Does it matter if you're over your fat g if it's healthy fat?

holly55555
holly55555 Posts: 306 Member
edited November 13 in Health and Weight Loss
I am currently trying to eat less carbs and more protein. Not really low carbing, just trying to eat a lot of protein for my calorie allotment.

I find that now I'm often over in my fat category! In example, I just bought Quest Protein Peanut Butter Cups - 240cal, 17g of fat but 20g of protein. It's these sorts of foods that seem to sending my fat grams over the edge, but they're really good and help me up my protein. Does it matter as long as it's healthy fat?

Replies

  • Sutnak
    Sutnak Posts: 227 Member
    fat gets a bad rap. A lot of fat is really good for you. I wouldn't sweat it.
  • sweetad
    sweetad Posts: 28 Member
    I find that healthy nuts: raw almonds, cashews are a great source of protein, as is Greek yogurt...esp Lite and fit GreeK- 0% fat, 2x protein. Also..tuna and salmon are high in protein. I also eat protein bars...Pure Protein...20 grams of protein, 2 gms sugar and 5 gms of fat is a good one. That's some examples.
  • thismamarox
    thismamarox Posts: 105 Member
    I freak about my sodium intake more than I do my fat. I always go over on my sodium O.o
  • holly55555
    holly55555 Posts: 306 Member
    I actually am medically prescribed more sodium for a heart issue I have! Going over on sodium doesn't affect your weight loss overall, it just makes your scale fluctuate a lot more/you will look more bloated! But fat loss is fat loss! :)
  • holly55555
    holly55555 Posts: 306 Member
    But does going over in fat g affect fat loss? This I don't know :s
  • juggernaut1974
    juggernaut1974 Posts: 6,212 Member
    No...going over in calories affects fat loss.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    ceoverturf wrote: »
    No...going over in calories affects fat loss.

    This. I view my fat macro as a minimum goal. I meet or exceed it nearly every day. It has not adversely affected my weight loss.
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
    jemhh wrote: »
    ceoverturf wrote: »
    No...going over in calories affects fat loss.

    This. I view my fat macro as a minimum goal. I meet or exceed it nearly every day. It has not adversely affected my weight loss.

    yup. I easily can get to 80g of fat.
  • Merkavar
    Merkavar Posts: 3,082 Member
    Tried lentils?

    If the nutritional information on this packet of lentil Dahl is correct its 1.1g fat for 1000kj of energy and 17g protein.

    Much better ratio of fat to protein than what ever that peanut butter stuff is.
  • TBargar101
    TBargar101 Posts: 30 Member
    I increase my protein content by consuming protein supplements. That way I don't accordingly increase fat intake.
  • holly55555
    holly55555 Posts: 306 Member
    Ah so it doesn't matter? Why even track macros then? Very confused over here!
  • Sutnak
    Sutnak Posts: 227 Member
    holly55555 wrote: »
    Ah so it doesn't matter? Why even track macros then? Very confused over here!

    So you can hit certain minimums. Depending on your goals, you may have a minimum protein and fat goal. Or carbs.

  • RockstarWilson
    RockstarWilson Posts: 836 Member
    edited February 2015
    Yes...saturated and monos are best. Most of my intake is saturated fat, like in bacon. Gets me the protein too. But my macros are way different than yours, so yeah. I try to get 75-80% of my macros from fat. That being the case, I only eat 1-2 meals a day. Today I ate at 13:00, and I probably wont eat again til about 22:00 or 23:00. I would encourage you to eat more fat if you are cutting carbs, because overdoing it on protein does nothing for you unless you are getting stacked (brah), and honestly is quite hard to do from a dietary standpoint (just try to get 40% every single day).
  • RockstarWilson
    RockstarWilson Posts: 836 Member
    edited February 2015
    ceoverturf wrote: »
    No...going over in calories affects fat loss.

    FAT DOES NOT MAKE YOU FAT! :-) your poor choices, lack of knowledge or will power, and maybe ignorance and naivety make you fat. Fat, when combined with carbs, CAN make you fat because the body will process carbs first and store the rest. So, even though lunch might have been 1000 calories, you are still only burning about 120 cal/hr. In 5 hours between meals, that amounts to a calorie burn of only 600 until you are eating again. Obviously, this scale is smaller for a woman bc calorie burn is of less magnitude, but same rule applies. This, medical issues aside, is why EVERYONE that is overweight gets overweight. Simply put, it is when you compound fat with carb-rich foods like hamburger buns or hot dogs that you will have problems (yes, most hot dogs have carbs...sausage too, sadly).
  • segacs
    segacs Posts: 4,599 Member
    Going over on fat isn't a bad thing if you're under your calorie goal.

    But Quest bars are basically just candy bars with added protein. Most of those 17g of fat in those bars is probably not "healthy" fat as it is generally understood.

    Mono and polyunsaturated fats and omega 3s are usually considered to be "healthy" fats in that they lower bad blood cholesterol. Going over on those is generally not a problem.

    Saturated fat used to be considered "bad" fat but most scientists are more neutral on it -- okay in moderation, just don't get an excess amount.

    Trans fats are the big no-no at the moment; most doctors and scientists advise trying to get zero or as close as possible to zero grams of trans fats. Those are the ones that come from processed or hydrogenated cooking oils that are found in many fast foods, for example.

    But, generally speaking? If you stay within your calorie goal and you're getting enough vitamins, minerals, fibre and a decently balanced diet, the macros are pretty much up to you.
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
    holly55555 wrote: »
    Ah so it doesn't matter? Why even track macros then? Very confused over here!

    satiety, medical reasons, body composition, personal preference, mood, to better track trends, athletic goals.. protein and carbs are especially important for lifting for instance, fat is especially important for joints and mood, protein and fat for satiety, carbs for energy
  • errollmaclean
    errollmaclean Posts: 562 Member
    Looking up macronutrients will tell you why each one is important for proper body functions. Dietary fat is essential and does not contribute to being fat (that is all about calories). There are online calculators that will tell you your daily minimum for healthy bodily functions. It doesn't matter if you go over on your macros as long as you get your minimum and stay within your calories goals.
  • imxnianne
    imxnianne Posts: 216 Member
    thismamarox wrote: »
    I freak about my sodium intake more than I do my fat. I always go over on my sodium O.o


    Sodium sucks! Lol, but I think of it when I go over, like hey at least the scale measures also my water weight. I havent lost water weight yet so I guess it could be more of an accurate weight. Sodium just makes you weigh more ive read before, water weight.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    edited February 2015
    holly55555 wrote: »
    Ah so it doesn't matter? Why even track macros then? Very confused over here!

    It IS indeed confusing because MFP is not perfect. :)
    Eat your protein goals
    Eat your fat goals.
    It is perfectly o.k. to go over in fat and protein. <3
    Most fats are good fats except you should limit trans fats. (These are fats in commercially baked items, packaged snack goods like crackers and popcorn, some french fries) -- but even they are o.k.. as long as they are a small part of your diet.

    Going over in fats does not affect loss or gain. Calories effect weight.
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