Are you afraid of fats?

selina884

So, in the UK we are scared and pushed into believing that fats = weight gain and in order to lose weight, we must succumb to low fat options/keep our fat intake down.

Have you seen this too? Ever fallen into this before realizing its a myth?

If you know of people trying to lose weight by lowering fat (only) - would you try to educate them?

cwolfman13

No...but reducing fat is also a good way of reducing calories...fat is 9 calories per gram. A lot of people consume too much fat...the SAD is basically a high fat, high carbohydrate diet...not a good combo...most people eating the SAD could stand to reduce both fat and carbohydrates...and more specifically carbohydrates coming from free sugars and other nutrient deficient sources.

There are many things for which I eat reduced fat...I drink 1% milk...I eat non-fat greek yogurt and other reduced fat dairy products (except cheese)...but that doesn't mean I shy away from fat...I eat a lot of avocados and nuts and nut butters and I cook with good cooking oils and butter.

auddii

Not afraid of fat, but I find that cutting some high fat foods help me stay within my calorie goals. It's a balance game.

usmcmp

Not afraid of fats. I do realize that reducing some of my higher fat containing foods helps me stay on track better. Fats are important for many metabolic processes. Higher fat foods are not always filling. It's about balance.

I would never tell a person following a low fat diet that it's not necessary. I don't know their medical history and maybe that works better for them when it comes to restricting calories.

kommodevaran

Yes, I fell for it, and I usually warn people against it when I think it's called for.

Catawampous

Being painfully honest - I have had the "fat is bad" beat into my brain so much by media sources, well meaning folks and bad websites that it is a daily struggle for me to unprogram myself.

MommyMeggo

I enjoy all the fats...in moderation like everything else.

Need2Exerc1se

selina884 wrote: »

So, in the UK we are scared and pushed into believing that fats = weight gain and in order to lose weight, we must succumb to low fat options/keep our fat intake down.

Have you seen this too?

Yes, sort of. I don't think I've ever seen it said that "fat = weight gain", but I have seen low fat diets recommended quite a lot.

Ever fallen into this before realizing its a myth?

Not sure how to answer this. Since fat is the thing I tend to overeat the most I do try to keep my fat intake down. It's not as if fat can't make me fat.

If you know of people trying to lose weight by lowering fat (only) - would you try to educate them?

Only if it was someone close enough that I'd know they would appreciate the advice. Otherwise I would not stick my nose in.

Alienique

It's not eating fats that'll make you fat, it's eating too much calories that'll do it. However, being lax with your fat intake will certainly contribute to the latter.

dhimaan

I am more afraid of cats.

tlflag1620

I grew up during the US low fat craze. So, yes, I was "afraid" of fat for a long time. Whenever I'd reduce calories, I'd target fat (the whole 1 g of fat is 9 calories so it's the easiest place to cut thing was beat into our heads). Unfortunately carbs make me hungry, so eating a higher carb, lower fat diet was disastrous for me. I felt hungry all the time and couldn't stick with a deficit long enough, or cut low enough, to get where I wanted to be. Out of desperation I tried a low carb high fat diet. Brilliant! I was satisfied on fewer calories so I dropped all the weight I wanted to lose, plus some I had no idea I even could lose (for a total of 50lb loss), without changing activity levels and without going hungry. Needless to say, I don't fear fat anymore! I get about 60-70% of my calories from fat these days and have maintained a healthy weight for almost three years now. That said, I don't try to talk anyone out of what they are doing - if it is working, great; if not, they might ask for my advice... Or not, and that's okay too. You do you, let other people take care of themselves. I wasn't ready to try a different approach until I was ready. Had someone tried to talk me out of lower fat, higher fiber eating ten years ago I wouldn't have listened.

Alyssa_Is_LosingIt

selina884 wrote: »

So, in the UK we are scared and pushed into believing that fats = weight gain and in order to lose weight, we must succumb to low fat options/keep our fat intake down.

Have you seen this too? Ever fallen into this before realizing its a myth?

If you know of people trying to lose weight by lowering fat (only) - would you try to educate them?

I thought the current evil macro was carbs/sugar?



Lol, jk.

I am not afraid of fats. I think many who grew up/dieted in the 80s may be, though? My mom still kind of adheres to this belief. I just try not to overeat calories and keep my diet balanced. If my fat is over for the day, meh. Same with protein/carbs. I just want to eat and get fit and not worry if I've had a bit too much of any one macro.

I don't generally try to "educate" people doing their own thing unless they ask for advice, so no I probably wouldn't say anything to them. No one appreciates unsolicited advice and I don't generally stick my nose in other people's business.

kgirlhart

I did low fat in the 90's and lost weight, but it was not a sustainable way of eating for me. I was always hungry and felt deprived. I eventually gained all the weight back and then some. I was able to lose over 60 pounds this time and I rarely felt hungry and I don't feel deprived either . I mostly focus on getting enough protein and I just let fats and carbs fall wherever they fall. I eat foods i like and stick to my calorie goal. I have only been at maintenance for a couple of months, but I feel confident that I will be able to continue this WOE forever.

rsclause

I eat lots of fats and you body needs fat too. I try to get mine from tree nuts, guacamole and such but avoid anything dipped in boiling oil.

Sabine_Stroehm

This is my sister. She won't eat an avocado, or part, or any because "it's fat!". She won't eat nuts.

Yes, fat is more calorie dense. I personally choose my fats carefully, but do find that if my snacks, in particular, have fat (nuts, seeds, avocado, cheese) compliance is easier. Fats satisfy me.

That said, I choose lean meats, and do use *some* lower fat dairy.

I look at labels, and do look to decrease nutrient poor, high calorie snacks and foods, those with a lot of the so-called "empty" calories.

zyxst

Wish I could eat as much fat as I wanted.

Spliner1969

Only reason I choose lower fat items is because it also lowers the calories. Otherwise I try to get my daily fat macro goals in, even if I have to eat more fatty foods.

savithny

Nope.
I grew up during the 80s low-fat craze too, but the information that not all fat is all bad was always tehre if you knew where to look. My mom nixed margarine when I was a kid because it was bad fat, but we ate butter and didn't worry too much about it.

And I remember learning "fat carries flavor" when people started talking about "sauteeing" in the newfangled "nonstick" pans (yes, I remember when it was the hot new thing!), and that you need some fat to make things taste better and to be able to absorb the fat-soluble vitamins.

I remember reading essays about how the "ALL FAT IS BAD" message was chosen by public health officials because someone decided that "FAT IS COMPLICATED BUT NECESSARY" was too complicated a message to try to explain.

I know that fat carries a lot of calories per a smaller amount of volume, so I try not to overdo it and blow my allotment. But I'm not afraid of it and I cook with it daily.

TavistockToad

selina884 wrote: »

So, in the UK we are scared and pushed into believing that fats = weight gain and in order to lose weight, we must succumb to low fat options/keep our fat intake down.

Have you seen this too? Ever fallen into this before realizing its a myth?

If you know of people trying to lose weight by lowering fat (only) - would you try to educate them?

I'm afraid of my peanut butter leaving me if I don't show commitment to eating it every day... so no, I am not scared of fat!

TavistockToad

selina884 wrote: »

So, in the UK we are scared and pushed into believing that fats = weight gain and in order to lose weight, we must succumb to low fat options/keep our fat intake down.

Have you seen this too? Ever fallen into this before realizing its a myth?

If you know of people trying to lose weight by lowering fat (only) - would you try to educate them?

I'm afraid of my peanut butter leaving me if I don't show commitment to eating it every day... so no, I am not scared of fat!

And I'm in the uk

lemurcat12

selina884 wrote: »

So, in the UK we are scared and pushed into believing that fats = weight gain and in order to lose weight, we must succumb to low fat options/keep our fat intake down.

Fats in general or saturated fat. I haven't really heard fats demonized since the '90s (except as part of a much broader set of recommendations like by the whole food plant-based folks). My understanding is that the recommendations to limit sat fat for health are still in place, and, yeah, I keep an eye on them, although it fits how I eat anyway.

I'd be kind of surprised if the UK is still all gung ho about low fat being always good and fat being always bad, but then I was surprised by the results of the Brexit vote too, so my being surprised isn't saying much.

I never fell into a belief that fat was bad, because I only dieted once before this time and it was in the early 2000s, and by then the low fat thing no longer seemed to be current advice in the US, at least not in the stuff I read in trying to understand how weight loss and nutrition worked.

If you know of people trying to lose weight by lowering fat (only) - would you try to educate them?

If they were interested in my opinion or asked my advice, sure. I wouldn't if they didn't ask for my opinion (and weren't making inaccurate claims on a message board for discussion of nutrition and dieting).

Gamliela

No, definately not. I use olive oil on my veg, allow calories for nut butters and eat meat, salmon, sardines, all fatty fish.
My dairy products aren't ever no fat, not even really low fat ,I think its 2.5 %. I will fit cheese in too and I eat eggs.

Its a matter of balance and counting how much I want to eat those things and fitting them in.
Logging has halped me eat more variety, I can see better how to work out a tasty but calorie appropriate meal plan.

Lounmoun

selina884 wrote: »

So, in the UK we are scared and pushed into believing that fats = weight gain and in order to lose weight, we must succumb to low fat options/keep our fat intake down.

Have you seen this too? Ever fallen into this before realizing its a myth?

If you know of people trying to lose weight by lowering fat (only) - would you try to educate them?

Well, a lot of fad diets focus on low fat foods and don't mention calories.
Lower fat does equal lower calorie in many cases. Lower calorie should equal weight loss if it is the right amount for the person to have a deficit.
I am not afraid of fats. I know we need some fat in our diets to be healthy. I do not eat a super low fat diet. I watch my calorie intake and know that if I slather things in oil or butter the calories go up but I'm giving up something with more nutritious to have more calories come from fat. So there isn't a fat eating frenzy either. Moderation.
If someone was discussing weight loss and said you could not eat fat and lose weight I would correct them and tell them weight loss was about calories. They could eat nothing but butter all day and lose weight if they had a calorie deficit. (Not recommending an all butter diet)

Gamliela

... and also full fat cream and butter when the food needs it, like with potatoes or oatmeal. One tablespoon, or even half that is enough in oatmeal for cream, and a teaspoon and a half of butter is usually pretty good. Its not really many calories compard to many other things.

Chef_Barbell

No.

JustMissTracy

The only people I try to educate are my kids and grandkids. Everyone else is on their own

yirara

No, I don't. I lived in Denmark for a while and gained a lot of weight. Not because my normal diet consisted of so much fat, but because stuff I was used to eating was all low-fat there. It was so difficult to find proper stiff full fat yogurt, full fat milk, so many other things. This was particularly true at work which served breakfast and lunch. And if you take fat out of food it loses a lot of taste. I was just longing for food with taste that I bought a lot of stuff additionally. Well.. that lead to gaining weight of course.

JustinAnimal

I love fat! It's been great getting to eat all I want, but like people have said, it does up the calories.

Personally, the big struggle when I eat high-fat is making sure that it's not all animal fat and mayonnaise. I have to make sure to do the olive oil, coconut oil, avocado, walnuts and almonds, etc.

JustinAnimal

yirara wrote: »

No, I don't. I lived in Denmark for a while and gained a lot of weight. Not because my normal diet consisted of so much fat, but because stuff I was used to eating was all low-fat there. It was so difficult to find proper stiff full fat yogurt, full fat milk, so many other things. This was particularly true at work which served breakfast and lunch. And if you take fat out of food it loses a lot of taste. I was just longing for food with taste that I bought a lot of stuff additionally. Well.. that lead to gaining weight of course.

Denmark had the best tasting butter, cheese... heck, all of the dairy, that I've ever experienced. Decent pork, too. The one amazing thing was, for a country comprised of islands (and one near-island, peninsula type thing), the seafood was terrible.

leanjogreen18

In my experience the low fat foods usually have more sugar added for taste. I try to go for full fat in moderation of course, it helps keep me full instead of lower fat sugar stuff.

GottaBurnEmAll

usmcmp wrote: »

Not afraid of fats. I do realize that reducing some of my higher fat containing foods helps me stay on track better. Fats are important for many metabolic processes. Higher fat foods are not always filling. It's about balance.

I would never tell a person following a low fat diet that it's not necessary. I don't know their medical history and maybe that works better for them when it comes to restricting calories.

^All of this. I'm not afraid of fat, I just don't find it filling. I follow a lower fat diet, because I budget my calories towards the vegetables, fruits, grains, and lean protein sources that I find more filling. Fat is a flavor enhancer for me. That's it.