Plateauing for a long time, could use some help.

PandaCustard

I've been plateauing for what seems like forever. I got down to 201, then gained 4, then lost 3, then gained 2, etc. I used to have extreme fatigue problems, but my energy has been coming back and I've been working out again. I don't know what the problem is with my diet, though. Is there anyone that would mind looking at my diary and tell me what I might be doing wrong? I know my diary isn't perfect, but maybe there is something that will jump out at you. Thanks!

elvensnow

I'm definitely no expert so all things with a grain of salt.

Your diary looks pretty good but two things I noticed:

1) Your macro for protein seems a little low, and carbs a bit high. I'm not sure what your % breakdown is at (did you just do what MFP set?) but you could try adjusting it in the goals>custom settings. A 40/30/30 split for carbs/protein/fat is pretty standard, but there's also information all over about what macros you can use. For women though I would recommend having at least 120-150g of protein a day. (Not that I hit that goal myself very often but I am trying!). You may have to figure out what % that is for MFP settings.

2) You look to be doing about 14-1500 calories a day but eating back exercise? If that's the case I would point out that the MFP calculators for exercise tend to overestimate a LOT so I usually don't like "eating back" exercise. I tend to prefer the TDEE method, which you can find a lot of info about on these boards or just google it

In regards to #2 as well, I would ask how accurate you think you are with your measurements. Usually we find we are eating way more than we think because of innacurate measurements. Buy a food scale and take a week or two to measure EVERYTHING you eat, and see if it is coming out as accurate as you thought. Some info here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think

Well that's about the best info I can give without being a cert. nutritionist or anything, hope it helps

PandaCustard

Thank you for your advice. I do have a lot of trouble with protein in the fact that I don't eat a whole lot of meat (and no red meat at all as recommended by my doctor). Do I have to start eating more meat in order to get more protein, or are there other options that aren't really high-calorie?

Also, a question about the TDEE method... that really confuses me a lot. It says my TDEE is 2586, but MFP has my max set at 1650. I just... don't get it, haha.

elvensnow

Are you a vegetarian or just don't like meat much? I don't think I'd be much help in that regard :laugh:

But for protein sources yes meat's about the best. And there are plenty of lean options like turkey and chicken that can give you a lot of protein for little calories. For example, a 2 oz serving of turkey deli meat is about 60 calories but 11g protein. That's pretty good really!

Aside from meats though there's nuts - but they are calorie dense. Also beans - again can be calorie dense depending. Edamame is a great source for protein, I also like hummus - it doesn't have a ton of protein but its super yummy anyhow. There's also dairy, so drinking milk, eating greek yogurt, cheeses.

I have been trying to incorporate protein shakes into my diet since I am now doing weight lifting. They can get you anywhere from 20-50g of protein for equivalent calories (protein is average 4 calories per g).

Usually I just google the interwebs for "high protein snacks" or things like that and you can find tons of ideas.

As for MFP, they use rough estimations and also assume you will "eat back" exercise calories. I don't follow MFP's settings, I do my own custom goals using the TDEE calculators (in which case you DONT "eat back" exercise). Either way should net you about the same, I just find the single TDEE method to be a lot simpler. It also removes the risk of over-estimating exercise calories and thus over-eating and ruining your deficit. Point is, MFP will always be a lot lower than TDEE calculators.

Edit: Also a note about TDEE: TDEE calculators will give you maintenance calories (so the 2500 figure you got should be maintenance, if the calculator didn't already calculate deficit). To lose weight you take off a %, usually between 10-20, to create the deficit. So 2500*0.8 = 2000 is roughly what you would eat every day.That's why you see people refer to TDEE-20%.

Fuzzipeg

if you are looking for veg protein you could be thinking, peas, beans and pulses these are lentil family, none of these are high in calories. Nuts on the other hand are higher in calories and some are high is fats.

all the best

PandaCustard

Not a vegetarian; I eat fish and poultry every once in a while. It's just not a big thing for me. I'll give TDEE a whirl. Thanks for all your input!

wordstill

I was hovering around 201-203 for a few weeks and just couldn't get under 200. I used TDEE and it got me to 198 in a few days. If you have a spreadsheet program you can use the one in this thread. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/813720-spreadsheet-bmr-tdee-deficit-macro-calcs-hrm-zones to find out and adjust your TDEE when need be.

jeromykaplan

Try paleo for a while when i was plateauing for a long time and tried paleo and lost 20 lbs this year

PikaKnight

I've had issues myself with protein and what has worked for me has been including a protein powder. I am lactose intolerant but use Optimum Nutrition Gold Whey isolates and do just fine on it. It's a good price and a scoop gets you 24g of protein for 120 cals.

And are you using a food scale to measure out your food?

PikaKnight

Thank you for your advice. I do have a lot of trouble with protein in the fact that I don't eat a whole lot of meat (and no red meat at all as recommended by my doctor). Do I have to start eating more meat in order to get more protein, or are there other options that aren't really high-calorie?

Also, a question about the TDEE method... that really confuses me a lot. It says my TDEE is 2586, but MFP has my max set at 1650. I just... don't get it, haha.

TDEE method includes some exercise calories. For instance. If you had a BMR of 1600 and a moderate TDEE level of 2000 cals - that means about 400 cals of exercise are included.

MFP's formula doesn't include exercise calories. So if they give you a calorie goal of 1650, that means that you need to eat this plus exercise calories back.

Doing that will mean you are netting 1650. You can find the formula on the goals page.

PandaCustard

Thanks so much for all of your input. I'll work on the protein thing. I should have mentioned as well: I have celiac disease, so what I can eat is pretty limited (so sadly, no pastas, and most protein powders are off-limits). I will also incorporate more exercise. The circuit training that is logged is the 30 Day Shred; I have an exercise bike and some cardio DVDs, so I'll work that in, too.

@ Joy_Joy: I don't have a food scale. I measure everything in measuring cups, but I buy my meats at a butcher who weighs out things individually for me, so I know those are accurate at the very least. You're right though; I think it's about time to invest in a scale for all other things. And thanks for the TDEE explanation!

I appreciate all the input!

allshebe

Well, in spite of the personal trainer's statement, dairy can be a good source of protein. 4 ounces of plain non-fat greek yogurt (fage brand) provides 10 grams of protein and only 4.5 grams of (natural) sugar. Add your own fresh or frozen fruit to control the amount of "added" sugar. 30 grams of cheddar cheese (a slice and a half or so) is 7 grams of protein and no sugar. Legumes/pulses are also good sources of GF protein, but also provide a substantial amount of carbs, so getting enough protein from vegetable sources can be a balancing act if you want to keep carbs relatively low. Fish is a great source of relatively low fat protein and some kinds (like wild caught salmon) are also a good source of omega 3's. A 2.6 ounce pouch of low sodium tuna provides 17 grams of protein.

FitnessBeverlyHills

Well, in spite of the personal trainer's statement, dairy can be a good source of protein. 4 ounces of plain non-fat greek yogurt (fage brand) provides 10 grams of protein and only 4.5 grams of (natural) sugar. Add your own fresh or frozen fruit to control the amount of "added" sugar. 30 grams of cheddar cheese (a slice and a half or so) is 7 grams of protein and no sugar. Legumes/pulses are also good sources of GF protein, but also provide a substantial amount of carbs, so getting enough protein from vegetable sources can be a balancing act if you want to keep carbs relatively low. Fish is a great source of relatively low fat protein and some kinds (like wild caught salmon) are also a good source of omega 3's. A 2.6 ounce pouch of low sodium tuna provides 17 grams of protein.

Over doing the cheese in place of protein is a huge no-no. Fat free greek yogurt is not a problem, but stay away from cheese. A little sprinkle is ok but unless its fat free, the majority of calories from cheese is from fat (obviously sugar is not the problem with cheese). The best source of protein for weight loss and gaining muscle are from eggs and lean meats( vegetables just don't count they are not complete proteins). I've studied nutrition and fitness for 10yrs, I know what it takes to lose weight.

Instead of potatoes.... legumes, quinoa, and even sweet potatoes are better alternatives.

FitnessBeverlyHills

do you use free weights or exercise bands in your fitness program? If not I think you will see great results from adding in some type of resistance training. A simple resistance band can work every muscle group efficiently and muscle mass makes a huge difference in overall weight loss, long term weight loss, and calorie burning.

AnvilHead

Over doing the cheese in place of protein is a huge no-no. Fat free greek yogurt is not a problem, but stay away from cheese. A little sprinkle is ok but unless its fat free, the majority of calories from cheese is from fat (obviously sugar is not the problem with cheese)...

A couple questions for you, since you're a personal trainer and have studied nutrition for 10 years:

What exactly is the problem with dietary fat?

Why should cheese be entirely avoided?

jetlag

Over doing the cheese in place of protein is a huge no-no. Fat free greek yogurt is not a problem, but stay away from cheese. A little sprinkle is ok but unless its fat free, the majority of calories from cheese is from fat (obviously sugar is not the problem with cheese)...

A couple questions for you, since you're a personal trainer and have studied nutrition for 10 years:

What exactly is the problem with dietary fat?

Why should cheese be entirely avoided?

*Pulls up chair, grabs popcorn*

shadus

*Pulls up chair, grabs popcorn*

Yeah, this should be fun.

flumi_f

Not a vegetarian; I eat fish and poultry every once in a while. It's just not a big thing for me. I'll give TDEE a whirl. Thanks for all your input!

Elven has some very good points.

I find I lose better with more protein and less carbs too. If you don't want to eat alot of meat, try eggs, cottage cheese, tofu etc. When prepared with spices and fresh herbs, I like them alot as alternatives.

FitnessBeverlyHills

Over doing the cheese in place of protein is a huge no-no. Fat free greek yogurt is not a problem, but stay away from cheese. A little sprinkle is ok but unless its fat free, the majority of calories from cheese is from fat (obviously sugar is not the problem with cheese)...

A couple questions for you, since you're a personal trainer and have studied nutrition for 10 years:

What exactly is the problem with dietary fat?

Why should cheese be entirely avoided?

The problem is Cheese contains Saturated Fats, which are not healthy fats. Unless you are doing enough cardio to burn this fat, it will sit in your body as gained fat...which I am guessing is the main thing everyone here would like to lose.

Now lets take the fats you get from Salmon and avocados for example. These foods are high in fat, but contain good fats like Omega Fatty Acids. These fats your body can utilize and have a better chance of being absorbed and used by the body instead of just sitting in your fat cells and adding to weight and body fat.

This is all pretty common knowledge, stay away from saturated fats found in cheese, milk, butter, and meats. Instead opt for fat free, like fat free cottage cheese, skim milk, and lean cuts of meats like the filet. This is also why you want to skin your chickens ad avoid eating the skin.

FitnessBeverlyHills

For the record, this isnt a competition. I am here to help, I;ve been in the fitness industry for many years, I;ve worked as a model for Nike. I am here to help give advice and encourage my clients to use this program so they can track their diets which I can also check on through their profiles. No one has to take my advice but its what I do everyday and I personally know what it takes to lose weight and most importantly keep it off. As far as cheese is concerned, I advise my clients to keep it to a minimum, ask for light cheese when eating out, and stick to fat free versions whenever possible. Each Fat gram has 9 calories, making it incredibly easy to over eat and not realize the amount of calories you are taking in.

SkepticallyFit

Over doing the cheese in place of protein is a huge no-no. Fat free greek yogurt is not a problem, but stay away from cheese. A little sprinkle is ok but unless its fat free, the majority of calories from cheese is from fat (obviously sugar is not the problem with cheese)...

A couple questions for you, since you're a personal trainer and have studied nutrition for 10 years:

What exactly is the problem with dietary fat?

Why should cheese be entirely avoided?

The problem is Cheese contains Saturated Fats, which are not healthy fats. Unless you are doing enough cardio to burn this fat, it will sit in your body as gained fat...which I am guessing is the main thing everyone here would like to lose.

Now lets take the fats you get from Salmon and avocados for example. These foods are high in fat, but contain good fats like Omega Fatty Acids. These fats your body can utilize and have a better chance of being absorbed and used by the body instead of just sitting in your fat cells and adding to weight and body fat.

This is all pretty common knowledge, stay away from saturated fats found in cheese, milk, butter, and meats. Instead opt for fat free, like fat free cottage cheese, skim milk, and lean cuts of meats like the filet. This is also why you want to skin your chickens ad avoid eating the skin.

I can see from your pictures that what you recommend works for you, but everyone's body doesn't work exactly the same. Further, there is no evidence that saturated fat causes weight gain on a caloric deficit. In fact, that's quite impossible. So telling people to avoid saturated fat is pointless in a discussion about weight loss. There is some evidence that links saturated fat to cardiovascular disease (some of which has been disputed), but there is no indication that it causes weight gain independent of caloric intake.

MissSaturday

Over doing the cheese in place of protein is a huge no-no. Fat free greek yogurt is not a problem, but stay away from cheese. A little sprinkle is ok but unless its fat free, the majority of calories from cheese is from fat (obviously sugar is not the problem with cheese)...

A couple questions for you, since you're a personal trainer and have studied nutrition for 10 years:

What exactly is the problem with dietary fat?

Why should cheese be entirely avoided?

The problem is Cheese contains Saturated Fats, which are not healthy fats. Unless you are doing enough cardio to burn this fat, it will sit in your body as gained fat...which I am guessing is the main thing everyone here would like to lose.

Now lets take the fats you get from Salmon and avocados for example. These foods are high in fat, but contain good fats like Omega Fatty Acids. These fats your body can utilize and have a better chance of being absorbed and used by the body instead of just sitting in your fat cells and adding to weight and body fat.

This is all pretty common knowledge, stay away from saturated fats found in cheese, milk, butter, and meats. Instead opt for fat free, like fat free cottage cheese, skim milk, and lean cuts of meats like the filet. This is also why you want to skin your chickens ad avoid eating the skin.

That's true!! Saturated FAT better NOO! I can see that you eat food highly fatty like some salad (Kroger - Fresh Selections Cobb Salad Kit, 1 salad & toppingsI don't know that food. maybe you add some dressing)... try eat more fresh food instead of processed one. you can buy mozzarella fat reduced check cal and fats and some tomatos and have a nice meal!

nika_bolinhos

Not wanting to interrupt ping pong chat here and just sharing from my own experience.
I couple of months ago I finally managed to overcome a plateau that I was stuck in for 3 months. I could still see my body changing, it was funny, it kind of felt like my body was adapting it's shapes to my new weight, that was after losing 10kg. But anyway, after that I changed my exercise routine, I was power walking with norwegian sticks at the the time from 5 to 2 times a week for 60 min each day, firstly I started using weights on my legs and arms, that got rid of 2kg and I now changed to dance classes, the classes last about 45 min, I go to the classes 4 days a week and I since I got to it I lost 3kg, I started the classes less than a month ago.
I try to put everything in my diary, but I don't bother with scales and usually use it just as a reference, a very non exact reference. Anyway, this was all to tell you what I learned from this process. You have to exercise your whole body if you want to get the muscles going and the fat burned and changing exercise routines when you get used to them helps to overcome avoid plateaus.

Another thing is about eating fat and all that. When I started my diet I decided to go to by the odd road and increase my fat intake instead of lowering, and I have to say that it helped a lot. I got this book called Fat: An Appreciation of a Misunderstood Ingredient, with Recipes by Jennifer McLagan and have been living by their rules, not to mention that now when I have bacon I fry it in fat it tastes amazing and it keeps me going for much longer, avoiding nibbles between meals became a piece of cake as well. Since me and my husband started eating more fat and banished anything with light or fat free in the label from our house we both lost weight, he lost 5kg without changing anything else and I lost 15kg since I started, I started dieting before signing up to MFP, when I got here I had lost 5kg already. We also avoid eating out and it became much easier since the food we cook is so much tastier than anything we can get in a restaurant, say whatever you like but fat is delicious

I hope this helps or at least shows a different approach that works and that is the opposite of what most people go for

FitnessBeverlyHills

Over doing the cheese in place of protein is a huge no-no. Fat free greek yogurt is not a problem, but stay away from cheese. A little sprinkle is ok but unless its fat free, the majority of calories from cheese is from fat (obviously sugar is not the problem with cheese)...

A couple questions for you, since you're a personal trainer and have studied nutrition for 10 years:

What exactly is the problem with dietary fat?

Why should cheese be entirely avoided?

The problem is Cheese contains Saturated Fats, which are not healthy fats. Unless you are doing enough cardio to burn this fat, it will sit in your body as gained fat...which I am guessing is the main thing everyone here would like to lose.

Now lets take the fats you get from Salmon and avocados for example. These foods are high in fat, but contain good fats like Omega Fatty Acids. These fats your body can utilize and have a better chance of being absorbed and used by the body instead of just sitting in your fat cells and adding to weight and body fat.

This is all pretty common knowledge, stay away from saturated fats found in cheese, milk, butter, and meats. Instead opt for fat free, like fat free cottage cheese, skim milk, and lean cuts of meats like the filet. This is also why you want to skin your chickens ad avoid eating the skin.

I can see from your pictures that what you recommend works for you, but everyone's body doesn't work exactly the same. Further, there is no evidence that saturated fat causes weight gain on a caloric deficit. In fact, that's quite impossible. So telling people to avoid saturated fat is pointless in a discussion about weight loss. There is some evidence that links saturated fat to cardiovascular disease (some of which has been disputed), but there is no indication that it causes weight gain independent of caloric intake.

Everyones body is different of course, but there are tons of studies which indicate Saturated Fat clogs your arteries and is not good for you or your body. This is really common and I'm surprised it is causing such a discussion. Everyone knows, cut the fat off when cooking meats, take the skin off chicken, dont eat fried foods, don't eat a lot of cheese...the reason is because all of these foods are very high in saturated fat. You can simply look it up in Wikpedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturated_fat

Its been known for many years now to get your fat sources from unsaturated fats.

As far as nika_bolinhos....are you sure your extra weight loss was due to eating more fat, or possibly more likely due to the fact that you are changing up your fitness routine, especially adding in a full body resistance training routine. I doubt its an increase in fats unless its from healthy foods such as avocados, salmon, nuts, olive oil ect. Adding some kind of weight/resistance routine is so important and makes a huge difference. And our bodies adapt very quickly to exercise regimes, so changing things up and trying new activities is one of the best ways to jump start your weight loss and get out of a stubborn plateau. Its all about constantly challenging your body and then your body having to adapt to those new changes. I would likely attribute these 2 things to your weight loss, though I'm sure honey boo boo would love your high fat diet, I would be careful with it.

neanderthin

Over doing the cheese in place of protein is a huge no-no. Fat free greek yogurt is not a problem, but stay away from cheese. A little sprinkle is ok but unless its fat free, the majority of calories from cheese is from fat (obviously sugar is not the problem with cheese)...

A couple questions for you, since you're a personal trainer and have studied nutrition for 10 years:

What exactly is the problem with dietary fat?

Why should cheese be entirely avoided?

The problem is Cheese contains Saturated Fats, which are not healthy fats. Unless you are doing enough cardio to burn this fat, it will sit in your body as gained fat...which I am guessing is the main thing everyone here would like to lose.

Now lets take the fats you get from Salmon and avocados for example. These foods are high in fat, but contain good fats like Omega Fatty Acids. These fats your body can utilize and have a better chance of being absorbed and used by the body instead of just sitting in your fat cells and adding to weight and body fat.

This is all pretty common knowledge, stay away from saturated fats found in cheese, milk, butter, and meats. Instead opt for fat free, like fat free cottage cheese, skim milk, and lean cuts of meats like the filet. This is also why you want to skin your chickens ad avoid eating the skin.

I can see from your pictures that what you recommend works for you, but everyone's body doesn't work exactly the same. Further, there is no evidence that saturated fat causes weight gain on a caloric deficit. In fact, that's quite impossible. So telling people to avoid saturated fat is pointless in a discussion about weight loss. There is some evidence that links saturated fat to cardiovascular disease (some of which has been disputed), but there is no indication that it causes weight gain independent of caloric intake.

Everyones body is different of course, but there are tons of studies which indicate Saturated Fat clogs your arteries and is not good for you or your body. This is really common and I'm surprised it is causing such a discussion. Everyone knows, cut the fat off when cooking meats, take the skin off chicken, dont eat fried foods, don't eat a lot of cheese...the reason is because all of these foods are very high in saturated fat. You can simply look it up in Wikpedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturated_fat

Its been known for many years now to get your fat sources from unsaturated fats.

As far as nika_bolinhos....are you sure your extra weight loss was due to eating more fat, or possibly more likely due to the fact that you are changing up your fitness routine, especially adding in a full body resistance training routine. I doubt its an increase in fats unless its from healthy foods such as avocados, salmon, nuts, olive oil ect. Adding some kind of weight/resistance routine is so important and makes a huge difference. And our bodies adapt very quickly to exercise regimes, so changing things up and trying new activities is one of the best ways to jump start your weight loss and get out of a stubborn plateau. Its all about constantly challenging your body and then your body having to adapt to those new changes. I would likely attribute these 2 things to your weight loss, though I'm sure honey boo boo would love your high fat diet, I would be careful with it.

Can't see why after studying nutrition for a decade that someone would have these opinions.

NonnyMary

For the record, this isnt a competition. I am here to help, I;ve been in the fitness industry for many years, I;ve worked as a model for Nike. I am here to help give advice and encourage my clients to use this program so they can track their diets which I can also check on through their profiles. No one has to take my advice but its what I do everyday and I personally know what it takes to lose weight and most importantly keep it off. As far as cheese is concerned, I advise my clients to keep it to a minimum, ask for light cheese when eating out, and stick to fat free versions whenever possible. Each Fat gram has 9 calories, making it incredibly easy to over eat and not realize the amount of calories you are taking in.

You sound sensible to me!

nika_bolinhos

So, since I was asked about the whole eating more fat and losing more weight situation I'll explain a bit better how it affected me.
I don't think I'm losing weight just because I started eating more fat, I have been exercising more as well and that certainly made most of the difference. However the thing about eating more fat that made a world of difference to me is that it really helps to avoid snack between meals. You feel as fool as normal after eating the same size portion you would otherwise, but that lasts for much longer. You ingest more calories with your meal and avoid stuffing yourself between meals, so no more little snack, sandwiches, crisps, chips and all of those little things that add up to so much. The other things that makes you feel full for quite a while are carbs and grains...anyway, the introduction of the book explains much better than I do, and no I don't know the lady who wrote the book and I'm not trying to advertise it, it's just something that when you read makes a lot of sense and as soon as I started to adopt a different behaviour towards my food intake I started to feel better, more energised and with much less cravings. So what I'm saying is not that I lost weight just for eating fat, but that eating more fat helped me to avoid a ridiculous amount of food that I would be eating otherwise without it being a struggle. I love that, I love not being constantly hungry and craving, I love that my food is tastier and richer now and that I can eat about half the amount I used to without feeling hungry for twice as long. It allows me to enjoy the things I like and not to struggle with my limited calorie intake at the same time. I probably should mention that I don't only eat fatty things, I am crazy for my veggies and salads, I can't spend a day without fruits and green in my life without feeling like there is something missing, I'm the sort of person who carries a bag of tangerines to a party.

neanderthin

Well let me put it this way. I am healthy, strong, train on a weekly basis, eat healthy, and am not trying to lose weight. I know how to lose weight and keep it off. I have helped my clients lose hundreds of pounds and I have trained everyone from actors to models, to professional dancers, and your everyday person. I get paid thousands of dollars a month and I am able to support myself by helping others achieve their fitness goals. I am very successful at my job and I am also a certified Pilates Instructor. You are welcome to visit my website at FitnessBeverlyHills ......I am not sure if you also work in the fitness industry, but considering this is my job in which I make my living, I think I know what I am talking about and I would be more inclined to listen to someone with experience. If you are serious about losing weight try listening to someone who is a professional or just read the hundreds of studies on saturated fats. This I thought was common sense, but I realize that this is probably why this country has such an epidemic of overweight and unhealthy people. Many people are very misguided on healthy eating. I just saw a post yesterday by someone asking why fried zucchini was so unhealthy. I'm not telling you these things to argue with you, I'm trying to help you and the original poster. Saturated fats are no good, Eating Bacon is NOT HEALTHY unless you want to look like Paula Dean and eat Bacon, biscuits and fried chicken all day. No Bueno

Why is saturated fat bad, I forgot. Why is there saturated fat in every single food that has any fat in it at all. Do you think mother nature is trying to kill us?

FitnessBeverlyHills

Saturated fat is not in everything. There are no saturated fats in Vegetables, fruits, fat free cottage cheese, it is mainly found in Dairy and meats. Saturated fats in very low amount are fine like skinned chicken, turkey, low fat meats, but in high amounts it clogs your arteries, increases your cholesterol, and leads to excessive weight gain. Thats just how it is, I don't think "mother nature" has anything to do with it. There are many things in nature that when taken in access are very harmful. Just because its in nature doesn't mean its healthy to eat. Mother nature made Poison Ivy..would you chop it up into a salad and eat it? I don't think so.

There are plenty of foods that contain healthy fats as I stated earlier like Salmon, Nuts, Olive Oil, Avocado..these fats are good for your body and healthy to consume. Here is an article you can read and there are plenty of others just google "bad fats"
http://www.helpguide.org/life/healthy_diet_fats.htm

neanderthin

Saturated fat is not in everything. There are no saturated fats in Vegetables, fruits, fat free cottage cheese, it is mainly found in Dairy and meats. Saturated fats in very low amount are fine like skinned chicken, turkey, low fat meats, but in high amounts it clogs your arteries, increases your cholesterol, and leads to excessive weight gain. Thats just how it is, I don't think "mother nature" has anything to do with it. There are many things in nature that when taken in access are very harmful. Just because its in nature doesn't mean its healthy to eat. Mother nature made Poison Ivy..would you chop it up into a salad and eat it? I don't think so.

There are plenty of foods that contain healthy fats as I stated earlier like Salmon, Nuts, Olive Oil, Avocado..these fats are good for your body and healthy to consume. Here is an article you can read and there are plenty of others just google "bad fats"
http://www.helpguide.org/life/healthy_diet_fats.htm

Fat free cottage cheese must be from the cows that give fat free milk I guess. And yes there's saturated fat in all the foods you mentioned, that's just the way it works, you should know that, it's just biology. For example there's the same amount of saturated fat in 1 avocado and 100g's of salmon as there is in 100g's of flanks steak and the steak has less calorie than both. Did you really say clogs arteries......who says that?

FitnessBeverlyHills

Im not the one trying to lose weight so how has eating all that saturated fat been working out for you? Its not healthy, do some research, this is common sense. Yes whole milk from a cow will have saturated fat, then there is a process called centrifugation where the fat is removed from the milk. I personally prefer either organic milk or almond milk. This again is general knowledge. And sorry to inform you but eating a bunch of saturated fat causes clogged arteries and numerous health problems..just like cigarettes cause cancer, gee who still says that SMH I must be so old school to think that eating bacon, cheese, and fried chicken could possibly be horrible for me.

The issue is not completely cutting out saturated fats, its reducing them. You might eat salmon over a flank steak because of all the healthy fats it contains which are beneficial, either is a fine choice IMO, However its better to reduce your saturated fat intake by not consuming the fat and cutting it off.

I feel like this is an argument that was already researched in great length in the 1970's and I'm shocked that in 2013 there is still so much misconception and a lack of education in nutrition. It really is no wonder Americans are so over weight and unhealthy. You can believe what you want to believe, its your health thats at risk, but it doesn't hurt to listen to a professional that might possibly have more experience in the matter than you.