need some ideas to get my calories up and fat grams down

rock4433
rock4433 Posts: 12 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Normally I do a low carb diet when I'm ready to get serious about losing weight, and it always works great! I keep my carbs under 20 and the calories around their recommended amount. Its the only diet I have tried that I can lose on and not feel hungry all the time. I have lost 15 pounds so far, but hit a block (as usual) at 190. Usually takes 2-3 weeks of this till it starts going back down again. So this time when I hit my block, I decided that since I started using this site, that I would go by their suggestions to mix it up a bit (and hopefully not have such an expensive grocery bill!). The problem that I am running into is that Im struggling to stay under my recommended 50 fat grams AND have over 1200 calories!! For example the meals I have penciled in for tomorrow total 840 calories but Im already at 50 fat grams!! And I know after eating these meals, Im not gonna be hungry for more lol So I could use some help and ideas to get my calories up but not my fat grams for my meals. If im snacking on fat free foods to get my calories up, I tend to feel super stuffed like I have totally over ate for the day!! And with doing the low carb diet, i essentially have cut out snacking all together. And the majority of the time at work, I do not have time to stop for a snack either :( Help! I will be quite grateful for any ideas!!
«1

Replies

  • GauchoMark
    GauchoMark Posts: 1,804 Member
    I'd suggest eating a more balanced diet. As you are seeing and have seen in the past, the ultra low carb diets are great for dropping a few pounds in a month or so, but not for long term weight loss. I shoot for about 40%carb/35% protein/25%fat.

    Someone also posted an article this morning about this very topic.

    However, to answer your question, to hit your goal of 20g carb, 50g fat, and 1200 calories, you need to also eat 167.5 g protein. That means getting most of your calories from LEAN meats like fish and chicken and cutting back on fattier foods like beef, pork, cured meats (bacon), oils, etc. Get your fat from the lean meats and you should be ok.
  • rock4433
    rock4433 Posts: 12 Member
    Not worried about hitting the 20 carbs with switching to a lower fat diet, just having trouble hitting the 1200 calories and being under 50 grams of fat. For example, the meals I had tomorrow planned was a Classic Chicken Salad from Skyline for Lunch and Some homeade tuna alfredo for dinner...that puts me at 840 calories and 50 grams of fat...of course if I use low or fat free dressing on the salad, the fat grams drop....but then so does 150 of my calories lol could use a lighter Alfredo sauce, but would run in to the same thing. Rice looks like a good low fat add on to most meals, but im really looking for more variety in my diet, so I dont get burned out on the foods like I do on the low carb diet Lost 40 pounds on the low carb diet and kept it off for a good 6 or 7 years, till I started my current job, and gained about 20 back of it over the last 2 years lol any other suggestions??
  • rock4433
    rock4433 Posts: 12 Member
    And congrats on losing 104 lbs!!! :D
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
    Do you need to be under 50 g fat? You might struggle long term to be low-carb and low-fat.
  • jaquwa
    jaquwa Posts: 92 Member
    What about Protein shakes, good way to get calories up, keep fat and carbs low and get extra protein?

    I eat target 1600 cals a day and 36g of fat, I then try my best to keep carbs and protein balanced (possibly 45%/35% split)

    If you need ideas have a look at my diary. Although I eat 5-6 times a day, not everyone's cup of tea but certainly works for me
  • lady_in_weighting
    lady_in_weighting Posts: 196 Member
    first of all you need to look at your saturated fat, this is bad fat. Dont get too caught up on just normal fat. this can come from sources such as nuts. to cut back on your sat fat stop using sauces unless they are low fat. you need to try eating the carb-proten-fat ratio the dude suggested above. this is a healthy way of lossing weight and if couple by a little cardio exercise from day to day then you will be burning off the carbs anyway. i used to think carbs were the enemy in my diet too. a balance diet is key.

    so...watch the sat fat, put it on your mfp food diary to keep track off. opt for high protein and lots of fresh fruit and veg. this will ensure you have plenty food for the calories you are allowed.

    hope this helps.
  • Killing_Perfection
    Killing_Perfection Posts: 79 Member
    Hmmm, have you tried white fish? Pangasius for example? Or Tilapia? Those kinds of fish mainly consist of protein and little to no fat. Also, instead of dressing you could use balsamico and nothing else. Takes some getting used to, but a better alternative if you're having problem with too much fat. Cheese is usually high fat, so if that's in your salad, might want to use more chicken and less cheese~

    Also, fat isn't really a problem as long as it's healthy fat. There are people that live with 10% carbs, 30% protein, and 60% fat out there and have no problem.... (I couldn't do that because I can't resist fruits, but just saying....)

    That's all I can think of....
  • JenAiMarres
    JenAiMarres Posts: 743 Member
    Don't drink the mfpkoolaid. If something works for u..why change it. I say stick with what u are doing and if u know u hit small plateaus ride it out like u normally would.

    I learned from experience that "switching things up" with the mfp culture of what works (eat back cals, eat more to loose etc).. only made me gain. Now that I do things the way I always have for years I am loosing again. I'm not saying that these ideas don't work... I'm just saying they didn't work for me.

    All that being said...I will answer your question... My first response is more lean protein... Second suggestion is low fat/fat free foods. But some fat is good and I prefer full fat versions of food and becuase I generally get so much lean protein a few "fatty" items don't hurt my macros too much.
  • GauchoMark
    GauchoMark Posts: 1,804 Member
    thanks.

    Not really sure what kind of answer you are looking for, though. That salad has 37 g fat and the alfredo sauce is killing you on the other meal, but you already know that. My first answer still holds - if you cut out the oils and get your fats from protein sources, you will hit the goal you stated.

    So, I'd just decide what macro you really want to target and go for it. For your reference, carbs and protein have about 4 calories/gram and fat has about 9, so you can figure out your calories accordingly based on your macro goals.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    No offense OP, but the fact that you say you use a low carb diet every time you want to lose weight and that you always hit a wall, suggests that this might not be a diet that works for you, other than in the short term.

    But, if you are determined to remain low carb, you'll need to add more lean protein. If you don't want fat and you don't want carbs, there really isn't anything else left. Either eat more lean meat and fish, or maybe add a protein shake.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Don't drink the mfpkoolaid. If something works for u..why change it. I say stick with what u are doing and if u know u hit small plateaus ride it out like u normally would.

    But is this low carb diet working for the OP? Since he uses this diet "every time" to lose weight, that suggests that he isn't able to maintain it long term.

    My suggestion would be to slowly reintroduce more carbs that also contain fiber and/or protein (vegetables, fruit, minimally processed whole grains)
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
    As someone else has pointed out (and as you are finding from your diary) low-carb AND low-fat is pretty tricky.

    Cottage cheese and egg whites.
  • hothodgie
    hothodgie Posts: 258 Member
    I eat a handful of almonds if I am short on calories. I love almonds!!
  • palmerig88
    palmerig88 Posts: 623 Member
    You might be able to lower your fat consumed by preparing your own meals. Or even just fixing frozen premade items at home. Like the pizza...I love it but since ive been dieting I usually have a frozen thin crust version without a lot of meat. You need carbs ayway but maybe try not tracking them and focus on getting you other macros under control.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    I eat a handful of almonds if I am short on calories. I love almonds!!

    But almonds have a good amount of fat, so they aren't going to work for the OP's problem.
  • rock4433
    rock4433 Posts: 12 Member


    so...watch the sat fat, put it on your mfp food diary to keep track off. opt for high protein and lots of fresh fruit and veg. this will ensure you have plenty food for the calories you are allowed.

    hope this helps.

    Thank you for the helpful info!! :smile:
  • KristinD1977
    KristinD1977 Posts: 100 Member
    I would suggest a minimum of 3 meals a day and preferably 2 snacks.

    With food, I try to go for quality AND quantity.... I look for items lower in calories but high in nutritional value. Admittedly, I LOVE pop tarts but even after a workout when I'm figuring out how to "spend" those extra calories, I won't even look at them because I don't consider them a contributor to my health. I try to look at my food and think "what can you do for me"? Makes it easy to pass over things like pasta and rice... not that I have been very successful on giving up over-processed bread, I still have a sandwich almost daily.

    Skip the candy and go for a cup of blueberries instead... only around 80 calories and packed with anti oxidants; studies suggest that blueberries may help reduce belly fat too.

    My favorite salad to make lately is:
    1 cup baby spinach
    2 hard-boiled eggs
    7 cherry tomatoes
    2 tbsp sunflower seeds
    2 tbsp Bolthouse Farms Olive oil Balsamic Vinnegrette
    (312 cal, 17g carb, 20g fat , 18g protein)
  • rock4433
    rock4433 Posts: 12 Member


    But is this low carb diet working for the OP? Since he uses this diet "every time" to lose weight, that suggests that he isn't able to maintain it long term.

    My suggestion would be to slowly reintroduce more carbs that also contain fiber and/or protein (vegetables, fruit, minimally processed whole grains)

    Low carb works for me, just have those milestones that are hard to break....havent been on the low carb diet since 2005. gained back 20 of the pounds in the last 2 years mostly due (in my mind) to lots of snacking at work lol so after I got back over 200 decided to go back to it. Just looking for more variety than the carb diet offers and hoping for results. But really struggling to fill up my calories for the day as Im dropping the fat grams. I just started trying this this week, and Im running into bumps in the road making out my meals for the week cuz I havent ever been on a low fat diet that has worked for me before. Years ago I tried it and a calorie based diet after and I lost very little on both of those, was always hungry and always miserable. Looking for a good balance, but seems that Im hitting the fat gram total way before the calorie total....I can get the fat grams down with my dressing and sauce choices, but then Im WAY below my calorie total...thats what I am struggling with :)
  • rock4433
    rock4433 Posts: 12 Member

    I learned from experience that "switching things up" with the mfp culture of what works (eat back cals, eat more to loose etc).. only made me gain. Now that I do things the way I always have for years I am loosing again. I'm not saying that these ideas don't work... I'm just saying they didn't work for me.


    Wanted to try this out for the variety, and because I was getting tired of cooking every night lol so many low fat and calorie choices in the freezer section :wink: but want to give this a shot to see how it goes for a couple weeks, but you may very well be right and it will be back to low carb lol I do love my low carb salads for lunch!!!
  • ritchiec01
    ritchiec01 Posts: 6
    I agree with the percentages and not the grams. 40/40/20 or if your on a true cutting diet 45/45/10 along with a very consistent workout program.
  • johnscat1981
    johnscat1981 Posts: 27 Member
    I think the OP is saying he is switching to a low fat diet. If that is the case then add carbs. I know that sound simple however your “diet” or your “mind set of diet” has revolved around fat.

    Add fruits, starchy vegetables, bread and pasta those things that your brain has turned off as good foods are what you need to fill in your calories. Also you my need to rethink your fats, adding one of these carbs could be a better choice rather than an oil based salad dressing to fill in your calories. As far as alfredo goes it is one of those foods my brain has put in the not good for me column.

    I am not an expert just a fellow journeyer so take it as you would like.
  • rock4433
    rock4433 Posts: 12 Member
    What about Protein shakes, good way to get calories up, keep fat and carbs low and get extra protein?

    I eat target 1600 cals a day and 36g of fat, I then try my best to keep carbs and protein balanced (possibly 45%/35% split)

    If you need ideas have a look at my diary. Although I eat 5-6 times a day, not everyone's cup of tea but certainly works for me

    I wish I could do the 5 times a day thing!! Has worked wonders for dad!! but I truely do not have the time at work to pull that off....a protien shake for breakfast may be just what the doctor ordered! That would definately boost my calories without me feeling like Im over endulging at meal times by adding more fillers to my dishes to hit calories. I truely am full after eating my meals, even if Im only at 840 calories for the day lol any suggestions as to the best tasting ones for me to try?
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    My question would be why are you worried about fat? Fat doesn't make you fat and even a reasonable amount of saturated fat is essential for health. I'd you are going low carb, I would not be trying to hit a low fat target.
  • rock4433
    rock4433 Posts: 12 Member
    Trying to go away from a low carb diet so I have more choices for my meals :wink:
  • jemachharo
    jemachharo Posts: 144 Member
    I limit starches - my body just feels better. I stick with lean protein - chicken, turkey, fish, TONS of veggies and fruits (this is where I get my carbs). I avoid prepared/processed foods as much as possible (can control fat and sodium intake that way). I usually prepare more than I need for dinner and take left overs for lunch. Any of the meats are great in a salad the next day. If I do eat a starch, I try to make sure it is whole grains or a sweet potato.

    Good luck.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member


    But is this low carb diet working for the OP? Since he uses this diet "every time" to lose weight, that suggests that he isn't able to maintain it long term.

    My suggestion would be to slowly reintroduce more carbs that also contain fiber and/or protein (vegetables, fruit, minimally processed whole grains)

    Low carb works for me, just have those milestones that are hard to break....havent been on the low carb diet since 2005. gained back 20 of the pounds in the last 2 years mostly due (in my mind) to lots of snacking at work lol so after I got back over 200 decided to go back to it. Just looking for more variety than the carb diet offers and hoping for results. But really struggling to fill up my calories for the day as Im dropping the fat grams. I just started trying this this week, and Im running into bumps in the road making out my meals for the week cuz I havent ever been on a low fat diet that has worked for me before. Years ago I tried it and a calorie based diet after and I lost very little on both of those, was always hungry and always miserable. Looking for a good balance, but seems that Im hitting the fat gram total way before the calorie total....I can get the fat grams down with my dressing and sauce choices, but then Im WAY below my calorie total...thats what I am struggling with :)

    I understand. I'm always over on fat too. I don't really worry too much about it since it's mostly from nuts and olive oil, but lately I've been thinking that I probably should watch it more closely. Fat is just so tasty though!
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    Don't drink the mfpkoolaid. If something works for u..why change it. I say stick with what u are doing and if u know u hit small plateaus ride it out like u normally would.

    But is this low carb diet working for the OP? Since he uses this diet "every time" to lose weight, that suggests that he isn't able to maintain it long term.

    My suggestion would be to slowly reintroduce more carbs that also contain fiber and/or protein (vegetables, fruit, minimally processed whole grains)

    This is not an uncommon story for those that practice low carb dieting. Happened to me too! I went low carb, lost about 15 lbs but within a year I was right back to where I started. It's not really a sustainable practice for most people ling term. Over time and yo yoing, I have opted for more traditional balanced nutrition with a priority on protein for muscle rebuilding on my workout plan. It's slower but more sustainable for me.
  • Savvay
    Savvay Posts: 4
    Sometimes I have some beef jerky as a snack that helps sneak a few extra calories into my day and one serving is only like a gram of fat a few carbs and usually around 80 calories. But it is high in sodium so you gotta watch that.
  • MsMargie1116
    MsMargie1116 Posts: 323 Member
    Maybe incorporate some juices? Though I'm no advocate to "Drinking" your meals, maybe do a couple of smoothies between your meals? That'll add the calories without the extra fat...
  • rock4433
    rock4433 Posts: 12 Member
    Sometimes I have some beef jerky as a snack that helps sneak a few extra calories into my day and one serving is only like a gram of fat a few carbs and usually around 80 calories. But it is high in sodium so you gotta watch that.

    I do enjoy me some beef jerky!! Thanks!!

Categories