High fat or low fat... what works for you?
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SRH7
Posts: 2,037 Member
Last time I properly did low carb was several years ago using a very old Atkins book but it seems that loads of different versions have now sprung up. Getting back on board as of today and just can't make my mind up which one to try (Dukan - very low fat; South Beach - low fat; Idiot-Proof Diet - high fat; etc etc).
If you are doing a low carb way of eating/living, what works for you? Do you cut out fat, have small amounts... or make sure you eat every bit off that crispy lamb chop?
And why do you eat or not eat fat? Really interested in the theories/science behind it all.
Thanks.
If you are doing a low carb way of eating/living, what works for you? Do you cut out fat, have small amounts... or make sure you eat every bit off that crispy lamb chop?
And why do you eat or not eat fat? Really interested in the theories/science behind it all.
Thanks.
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Replies
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if you're low carb then you only have fat and protein to provide the bulk of your calories (and alcohol).
So if you have 100g of carbs = 400 calories and 125g of protein = 500 calories that's 900 and the rest will be fat (or alcohol).
I don't think we can use much more than about 1/3 of our calories as protein, if that, so the rest may as well be fat as surplus protein because the latter will break down and release some glucose as protein is about 50% anti-ketogenic.
So I'm in the low carb, adequate protein and lots of fats/oils camp.0 -
Hi
I also did low carb 3 years ago, lost a ton, but after, I really felt the carb cravings badly, ended up having the cheat meals/weekends and slowly gained weight. Interesting enough I kept my food diary (written format) for that time and while I was low carb I didn't have much fat in the diet, after a long road of trying to find out why i couldn't stick to any kind of healthy eating without bingeing, i'm now on a low carb (50g), moderate protein (1g per ld body weight) and a higher fat diet. I think fat helps me more then protein does for satiety - even tho it feels against what I thought I knew about eating fat I think I may be on the best eating plan for me, I hope so anyway.
My goal is really to stop the carb craving (dropping the fat again and keeping the lean mass would be a bonus!)0 -
Some really good points here - thanks. I know several people doing Dukan right now and while they are losing weight they all look utterly miserable tucking into their skinless grilled dry chicken breasts for lunch. Roasing a chicken for dinner - so I will eat the skin and think I might make some mayo to go with it then! And perhaps a small salad with some olive oil drizzled on.0
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I do better with higher fat, as I've found my limit on protein is around 30g per meal (otherwise I get sleepy afterward - esp bad after lunch!) and carbs depend on activity level. (I need to drop back down due to less activity now)
You might want to check out Jonny Bowden's book, "Living Low-Carb": http://www.amazon.com/Living-Low-Carb-Controlled-Carbohydrate-Long-Term/dp/1402768257/ref=la_B001ITRM1M_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1350993377&sr=1-3
He gives an overview of 30 different "low carb" diets and explains pros & cons of each and whom they might work best for (ps, he's also got a PhD in nutrition).0 -
I'm also a dietary fat fan.
I don't see any downsides in erring to the higher (naturally occurring) fat side of things, certainly no issues with heart health and all that.
Fat is flavour, fat helps satiety, fat is essential for mental wellbeing and cellular health (and digestion).
Protein is great but as others say, we can only handle so much of it.
If you pick some decent cuts of grass-fed meat then I am the last person to pass up on the fat. Trim it? No way!0 -
I do better with higher fat, as I've found my limit on protein is around 30g per meal (otherwise I get sleepy afterward - esp bad after lunch!) and carbs depend on activity level. (I need to drop back down due to less activity now)
You might want to check out Jonny Bowden's book, "Living Low-Carb": http://www.amazon.com/Living-Low-Carb-Controlled-Carbohydrate-Long-Term/dp/1402768257/ref=la_B001ITRM1M_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1350993377&sr=1-3
He gives an overview of 30 different "low carb" diets and explains pros & cons of each and whom they might work best for (ps, he's also got a PhD in nutrition).
Thanks for that - I'll have a look into it. I've never been one to religiously follow an eating plan... but I'm also not currently losing weight, so really need to look at where I'm going wrong. I've always liked low carb as it forces me to eat fresh food and not rely on processed rubbish, which is always a good thing.0 -
And why do you eat or not eat fat? Really interested in the theories/science behind it all.
The best book I've read explaining the theory/science behind low carb dieting and why we need to eat fat is The Zone by Dr. Sears.
I've been on South Beach diet. And, I've been on a doctor supervised "Protein Sparing Modified Fast". Both worked well. If someone wants a good diet to guide them I will recommend South Beach. But, honestly, the best "plan" for me is right here, MFP. Setting my own calorie goals based on my TDEE and then setting the macros for what I've learned works best for me has given me a lot more freedom in my food choices.0 -
Thanks for that - I'll have a look into it. I've never been one to religiously follow an eating plan... but I'm also not currently losing weight, so really need to look at where I'm going wrong. I've always liked low carb as it forces me to eat fresh food and not rely on processed rubbish, which is always a good thing.
This is true. I don't follow any one lower-carb plan - I'm more restrictive than Atkins in terms of what foods I choose - I try to avoid wheat, legumes (including peanuts/pb), processed frankenfoods even when labelled 'low carb', also try to avoid mayo and other high omega-6 oils. So it's closer to a paleo/primal-type diet, yet I don't subscribe to all the grass-fed meats (that'd be ideal, but I'm doing the best I can), I still eat some dairy (again, none or raw would be ideal but I don't most of the time), etc. I'm not keto, as I don't do that low of carbs due to my activity level. But I understand that everyone is different and can do different carb levels and get different results. Even myself!! When I was 250+ lbs, I lost easily on 150g of carbs a day (and of junk!). Can't do that now, and I'm in better shape and 80lb down! (and also older, lol)
Also, check out Dr. Peter Attia's website, http://eatingacademy.com/start-here
He has done a lot of research into the "science behind it all", even a self-experiment on being an athlete yet eating a high-fat diet and being in ketosis almost constantly.0 -
And why do you eat or not eat fat? Really interested in the theories/science behind it all.
Oooh, I just thought of another blog I read (ok, skimmed, it's long lol) yesterday (PS, be careful some pics NSFW):
http://huntgatherlove.com/content/why-women-need-fat0 -
So much fantastic information - gonna get reading!
Shar - knew I should have asked as your diary always includes plenty of bacon fat and it's working just great for you
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So much fantastic information - gonna get reading!
Shar - knew I should have asked as your diary always includes plenty of bacon fat and it's working just great for you
Ha, well I'm not doing as well right now since I'm not as active (rugby season is over! :sad: ), but I think everyone is different and should experiment to find what works for them! And if it happens to involve bacon, even better!
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I'm also a dietary fat fan.
I don't see any downsides in erring to the higher (naturally occurring) fat side of things, certainly no issues with heart health and all that.
Fat is flavour, fat helps satiety, fat is essential for mental wellbeing and cellular health (and digestion).
Protein is great but as others say, we can only handle so much of it.
If you pick some decent cuts of grass-fed meat then I am the last person to pass up on the fat. Trim it? No way!
This^
I eat fat, fat and more fat! Yum! My health is the best it has ever been, I never binge anymore, and I'm also losing weight at a nice pace.0 -
After three days low-carbing my appetite has dropped to almost nothing and I've had a spoon of coconut oil in my coffee this evening not only for flavour but to bump up my calories for the day (still 900 net calories due to a run this morning - I usually eat to my BMR, which is 1500).
Biggest hurdle is going to be hiking at the weekend. Today I had bags of energy to do an hour-long run but not sure if I can make it through a 6-8 hour hike without carbs. Hmmmmmmmm. Need to have a think about this (maybe have carbs but baked sweet potato or veg rather than bread? Don't want to go back to square one with the carbs but bit difficult when out climbing mountains).0 -
After three days low-carbing my appetite has dropped to almost nothing and I've had a spoon of coconut oil in my coffee this evening not only for flavour but to bump up my calories for the day (still 900 net calories due to a run this morning - I usually eat to my BMR, which is 1500).
Biggest hurdle is going to be hiking at the weekend. Today I had bags of energy to do an hour-long run but not sure if I can make it through a 6-8 hour hike without carbs. Hmmmmmmmm. Need to have a think about this (maybe have carbs but baked sweet potato or veg rather than bread? Don't want to go back to square one with the carbs but bit difficult when out climbing mountains).
You should be OK on a hike once you've fully adapted to being a fat-burner, the problem being that 3 days in (or so) may not be long enough and you could hit fatigue issues for a day-long hike. If you are climbing too then you are going to need muscle energy and your stored glycogen may be low.
In your circumstance I'd hedge my bets with the fuelling and pack plenty of raw nuts (for protein and fat) with some fruit for carbs (apples, berries, that kind of thing). Hard-boiled eggs would be my picks too, I love them on an active day.
If you keep the carby stuff separate then you can always have the option of dipping into it only if needed. If you make a sandwich then it's a given that you are going to eat all the sandwich.
Bread just wouldn't figure into it with me, there are better ways of getting some decent carbs into the body, IMO, etc ...
Enjoy
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After three days low-carbing my appetite has dropped to almost nothing and I've had a spoon of coconut oil in my coffee this evening not only for flavour but to bump up my calories for the day (still 900 net calories due to a run this morning - I usually eat to my BMR, which is 1500).
Biggest hurdle is going to be hiking at the weekend. Today I had bags of energy to do an hour-long run but not sure if I can make it through a 6-8 hour hike without carbs. Hmmmmmmmm. Need to have a think about this (maybe have carbs but baked sweet potato or veg rather than bread? Don't want to go back to square one with the carbs but bit difficult when out climbing mountains).
You should be OK on a hike once you've fully adapted to being a fat-burner, the problem being that 3 days in (or so) may not be long enough and you could hit fatigue issues for a day-long hike. If you are climbing too then you are going to need muscle energy and your stored glycogen may be low.
In your circumstance I'd hedge my bets with the fuelling and pack plenty of raw nuts (for protein and fat) with some fruit for carbs (apples, berries, that kind of thing). Hard-boiled eggs would be my picks too, I love them on an active day.
If you keep the carby stuff separate then you can always have the option of dipping into it only if needed. If you make a sandwich then it's a given that you are going to eat all the sandwich.
Bread just wouldn't figure into it with me, there are better ways of getting some decent carbs into the body, IMO, etc ...
Enjoy
Fantastic advice - thanks for this. Bit difficult to get out of the traditional mindset when it comes to refuelling but know myself that I need plenty of fuel on board when doing a big climb (climbing a few of England's top ten highest peaks this week up in the Lake District so need to be ready for some scrambling!). Will get out to the shops today to stock up.0 -
After three days low-carbing my appetite has dropped to almost nothing and I've had a spoon of coconut oil in my coffee this evening not only for flavour but to bump up my calories for the day (still 900 net calories due to a run this morning - I usually eat to my BMR, which is 1500).
Biggest hurdle is going to be hiking at the weekend. Today I had bags of energy to do an hour-long run but not sure if I can make it through a 6-8 hour hike without carbs. Hmmmmmmmm. Need to have a think about this (maybe have carbs but baked sweet potato or veg rather than bread? Don't want to go back to square one with the carbs but bit difficult when out climbing mountains).
You should be OK on a hike once you've fully adapted to being a fat-burner, the problem being that 3 days in (or so) may not be long enough and you could hit fatigue issues for a day-long hike. If you are climbing too then you are going to need muscle energy and your stored glycogen may be low.
In your circumstance I'd hedge my bets with the fuelling and pack plenty of raw nuts (for protein and fat) with some fruit for carbs (apples, berries, that kind of thing). Hard-boiled eggs would be my picks too, I love them on an active day.
If you keep the carby stuff separate then you can always have the option of dipping into it only if needed. If you make a sandwich then it's a given that you are going to eat all the sandwich.
Bread just wouldn't figure into it with me, there are better ways of getting some decent carbs into the body, IMO, etc ...
Enjoy
Fantastic advice - thanks for this. Bit difficult to get out of the traditional mindset when it comes to refuelling but know myself that I need plenty of fuel on board when doing a big climb (climbing a few of England's top ten highest peaks this week up in the Lake District so need to be ready for some scrambling!). Will get out to the shops today to stock up.
Fat bombs!! Easy to make and portable. Might be late now as you're probably heading out of the office (jealous, I just got in!). I use almond butter (pick any nut butter), coconut oil/butter, coconut flour (occasionally also almond flour, half and half) and protein powder (don't necessarily need this, but I still have some leftover to use) as a base, then vary the mix-ins - shredded (unsweetened) coconut, cinnamon, vanilla extract, you chould probably use chopped nuts or bits of dried fruit, etc. Be creative! It's similar to what low carbers call a fat bomb - I based mine on an old homemade granola/protein bar recipe, minus the oats it had. I just mix it in a container, put a lid on it, and eat with a spoon when ready.0 -
Fantastic advice - thanks for this. Bit difficult to get out of the traditional mindset when it comes to refuelling but know myself that I need plenty of fuel on board when doing a big climb (climbing a few of England's top ten highest peaks this week up in the Lake District so need to be ready for some scrambling!). Will get out to the shops today to stock up.
Been there, done that, I am from the UK originally and got into the hiking/climbing thing a while ago ... I know the Lake District and North Wales well.
I've dropped off that (apparent) level of fitness a bit but I still try to get a decent hike in occasionally (can be too hot in Oz tho, I prefer the UK weather for exercising).
Sounds like you're in for some good exercise so I really wouldn't sweat the nutrition too much, when I did it I was practically chain-smoking Marlboro Reds and addicted to Red Bull so times have changed a bit in my thinking 0 -
Shar - fat bombs! Love it! Will give them a go.
DeadVim - it's a small world! I hate the gym - give me a hill to climb any day of the week. Really lucky to live in North West England with Wales, Yorkshire, Peak District, Bowland etc on my doorstep. Used to be a chain smoker myself and could get up mountains faster then... but I was younger, so it's no wonder. Put on weight after stopping smoking so just trying to get some of it off. But happy to know that I'm probably healthier inside than I have been for years. Off to Oz in a couple of weeks and planning some hiking along the Great Ocean Road and Dandenongs. Might have to get out at the crack of dawn if it's going to be hot (which means more time for beer in the afternoon!).0 -
SRH7 - Enjoy the journey back to fitness, I don't regret giving up the smokes (a couple of years ago now, I think, it's a dim and distant memory). Oz will likely be hot, I'm on the outskirts of Brisbane and we hit 36 yesterday. Not a day for pushing wheelbarrows full of dried concrete but it's what I was doing, the fun of having a few acres to maintain and very good for the health
I've no idea how many calories I burnt but I did it all quite effectively on very little carbohydrate 0 -
SRH7 - Enjoy the journey back to fitness, I don't regret giving up the smokes (a couple of years ago now, I think, it's a dim and distant memory). Oz will likely be hot, I'm on the outskirts of Brisbane and we hit 36 yesterday. Not a day for pushing wheelbarrows full of dried concrete but it's what I was doing, the fun of having a few acres to maintain and very good for the health
I've no idea how many calories I burnt but I did it all quite effectively on very little carbohydrate 0
