Competition Dieting: Macronutrients versus Specific Foods
by Jaime Filer ~ source
The newest trend in the bodybuilding/competitive world (I say "newest" relative to trends; this isn't necessarily a new concept in the grand scheme of dieting) is the idea that WHERE your calories come from don't matter, as long as you hit your "prescribed" macro nutrients. That sounded confusing. Let me break it down: Prior to bringing this idea to the limelight, dieting bodybuilders would be given a particular meal plan consisting of "healthy/clean" food by their trainers. In the past, we all ate the same way.
If you were competing, you were sticking to a diet of brown rice/rice cakes, sweet potatoes, broccoli, chicken, white fish, and unsaturated fats. If your trainer was nice (and knew what he was doing), and you were lean enough, then you were entitled to a cheat day (or meal) at a prescribed interval, whereby you were allowed free reign over what you put in your mouth. But again, not everyone received this privilege.
That was the "traditional" way of dieting: 8oz of protein, 1/2 a sweet potato, and 12 almonds, 6 times a day. What's coming to the forefront of the competitive world is changing the way people think about food and dieting, in general. The more recent trend is where individuals will be given a specific number of grams of fat, protein and carbohydrates that they should hit everyday, e.g. 150g of carbs, 180g of protein and 40 grams of fat. Once given these numbers, clents and competitors are told to just "go at it." In other words, If It Fits Your Macros (IIFYM) you can eat it.
That means, you can fill your requirement of carbs with whichever foods you choose, e.g. sweet potatoes, Pop-tarts (a personal favorite of my coach), ice cream, brown rice... literally, whatever you want, as long as at the end of the day, your total grams of carbs is equal to 150. Essentially, the quality of the food isn't emphasized as much as the quantity, i.e. enjoy the "junk food," but IN moderation.
I'm sure some of you are already up in arms about the concept:"POP TARTS WHILE COMPETING?!?! BLASPHEMY!" Hey now! Relax! I didn't invent this concept. I'm just telling you about it. Those individuals against the IIFYM regimen claim that having 30 grams of carbs from a whole grain, complex carbohydrate source will be more beneficial to your physique than having that 30 grams come from gummy bears.
Where I stand:
I am a veteran competitor (said "tongue-in-cheek," because I only have 9 competitions under my belt). I'm also a veteran dieter (10 years of anorexia + 4 years of being a competitor will do that to you). I've tried all the diets out there, save for the ones you have to pay a doctor (or buy HCG) for. I'm telling you all this as proof that I have a little bit of experience with the concept of "restriction" - which will be the basis of my argument. I, as a competitor, am a huge proponent of IIFYM.
Some people complain that the typical competitive bodybuilding diet is monotonous, and their competitor friends tell them to "Shut up, it's only 16 weeks. If you don't like it, don't compete." But why should you hate, and develop a bad relationship with, food; even if it's for 16 weeks (the average length of a competition diet). I have, and know others who have, fallen off the wagon MORE THAN ONCE while dieting for a show because my body just CRAVES a particular food, and I know I have to hold out til after the show to have it. I also know that I, and many others, binge like crazy on a cheat day because that first taste of a sugary food unleashes the inner beast, and I know I won't get that food again until (at least) a week later. It's a total psychological mind-f***.
Now that I'm on IIFYM, I can get that first taste, and be able to put it down after the third, because no food is out of bounds for me. I can have all the foods I want in moderation. If you're an individual who has trouble with moderation, then IIFYM can still be for you, just opt not to have junk food to fill your requirements. YOU'RE STILL ALLOWED HEALTHY FOODS! No one is taking that away from you; they're just adding even more foods to your repertoire. The other benefit is that no one macro nutrient is taken out of the equation, e.g. No carb/fat/dairy diet (first indication that it's a short term, "fad", possibly unhealthy diet).
In conclusion, call it jumping on the bandwagon, call it whatever you want, but I'm a really big fan of this new trend, because I believe it makes dieting for a show, or in general, a lot more manageable, accessible and "NORMAL."
source
by Jaime Filer ~ source
The newest trend in the bodybuilding/competitive world (I say "newest" relative to trends; this isn't necessarily a new concept in the grand scheme of dieting) is the idea that WHERE your calories come from don't matter, as long as you hit your "prescribed" macro nutrients. That sounded confusing. Let me break it down: Prior to bringing this idea to the limelight, dieting bodybuilders would be given a particular meal plan consisting of "healthy/clean" food by their trainers. In the past, we all ate the same way.
If you were competing, you were sticking to a diet of brown rice/rice cakes, sweet potatoes, broccoli, chicken, white fish, and unsaturated fats. If your trainer was nice (and knew what he was doing), and you were lean enough, then you were entitled to a cheat day (or meal) at a prescribed interval, whereby you were allowed free reign over what you put in your mouth. But again, not everyone received this privilege.
That was the "traditional" way of dieting: 8oz of protein, 1/2 a sweet potato, and 12 almonds, 6 times a day. What's coming to the forefront of the competitive world is changing the way people think about food and dieting, in general. The more recent trend is where individuals will be given a specific number of grams of fat, protein and carbohydrates that they should hit everyday, e.g. 150g of carbs, 180g of protein and 40 grams of fat. Once given these numbers, clents and competitors are told to just "go at it." In other words, If It Fits Your Macros (IIFYM) you can eat it.
That means, you can fill your requirement of carbs with whichever foods you choose, e.g. sweet potatoes, Pop-tarts (a personal favorite of my coach), ice cream, brown rice... literally, whatever you want, as long as at the end of the day, your total grams of carbs is equal to 150. Essentially, the quality of the food isn't emphasized as much as the quantity, i.e. enjoy the "junk food," but IN moderation.
I'm sure some of you are already up in arms about the concept:"POP TARTS WHILE COMPETING?!?! BLASPHEMY!" Hey now! Relax! I didn't invent this concept. I'm just telling you about it. Those individuals against the IIFYM regimen claim that having 30 grams of carbs from a whole grain, complex carbohydrate source will be more beneficial to your physique than having that 30 grams come from gummy bears.
Where I stand:
I am a veteran competitor (said "tongue-in-cheek," because I only have 9 competitions under my belt). I'm also a veteran dieter (10 years of anorexia + 4 years of being a competitor will do that to you). I've tried all the diets out there, save for the ones you have to pay a doctor (or buy HCG) for. I'm telling you all this as proof that I have a little bit of experience with the concept of "restriction" - which will be the basis of my argument. I, as a competitor, am a huge proponent of IIFYM.
Some people complain that the typical competitive bodybuilding diet is monotonous, and their competitor friends tell them to "Shut up, it's only 16 weeks. If you don't like it, don't compete." But why should you hate, and develop a bad relationship with, food; even if it's for 16 weeks (the average length of a competition diet). I have, and know others who have, fallen off the wagon MORE THAN ONCE while dieting for a show because my body just CRAVES a particular food, and I know I have to hold out til after the show to have it. I also know that I, and many others, binge like crazy on a cheat day because that first taste of a sugary food unleashes the inner beast, and I know I won't get that food again until (at least) a week later. It's a total psychological mind-f***.
Now that I'm on IIFYM, I can get that first taste, and be able to put it down after the third, because no food is out of bounds for me. I can have all the foods I want in moderation. If you're an individual who has trouble with moderation, then IIFYM can still be for you, just opt not to have junk food to fill your requirements. YOU'RE STILL ALLOWED HEALTHY FOODS! No one is taking that away from you; they're just adding even more foods to your repertoire. The other benefit is that no one macro nutrient is taken out of the equation, e.g. No carb/fat/dairy diet (first indication that it's a short term, "fad", possibly unhealthy diet).
In conclusion, call it jumping on the bandwagon, call it whatever you want, but I'm a really big fan of this new trend, because I believe it makes dieting for a show, or in general, a lot more manageable, accessible and "NORMAL."
source
