If it fits your macros (IIFYM)

The basic idea of "If it fits your macros" is that you can eat almost anything you want as long as at the end of the day you hit your target macro nutrient goal.  Let me explain, assume that we have a 150lb man and he wants to cut down (lose weight).  He figures that his total macro nutrient composition should look like:

160 grams of protein
200 grams of carbohydrates
75 grams of fats

Total of  2115 calories.

160/435 = 36.7% of the diet comes from protein
200/435 =  45.9% of the diet comes from carbohydrates
80/435 = 18.4% of the diet comes from fats

This is a 37/46/18 ratio (rounded) which is in the ballpark of our target 40/40/20 ratio we were aiming for (If you do not know what a 40/40/20 diet is check out the beginners tab).

So let's say he wakes up in the morning and decides to have two doughnuts with his usual eggs and toast.  For simplicity, all of that food totals up to 35 grams of protein, 60 grams of carbohydrates and 30 grams of fat.  The rest of the meals eaten are to to get those numbers up to AROUND 160 grams for protein, 200 grams for carbohydrates and 80 grams for fat.  Using this idea (IIFYM), there aren't really any "off limit foods" with the assumption that those foods do not go over their target macro nutrients.  If you think about it, eating 100% "clean" follows the "If it fits your macros" idea but with a high level of exclusivity. 

The whole idea of "If it fits your macros" is to be able to eat some of the foods you love while still consuming some "clean" foods.  I personally follow the "If it fits your macros" idea when I feel like eating some "bad" foods.  For the most part, I try to stick to a very clean diet, because those foods seem to make me feel better and give me more energy.  This idea is great because it works and gives you the flexibility to follow your diet while still enjoying your life.

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