Calories vs Fat

tracencolor
tracencolor Posts: 7
edited December 19 in Food and Nutrition
I've only been here a couple days but it seems a lot of MFP is about counting and cutting back on calories. But as my husband's pointed out before, cut calories and the fat seems to go up. Get "light" food and it's lower fat but higher calories. Which is better or is it a combination of the two? I try to watch the carbs to some extent to as he is more into the no-carb diets but I just can't do that, at least not at this point.

Replies

  • skinnyminni1985
    skinnyminni1985 Posts: 24
    bump
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    there's only three major food sources of calories - protein, fat and carbohydrates (plus alcohol I guess)

    So if you seek to reduce calories then reducing one or more of them is necessary and like your husband I choose to reduce carbs preferentially. You should maintain your protein intake for muscle / organ preservation.

    Lite and Diet food follows the low calorie low fat high carbohydrate model, one which I believe does not work. You would be better off eating smaller portions at the same ratios, or cutting carbs, in my opinion - you certainly don't want to increase carbs.

    Reducing carbs can be as easy as not having fries or pasta with something - enjoy the meat and veg without the added starches. All you're losing is calories.
  • leslisa
    leslisa Posts: 1,350 Member
    Me too. I opt out of a lot of carbs (that doesn't mean 0, it just means maybe try cutting them in half at first and then go from there).
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    I'm trying to make lifesyle changes that I can live with forever. So opting out of carbs is not the solution for me. A couple of "general" things I've found:

    Less processed = more protien, more fiber, or simply just less zero nutrional value calories = these are more filling foods. I choose as many "whole" foods as I can. Whole grains and whole fruits.

    Veggies are almost always low fat. They also contain fiber - a great "filler upper." I pack veggies in my lunch everyday, and find ways to add more of them for dinner.

    I "reduce" fat when I can - 2% cheese vs. regular. 1% cottage cheese instead of 4%. I may just use less low fat cheese, instead of the fat free kind. Keeping my fat too low makes me hungry more often.
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