Contrary to what that health blogger, Instagram influencer, and #gymscience trainer promote, that Instagram trend that saturates your Instagram feed comparing the calories of two different foods (some of which can’t remotely compete) isn’t only misinforming but too fuelling our distorted relationship and ideology we hold towards food.
Standard in the fitness industry, you’ll hear people say they’ve lost weight by eating bacon and eggs for breakfast, steak and chips for lunch and a pizza and ice cream for dinner and dessert because ‘if it fits my macros, ’ right?
You’ll see comparisons on Instagram of a yoghurt bowl with a range of fresh fruits, seeds and nuts compared to a burger and fries. You’re told they have the same calorie content, that the ‘healthy’ choice isn’t always the better energy expenditure-wise!
This ideology of strict calories in vs calories out, famously seen in the IIFYM (If It Fits Your Macros) approach, is merely built on the 1918 discovery of energy balance that considered whole food consumption.
And for those who aren’t entirely sure what IIFYM is, it’s a modern dieting method that is very popular in the training and fitness world, where people track their intake of macronutrients (protein, fat, carbohydrates) each day without restricting any particular food. They argue that you can still eat doughnuts, burgers, ice cream, and pizza daily if you stay within your given macronutrient restrictions!
Don’t get me wrong, like most things, nutrition is multifaceted, depending on context and circumstances. However, meeting calorie targets with modern foods, many of which are pictured on Instagram with refined sugars, artificial flavours and preservatives, is not flourishing as their caption states. Fundamentally, micronutrients are crucial to extracting energy from macronutrients.
Fundamentally, this mindset appeals to those who want to keep unhealthy foods in their diet, the same as why the media run articles with headlines that do the same thing; it merely sells!
What are the three most significant issues with IIFYM?
The future of nutrition is individualised. IIFYM is not individualised. Altering the carbohydrate content by a few grams is no individualisation.
The backbone of the IIFYM diet and trends similar to Instagram is entirely reductionist. In 2019, a study examined the
impact of ultra-processed foods versus whole plant-based foods on energy intake and weight gain. Subjects in this closely controlled metabolic ward crossover study consumed a hyper-processed diet for two weeks before switching to a whole food non-processed diet matched in macronutrients (proteins, fats, and carbohydrates) and fibre, salt, and sugar. The study revealed that even when protein, fats, carbs, salt, sugar, and fibre were all matched, the whole food, non-processed group required fewer calories to satisfy their appetite. Regarding satiety, consuming ultra-processed meals with added fibre is not the same as ingesting fibre found in whole food plants.
The philosophy encapsulates that you can indulge in all the foods you enjoy and lose weight if it fits into your daily macronutrient allowance. Sounds good, huh? But it fails to mention that it completely disregards the essential part of your diet. These foods are low in nutrient quality and high in processed fat, sodium and sugars. Losing weight does not necessarily equal health. Sure, you could be physically shedding the kilos, but how's the health of your arteries from the copious amount of saturated fat in your diet? Proper health starts from within.
Don’t get me wrong, like most things, nutrition is multifaceted, depending on context and circumstances.
However, meeting calorie targets with modern foods, many of which are pictured on Instagram with refined sugars, artificial flavours and preservatives, is not flourishing as their caption states. Fundamentally, micronutrients are crucial to extracting energy from macronutrients.
Fundamentally, this mindset appeals to those who want to keep unhealthy foods in their diet, the same as why the media run articles with headlines that do the same thing; it merely sells!