Is a High Fat Macro % Unhealthy? If I’m healthy weight?

emarilynmead216

Week after week I consistently have macros that reflect 35-45% fat, about 20%-25% protein & the rest carbs.

I know this is higher than the recommended fat %, but is it unhealthy?

I’m slim, healthy weight (108lbs at 5’2) F in my 30s. I’m not the most active person, I walk a lot but work out maybe 1x a week so it’s not like I need extra fuel or anything.

The fat comes from eggs, nuts & nut butters, seeds, yogurt, meat, regular butter (a lot of butter lol)... Occasional ice cream. Is this something I need to correct & add more carbs to be healthy?

cmriverside

That's about where mine fall pretty consistently, too. It is the way I like to eat and it satisfies me.

Your question would best be answered by a doctor - but this way of eating is easily sustainable and I've been doing it for ten years more or less, and I'm in my sixties. Good blood work, I'm healthy and still exercising and maintaining my weight.

cmriverside

I'd add that I did cut down on animal fat and increased my olive oil, coconut oil, sesame oil, nuts. I usually eat lean protein and eggs and full or 2% fat dairy, but not very much of it.

comptonelizabeth

My numbers are similar. I have regular blood tests(for a chronic condition) which so far show no problems but, we are all different! So I agree - you could just ask your doctor, though in my experience, in the UK at least, they will usually want to steer you towards lower fat and more complex carbs

JeromeBarry1

The USDA recommendations for carbohydrates are political. That is, a U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee under the chairmanship of a Senator from South Dakota wrote a bill requiring the USDA to recommend all Americans get 50% of their calories from carbohydrates such as are produced in South Dakota. That happened back in the 1970's.

Your doctor may simply parrot the USDA recommendations. That's lazy.

kimny72

OP, I'd say right now there is some disagreement in the medical community over how much fat is good/bad and if the type of fat it is matters.

If that is how you are comfortable eating, and it allows you to maintain a healthy weight, I'd say you are probably ahead of most people health wise anyway. Do you have a primary care physician and get blood work done regularly yet? I know I didn't even think to start doing that until I was closing in on 40 I'd guess your mid 30's are a great time to get a baseline for your blood work, and let the results of your physical and blood work guide you on how healthy your diet is for you.

Meanwhile, make sure you are not sedentary, as sometimes it seems like our activity level may end up being more important to our health than diet.

Please note I'm not a professional in any way shape or form, just curious like you are!

emarilynmead216

Thanks all! My bloodwork is good. A couple years ago I had borderline high cholesterol but I haven’t tested high since.

I’ll bring this up with my doc on my next visit to get her perspective, but good to see it seems like others have done well with higher fat.

mmapags

If your bloodwork is good and you are at a healthy body weight and active, walking a lot, I can't see where you have anything to be concerned about. I might watch my saturated fats a little. But nothing about your diet is concerning.

lemurcat2

cmriverside wrote: »

That's about where mine fall pretty consistently, too. It is the way I like to eat and it satisfies me.

Your question would best be answered by a doctor - but this way of eating is easily sustainable and I've been doing it for ten years more or less, and I'm in my sixties. Good blood work, I'm healthy and still exercising and maintaining my weight.

cmriverside wrote: »

I'd add that I did cut down on animal fat and increased my olive oil, coconut oil, sesame oil, nuts. I usually eat lean protein and eggs and full or 2% fat dairy, but not very much of it.

These posts by cmriverside are true for me too. I do think avoiding too much animal fat is probably a good idea, but I've seen nothing that I find convincing on fat as a whole, especially if your tests are good and you find it a more sustainable way to eat. For the most part I think the biggest health factors (other than obvious things like not smoking) are being a healthy weight, getting exercise/activity, and controlling lifestyle factors like stress when possible, maintaining connections with people, stuff like that.

cwolfman13

Depends...my lipid panels are very sensitive to fat intake.

Cahgetsfit

cwolfman13 wrote: »

Depends...my lipid panels are very sensitive to fat intake.

Yeah I think mine are too. I have bloods done every year and the year before last I had been eating higher fat (not super high, but higher than my normal) and for the first time ever in my whole life my bad cholesterol was actually in the recommended level. I know, that is actually not BAD right, it was at the bottom of the range of "normal". HOWEVER - pretty much always except when I was fat after pregnancy because eating like an idiot, my bad cholesterol has been UNDER the range. Like better than the bottom of the range. And my good cholesterol is always over the range. My Dr is always amazed by it every single year.

Anyhoo, OP, do some blood works and see where you are at, and eat in a way that keeps you satisfied. Fat doesn't fill me. I'm doing a one week water bloat cut right now (purely manipulations of my body) so eating stupid amounts of fat and low carbs. I am hungry all day long. And I can eat the exact same amount of overall calories but with a high carb/low fat macro split and not be hungry all day long.