Understanding Fat

First of all, fat doesn't make you fat. It is important to understand that. Excess calories make you fat, and there are more calories in fat than the other macros, so it is easier to eat excess calories by eating too much fat. But fat in itself is essential to a healthy diet, your body needs it for a variety of functions, and some vitamins are fat soluble.

Trans fats are bad. Saturated fat got a really bad name, but new research seems to be turning around on that.

High sugar v high fat - fat probably has more use to your body than sugar, but a balanced diet wouldn't have an excess of either, and going high on either occasionally won't hurt you (barring, of course medical conditions that would require you to avoid excess of one or the other).

Alatariel75 wrote: »

First of all, fat doesn't make you fat. It is important to understand that. Excess calories make you fat, and there are more calories in fat than the other macros, so it is easier to eat excess calories by eating too much fat. But fat in itself is essential to a healthy diet, your body needs it for a variety of functions, and some vitamins are fat soluble.

Trans fats are bad. Saturated fat got a really bad name, but new research seems to be turning around on that.

High sugar v high fat - fat probably has more use to your body than sugar, but a balanced diet wouldn't have an excess of either, and going high on either occasionally won't hurt you (barring, of course medical conditions that would require you to avoid excess of one or the other).

This. I will also add, a few sources of "good fat"- nuts, avocado, nut butters, fish. They are called good fats becausr they are believed to be more heart-healthy. That said, saturated fats (traditionally "bad fats", although I hate labeling food as "bad"- the fat found in dairy and most meat) are just fine to fit into a healthy diet in moderation and as long as you stay under your calorie goal you will lose weight (if thats what your goal is). Sugar isnt necessarily bad either, but things with fat will keep you full longer.

High sugar = BAD. Low sugar/High Fat = GOOD! High Sugar/High Fat = VERY BAD!!!

import69 wrote: »

So I really should focus more on calorie intake rather than worry about the fat and sugar quantity as long as i balance it out.

Yes.
Calories first.
But try to eat variety and fresh.
Along with calories, try to get enough fats and protein.

Enjoy things, be active.

(don't even bother worrying about transfats - if you are tracking cals, eating a lot of variety and a lot of fresh food, the amount of trans fats will be a minimum.)

Trans fat. Evil and unnecessary, too be avoided. US food labels can lie, if a serving has no more than .5 grams it contains 0 on the label. Look at the ingredients any "partially hydrogenated" anything means trans fat, many flour mixes still contain it, including Bisquick!