Where does fat fit into your diet?

[Bones]

Just out of curiosity, I'm wondering how much fat do you do best with and what differences, if any, did you notice between higher fat levels and lower fat levels in your diet?

[Knipfty]

Hi Bones,

Except for taking cod liver oil, I don't pay attention to the amounts of fat consumed. I do avoid trans fats like the plague. When given a choice, I will look for olive oils.

I concentrate on conuming enough protein. Keep my carbs at 10 or below at each meal and let the fats take care of themselves.

Knipfty

[Mitra]

I use a variety of fats: butter, olive oil, animal fats, cream, coconut oil... I don't go out of my way to add fat, or to remove it - it's pretty much determined by what I think tastes good. I don't buy anything with transfats, and I try to keep polyunsaturates down.

When I journal my food, the fat usually works out at about 60% of calories.

[Missy]

Until I get myself really "rolling" on this plan, I think I'm going to adapt to a lower sat fat selection. I use olive oil...and take fish oil and avoid transfats, bad fats completely.

If I find that by doing so I'll add back full fat items as I see it's not going to stall me.

Good question Bones, I was wondering that myself.

[Belfrybat]

I don't worry too much about fat, but try not to overdo it as it adds so many calories. I've discovered I don't lose weight, even on low carb, if I eat more than 1500-1600 calories a day. So I am careful not to eat too much aged cheese (my downfall!), and choose low fat choices when the carbs are the same. For example, neufchatel instead of cream cheese, low fat cottage cheese, 2% low carb milk, etc. Thankfully most of the meat I eat is naturally low fat like venison, rabbit, and home-grown chicken. I occasionally splurge on a high fat dessert made with almond flour or LC cheesecake, but find if I do that too often I gain weight. Have been bouncing the same 5# up and down since Christmas, and know the high calories are the culprit. But healthwise, I am doing much better so am not stressed about the lack of weight loss.

[Inez]

When I've used Fitday I've noticed that fat is usually about 65% of my calories for the day without really trying. Lots of people say that the more fat in your diet the more satisfied you feel but my experience has been that lean protein like chicken breast and ham make me feel fuller for a longer period of time. I use butter and bacon grease and olive oil and a little coconut oil.

[Gaelen]

I also don't restrict fats at all, except for avoiding transfats. Dr. Mike's blog on saturated fats may give everyone a little more insight on his take on how saturated fats have been shown in some studies to actually BENEFIT people attempting to prevent/decrease their cardiac rish by keeping the circulatory system more flexible. I'll try to find the link and edit it into this post.

My intakes generally run around 30% for protein, 12% for carbs, and that puts me around 45-60% for fats, depending on the day. I tend to lose most consistently between 1450 and 1600 calories, but lost at higher intakes, also maintained in that calorie range when I could exercise, and only really stalled when I dipped below 1300 calories too often in a given period. So I pay attention to fats and total calories in my food logs only to be sure I stay over the amount where I know I won't lose or maintain, depending on what I need to do.

These intakes were established during my first weight loss period, as well as during periods of maintenance and what is working for me right now as I attempt to lose those steriod/inactivity while recovering from surgery pounds (and it's working for me; I'm down 24 lbs. since mid-January, while not being able to do more than light walking for eight weeks of those 15.) I'm five feet tall and weigh 192 lbs (maybe 191, I haven't checked today.) I am a good 40 lbs away from my 'high' goal. If you are further away from your weight goals (percentage wise) than that, you likely do NOT need to be overly concerned about fat intake except as it compromises getting your protein intake, which should always come first!

I eat the fats naturally present in nuts, seeds, fish, meat, poultry, eggs, full-fat dairy (including half and half, cream and cheese), avocados, and I use evoo, butter, sesame oil and coconut oil regularly as added oils, along with infrequent use of unrefined seed/nut oils. I'd use those more often, but they're pretty pricey. ;)

Hope that helps. When I find the saturated fats blog entry from Mike Eades, I'll post it here.

[Missy]

I'm so glad someone asked this question....I can't believe how much I keep bobbing around what to do!!!!!!

I read information and I think ALL of it makes sense!!!! GGGGGGGGGRRRRR

:rolleyes:

[Bones]

I use a variety of fats: butter, olive oil, animal fats, cream, coconut oil... I don't go out of my way to add fat, or to remove it - it's pretty much determined by what I think tastes good. I don't buy anything with transfats, and I try to keep polyunsaturates down.

When I journal my food, the fat usually works out at about 60% of calories.

I pretty much use the same fats that everyone else has mentioned. I do take fish oil and evening primrose oil as supplements to what I eat. I find though that I have to keep to low fat versions of my food to balance out my fat intake. My goal right now is to figure out approximately how much fat per meal I can take in so that I am actually hungry within a few hours. I just don't like eating when I don't feel hungry, piling food on top of food, but I know that I need to keep eating throughout my day to meet my nutrition requirements.

I was just wondering if this was true for anyone else. I'm not a rare breed, am I? :) There has to be at least a handful of people who experience the same thing. Hmmm...I do have hypothyroidism...I wonder if that has anything to do with it.

[Viking Dan]

My fat intake is probably high enough that I sweat butter.

As for kinds: butter, heavy whipping cream, fish oil caps, flax meal, real cheese, ground cow, eggy wegs...

[Bones]

I'm so glad someone asked this question....I can't believe how much I keep bobbing around what to do!!!!!!

I read information and I think ALL of it makes sense!!!! GGGGGGGGGRRRRR

:rolleyes:

The trick is figuring out that makes sense for your own body though. It all makes sense because it's true for somebody, but not necessarily true for you. Protein requirement is necessary for everyone, whether it's lean protein or fat protein will depend on your body. The same is true for what types of carbs you eat and how many; it's different for everyone.

[Missy]

I'm just so anxious in both good and bad ways...and I'm throwing everything at myself to see what sticks.:rolleyes:

I'm blowin with the breeze with all sorts of suggestions, and I better quit that and just go with my instincts. :cool:

Lean protein makes sense to me...but I like fat protein as well. I'll just have to experiment. At least now, I'm more aware of the differences then ever before.

[Bones]

Lean protein makes sense to me...but I like fat protein as well.

I like both, but I naturally tend to lean more heavily towards lean meat/proteins. Every now and then, maybe once or twice a month, I have a good steak or roast...even then I don't like it if it has too much fat. As a child, I remember my mom making round steak...it was dry and tough and I loved it!

When I first started lowering my carbs I began using cream, more cheese, eggs, etc. I just couldn't maintain it for long. The longer I made myself "stick with it", the more nauseous I felt. I just don't do well with "heavy" proteins for some reason, nor too much added fat.

[Missy]

Thank you all for sharing details....I'm really enjoying reading each of the more experienced folks ways as I consider mine.

Gaelen, considering my weight, you don't want me to overly worry about these fats right now...so, I'll do that. But, be mindful of not overdoing it either.

I didn't think this would be a big issue for me....:rolleyes: But, since I keep asking questions about cheese and milk...aparently it IS! lol :rolleyes:

You know Bones, I don't feel nauseous with it, but I feel guilty. I feel like I'm doing wrong, so? that makes me wonder if I should make amends somehow.

[Bones]

You know Bones, I don't feel nauseous with it, but I feel guilty. I feel like I'm doing wrong, so? that makes me wonder if I should make amends somehow.

Well Lynn, there is healthy guilt and there is unhealthy guilt. We are doing wrong to ourselves if we are overeating, whether it’s from fat, carbs, or protein, and in that case the guilt is healthy. It's our body telling us to be good to it. Recognizing that there is an element of addiction involved in all of this for many people who are struggling with overeating, we can't allow guilt to diminish how difficult the struggle might really be. Of course, we can't allow the difficulty of an addiction, or any struggle, to be an excuse to stop trying our best each day (not that I'm accusing you of this...I'm just saying...). Unhealthy guilt keeps us from doing what's best...we just sit and wallow in self pity instead of using the guilt in a healthy way... to propel us forward...being left behind as it does so. :)

It has taken me approximately 3 years to lose 40 lbs. I personally don't know anybody that has taken 3 years to lose only 40 lbs., but, instead of swimming in unhealthy guilt about my slow speed, I kept plugging away at it, getting more and more comfortable in my skin and the changes in my diet as I went, to the point now that it's just my way of life. The trick has been to make myself get up every time I "fall" and keep moving forward. The problem comes when we allow unhealthy guilt to keep us down.

To wrap all that babbling up, I just want to say that all of us need protein, fat, and carbs. How much of each will depend on each person individually...the amounts that allow your body to function at its best. Let's just say, hypothetically speaking, that you ate more calories in a day than your body needed eating just vegetables. Who feels guilty about eating vegetables? The problem would not be that you ate vegetables, but that you ate more than your body needed. You need to think of fat in the same way. Fat is just as guilt free as vegetables.

I hope that helped somehow. :)

[Missy]

It all helps Bones!! Thank you for your feedback.

I think I'm working through a new step in this process of accepting this new woe. I think that's why the "guilt" word surfaced.

I think I feel guilt for doing something wrong...when actually, as you said that we all need protein, fat, and carbs...and to the degree that we each need individually, so it's not "wrong". It's just something that needs properly balanced and used in a way that doesn't upset the apple cart.

I can use full fat to the degree it works for me...just as I can use low fat to the degree it works for me. I think that is the lesson I need to understand as a newbie.

Thanks for helping me see the light! :)

I think I'm "guilty" of doing what happens to others that join "low carb" "diets"...that full fat issue feels like it's a "green light"...and "proceed with caution" is more appropriate then FULL STEAM AHEAD!

I was allll excited to try out cheese cake recipes....and add cheese to dinners...and even though that is "acceptable"...it may not be something I personally need to do each day...but treat it as a "treat" and make it "fit" into my life as something to look forward too.

I don't know what the deal is with WHY cheese and dairy is currently something I was, as Gator8 me once said, fascinated with, because it's not something I overly consummed BEFORE? But, start restricting yourself in other areas...then other legal ones seem extra appealing, I guess.

This is probably just a PHASE of adjustment that I need to settle down and accept.

[Bones]

I don't know what the deal is with WHY cheese and dairy is currently something I was, as Gator8 me once said, fascinated with, because it's not something I overly consummed BEFORE? But, start restricting yourself in other areas...then other legal ones seem extra appealing, I guess.

This is probably just a PHASE of adjustment that I need to settle down and accept.

I think you're right. It's the excitement of being able to freely partake in something that you didn't allow yourself to before, and if you did you felt guilty about it. I think you'll settle down pretty quickly and simply enjoy being able to have those things, guilt free, when you want them.

[Missy]

Thanks for the encouragement Bones, and each and everyone else who's helping me along as I get started. I'm already beginning to settle down...I think?! lol :rolleyes: :D