Fat doesn't make you fat?

fightdem

Hi guys,

I heard that fat doesn't make you fat, but calorie surplus is. So how does this fat processed by the body? I tought that fat goes directly to your skin as a reserve energy. Because i just realised that tempeh have pretty high fat content, andi just ate a lot of it and go beyond my fat allowance. Should i worry about this? Thanks !

neanderthin

Short answer is no, don't worry. Excess calories is the reason we store any of the nutrients from any source as body fat and not individual food sources.

editorgrrl

You lose weight by eating at a deficit—that means burning more calories than you eat.

Eating a whole lot of fat can mean you're not getting enough protein & other nutrients to keep you healthy. And if you go over your calorie goal from eating too much fat then you won't lose weight.. But if you eat fat & eat at a deficit, you will lose weight.

Read this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

BBeanland

Fat can be used by the body as energy, so as long as you are active then you should be burning the calories that the fat gives you. As far as the nutritional properties of fat, it isn't that great for you, beware thought because unsaturated fats are less of a concern than saturated fats.

Fats will be stored by the body as energy reserves when you over do your calorie intake, so just watch how much you eat. If your goal is to cut fat, then cut down on fat intake. If you want to build muscle, then fats actually help break down proteins to build muscle. I'm not saying eat as much as you like though. ;-)

I'm no expert but this is what i gather from journals I've read.

Galatea_Stone

Fats help your body absorb nutrients, help with digestive function, and provide energy. The internet is so full of misinformation. Fat doesn't go directly to fat cells, and it doesn't go directly to skin (not even sure how that would work, maybe people confuse sebum with dietary fat?)

mortuseon

The reason people are often advised to avoid fat is not because it is directly stored as fat (it is typically used as fuel instead when in a caloric deficit) but because it is more calorie-dense than carbs or protein, with 9kcals per gram vs 4kcals per gram for the other 2 macros. However, if you're tracking your calories this effectively doesn't matter - telling people to cut down fat is just another way of creating a quick caloric deficit.

mumblemagic

Short answer is no, don't worry. Excess calories is the reason we store any of the nutrients from any source as body fat and not individual food sources.

This ^^

Have a look at this link:
http://evidencemag.com/fat-gain-process/

Basically although your body does process fats, carbs and proteins in different ways, overall it's the calories that count. Providing you are limiting your overall calorie intake you shouldn't put on weight, although it is still sensible to make sure you get a reasonable balance between fats, proteins and carbs.

Also this:

The reason people are often advised to avoid fat is not because it is directly stored as fat (it is typically used as fuel instead when in a caloric deficit) but because it is more calorie-dense than carbs or protein, with 9kcals per gram vs 4kcals per gram for the other 2 macros. However, if you're tracking your calories this effectively doesn't matter - telling people to cut down fat is just another way of creating a quick caloric deficit.

Dewymorning

Well, if you eat excess calories your body stores the fat you ate as fat, but it doesn't matter if the excess calories came from carbs or fat.

There are extreme cases where if you ate a huge amount of carbs and almost no fat your body would convert the carbs into fat.

But usually what happens is your body burns up the carbs first, then the fat and then stores any excess fat as fat.

Well, that is my understanding from the research I have done, I am not a biochemist.

neanderthin

Short answer is no, don't worry. Excess calories is the reason we store any of the nutrients from any source as body fat and not individual food sources.

This ^^

Have a look at this link:
http://evidencemag.com/fat-gain-process/

Basically although your body does process fats, carbs and proteins in different ways, overall it's the calories that count. Providing you are limiting your overall calorie intake you shouldn't put on weight, although it is still sensible to make sure you get a reasonable balance between fats, proteins and carbs.

Also this:

The reason people are often advised to avoid fat is not because it is directly stored as fat (it is typically used as fuel instead when in a caloric deficit) but because it is more calorie-dense than carbs or protein, with 9kcals per gram vs 4kcals per gram for the other 2 macros. However, if you're tracking your calories this effectively doesn't matter - telling people to cut down fat is just another way of creating a quick caloric deficit.

Yes, that is appropriate.

Abi198111

I'm no expert but if fat made you fat, then high fat/low carb diets wouldn't work...

tennisdude2004

I'm no expert but if fat made you fat, then high fat/low carb diets wouldn't work...

Eat fat to loss fat.

Sara2652

I have a pretty high fat diet and have been losing. It isn't intentional and maybe something I should try to fix but one thing at a time for me. Plus I give my self some allowance since most of the fat in my diet comes from regular consumption of nuts and not deep fried foods.

jackielou867

Excess carbs turn to sugar and if not burned off are stored as fat, or so I have read. Fat is used for energy but not stored. I think this is the theory the low carbers work on. But you still have to count calories, and eat good fats and as Fats are calorie dense if you eat to much you miss out on other food that is better for you. Although I do believe a little good fat (like the oil in my tuna) keeps you feeling fuller for longer than carbs.

neanderthin

I'm no expert but if fat made you fat, then high fat/low carb diets wouldn't work...

Eat fat to loss fat.

And kool aid, don't forget that.:bigsmile:

tennisdude2004

I'm no expert but if fat made you fat, then high fat/low carb diets wouldn't work...

Eat fat to loss fat.

And kool aid, don't forget that.:bigsmile:

It's your study that proves the case - we shall drink the kool aid together (I take it that was your reference?).:laugh:

Acg67

Excess carbs turn to sugar and if not burned off are stored as fat, or so I have read. Fat is used for energy but not stored. I think this is the theory the low carbers work on. But you still have to count calories, and eat good fats and as Fats are calorie dense if you eat to much you miss out on other food that is better for you. Although I do believe a little good fat (like the oil in my tuna) keeps you feeling fuller for longer than carbs.

I would suggest doing some more reading on the subject

neanderthin

I'm no expert but if fat made you fat, then high fat/low carb diets wouldn't work...

Eat fat to loss fat.

And kool aid, don't forget that.:bigsmile:

It's your study that proves the case - we shall drink the kool aid together (I take it that was your reference?).:laugh:

What study, what case?

kuolo

You need some dietary fat to make hormones, absorb nutrients and loads of other stuff. It also plays a role in regulating mood and stress etc. I think the recommended amount is 30% of calories.
Excess calories make you fat, doesn't matter where they come from.
But like many types of food, some types of fats are more helpful to your body than others. And some types are not great to have in large quantities. It's all about balance.
P.s. Your brain is largely made of fat so it can't be all bad!

fightdem

Sorry i forgot to input that tempeh is a good protein source food, the fat is mostly good fat. I just ate 500 gram of tempeh, and that gives me 95 g of protein and 55 of fat (mostly polyunsaturated and monosaturated). Okay, so bottomline any ammount of fat is okay if we stay at calorie deficit, right? Thanks everyone

dieselbyte

Excess carbs turn to sugar and if not burned off are stored as fat, or so I have read. Fat is used for energy but not stored. I think this is the theory the low carbers work on. But you still have to count calories, and eat good fats and as Fats are calorie dense if you eat to much you miss out on other food that is better for you. Although I do believe a little good fat (like the oil in my tuna) keeps you feeling fuller for longer than carbs.

I would suggest doing some more reading on the subject

Yes, please do some research on the subject.

hasta_la_vista_belly

I'm no expert but if fat made you fat, then high fat/low carb diets wouldn't work...

Eat fat to loss fat.

This. Lost almost 20 pounds since January eating a diet composed of 65-75% fat every day.

Unknown

This content has been removed.

FatGuyNL

It's the same with anything, there's good fats and bad fats. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated do the body good. You can't compare getting fat from sources like nuts, seeds, olive oil, avocado, ect to the kinds of fats in stuff like french fries and potato chips.

J72FIT

Fat can be used by the body as energy, so as long as you are active then you should be burning the calories that the fat gives you. As far as the nutritional properties of fat, it isn't that great for you, beware thought because unsaturated fats are less of a concern than saturated fats.

Fats will be stored by the body as energy reserves when you over do your calorie intake, so just watch how much you eat. If your goal is to cut fat, then cut down on fat intake. If you want to build muscle, then fats actually help break down proteins to build muscle. I'm not saying eat as much as you like though. ;-)

I'm no expert but this is what i gather from journals I've read.

No...

J72FIT

Excess carbs turn to sugar and if not burned off are stored as fat, or so I have read. Fat is used for energy but not stored.

No...

pinkspinner

Here's why fat alone doesn't make you fat. In order to get into the fat cell, you need the pancreas to secrete insulin. Insulin is the "key" to open the fat cell. Insulin is produced when we eat carbs (please note that carbs are sugar, breads, pasta, wine, beer etc). Thus if you eat fats and carbs together, e.g. pizza, the carbs make the pancreas secrete insulin. Insulin then opens the fat cell. Any fat can now go IN the fat cell and get stored. If you were eating just fats without the carbs, there is no insulin released and thus the fat cell doesn't get opened. Your body just sluffs the fat off. Conversely, if you eat carbs without the fat, the carbs may cause the body to release insulin but there is no fat to get stored in the fat cell. Your insulin level stabilizes and the "door" to the fat cell gets closed once the insulin level returns to a resting level. That is very simplistic but the key is to separate carbs and fats. Of course, you can't do this all the time so there are days when you have to splurge and combine the carbs and fats. But after a day like that, have a low carb/no carb (except veggies) day, to get rid of the excess carbs and fats you consumed the day before. Easier said than done but it works.

philipfoster76

I'm no expert but if fat made you fat, then high fat/low carb diets wouldn't work...

Eat fat to loss fat.

This. Lost almost 20 pounds since January eating a diet composed of 65-75% fat every day.

This! I'm down 30 pounds since January eating 65% to 70% fat daily.

The group consensus here is spot on: If you eat more calories than you burn, then it doesn't matter if it was protein, carbs, or fat...the extra calories will be stored as fat.
Your body uses different processes to modify all three into forms of useful energy, but if that energy isn't burned, it will become fat.

So, whatever diet you pick, and whatever method you think will work best for you, make sure you are at a deficit and you will lose weight.
Best of luck!

Acg67

Here's why fat alone doesn't make you fat. In order to get into the fat cell, you need the pancreas to secrete insulin. Insulin is the "key" to open the fat cell. Insulin is produced when we eat carbs (please note that carbs are sugar, breads, pasta, wine, beer etc). Thus if you eat fats and carbs together, e.g. pizza, the carbs make the pancreas secrete insulin. Insulin then opens the fat cell. Any fat can now go IN the fat cell and get stored. If you were eating just fats without the carbs, there is no insulin released and thus the fat cell doesn't get opened. Your body just sluffs the fat off. Conversely, if you eat carbs without the fat, the carbs may cause the body to release insulin but there is no fat to get stored in the fat cell. Your insulin level stabilizes and the "door" to the fat cell gets closed once the insulin level returns to a resting level. That is very simplistic but the key is to separate carbs and fats. Of course, you can't do this all the time so there are days when you have to splurge and combine the carbs and fats. But after a day like that, have a low carb/no carb (except veggies) day, to get rid of the excess carbs and fats you consumed the day before. Easier said than done but it works.

Ah the vaunted food combining theory

J72FIT

Here's why fat alone doesn't make you fat. In order to get into the fat cell, you need the pancreas to secrete insulin. Insulin is the "key" to open the fat cell. Insulin is produced when we eat carbs (please note that carbs are sugar, breads, pasta, wine, beer etc). Thus if you eat fats and carbs together, e.g. pizza, the carbs make the pancreas secrete insulin. Insulin then opens the fat cell. Any fat can now go IN the fat cell and get stored. If you were eating just fats without the carbs, there is no insulin released and thus the fat cell doesn't get opened. Your body just sluffs the fat off. Conversely, if you eat carbs without the fat, the carbs may cause the body to release insulin but there is no fat to get stored in the fat cell. Your insulin level stabilizes and the "door" to the fat cell gets closed once the insulin level returns to a resting level. That is very simplistic but the key is to separate carbs and fats. Of course, you can't do this all the time so there are days when you have to splurge and combine the carbs and fats. But after a day like that, have a low carb/no carb (except veggies) day, to get rid of the excess carbs and fats you consumed the day before. Easier said than done but it works.

No...

dieselbyte

Here's why fat alone doesn't make you fat. In order to get into the fat cell, you need the pancreas to secrete insulin. Insulin is the "key" to open the fat cell. Insulin is produced when we eat carbs (please note that carbs are sugar, breads, pasta, wine, beer etc). Thus if you eat fats and carbs together, e.g. pizza, the carbs make the pancreas secrete insulin. Insulin then opens the fat cell. Any fat can now go IN the fat cell and get stored. If you were eating just fats without the carbs, there is no insulin released and thus the fat cell doesn't get opened. Your body just sluffs the fat off. Conversely, if you eat carbs without the fat, the carbs may cause the body to release insulin but there is no fat to get stored in the fat cell. Your insulin level stabilizes and the "door" to the fat cell gets closed once the insulin level returns to a resting level. That is very simplistic but the key is to separate carbs and fats. Of course, you can't do this all the time so there are days when you have to splurge and combine the carbs and fats. But after a day like that, have a low carb/no carb (except veggies) day, to get rid of the excess carbs and fats you consumed the day before. Easier said than done but it works.

^Wrong! Just. Stop. Now.

Dietary fat can and is stored as fat without insulin release (ASP). In a caloric surplus, it is in fact excess dietary fat that the body preferentially (and most efficiently) stores. Your "simplistic" explanation is wrong on so many levels. Also, protein is almost as potent a stimulator to insulin release as carbs (which is a hugh misconception on the MFP site). Your "simplistic" explanation clearly lacks any understanding of how the human body oxidizes and stores energy, and isn't "real world" possible.