IIFYM (If It Fits Your Macros Diet) Review – Real Talk by Toronto Nutritionist

IIFYM or If It Fits Your Macros diet has been a hot topic for years. In a sense, it created a movement of people, who were convinced that this is the only way to eat and who give you glossy-eyed stares, when you try to provide some valid points that it may not be (perhaps? probably?) the healthiest for them. As a Toronto nutritionist, I get asked about it literally on a daily basis, as our city becomes progressively obsessed with fitness and I think it’s time we had a talk about eating donuts and chips, while justifying that your macros would allow it…

If It Fits Your Macros was started by a couple of bodybuilders who grew tired of the “clean eating” movement. They felt the food was boring, unappealing and “too healthy.” Their diet was simple: eat whatever you want. But there’s a catch–you have to stay true to your macronutrient distribution. In a nutshell, If It Fits Your Macros (IIFYM) doesn’t concern itself with quality, but the quantity of the calories.

Macro what?

Macronutrients are the major nutrients that are found in food and provide us with energy. These include the big three: protein, fat and carbohydrates. All of these macros added together provide us with our total calorie intake.

Proteins + Fats + Carbs = Total Calories

In general, here is the acceptable macronutrient distribution ranges for adults in maintaining a healthy diet:

Protein: 15-35%
Fat: 20-35%
Carbohydrate: 40-60%

Your macronutrient distribution depends on factors like your age, weight, sex, and physical activity level. It does get a bit tricky, when you try to figure out what’s appropriate for your body’s needs, so if you need help – reach out to me to set up a free consultation.

Pros of If It Fits Your Macros

One key positive is that this diet takes away the restrictive nature of most fad diets. Atkins Diet, Master Cleanse or the Banana Diet totally restrict calories and key macronutrients, which may temporarily cause weight loss, but it is practically impossible to sustain… like IMPOSSIBLE, especially when we need macros like carbohydrates for our brain to even function.

And don’t get me wrong, macronutrient needs are important because they help us create balance in our diet and make sure we’re not getting 90% of our calories from fat. Watching macronutrient distributions are important for endurance athletes who rely on high levels of carbohydrates to endure their long workouts. Macronutrients are also important if you want to increase/sustain your muscle mass to look leaner and athletic.

Weight Loss on IIFYM?

In a busy city like Toronto nutritionist like me works with clients who are constantly on the go and just want to have a quick bite during a hectic day. So it makes sense that IIFYM is appealing as it provides A LOT of flexibility.

There have been several experimental trials and high quality studies, that looked at the difference between either a high fat/low carb diet or a high carb/low fat diet, and there was no difference in weight loss.

But… Empty Calories???

I don’t know about you, but when I’m told I can eat anything I want, that usually means binging at the local drive thru. When this happens, we’re consuming “empty calories” – this means they contain little to no fibre, vitamins or minerals that we need for our bodies’ normal function. When foods are heavily processed, they are stripped of their nutrients and loaded with sugar, fat and salt. So if we are replacing our diet with these empty calories, our body is not getting what we need to help us run smoothly and protect ourselves from chronic diseases.

Another downside of empty calories: less satiating. The moment we eat a bag of chips, an hour later we’re reaching for more chips… which doesn’t help with the whole eating fewer calories goal. Meals that contain high protein, high fibre snacks help us feel more full and prevent the binging at the all too dangerous 3pm dip.

Another secret with eating nutrient dense foods: you can eat more. Yes, it’s true!

Let’s compare two snacks with the same calorie and carb content, and you can be the judge of which you think would make you more full:

Snack 1: 3 Oreo cookies
Snack 2: 1/2 cup cottage cheese + 1/2 cup of berries + 1 small apple

Snack 2 is a source of protein, fibre and vitamins and minerals, will make you feel full and satisfied and will not lead you back to the fridge twenty minutes after eating it. And let’s be honest, who can only eat three oreos and not the whole row… I know I can’t!

Eating whole foods with a variety of macros lets you eat more and feel more satisfied. Now that sounds like a recipe for sustainable weight loss.

If It Fits Your Macros (IIFYM) Wrap Up

“Clean eating” creates an unhealthy obsession with the quality of calories and IIFYM focuses too much on quantity of calories. To keep your diet balanced and sustainable we need to find ourselves somewhere in the middle. Let’s follow the 80/20 rule – 80% of the time be conscious of the quality of calories by aiming for whole nutrient dense foods, and 20% of the time enjoy those indulgences.

If you’re active, being conscious of the food you’re eating is so important and if you focus on eating high quality sources of carbs that are loaded with fibre and vitamins and minerals it will enhance your training and performance.

As a Toronto nutritionist, it is my job to work with clients who want a balanced and sustainable diet plan that is easy to follow. If you need a healthy meal plan that will keep you energized throughout your busy day, book a free consultation with me and let’s get started!

The post IIFYM (If It Fits Your Macros Diet) Review – Real Talk by Toronto Nutritionist appeared first on Toronto Boot Camp, Personal Training, Bikini Competition Prep.

source https://www.buildmybodybeautiful.com/iifym-toronto-nutritionist/

IIFYM (If It Fits Your Macros Diet) Review – Real Talk by Toronto Nutritionist

IIFYM or If It Fits Your Macros diet has been a hot topic for years. In a sense, it created a movement of people, who were convinced that this is the only way to eat and who give you glossy-eyed stares, when you try to provide some valid points that it may not be (perhaps? probably?) the healthiest for them. As a Toronto nutritionist, I get asked about it literally on a daily basis, as our city becomes progressively obsessed with fitness and I think it’s time we had a talk about eating donuts and chips, while justifying that your macros would allow it…

If It Fits Your Macros was started by a couple of bodybuilders who grew tired of the “clean eating” movement. They felt the food was boring, unappealing and “too healthy.” Their diet was simple: eat whatever you want. But there’s a catch–you have to stay true to your macronutrient distribution. In a nutshell, If It Fits Your Macros (IIFYM) doesn’t concern itself with quality, but the quantity of the calories.

Macro what?

Macronutrients are the major nutrients that are found in food and provide us with energy. These include the big three: protein, fat and carbohydrates. All of these macros added together provide us with our total calorie intake.

Proteins + Fats + Carbs = Total Calories

In general, here is the acceptable macronutrient distribution ranges for adults in maintaining a healthy diet:

Protein: 15-35%
Fat: 20-35%
Carbohydrate: 40-60%

Your macronutrient distribution depends on factors like your age, weight, sex, and physical activity level. It does get a bit tricky, when you try to figure out what’s appropriate for your body’s needs, so if you need help – reach out to me to set up a free consultation.

Pros of If It Fits Your Macros

One key positive is that this diet takes away the restrictive nature of most fad diets. Atkins Diet, Master Cleanse or the Banana Diet totally restrict calories and key macronutrients, which may temporarily cause weight loss, but it is practically impossible to sustain… like IMPOSSIBLE, especially when we need macros like carbohydrates for our brain to even function.

And don’t get me wrong, macronutrient needs are important because they help us create balance in our diet and make sure we’re not getting 90% of our calories from fat. Watching macronutrient distributions are important for endurance athletes who rely on high levels of carbohydrates to endure their long workouts. Macronutrients are also important if you want to increase/sustain your muscle mass to look leaner and athletic.

Weight Loss on IIFYM?

In a busy city like Toronto nutritionist like me works with clients who are constantly on the go and just want to have a quick bite during a hectic day. So it makes sense that IIFYM is appealing as it provides A LOT of flexibility.

There have been several experimental trials and high quality studies, that looked at the difference between either a high fat/low carb diet or a high carb/low fat diet, and there was no difference in weight loss.

But… Empty Calories???

I don’t know about you, but when I’m told I can eat anything I want, that usually means binging at the local drive thru. When this happens, we’re consuming “empty calories” – this means they contain little to no fibre, vitamins or minerals that we need for our bodies’ normal function. When foods are heavily processed, they are stripped of their nutrients and loaded with sugar, fat and salt. So if we are replacing our diet with these empty calories, our body is not getting what we need to help us run smoothly and protect ourselves from chronic diseases.

Another downside of empty calories: less satiating. The moment we eat a bag of chips, an hour later we’re reaching for more chips… which doesn’t help with the whole eating fewer calories goal. Meals that contain high protein, high fibre snacks help us feel more full and prevent the binging at the all too dangerous 3pm dip.

Another secret with eating nutrient dense foods: you can eat more. Yes, it’s true!

Let’s compare two snacks with the same calorie and carb content, and you can be the judge of which you think would make you more full:

Snack 1: 3 Oreo cookies
Snack 2: 1/2 cup cottage cheese + 1/2 cup of berries + 1 small apple

Snack 2 is a source of protein, fibre and vitamins and minerals, will make you feel full and satisfied and will not lead you back to the fridge twenty minutes after eating it. And let’s be honest, who can only eat three oreos and not the whole row… I know I can’t!

Eating whole foods with a variety of macros lets you eat more and feel more satisfied. Now that sounds like a recipe for sustainable weight loss.

If It Fits Your Macros (IIFYM) Wrap Up

“Clean eating” creates an unhealthy obsession with the quality of calories and IIFYM focuses too much on quantity of calories. To keep your diet balanced and sustainable we need to find ourselves somewhere in the middle. Let’s follow the 80/20 rule – 80% of the time be conscious of the quality of calories by aiming for whole nutrient dense foods, and 20% of the time enjoy those indulgences.

If you’re active, being conscious of the food you’re eating is so important and if you focus on eating high quality sources of carbs that are loaded with fibre and vitamins and minerals it will enhance your training and performance.

As a Toronto nutritionist, it is my job to work with clients who want a balanced and sustainable diet plan that is easy to follow. If you need a healthy meal plan that will keep you energized throughout your busy day, book a free consultation with me and let’s get started!

The post IIFYM (If It Fits Your Macros Diet) Review – Real Talk by Toronto Nutritionist appeared first on Toronto Boot Camp, Personal Training, Bikini Competition Prep.

source https://www.buildmybodybeautiful.com/iifym-toronto-nutritionist/

Nutrient Timing 101: Time Your Meals and Lose Weight Faster

My clients get fantastic results. They do. And I am very proud of it! The reason is, I do something that to my surprise most other personal trainers don’t – I am adamant about WHAT they eat and WHEN. When it comes to training whether it be cardio or strength training, nutrient timing is very important and will set you on the right track to lose weight faster.

Most of my clients find me because they want to lose weight and feel better in their skin. The reason of my high success with them is that I know EXACTLY what they are experiencing and what they want to achieve. I know perfectly well that the way you feel about yourself will reflect outward onto anything you do in life and how important it is to feel confident about your body.

So I use a little trick to get my ladies in the top shape relatively quickly. I play with their nutrient timing.

The concept of nutrient timing is old and has been used by fitness pros for decades to lose weight faster. You can call their “secret”. In reality, all it is taking in the proper nutrients at appropriate times of day to achieve the most out your workouts. Here are the 4 rules I follow with them:

4 Tips to Nutrient Timing That Would Help You Lose Weight Faster

1) Do not train on a full stomach!

This is the most important rule of nutrient timing. If you eat right before you train you may feel sick, and all that does is put extra stress on your body. If your stomach is already breaking down food, you will simply disrupt the digestion process and not get a good workout. Also, it takes about 1.5-2 hours for your body to start turning food into energy, which means that you are still working out on an empty stomach, even though you just ate. Eat about 1.5-2 hours before hitting the weights.

 

2) Do not train on a completely empty stomach either!

And by “training” I mean a hard weight lifting or bootcamp style workout – not cardio. You can still do fasted cardio, but you have to keep these guidelines in mind. If you have nothing to burn you will pass on your best performance during the workout and risk losing muscle as a result. Keeping muscle mass is important to keep your metabolism ticking, which helps you lose weight faster and makes you look leaner.

 

3) Pre Workout Meal

To get the most out of your workout, eat a meal consisting of complex carbs and protein about 1.5-2 hours before you exercise. This will give you some time to digest the food, and will give you optimal energy you need for your workout. Remember you need to push your body in order to make progress and for that you need calories!

Before your workout, stick to grains like rice and quinoa or sweet potatoes for carbs and lean meats like chicken breast and white fish. Don’t have too much – just a fist size of each nutrien. Also, stay away from fatty foods like oils, butter, fatty meat, red fish, etc – they will slow down the digestion and will make you feel sluggish during the session.

 

4) Post Work Out Meal

Eat some simple carbs and more protein right after your workout (30 minutes tops!). Simple carbs are easier to absorb and help replenish your depleted glycogen stores that assist with recovery. Make a smoothie with a banana and protein powder, or two plain rice cakes with 0% Greek yogurt. Again stay away from fatty foods, as you need the nutrients to start arriving fast.

Nutrient timing is a very effective tool to get you lose weight faster. It involves a little more than the 4 tips above, but these tips are fundamental and if you start following them, you will see results very quickly. If you need help with putting together an in-depth weight loss strategy, contact me for a free consultation and I will be thrilled to help you get started!

The post Nutrient Timing 101: Time Your Meals and Lose Weight Faster appeared first on Toronto Boot Camp, Personal Training, Bikini Competition Prep.

source https://www.buildmybodybeautiful.com/lose-weight-faster-with-nutrient-timing/

Nutrient Timing 101: Time Your Meals and Lose Weight Faster

My clients get fantastic results. They do. And I am very proud of it! The reason is, I do something that to my surprise most other personal trainers don’t – I am adamant about WHAT they eat and WHEN. When it comes to training whether it be cardio or strength training, nutrient timing is very important and will set you on the right track to lose weight faster.

Most of my clients find me because they want to lose weight and feel better in their skin. The reason of my high success with them is that I know EXACTLY what they are experiencing and what they want to achieve. I know perfectly well that the way you feel about yourself will reflect outward onto anything you do in life and how important it is to feel confident about your body.

So I use a little trick to get my ladies in the top shape relatively quickly. I play with their nutrient timing.

The concept of nutrient timing is old and has been used by fitness pros for decades to lose weight faster. You can call their “secret”. In reality, all it is taking in the proper nutrients at appropriate times of day to achieve the most out your workouts. Here are the 4 rules I follow with them:

4 Tips to Nutrient Timing That Would Help You Lose Weight Faster

1) Do not train on a full stomach!

This is the most important rule of nutrient timing. If you eat right before you train you may feel sick, and all that does is put extra stress on your body. If your stomach is already breaking down food, you will simply disrupt the digestion process and not get a good workout. Also, it takes about 1.5-2 hours for your body to start turning food into energy, which means that you are still working out on an empty stomach, even though you just ate. Eat about 1.5-2 hours before hitting the weights.

 

2) Do not train on a completely empty stomach either!

And by “training” I mean a hard weight lifting or bootcamp style workout – not cardio. You can still do fasted cardio, but you have to keep these guidelines in mind. If you have nothing to burn you will pass on your best performance during the workout and risk losing muscle as a result. Keeping muscle mass is important to keep your metabolism ticking, which helps you lose weight faster and makes you look leaner.

 

3) Pre Workout Meal

To get the most out of your workout, eat a meal consisting of complex carbs and protein about 1.5-2 hours before you exercise. This will give you some time to digest the food, and will give you optimal energy you need for your workout. Remember you need to push your body in order to make progress and for that you need calories!

Before your workout, stick to grains like rice and quinoa or sweet potatoes for carbs and lean meats like chicken breast and white fish. Don’t have too much – just a fist size of each nutrien. Also, stay away from fatty foods like oils, butter, fatty meat, red fish, etc – they will slow down the digestion and will make you feel sluggish during the session.

 

4) Post Work Out Meal

Eat some simple carbs and more protein right after your workout (30 minutes tops!). Simple carbs are easier to absorb and help replenish your depleted glycogen stores that assist with recovery. Make a smoothie with a banana and protein powder, or two plain rice cakes with 0% Greek yogurt. Again stay away from fatty foods, as you need the nutrients to start arriving fast.

Nutrient timing is a very effective tool to get you lose weight faster. It involves a little more than the 4 tips above, but these tips are fundamental and if you start following them, you will see results very quickly. If you need help with putting together an in-depth weight loss strategy, contact me for a free consultation and I will be thrilled to help you get started!

The post Nutrient Timing 101: Time Your Meals and Lose Weight Faster appeared first on Toronto Boot Camp, Personal Training, Bikini Competition Prep.

source http://www.buildmybodybeautiful.com/lose-weight-faster-with-nutrient-timing/