Types of Fat

FreeMotion87
FreeMotion87 Posts: 2 Member
edited November 12 in Food and Nutrition
So I'm very close to reaching my BF%, and I do a good job of tracking macronutrients but I looking at the numbers, even when eating completely healthy, there is still fat. I'm 17.5% body fat, weight 131 lbs, and my goal is to lose body fat (between 14 and 15%) and gain muscle.

I know that fat there are good fats and bad fats, but how MUCH good fat in grams should I be eating to drop body fat and maintain/gain muscle?

Replies

  • Unknown
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  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    17.5% body fat is the bottom end for healthy women, periods stop and suchlike below that.

    It doesn't matter how much fat you eat as that does not directly impact weight/fat loss on its own. LCHF dieters lose % bodyfat while eating 70% of their calories from fat, for example.
  • Sophie_UK
    Sophie_UK Posts: 31 Member
    I've put a cap of 13g saturated (bad) fat on my total fat intake of 40g. You want poly- and mono-unsaturated (good) fats e.g. olive oil, nuts, avocado's.

    But to answer your question I would aim to eat as much good fat as you possibly can. I don't know your macro intakes but I would say 90% unsaturated to 10% saturated.
  • Pearsquared
    Pearsquared Posts: 1,656 Member
    I think your protein levels are more important towards building the muscle you want. Dropping body fat is a matter of being in a calorie deficit - I don't think the type of fats you eat are really going to help or hurt in this case.

    Also, please keep in mind that your goal bf% is quite low - you're basically on the cusp of essential fat. Your goal is still in the athletic range, but it's going to be much harder to get those last couple % off because of how close you want to be to the bare minimum of fat.

    Here's one chart:

    http://www.builtlean.com/2010/08/03/ideal-body-fat-percentage-chart/
  • PaleoPath4Lyfe
    PaleoPath4Lyfe Posts: 3,161 Member
    There is nothing wrong with saturated fats or mono-unsaturated fats. PUFA's (polyunsaturated fats) is recommended to eliminate or severely limit due to the amount of Omega 6.

    When the balance between Omega 3 and Omega 6 is turned around (which with SAD is typically is) inflammation in the body can start to occur.

    I eat a range in between 50-70% fat daily and I am able to lose weight this way and I lose body fat much easier this way also.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    You can eat as much fat as you wish as long as you still hit your minimum amount of protein and remain in a caloric deficit, and you will lose body fat and maintain lean muscle.

    Dietary fat does not turn into body fat. eating more calories then maintenance get stored as fat. Fat is actually a very important Macro from many of the functions of the body, no need to limit it.
  • Moira945
    Moira945 Posts: 14 Member
    Unsaturated fats (like those in olive oil, avocados, nuts and such) are considered "good" fats because those unsaturated carbon chains allow the molecules to be used by the body in aiding absorption of other chemicals (i.e. amino acids from protein, antioxidants from your dark greens, etc). "Bad" fats, which have saturated carbon chains are less able to perform this duty.

    These good fats are very important when it comes to gaining benefits from the foods you are eating. Eat as much of them as you want as long as you are staying within your weekly calorie goal and getting enough of other nutrients.

    Hope this helps! :)
  • FreeMotion87
    FreeMotion87 Posts: 2 Member
    Good info, thanks! Yeah, I realize I'm getting on down there but I still have some stubborn fat to lose. My main worry is that if I lower my calorie intake my body will use muscle for energy which I don't want.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,207 Member
    Unsaturated fats (like those in olive oil, avocados, nuts and such) are considered "good" fats because those unsaturated carbon chains allow the molecules to be used by the body in aiding absorption of other chemicals (i.e. amino acids from protein, antioxidants from your dark greens, etc). "Bad" fats, which have saturated carbon chains are less able to perform this duty.

    These good fats are very important when it comes to gaining benefits from the foods you are eating. Eat as much of them as you want as long as you are staying within your weekly calorie goal and getting enough of other nutrients.

    Hope this helps! :)
    lolwut.
  • SixPack17
    SixPack17 Posts: 8 Member
    If it's just body fat % that you're worried about, then just keep hitting a caloric deficit. If it's certain spots of fat in your body, as much as people like to believe that you can burn off stomach fat with certain workouts, it just doesn't happen that way. In my case, I lose the fat from my appendages before I start burning off the fat around my core (abs, chest, back). For some lucky people out there, they can lose it more balanced all across their body.

    Either way, keep eating fats. You'll be burning them off anyway.
  • Joehenny
    Joehenny Posts: 1,222 Member
    So I'm very close to reaching my BF%, and I do a good job of tracking macronutrients but I looking at the numbers, even when eating completely healthy, there is still fat. I'm 17.5% body fat, weight 131 lbs, and my goal is to lose body fat (between 14 and 15%) and gain muscle.

    I know that fat there are good fats and bad fats, but how MUCH good fat in grams should I be eating to drop body fat and maintain/gain muscle?

    Dietary fat and body fat are too separate things. Just keep at your deficit and it will eventually go away.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    You can eat as much fat as you wish as long as you still hit your minimum amount of protein and remain in a caloric deficit, and you will lose body fat and maintain lean muscle.

    Dietary fat does not turn into body fat. eating more calories then maintenance get stored as fat. Fat is actually a very important Macro from many of the functions of the body, no need to limit it.

    ^^yep.

    There really is no good fats and bad fats with the exception of artificial trans fats. Get fats from a range of different sources.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Unsaturated fats (like those in olive oil, avocados, nuts and such) are considered "good" fats because those unsaturated carbon chains allow the molecules to be used by the body in aiding absorption of other chemicals (i.e. amino acids from protein, antioxidants from your dark greens, etc). "Bad" fats, which have saturated carbon chains are less able to perform this duty.

    These good fats are very important when it comes to gaining benefits from the foods you are eating. Eat as much of them as you want as long as you are staying within your weekly calorie goal and getting enough of other nutrients.

    Hope this helps! :)

    What is bad about lauric acid?
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    OverDoIt wrote: »
    Fat is fat. you can put lipstick on a pig, but it is still a pig. I cry conspiracy when studies come out claiming that such and such fat is better than such and such fat. The mirror is the best way for you to tell if your diet is on point. Do you know where fish oil supps come from ? It is the crap they suck out of chum tanks on fishing/ processing vessels mmmmmmm good stuff.

    Pure historical MFP gold.
  • tennisdude2004
    tennisdude2004 Posts: 5,609 Member
    The only fats to avoid are man made trans fats and interesterified fats.

    Saturated fats have proven to be healthy and not the evil they were seen to be back in the day!

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