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by Nathan Corn on Mar 16 2016
If It Fits Your Macros, or IIFYM as the “fitness crowd” calls it is relatively new as a meme, formerly known as “flexible dieting” but the dietary principles have actually been around for quite some time in the fitness world.
IIFYM, or flexible dieting, is a method of dieting that revolves around meeting daily macro nutritional intake targets, and not on what you eat to get there. It’s essentially a form of calorie counting (a gram of protein and carbohydrate both contain about 4 calories, and a gram of fat contains about 9). Tracking Your Macros
How Many Calories should I eat per day?
How many grams of protein should I consume per day?
How many grams of carbohydrates should I consume per day?
How many grams of fat should I consume per day?
*Need help calculating?! Check on our pasts posts and Keep an eye out for future blogs where we teach you how!

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How Much Protein Should You Be Eating?
by Mackenzie Diekmann on Feb 23 2016
Find out how to calculate the right amount of protein for you!
Figuring out how much protein you should be eating can be super confusing for a lot of people with all of the conflicting information out there. So what's the right amount for you? The answer is-- it depends! Huge factors that figure into how much protein you should be consuming is your lifestyle and fitness goals, so not everyone will be the same. For instance, a professional bodybuilder would definitely not be taking in the same amount of protein as the average Joe who lives a sedentary lifestyle. Here is a chart that shows the suggested daily intake of protein according to your fitness goals/lifestyle:
Goals/Lifestyle
Daily Protein Intake
Muscle Building/Getting Toned
1-1.5g Protein/Pound of Current Body Weight
Weight Loss
1g Protein/Pound of Target Body Weight
Average Healthy Sedentary Person
.36g Protein/Pound of Current Body Weight
Examples:
A 180 lb guy looking to add some muscle would take in anywhere from 180-270 grams of protein per day.
A 200 lb woman wanting to lose 30 lbs should take in about 170 grams of protein/day.
How to fit all of your protein into your diet:
Once you've calculated what your daily protein intake should be, you might be thinking, "That's A LOT of protein! How am I going to get all of that in?"
Don't worry-- it's possible! The easiest way to fit all of your protein in is to divide it up into 5-6 meals per day. For instance, someone who needed 200 grams of protein a day might eat 6 meals a day with around 33 grams of protein/meal. Protein bars and proteins provide a great way to help you supplement protein into your diet without having to take the time to cook a piece of meat 5-6 times/day. Just be careful to keep an eye on their nutrition labels. Lots of shakes and bars boast that they are healthy, but harbor a crazy amount of added sugar that you probably don't need!
What ways do you add the needed amount of protein to your diet? Let us know in the comments below!
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10 Reasons You Should Eat Breakfast Everyday
by Mackenzie Diekmann on Dec 10 2015
For many people, mornings can be super crazy and hectic. Getting the kids up and ready, getting yourself showered and dressed, and getting off to work on time can be super challenging. This often leaves little, or no, time to fit breakfast in. However, there are many reasons breakfast is called the most important meal of the day. Here are 10 reasons why you should eat breakfast everyday:
1. Helps with weight loss and maintaining healthy weight 2. Helps control hunger throughout the day 3. Helps keep healthy blood sugar levels 4. Gives you more energy throughout the day 5. Helps your short-term memory 6. Increases concentration 7. Improves cholesterol levels 8. You are 4.5 times less likely to become obese 9. Reduces risk of Type 2 Diabetes & Heart Disease 10. Elevates your mood
As you can see, eating breakfast has some pretty great benefits. What prevents you from getting this important meal?
Have you tried our FlexPro healthy meal delivery? We help make consuming a healthy breakfast so easy, all you have to do is heat and eat! Regardless, it’s worth finding a way to fit breakfast into your busy scheduled!
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12 Benefits of Cayenne Pepper & How to Add It to Your Diet
by Mackenzie Diekmann on Dec 10 2015
It's not just a way to spice up your food!
Most people only know cayenne pepper as a spice that can add a little fire to any dish. But did you know that this spicy pepper has been used for hundreds of years for tons of other health benefits?
Here are 12 benefits of cayenne pepper and how to add it to your daily diet:
Weight Loss- Studies of shown that cayenne pepper is a natural appetite suppressant and metabolic booster which will help your body not only take in fewer calories, but also burn more calories!
Prevents Migraines- Cayenne may help to prevent migraines because it has the ability to decrease your perception of pain.
Cold & Flu Remedy- Cayenne has been shown to aid in breaking up mucus caused by cold and flu.
Allergy Relief- Forget the expensive over-the-counter meds, cayenne is a cheap and easy way to relieve those allergy symptoms.
Prevents Blood Clots- Cayenne prevents the formation of blood clots, which can aid in reducing your chance of heart attack and stroke.
Cancer Prevention- Cayenne has been shown by studies to prevent tobacco-related lung cancer, but that doesn't mean we are encouraging you to smoke!
Toothache Remedy- Cayenne is a great way to battle tooth & gum disease.
Topical Agent- For many years, cayenne has been used to treat topical issues like snakebites, wounds, sores, and more.
Detox Support- Cayenne heats the body and causes you to sweat which are important steps in releasing toxins from your body.
Anti-Bacterial- Cayenne has been used as a natural food preservative because of it's anti-bacterial properties
Joint Pain Relief- Cayenne contains something called capsaicin, which has been shown to give joint pain relief.
Digestive Aid- Cayenne stimulates your digestive tract which helps your body to digest foods easier and is also useful in relieving gas.
With all of these great benefits, there's no reason not make cayenne a part of your daily life. Getting your daily cayenne intake is easy! Add it to one of your meals or mix cayenne tea with lemon juice and honey to create a great detoxifying morning beverage. If you don't particularly enjoy the taste or heat of cayenne, you can get it in pill form from most stores that sell supplements!
Do you add cayenne pepper to your daily diet? Share below your favorite ways to integrate this beneficial spice!

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by Mackenzie Diekmann on Oct 05 2015
Get Ready to Burn More Fat in Half the Time!
If you've been to a gym or opened a fitness magazine lately you've probably have at least heard of the word HIIT, but what the heck does HIIT even mean? HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval Training, and it has very quickly become one of top trending ways to burn fat. Why? Because if done correctly you can burn up to 9 times the amount of fat than a traditional steady-state cardio workout would!How is it Done?HIIT is done by alternating high intensity exercises with low intensity exercises (or resting) for a set amount of time (20-60 seconds) and can be done with pretty much any bodyweight exercise including running, squatting, lunging, kicking, punching, jump roping, & more! Benefits of HIIT
Metabolism Increase- HIIT will speed up your metabolic rate for up to 48 hours after you've finished working out.
Fast & Convenient- Most HIIT routines are less than 30 minutes and you can literally do it anywhere since little to no equipment is required. Gone are the days of not having time to workout!
No Equipment Required- The only weight you need for HIIT is the weight your own body supplies. Most moves in HIIT routines use bodyweight exercises; although, feel free to add weighted moves to up the intensity.
Burns More Fat While Retaining Muscle- Studies have shown that over a 20 week period, people who consistently did HIIT routines burned 9 times the amount of body fat and retained more lean muscle mass over the people who just did low intensity, steady-state cardio.
Ready to give HIIT a try? Here are few example workouts for you to give a go!10 Minute Beginner HIIT Workout 3 rounds- 20 seconds high intensity, 10 seconds rest
Jumping Jacks
Squats
Jab, Cross (Right Side)
Jab, Cross (Left Side)
*30 seconds of rest in between each round
Advanced HIIT Workout3 Rounds- 45 seconds high intensity, 15 Second Rest
Burbpees
Jumping Lunges
Tricep Dips
Side Lunges
Push-ups
Tuck Jumps
Mountain Climbers
*1 minute of rest in between each round
Have you tried HIIT Before? Let us know your favorite workout in the comments below!