Balancing protein and fat

nuke0409

Hi,

I am trying to maintain my weight (currently at 112 lbs) but I am working towards losing fat. My overall body fat percentage has dropped from 28.6% to 24.1% and I have been on a high protein diet since few weeks. However, I struggle to find sources which have high protein with less fat. I know that things like milk, yogurt, cheese do come in low fat-high protein but I was wondering what can be done about meat? How can I consume more protein without lot of fat?

mallory3411

Dietary fat is not the enemy as long as it is healthy fats.

Don't worry as much about the fats in olive oils, nuts, etc... all healthy for you.

rainbowbow

Why are you trying to cut out dietary fat? Fat is a necessary and important part of your diet. Eating less fat does not make you lose body fat...

nuke0409

I happen to have read somewhere on the internet that when trying to lose body fat, you have to eat less fat?? Sorry, cant cite the source here...But, if it is true that dietary fat need not be cut, then I think I am pretty much doing ok with my diet.

sid719e

You can add protein powder to meals. I like to put vanilla protein powder in plain greek yogurt. I also put it in oatmeal, smoothies, mix it with peanut butter (not low fat). There are endless things that you can do with protein powder.

yarwell

I happen to have read somewhere on the internet that when trying to lose body fat, you have to eat less fat??

you probably did, but it probably is not true.

Your body will use what it gets as fuel, if you have an overall calorie deficit that will be mainly the carbs and fat you eat plus the fat from your reserves.

mallory3411

Dietary fat doesn't have much to do with weight. Healthy fats are obviously healthiest for you. It's calories that make the difference in your weight.

SirBen81

Hi,

I am trying to maintain my weight (currently at 112 lbs) but I am working towards losing fat. My overall body fat percentage has dropped from 28.6% to 24.1% and I have been on a high protein diet since few weeks. However, I struggle to find sources which have high protein with less fat. I know that things like milk, yogurt, cheese do come in low fat-high protein but I was wondering what can be done about meat? How can I consume more protein without lot of fat?

Whey protein

nuke0409

Thanks for all the inputs!

By the way, I was also wondering, for bringing down body fat %, do you have to be calorie deficit? Right now, I eat around 1200-1300 calories per day with my diet mostly consisting of less than 55% of carbs, 25% protein and the rest are fats. I also have PCOS, so it is necessary for me to reduce carb intake. I indulge myself mostly in whole wheats, whole grain etc.

bossmodehan

plant based proteins have virtually no fat: beans (esp. soya beans), lentils and quinoa for example!

although, it is important that you get a sifficient intake of healthy fats, they are vehicles that help your body absorb other nutrients better

kdiamond

55% carbs isn't much of a carb deficit. Try a ratio like 40/30/30. Fats are good for you and keep you full. I eat almonds, use olive oil, peanut butter, salmon, etc.. I aim for 60 grams of fat a day, and I am a small girl. Eat more to lose more! 1200 isn't much, and will hinder your weight loss (fat loss) efforts.

hiker282

Chicken, fish, and egg whites, though there's so much good stuff in the yolk of eggs along with the fat that I'd say it's worth it.

psuLemon

If you want to cut fat you need to have a small calorie defict. Generally for women i suggest 15-20% below tdee. You do that along with heavy strength training and you will burn fat. And dietary fats are good for you. The only fat that isnt is transfat as its fake fat and our body cant handle it.

SirZee

Whey protein is high protein, low fat, low carb.

10KEyes

Hi,

I am trying to maintain my weight (currently at 112 lbs) but I am working towards losing fat. My overall body fat percentage has dropped from 28.6% to 24.1% and I have been on a high protein diet since few weeks. However, I struggle to find sources which have high protein with less fat. I know that things like milk, yogurt, cheese do come in low fat-high protein but I was wondering what can be done about meat? How can I consume more protein without lot of fat?

The fat isn't the issue. If your carbs are high, the body will use what it needs immediately of the carbs (they are quick to metabolize) and with all that insulin swirling in the blood the remaining carbs and pretty much all the fat you consumed will be stored in fat cells.

So in my opinion, you need to cut down on the carbs (75g to 150g) and increase your fat and protein along with maintaining a calorie deficit.

nuke0409

Hailing from India which is a carb-rich culture, it is pretty tough for me to cut down carbs further but I will try. However isn't it alright to have more complex carbs than refined carbs? Or is it that carbs, whatever form they are, are bad? Bit confused here...

meshashesha2012

Dietary fat is not the enemy as long as it is healthy fats.

Don't worry as much about the fats in olive oils, nuts, etc... all healthy for you.

this.

i dont even worry about my fat macro. keep in mind that when processed foods are marketed as low fat that more than likely means they have increased the numbers on other macros, which is usually sugar/carbohydrates

i personally dont think carbs are the problems so much as the type of carb. refined, processed carbs are definitely the ones to try and avoid. carbs like sweet potato, brown rice, whole grains, etc are good for you and your body needs them, especially if you're doing tough exercises

spngebobmyhero

Hailing from India which is a carb-rich culture, it is pretty tough for me to cut down carbs further but I will try. However isn't it alright to have more complex carbs than refined carbs? Or is it that carbs, whatever form they are, are bad? Bit confused here...

Low carb is often recommended for someone with PCOS. It sounds like you are doing great weight wise, but eating correctly may help you lose body fat percentage. For carbs: sweet potatoes, fruits (some), white rice, white potatoes.

A small study on the benefits of a ketogenic diet for PCOS women:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1334192/

wackyfunster

Fat only matters if you are carrying a caloric surplus. If you eat at maintenance or a deficit, it will not be stored.
Carbs are also not the enemy... insulin is only one pathway by which fat is stored. A "low carb" diet where lots of fat is eaten will still store fat when eating at a caloric surplus, which is why a lot of the Atkins people stop losing weight and/or start gaining weight after they drop all the water weight in the first 2-3 weeks.

Best way to lose body fat where you're at:

0) If you aren't doing heavy resistance training, start. 3 days a week for 1 hr/day is all you need.
1) Eat 3g/kg LBM protein/day (you should be eating at least 2.5 no matter what if you are trying to lose fat while sparing muscle).
2) Intermittent fasting: For a woman, fast 14 hours a day (sleeping counts), eat for 10. After 10-12 hours your body is burning your energy expenditures primarily from body fat stores/free fatty acids. This will give you another pound or pound and a half of fat loss a month, and you have to do literally nothing.

If you want to get even crazier, you can add carb/calorie cycling (check out leangains.com and rippedbody.jp if you want a really detailed and effective fat loss diet/exercise regimen). With all that, you should be able to drop at least 0.5-1% body fat a week. You will probably not maintain weight at that rate (it's a lot easier to lose fat than it is to put on muscle... as a female you can probably add around 1 lb lean body mass per month, maybe 1.5, and can probably drop 3-6 pounds of body fat in the same time period).

Hope that helps!

SirBen81

Hi,

I am trying to maintain my weight (currently at 112 lbs) but I am working towards losing fat. My overall body fat percentage has dropped from 28.6% to 24.1% and I have been on a high protein diet since few weeks. However, I struggle to find sources which have high protein with less fat. I know that things like milk, yogurt, cheese do come in low fat-high protein but I was wondering what can be done about meat? How can I consume more protein without lot of fat?

Chicken, turkey, fish, egg whites, tofu, and whey protein, whey protein, whey protein.