Goods and bads of sugar/fat - am I right?

maryjaquiss

The first time I started to lose weight, I used Weight Watchers - the old Points system where fats (especially sat fats) were the devil. So you ended up eating a high carb, low fat diet, loads of fat free yogurts full of sugar, Fry Light instead of proper oil to cook with, undressed salads (bleurgh) etc etc.

The thing I've liked about MFP is that it's allowed me to tailor my diet to something that makes me feel better and enjoy life, and that has included things like full fat Greek yogurt, butter, olive oil, avocado and lots of other things that would have sent my old WW plan into a tailspin. I'm less hungry, I feel better, I look better (skin, hair and nails in particular) and it's had no effect on the rate at which I've lost weight either, so it's win win!

My understanding of the reasoning behind this, with only a very brief glance of any research at all, is that sugar is really easily digested by the body and turns into energy immediately, hence the reason it's great for getting a boost on a long run or bike ride. But if you aren't continually active, your body can very quickly "decide" to save it for later and transform it into fat. Calories from dietary fat or protein are less easy to digest and so they're less likely to be turned quickly into fat on your body.

Am I thinking along the right lines? I'd be interested to hear arguments for and against! :happy:

neanderthin

No. Nothing is getting stored as fat when your in a deficit. Probably it's the satiating effect of whole foods over processed foods that you like. Even if someone was trying to gain weight, the calories in sugar are not the reason someone gains weight, it's the accumulative effect of all your calorie intake. There's a faction of people out there that believe because insulin is a storage hormone for body fat and sugar effecting a surge in insulin that sugar makes us fat......the blind leading the blind.

glennstoudt

The first time I started to lose weight, I used Weight Watchers - the old Points system where fats (especially sat fats) were the devil. So you ended up eating a high carb, low fat diet, loads of fat free yogurts full of sugar, Fry Light instead of proper oil to cook with, undressed salads (bleurgh) etc etc.

The thing I've liked about MFP is that it's allowed me to tailor my diet to something that makes me feel better and enjoy life, and that has included things like full fat Greek yogurt, butter, olive oil, avocado and lots of other things that would have sent my old WW plan into a tailspin. I'm less hungry, I feel better, I look better (skin, hair and nails in particular) and it's had no effect on the rate at which I've lost weight either, so it's win win!

My understanding of the reasoning behind this, with only a very brief glance of any research at all, is that sugar is really easily digested by the body and turns into energy immediately, hence the reason it's great for getting a boost on a long run or bike ride. But if you aren't continually active, your body can very quickly "decide" to save it for later and transform it into fat. Calories from dietary fat or protein are less easy to digest and so they're less likely to be turned quickly into fat on your body.

Am I thinking along the right lines? I'd be interested to hear arguments for and against! :happy:

You are on the right track here, I would suggest that further understanding can be had on further research. At some point however it all seems to run together with conflicting and competing studies, posturing to make money or sell books and a little bro-science thrown in.

The key is in your second paragraph about how you feel, look, and so on. That is the most important part.

Calories from fat and protein take longer to digest and assimilate nutrients, carb proteins, particularly non-complex ones are quickly converted to sugar, which is either used or stored as fat, depending on the intake amount, activity, and caloric deficit, or not that you have.

I have personally done very well reducing carbs and increasing protein in my nutritional profile, resulting in weight loss and a significant increase in lean body mass. There was a fair bit of exercise and strength training along with that effort over the last 9 months or so. Now it is about maintenance. The old adage applies, it's not a destination, it's a journey-- and hopefully a long one. Good luck in yours.