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www.MOSTmag.com || FITNESS MAG A ZINE || 85er training style varies based on the individual goals of her clients. %u201cI believe in mixing things up so that your body cannot adapt.%u201d Concerning nutrition, she offers both structured meal plans and If-It FitsYour-Macros (IIFYM) Packages. Amber is a big believer in flexible dieting, preferring to take that route with her clients.With her extensive knowledge of nutrition and health, we asked Amber to explain what IIFYM. Pay attention readers, Amber is about to call this class to order. To really fully explain IIFYM, we need to back up to the very basics. So let%u2019s start from the beginning with Macros. What are Macros? Macros refers to macronutrients. There are only three macronutrients that account for every single thing you put in your mouth. Think of them as the atoms that make up the food you eat, and everything has to be composed of one or some combination of these three macronutrients (which are carbs, proteins, and fats). Macronutrients provide calories or energy. Nutrients are substances needed for growth, metabolism, and other body functions. Since %u201cmacro%u201d means large, macronutrients are needed in large amounts. While each type of macronutrients provides calories, the amount of calories for each one varies. Carbohydrates and protein provide four calories per gram, while fat provides nine calories per gram. This means that, if you looked at the Nutritional Facts label of a product, and it said 12 grams of carbohydrate, 0 grams of fat, and 0 grams of protein per serving, you would know that this food has about 48 calories per serving (12 grams carbohydrate multiplied by 4 calories for each gram of carbohydrate gives you 48 calories). The only other substance that provides calories is alcohol. Alcohol provides seven calories per gram. Alcohol, however, is not a macronutrient because we do not need it for survival.IIFYM uses an %u201callowance%u201d of macronutrient goals, in terms of grams, to reach on a daily basis. Many people have the wrong idea of IIFYM being an excuse to eat junk food or eat unhealthy, processed food items, but really it is a method to learn how to eat in moderation. For example, you have a daily %u201callowance%u201d of 150G of carbs. That doesn%u2019t mean you would want to eat two donuts (let%u2019s say that these donuts each have 75G carbs and 8G Fat), because you would use all 150G of your carbs on those two donuts, leaving you hungry the rest of the day. Not to mention the micronutrients (e.g., vitamins and minerals) of those donuts are not going to benefit you, from an optimal health standpoint. So, if you hit the majority of your macros and meals with Photo Credit: Wainwright Images>>>