adopting the IIFYM diet for this. I think it would be a positive thing knowing I can eat a donut from Dunkin Donuts everyday or some ice cream as long as it fits in my macros for the day. Do you think I'm making a wise decision here?

Can someone explain to me more in depth how you properly use IIFYM? Solution if you would give your input I would really appreciate it. Last thing I want to do is gain a bunch of fat during my bulking cycle so that is why I asked your opinions. Im sure if I stay within my macros and using IIFYM properly, I won't have a problem with that.

Thank you for your time and replies.
 
mickc1965

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Noooooo not IIFYM, just an excuse for eating crap!!!
 
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http://www.simplyshredded.com/research-review-the-dirt-on-clean-eating-written-by-nutrition-expert-alan-aragon.html

But, like everything in life, you’ll have to moderate your indulgence, and the 10-20% guideline is the best way I’ve found to do this. There currently is no compelling evidence suggesting that a diet whose calories are 80-90% from whole & minimally processed foods is not prudent enough for maximizing health, longevity, body composition, or training performance.

The 10-20% guideline isn’t only something I’ve used successfully with clients; it’s also within the bounds of research. Aside from field observations, there are three lines of evidence that happen to concur with this guideline. I’ll start with the most liberal one and work my way down. The current Dietary Reference Intakes report by Food & Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine lists the upper limit of added sugars as 25% of total calories [24]. Similarly, an exhaustive literature review by Gibson and colleagues found that 20% of total calories from added sugars is roughly the maximum amount that won’t adversely dilute the diet’s concentration of essential micronutrition [25]. Keep in mind that both of these figures are in reference to refined, extrinsic sugars, not naturally occurring sugars within whole foods like fruit or milk. Finally, the USDA has attempted to teach moderation with their concept of the discretionary calorie allotment, defined as follows

It’s important to keep in mind that protein and fat intake should not be compromised for the sake of fitting discretionary foods into the diet. In other words, make sure discretionary intake doesn’t consistently displace essential micro- & macronutrient needs, and this includes minimum daily protein and fat targets, which vary individually. This may be tough to accept, but alcohol is not an essential nutrient.

In bulking scenarios, maintaining a 20% limit could potentially pose health risks that are already elevated by the process of weight gain, which in some cases involves a certain amount of fat gain. Conversely, weight loss tends to be an inherently cardioprotective process, independent of diet composition [29]. So, the 20% limit is more appropriate for those either losing or maintaining weight. Those who are gaining weight but want to play it safe should hover towards the lower & middle of the range (10-15%). Another factor that can influence the upper safe threshold is physical activity level.

If we use a 2000 kcal diet as an example, a flat/linear approach would mean that 200-400 kcal per day can come from whatever you want, while meeting essential needs otherwise in the diet. Weekly, this translates to 1400-2800 kcal, depending on the factors I previously discussed. One nonlinear option would be to break the weekly allotment in half, where 2 days per week you indulge in 700-1400 kcal of whatever you want, keeping the remaining 5 days relatively Spartan. Again, there is no universally superior method of distributing the discretionary allotment. The same principle applies to the choice of foods to fulfill it.




and btw you already follow IIFYM. even if you ate only broccoli, eggs, and chicken. you use those foods to FIT YOUR MACROS. People just use the IIFYM acronym and associate it with junk and outrageous examples. Nor would I Suggest eating donuts and ice cream everyday as dietary fat, protein, fiber, and micronutrients will always reign supreme.
 
AntM1564

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Noooooo not IIFYM, just an excuse for eating crap!!!
No it isn't. It is only for those that taking it to the extreme. A balanced diet should still be followed and people should allow for 10-20% of their calories to come from "dirty" foods.
 
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and btw you already follow IIFYM. even if you ate only broccoli, eggs, and chicken. you use those foods to FIT YOUR MACROS. People just use the IIFYM acronym and associate it with junk and outrageous examples. Nor would I Suggest eating donuts and ice cream everyday as dietary fat, protein, fiber, and micronutrients will always reign supreme.

...... :) Moderation is such a lost art. Everyone has an all or nothing mindset. If you give someone 2 cookies they wont stop and will continue to keep eating because they can't practice portion control or a healthy relationship with food.

No it isn't. It is only for those that taking it to the extreme. A balanced diet should still be followed and people should allow for 10-20% of their calories to come from "dirty" foods.
 

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