Does low carb always mean high fat?
Lisa1971
Posts: 3,069 Member
Is there a way I can do very low carb but not high fat? I can't get into the idea of eating butter and bacon. I can do a small amount of butter and turkey bacon. I also LOVE veggies but can't drown them in oil. Am I doomed to fail???
I'm new to the very low carb thing so any advice and/or helpful tips or links would be greatly appreciated. I have about 30lbs to lose and want to decrease my body fat.
I'm new to the very low carb thing so any advice and/or helpful tips or links would be greatly appreciated. I have about 30lbs to lose and want to decrease my body fat.
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Well there are other ways to get your fat content without bacon or butter (but why!), try adding more nut's i.e. pistachios/almonds to your diet to get the fat levels up there.0
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South Beach is low carb based on glycemic index/load. It's lower in fat and utilizes lean proteins and other products.0
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No, but the high fat aspect is what helps many be successful doing low carb. Many people strive for ketosis when following a low carb diet. If you aren't eating carbs, and aren't eating fat, then you are eating protein. Excess protein is converted to glucose, and impacts your body in the same way as carbs. Fat is also satiating, so if you aren't eating fat, you are often in the hunger cycle. That means you are less likely to remain committed to the program. It's not to say that you won't lose weight - just that the deck is stacked against you, and it will be more difficult.0
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No, but the high fat aspect is what helps many be successful doing low carb. Many people strive for ketosis when following a low carb diet. If you aren't eating carbs, and aren't eating fat, then you are eating protein. Excess protein is converted to glucose, and impacts your body in the same way as carbs. Fat is also satiating, so if you aren't eating fat, you are often in the hunger cycle. That means you are less likely to remain committed to the program. It's not to say that you won't lose weight - just that the deck is stacked against you, and it will be more difficult.
Very well said.0 -
Kiramaniac makes a lot of really good points. I'll add to it with a few thoughts.
1. There are "good" fats and "bad" fats, just as they same can be said for carbs and protein. Even nutritionists, the FDA and medical professionals are starting to agree with some very well done research that shows that naturally occurring fat in meat (bacon, ribeye, yum), olive oil, coconut oil, nuts, avocado, etc are very good for you. Butter ... IF you are using at least organic, preferably grass fed ... is on that list too.
2. The human body, by design, can burn both fat and carbs for energy. As Kiramaniac pointed out, you can also convert protein to glucose. At very high cost. But basically there are only two ways the the body gets energy - glucose and ketones. Glucose is what you get when you eat carbs and sugar. Ketones are what you get when you eat fat. Your body is actually designed to use fat, in the form of ketones, when you don't have carbs in your body.
3. When you do have carbs in your body, the fat you consume is stored in fat cells. It is hard to get the fat back out of storage and burn for energy.
You may find a blog post I wrote on calories, nutrients and weight loss interesting.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/EricCowperthwaite/view/calories-and-nutrients-and-weight-oh-my-498046
There are lots of ways to get fat in your diet without eating bacon. But why not saute your veggies in butter, and put olive oil and vinegar on your salad? This is how people ate and were very healthy for thousands of years before the advent of industrialized food.0 -
Kiramaniac makes a lot of really good points. I'll add to it with a few thoughts.
1. There are "good" fats and "bad" fats, just as they same can be said for carbs and protein. Even nutritionists, the FDA and medical professionals are starting to agree with some very well done research that shows that naturally occurring fat in meat (bacon, ribeye, yum), olive oil, coconut oil, nuts, avocado, etc are very good for you. Butter ... IF you are using at least organic, preferably grass fed ... is on that list too.
2. The human body, by design, can burn both fat and carbs for energy. As Kiramaniac pointed out, you can also convert protein to glucose. At very high cost. But basically there are only two ways the the body gets energy - glucose and ketones. Glucose is what you get when you eat carbs and sugar. Ketones are what you get when you eat fat. Your body is actually designed to use fat, in the form of ketones, when you don't have carbs in your body.
3. When you do have carbs in your body, the fat you consume is stored in fat cells. It is hard to get the fat back out of storage and burn for energy.
You may find a blog post I wrote on calories, nutrients and weight loss interesting.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/EricCowperthwaite/view/calories-and-nutrients-and-weight-oh-my-498046
There are lots of ways to get fat in your diet without eating bacon. But why not saute your veggies in butter, and put olive oil and vinegar on your salad? This is how people ate and were very healthy for thousands of years before the advent of industrialized food.
Very well said Eric! I can't imagine trying to do LC without HF. Just from my experience......I have a LOT more energy when I eat this way and I don't get sleepy in the afternoons like I used to. The way I look at it is you've got to fuel your body. If not glucose (carbs, sugar and excess protein) you definitely need high fat.
OP, I was the same way as you when I started LC. I can tell you I couldn't wrap my head around eating lots of butter, grease and fats!! I tried to do LC for weeks eating lean meat, turkey everything, fat free this, low fat that......and I lost some at first, but that came to a halt very quickly! I started joining Low Carb groups in FB and here and learned very quickly all of my lean, fat free and reduced fat stuff I was eating was ALL WRONG! I learned that fat is NOT bad for you when you use it for fuel. I jumped in and did it and am down 26 lbs. My cholesterol had not changed any for the worse when I had it checked 2-3 months into it either. I fully expect to see a drop when I go back to the Dr in a few months!0 -
I just don't know why anyone would NOT want to eat bacon...
If I could share a bit of personal info for a moment... Bacon was a key component of pulling me out of post-partum depression and continues to keep me from depression.
Fats, particularly the kinds found in animal protein, are vital for the health of your nerves. They provide the building blocks for the myelin sheaths that line your nerves. If there is not enough fats, you quite literally "short out" like a frayed wire.
Now, if nitrates are a concern, there are some very high-quality (and tasty!) uncured meats that do not contain nitrates. Some good brands are Beeler's Applegate, and Niman Ranch. Those are local here, but I've heard they do distribute to other parts of the US.0
