Your Fitness: Meal Plans vs IIFYM

Your diet is a bank account. Good food choices are good investments - Bethenny Franke

This conversation has been circulating around the fitness space for quite some time now. Considerations for discussing the strengths and weaknesses when comparing a meal plan to an “if it fits your macros” approach. 

So, today I will offer my perspective on the topic and how I would approach such a decision. While your diet is only one variable of your plan when it comes to your health and fitness, I do believe it does not sometimes receive the credit it deserves. 

Yes, you must do the work, whether this be hitting your daily step target or simply just pushing yourself in the gym. However, nutrition can often require the same attention - especially as our goals become more ambitious!

So let's break down a macro based approach first. Essentially this will provide you with a guide on how much protein, carbohydrates, fats and sometimes fibre to hit for the day. This can be set as an overall target for the day or a target for each meal. I believe the strength in this approach resides in the ability to be flexible with the foods you are hoping to include in your diet. 

It can also offer more variance in foods for those who like a little bit more variety in their diet. However, the downside to this is it can be relatively difficult for individuals new to tracking calories and can often result in slightly less favourable meal choices which can be squeezed in while using up most of that day's calories. 

There is no problem with indulging from time to time, but I feel individuals that are inexperienced with tracking calories are prone to making mistakes which can negatively impact goals they have set themselves. More experienced individuals might find this approach easier to manage.

Meal plans on the other hand, often offer less flexibility when it comes to variety. However there is always the option to make a 7 day plan which incorporates as many meals as possible throughout the week - if that's what you need to satisfy your tastebuds!! These plans offer a little more structure and help to eliminate any decision fatigue that comes alongside planning out meals and making sure you are eating in correspondence with your given plan. 

I am certainly biased to this method as I use it myself and find it is a really helpful way of educating clients when it comes to their nutritional awareness. This can be slowly phased into a macro based plan once the client feels more confident in their knowledge on nutrition and is a great way of providing more independence.

At the end of the day it all works, finding what works best for you is going to be the best strategy long term. There are certainly other ways to structure these two together and find a balance that works for you. This article simply offers my perspective on the topic!

Lastly, I would also like to clarify that I am not a registered dietician. All advice disclosed here is simply advisory based on my qualifications as a fitness professional and personal experience and knowledge gained working with individuals and helping them reach their goals. The advice given is not designed to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any health problem - nor is it intended to replace the advice of a physician. Always consult your physician or qualified health professional on any matters regarding your health.

I hope someone out there found some of this information useful here, just some food for thought. For any questions in relation to this topic or training, nutrition, etc. or for coaching inquiries simply message me on my business page on instagram @coachedbycashel_ or by email - coachedbycashel@gmail.com