Can Tracking Only Macronutrients Improve Overall Health?
The idea of the dieting method “If It Fits Your Macros” is that dieters can eat whatever they choose so long as their macronutrient quota for the day is met. This concept has caused quite the controversy between traditional dietitians and modern advocates of this lenient dieting style. From an objective point of view, some may say that this diet is just a justification to eat nothing but junk food all the time. Yes, this dieting style does allow for some “fun” meals with sweets or “junk” food, but only in moderation. Eating at McDonald’s or Burger King is allowed, but in order to make it work, one would have to be willing to deplete his/her fat – and probably carb – macros for the day in order to make the meal fit within his/her macronutrient requirements. In fact, in order to stay on track for the rest of the day, the remaining portion of this person’s diet will have to be lean sources of protein with rather low amounts of carbohydrates since his/her fat quota for the day is already met, as well as a decent portion of his/her carb limit. With this being said, the diet itself will force those that follow it to even out the quality of foods they consume.
Another concern that is often expressed when looking into IIFYM is micronutrient consumption. Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals that are found in food, such as vitamin D being in milk, or omega 3 fatty acids being in fish. A common concern with IIFYM is that it focuses too much on macronutrients and not enough on micronutrients, which are essential for optimal, overall health. Since those that follow this diet do not necessarily have to consume foods rich in micronutrients, it is possible that this could prove to be quite a flaw in this dieting method. An ideal option for those that are skeptical about this aspect of IIFYM would be supplementation. With modern advances in the supplement industry, it is very easy and effective to simply take a daily supplement to make up for any vitamin or mineral that may be lacking in one’s diet. Those that do follow “clean” diets typically opt out of taking multivitamins because their diet already provides them with their micronutrients. In this case, though, something like a multivitamin could prove to be a quick fix for those that feel their diet is lacking necessary vitamins and minerals.
Works Cited
“Getting Dirty Diet: If It Fits Your Macros.” Elite FTS. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2014. <http://articles.elitefts.com/nutrition/getting-dirty-if-it-fits-your-macros-needs-formatted/>.
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Counterintuitive Fall 2022 
Feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Feedback provided. —DSH
Hey, Ryan!
P1. You say macronutrient quota as if it were a goal to be achieved. Does not eating the full amount of any nutrient violate the diet? Or is the number an upper limit?
I think you mean a neutral point of view, not objective, one that doesn’t subscribe to either the dietitian or IIFYM advocate POV.
You don’t mean “Yes, but”; you mean “But while.”
—”make it work” is weak and vague
—both “one” and “his/her” are unfortunate; mixing them is awful.
—I’m sure you don’t mean “deplete his macros.” (You must mean: reduce the amount of those components he gets from other meals, or: eat smaller portions of them the rest of the day, but neither of these qualifies as “depleting the macros.” It COULD mean “depleting his fat budget,” if you consider each macro as a budget to be spent.)
This is all very well and good, Ryan, but it’s no substitute at all for a strong illustration. Surely by now you must have some handle on the numbers. You’ve been talking pure generalities, but your research must certainly have turned up some formulas. So instead of “stay on track, lean sources or protein, fat quota for the day, rather low amounts,” you owe us some clarity.
Until you do this or something similar, readers won’t begin to be persuaded that you know what you’re talking about, and they certainly won’t know whether you’re right.
P2. Wow. You dispensed with that objection pretty handily. I guarantee you that explanation will not satisfy the traditional dietitians from your first paragraph. It doesn’t persuade me, and I have no stake in this argument at all. If what you say is true, I’m about to publish a diet book: “The Beer Nuts and One-A-Day Way to Health.”