Pressing issues in the fitness community include areas such as training, supplementation, and nutrition. One of these disputes in the fitness community is the selection of which diet protocol to follow based on; whether one should choose Flexible Dieting (IIFYM) or Clean Eating as their nutritional procedure. A demographic that has trouble selecting a satisfying diet is college students due to several factors such as income, availability, and independence. Before selecting a diet, one should know the main points of each diet. Flexible Dieting, commonly known as "If It Fits Your Macros", is a modern dietary ideology that has revolutionized the fitness industry. Flexible Dieting aims to meet daily macronutrient intake values, while disregarding what type of food is consumed. The three macronutrients are carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, each one providing energy from calories. Macronutrient numbers are calculated based on an individual's goal of losing, maintaining, or gaining weight. The unique thing about Flexible Dieting is as long as an individual meets his or her macronutrient numbers, then that individual is able to eat anything he or she wants. On the flip side, the traditional Clean Eating approach is where an individual eats a generally healthy diet rich in nutrients. The conflict between Flexible Dieting and Clean Eating is that Flexible Dieting allows a person to have a wide range of variety when it comes to food, but Clean Eating usually restricts the individual to certain foods. The dietary principle that college students should follow is Flexible Dieting (IFFYM) because of the income and financial stability of a general student, the neurological science behind dieting, and the simple and systematic way to calculate a student's macronutrient intake.

A traditional, clean eating approach requires an excessive amount of expensive foods that need to be replenished quickly. Foods such as fish, chicken, lean red meats, non-processed food, organic cuisine, fruits, vegetables, etc. can run up the grocery bill each month (or possibly each week), when one could obtain the same amount of macronutrients at a lower cost. Layne Norton, a successful bodybuilder and trainer with a BS in Biochemistry (with honors) and a Ph.D. in Nutritional Sciences (with honors), recounts his Flexible Dieting in college in the aspect of finances: " ... but being in college I did not have access or could not afford many of the foods ... But the macros were always included in the diets so I figured even though I could not follow the diet exactly, I could still hit the macros" (www.ifym.com).  Norton found a way to stay lean and in shape in college through his Flexible Dieting protocol, even when he could not afford the "right" foods to consume to ensure maximal nutritional value. In fact, even though society labels these foods as "good" foods, in reality one's body does not distinguish if a food is "good" or "bad". In Taeler De Haes article, "Flexible dieting trend leaves room for doughnuts", she states "Enthusiasts like that there are no "good" or "bad" foods; there's room to indulge in treats as long as you meet your overall daily targets" (legacy.wtsp.com). Fast food is looked down upon in modern society due to the fact that these foods are considered unhealthy and "bad" foods. However, fast food can be incorporated into a Flexible Dieting regiment, as long as the foods stay within the macronutrient values. These foods can also be cheaper than foods at more extravagant restaurant locations. Instead of having to pay exorbitant amounts of money on so called "clean" foods, a college student might stop into a local fast food joint and hit their macronutrient values through that establishment's cuisine. For example, a student could find a cheaper alternative at Chick-Fil-A that would have the same macronutrient values as if a student ate at a higher end, more expensive restaurant, like Outback Steakhouse. One would be hitting their macronutrient intake for the day at a fraction of the cost at another eatery. The phrase "Broke College Student" is not a joke. In fact, " ... employed students worked an average of 25 hours per week. Students at four-year colleges are more likely to work a smaller number of hours per week. On average, working college students earn roughly $7.50 per hour" (Brockport.edu), stating that on average all employed students earn around $180 and earn less if they are full-time students at four-year colleges. Also, these statistics only take into account employed students. This study does not mention the percentage of unemployed college students. The main point of theses statistics is that college students do not make enough money to afford to buy a large amount of expensive "clean" foods. Another notion is that students do not want to spend a great deal of money on food. Students have dreams, visions, wants, and needs. They are more likely to save the money rather than spend it on food that is not even considered satisfying. These reasons are the main cornerstones as to why Flexible Dieting (IIFYM) is the superior choice in dietary protocol. College students do not have a surplus of funds to support an expensive clean-eating approach with costly foods needed for this protocol. 

An aspect of college that new students have trouble adapting to is the food quality and availability. With the new freedom from home and liberty to make decisions, college students make poor choices nutritionally and tend to indulge in poor food choices. The so called "Freshman Fifteen" tends to scare many, but few do anything to combat the notorious weight gain. According to Amy Diluna's article, "College Students: That Dreaded Freshman 15 is Avoidable", "Bad eating is contagious ... Just going to college, they have all these food availabilities ... " (www.nbcnews.com), stating that the availability of foods leads to bad eating. Along with bad eating and poor quality, students tend to not have stable income, which means that cheaper, less quality foods are in a college students repertoire. With all these factors, there is still a solution to contest a poor diet. Flexible Dieting (IIFYM) would be the best nutritional protocol for students to follow due to many factors. The belief in counting macros (carbohydrates, proteins, fats) is crucial to Flexible Dieting, which should not even be considered a diet " ... because it is the most maintainable lifestyle. It isn't a 'diet.' It is a system of living that allows you freedom" (www.ifym.com). What is so unique about this protocol is that it is not a quick fix, FAD diet plan. This can be incorporated into one's everyday lifestyle. The concept that professionals need to address is that FAD diets do not work. There is no quick fix to lose (or gain) a certain amount of weight. One neuroscientist, Sandra Aamodt, has taken this concept and brought it to the stage of a notorious nonprofit dedicated to extending ideas and concepts to society; this platform is known as TED Talk. This is a relevant topic to college students because many students adopt FAD diets in order to counteract considerable weight gain while adjusting to the new environment and the amount of food present for consumption. Aamodt discusses her battle with weight gain and diets early on in her childhood stating, "No matter what I tried, the weight always came back" (www.youtube.com). Students (and adults for that matter) are constantly struggling with this phenomenon: losing a significant amount of weight, only to gain it right back. Roberto Ferdman's article, "Why diets don't actually work, according to a researcher who has studied them for decades", discusses this while interviewing Traci Mann, a psychology professor at the University of Minnesota, who has been studying eating habits and dieting for more than twenty years. Mann states, "After you diet, so many biological changes happen in your body that it becomes practically impossible to keep the weight off" (www.washingtonpost.com). To further the discussion regarding weight loss, Aamodt discusses how the brain operates the body when it comes to weight loss. She uses the comparison of a thermostat to associate weight loss and the brain. The brain has a set point, meaning the weight that the brain thinks one's body should be. With considerable weight loss or weight gain, the brain acts in order to push this weight back to it's set point, much like how a thermostat will constantly keep the room at a stable temperature. Aamodt then discusses a topic called "mindful eating", meaning the one should know when to eat and when to stop eating. This is a parallel with Flexible Dieting because, with calculated macronutrient values, one knows when to stop eating. Once a person hits his or her macros, they have completed their nutrition for the day and know that it is time to stop eating. A college student can utilize this macro counting procedure because of the flexibility and freedom that is equipped with this protocol. Even though this is suppose to be a healthy lifestyle, it does not mean a student cannot indulge. Norton recounts his indulgence stating, "I always tell people; I don't have cheat days.  I don't need them. If I want something 'bad' I figure out what it will take in terms of macros and I fit it in. No guilt, no remorse, and progress continues" (www.ifym.com).  Flexible Dieting is an optimal protocol to follow due to the ability to select any food that fits within macronutrient values.

Flexible Dieting seems to be the most simplistic dietary principle ever created. All one has to do is look at four things: carbohydrates, fats (lipids), protein, and total calories. The only tricky part is how to calculate one's macronutrient values based on goals, activity level, and other factors. Elliot Reimers, a power lifter who thoroughly researches nutrition and kinesiology and also has a BS in Biochemistry from the University of Minnesota, is an avid supporter of Flexible Dieting and teaches clients how to calculate macronutrient values. To start, one must calculate their BMR which is a person's Basic Metabolic Rate. The BMR is the amount of calories needed to maintain body weight and energy needed to keep vital organ functions functioning. One can use an online calculator or search for the Katch-McArdle equation for BMR. Then one needs to classify their activity level into either sedentary, lightly active, moderately active, very active, or extremely active. Once determined, multiply the activity level to find the new BMR. Once the new BMR is determined, protein intake is next in order to continue calculating macronutrient values. Reimers and other bodybuilders recommend one gram per pound of bodyweight for protein intake. For example, a 175-pound man would need 175 grams of protein per day. After protein is calculated, lipids are found by multiplying one's bodyweight by .35 since one should consume .35 grams of fat per pound of bodyweight per day. Once protein and lipid intake is found, multiply each by their caloric value (4 calories and 9 calories respectfully), finding calories from protein and fat. Then use the BMR and subtract the calories from protein and fat to find calories for carbohydrates. Then divide by 4 (caloric values of carbohydrates) to find the amount of grams of carbohydrates needed to be consumed per day. Reimers states, "The general rule of thumb if your goal is to lose fat, aim for an energetic deficit of ~500 calories per day (most of which should come from reduced carb intake)" (www.simplyshredded.com). Also, Reimers states that "If you want to add mass, aim for an energetic surplus of 300-500 calories per day" (www.simplyshredded.com), for people that would like to gain weight. Even though this may seem long, math intensive, and complicated it is relatively easy to get a baseline of one's macronutrient goals. Reimers then concludes by stating "What IIFYM teaches us is that you really can have your cake and eat it too if you exercise some creativity and portion control into your daily routine. If you want to enjoy a couple scoops of Ben and Jerry's with your kids or take your significant other out for dinner, then plan ahead and work that into your diet" (simplyshredded.com). This diet plan is easy to calculate and can be followed to a tee for anyone who is willing to put in the time and effort to start. This is far easier than having to guesstimate nutrients consumed per day. This also allows one to see if they are able to indulge in a savory treat while at the same time not sacrificing their nutrition and ultimate goal of either gaining, losing, or maintaining weight. A clean eating approach would not allow this concept of treating oneself or so called "cheating" on the diet plan. If macronutrient values are calculated, then there is no such thing as cheating on the diet plan, since this is a flexible lifestyle. Macronutrient values allow a college student to see that he or she is reaching macronutrient goals, while at the same time allowing him or her to indulge in savory treats. 

One thing that has not seemed to be mentioned throughout the nutrition community is that one must find out what works for them. All of these sources give a general guideline of what to follow, but at the end of the day, one must figure things out one their own. Everyone's body is different and handles nutrients differently. This is why Flexible Dieting is the key nutritional protocol to follow. This lifestyle allows for one to figure out what foods fit within their goals without having to sacrifice or abstain from eating foods that one enjoys. Nutrition and overall health is important, but being able to enjoy life, whether that be through eating food or doing something else, is far more important. Flexible Dieting is significant to college students because of finances, availability of food, science behind diets, and simplistic calculations, but it can also be incorporated in anyone's lifestyle. Flexible Dieting allows for all demographics to enjoy life and not having to worry about "good" or "bad" foods. Lovett encompasses this notion in his "Guide to Flexible Dieting" stating "Anyone and everyone who wants a sustainable, healthy (physically & mentally), and results driven strategy to good health and looking good naked. You may not be looking to change your weight at all, but rather you're looking for an easier way to manage your food intake. Flexible dieting is perfect for eating great food, without depriving yourself" (www.thefitnessinstitute.ie). Food is just food; it is meant to be enjoyed rather than being unappealing. The flexibility of this program is what makes it so attractive to individuals looking to become better in the aspects of nutrition, fitness, aesthetics, etc. Clean-eating is a great approach because it requires nutritionally dense foods, but allows for little variety and becomes monotonous and boring, which in turn leads to a dull way to live life. Some say, like Kyle Hunt, " ... would even argue that a flexible diet is healthier than a strict meal plan" (www.breakingmuscle.com). The focus is on college students due to the fact that many incoming students need to be taught how to maintain a healthy lifestyle while staying in the boundaries of finances and simplicity, but anyone can follow this nutritional protocol. Flexible Dieting is an innovative nutrition regiment aimed to be affordable, simple, and flexible while helping individuals reach their health and fitness goals. College students should adopt this routine to encourage a life full of health, but also a life full of variety, flexibility, and happiness

