Getting enough fat

[JanCA]

This is something I think can be hard for anyone who's coming off many, many years of low fat brainwashing and eating. So...

I've never been an avocado eater, but there is one on my counter and I'll do something with a bit of it maybe for veggie dipping... Ideas?

I will get some expeller pressed coconut oil and chia seeds when I go to Sprouts or our new Whole Foods. in the meantime I've been eating reg dressings, eating olives and almonds. And meat of course...chicken, filet mignon, pork chops, ground beef and whole eggs and a small amount of cheese (lactose intolerant)

Anything else?

[countrycookinmama]

butter! mmmmm! Only the real kind though. Heavy whipping cream is also wonderful.

[goohsmom]

I don't add a lot of fat to my food, but I also don't cut the fat off my meat. Avocados are wonderful diced in salads, or mashed into home made guacamole and put on top of burgers. Any dairy should be full-fat, don't skim the fat off of broth or soups. When I make tacos I keep the fat in to simmer with the spices and some canned tomatoes. Just by not purposely reducing fats, you can easily hit 70% most days.....and to think, I used to only eat foods that had less than 20% of fat in them. (shakes head)

Pam

[Abby]

Jan, you don't have to add fat if you don't want to. I've had great success with the Stillman plan which is essentially LC, Low-Fat, and high protein. I feel that there are still a number of health concerns associated with saturated fat in spite of the preachings of Taubes and others.

Good Luck,

[tulipsandroses]

If you like the taste of coconut, coconut butter and coconut milk. Full fat coconut milk - not the low fat one in the carton - however, if you find an Asian market, some of them do have full fat in a carton.

I also like good quality cocoa butter. Use it mostly in my coffee but you can get creative with it and do other things.

[teri f]

I eat a very high fat low carb diet and my blood lipids, etc. are perfect. I added more fat to my diet with coconut oil every morning in my coffee and butter on everything. BTW--Taubes doesn't preach. He is a scientific journalist and simply reports the facts of the studies that have been done but have never seen the light of day. His books are great!

[Abby]

Teri, lipid profiles don't tell the whole story regarding the risks associated with saturated fat. However, if you're comfortable with your program, I wish you the best!!!!!!!!

[teri f]

Abby, believe me, I know and understand my blood work and my body. I also understand how saturated fat has been vilified and have read and studied countless studies over the years. I'm QUITE satisfied and comfortable with my program. When I did a low fat stillmans version of low carb, I had numerous health problems bsides feeling hungry and miserable most of the time. So, to each his own I guess.

[drjlocarb]

Originally Posted by teri f

Abby, believe me, I know and understand my blood work and my body. I also understand how saturated fat has been vilified and have read and studied countless studies over the years. I'm QUITE satisfied and comfortable with my program. When I did a low fat stillmans version of low carb, I had numerous health problems bsides feeling hungry and miserable most of the time. So, to each his own I guess.

[JanCA]

I drink coffee and am still boggled at putting oil in it. How much and does it taste different? Right now I'm using sugar free Coffee-Mate vanilla. I know it's got some stuff (health wise) I maybe shouldn't eat, but I only use a coulpe teaspoons max in 3 cups along with a little Splenda. I'd try oil if I understood how much, etc.

I am lactose intolerant so no dairy to speak of. I can eat a small piece of cheddar okay so that's what I do for things like a snack or on top of scrambled eggs. I really don't care for butter, but I have had a little occasionally.

I tried the coconut "yogurt" once, but didn't like it. I do like the sweetened coconut you find on cakes and candy bars though!

I had a few slices of avocado on my taco meat tonight and it was pretty good and I didn't die. Lol I'll have to experiment more.

Abby, I will probably always be leery of sat fat. I do believe it's probably not as bad as we've been led to believe though so I do eat more meat, but cut off some fat. We've been mislead before with our health so all we can do is do what works for us both nutritionally and mentally.

[cfine]

I have finally gotten to the point where I can eat coconut oil just straight off the spoon. If I'm hungry and don't need to eat anything else that what I'll do. I try to get 1-2tbsp per day.

[JanCA]

Here's my stats today... Good? Bad?

fat: 69.06g
|
protein: 91.78g
|
carbs: 24.33g

calories: 1069

[picklepete]

Originally Posted by JanCA

Here's my stats today... Good? Bad?

fat: 69.06g
|
protein: 91.78g
|
carbs: 24.33g

calories: 1069

Unfortunately, this is a question you'll have to answer for yourself over and over and over... it's self-experimentation for all of us. The general guideline I use is: add supplemental calories to match activity level, up to point I'm no longer hungry, and favor nutritious foods over empty calories (e.g. cheaper condiments and dressings).

Keep good records, and don't be surprised if each 10 or 20 lb. increment requires a different approach. My body certainly does.

[steady]

Originally Posted by picklepete

Unfortunately, this is a question you'll have to answer for yourself over and over and over... it's self-experimentation for all of us. The general guideline I use is: add supplemental calories to match activity level, up to point I'm no longer hungry, and favor nutritious foods over empty calories (e.g. cheaper condiments and dressings).

Keep good records, and don't be surprised if each 10 or 20 lb. increment requires a different approach. My body certainly does.

Well how do you feel? Do you think it will work for you? Do you think you can eat this way or very close to this way long term and still be healthy?
For some that means high fat, but for other it is much less. Like you I experimented with high fat, it worked at first I suppose, but it didn't really work, because I couldn't keep it up...my energy sagged putting me in a foul mood which eventually lead to over eating.

While your body needs and response will change as you lose weight, still try to think about it longer term than "just getting the weight off". Trust me it will come back...it could take a while like 5 or 10 years, but it will come back if you don't seek a longer term way of eating.

If you choose to "up your fats" doesn't necessarily mean you have to douse your food in fat. Try leaving you meat less trimmed of fat, adding an avocado, eat fresh coconut, eating a few nuts (if you are not in induction). Many foods high in natural fats are also high in other nutrients. If you want to get the "health benefits" of coconut oil, try replacing vegetable oils.

[LiterateGriffin]

If you are leary of fats, stick to the ones everyone agrees are healthy. Flax seed, fish, avocado, olives, etc.

If you cannot eat dairy, these are some of the easiest, anyway.

Coconut oil in coffee serves the same function as creamer. It works similarly, and you use a similar amount. (Unlike creamer, it won't change the color, though!)

[JanCA]

Originally Posted by LiterateGriffin

Coconut oil in coffee serves the same function as creamer. It works similarly, and you use a similar amount. (Unlike creamer, it won't change the color, though!)

Good to know! I can't wait to try it!

I am leery of fats, but that is mainly because it's all still new to me..new type of eating, new type of thinking. I am eating WAY more fat and MUCH less carbs than I used to. So far I really haven't felt deprived. I'm honestly surprised that giving up bread, cereal, etc wasn't harder. Just had the right mindset I guess.

Thank you all for being so patient with newbie questions.

[August Moon]

I use butter and peanut butter quite a lot. And always extra virgin olive oil in my homemade salad dressing.

Cheese
half & half
eggs
red meat
etc...

[clackley]

My current favorite is Artisana raw 100% organic coconut butter - right off the spoon. Per 2 tbsp, it has 16g saturated fat with 7g carbs, 5g dietary fibre & 2g protein. It is sooooo good!

I adore adding a pat of butter to my cooked steak!

[clackley]

Originally Posted by Abby

Jan, you don't have to add fat if you don't want to. I've had great success with the Stillman plan which is essentially LC, Low-Fat, and high protein. I feel that there are still a number of health concerns associated with saturated fat in spite of the preachings of Taubes and others.

Good Luck,

Preachings???

It should be noted that a diet high in protein can be detrimental as once the bodies' requirements for protein have been met, any additional protein will be converted into glucose. It is best to have a diet that is well formulated to have high fat (and not vegetable fats), moderate protein and low carb.

[svenskamae]

Originally Posted by clackley

My current favorite is Artisana raw 100% organic coconut butter - right off the spoon. Per 2 tbsp, it has 16g saturated fat with 7g carbs, 5g dietary fibre & 2g protein. It is sooooo good!

I love Artisana coconut butter. I eat a tablespoon of it after breakfast and 2 tablespoons of it after dinner. It's so delicious that it's like eating dessert, and it keeps me full and helps me avoid snacking. And it is a great way to add fat to one's diet.

[LAGril]

Seconding what Clackley just said. I recently broke a nearly year long stall by LOWERING my protein. I was eating a pristine low carb diet, but could not lose another pound to save my life. By ensuring that my protein consumption remained at or below 68g and that my fat intake made up 70% or more of my total calories, I finally started losing again.

I think the only problem with fat is adding it on top of a higher than necessary caloric intake. While some people are able to lose weight without monitoring caloric intake many, especially smaller women, have to limit calories and protein as well as carbs.

Eating fat in the absence of carbs is healthy. Fat intake becomes problematic when coupled with carbohydrate consumtion. The studies that claim to show otherwise are massively flawed. Most are observational and nearly all such studies tag as "low carb" a diet that is much higher in carbohydrate intake than most of us on LCF consume. Moreover, such studies discuss so-called "fatty" diets as regimes that include junk -- chips, donuts, cookies, cakes and the like. All such foods are high carb as well as high fat.

[Monk]

Originally Posted by clackley

My current favorite is Artisana raw 100% organic coconut butter - right off the spoon. Per 2 tbsp, it has 16g saturated fat with 7g carbs, 5g dietary fibre & 2g protein. It is sooooo good!

I adore adding a pat of butter to my cooked steak!

Where.do you find the coconut butter?

[svenskamae]

Originally Posted by Monk

Where.do you find the coconut butter?

I buy it from my local food co-op, in the same section of the store where the nut butters are shelved. I don't see it on the Netrition website (I did a search), but amazon carries it. The Artisana company website has links to other online retailers who carry their products. I'd try health food stores and upscale groceries locally.

[Leo41]

I truly think this is a YMMV situation. And I like PicklePete's observation that it's self-experimentation for all of us.

When I initially began low carbing, I had a medical condition that forced me to eat low fat for a long time. I did fine, and lost weight well.

When I was able to add fat, I did so 'naturally'--use of mayo, butter, olive oil--but nothing to excess. I prefer fish to meat, and I eat only grass-fed bison, which is naturally lean.

When I initially read Atkins in 1972, his advice was to not 'fear' fat, but he focused on low carb--NOT 'high' fat.

I've since read that senior women, like me, do much better with moderate fat, and that has been my personal experience. My self-experimentation has indicated that I do best with less, rather than more, fat.

By the way, the fact that 'excess' protein is converted to glucose is not necessarily a bad thing. The body runs on glucose, and in the absence of carbs, it will convert both dietary fat and protein to whatever it needs in terms of glucose. That glucose is NOT stored as fat unless the individual exceeds his/her energy requirements--i.e., consumes excess calories.

For a fuller understanding of the importance of protein in a low carb WOE, I highly recommend the Eades' ProteinPower.

[clackley]

Health food grocery stores tend to carry it but I ordered it on line from the manufacturer for cost efficiency.

[clackley]

Protein needs are calculated on lean body mass or ideal body weight. Using the ideal weight model, protein grams (not the weight but the amount in grams of protein) in 1 lb. of lean ground turkey is 95g. If a person is striving to weight 130 or so, the amount of protein should be around 50g.

As you quickly see, the person who eats 1 lb. of lean turkey (never mind anything else) exceeds their protein needs by about double. It is something that is easily done. The consequences of this are to be out of ketosis and hungry.

I am sure there are many individual variables with this type of calculation but for those that are struggling with weight loss, it is something to be considered. The solution is to up the fats and lower the protein, all the while keeping carbs low.

[Abby]

Originally Posted by Leo41

When I initially began low carbing, I had a medical condition that forced me to eat low fat for a long time. I did fine, and lost weight well.

I prefer fish to meat, and I eat only grass-fed bison, which is naturally lean.

My self-experimentation has indicated that I do best with less, rather than more, fat.

Thanks for your helpful coments, Leo. I too prefer fish in addition to poultry. The overwhelming sentiment here is for a high-fat diet. That's fine, but there's more than one way to follow a LC/VLC program. I have continued concerns about diets which are high in saturated fat in spite of Taubes and others. I just want to point out that programs like Stillman, which is LC, low-fat, and high protein can safely provide even more dramatic weight loss than the traditional Atkins regimen.

[Leo41]

The consequences of this are to be out of ketosis and hungry.

I've never eaten a pound of turkey for one meal, but I am confused by this statement. The number of carbs in that turkey would not push me out of ketosis--and if my total daily calories provided a deficit, the fact that my body was converting some of that protein to glucose would not affect ketosis, IMO.

During times when I've eaten VLC (mainly meat and eggs), I certainly have exceeded my protein 'requirements,' but I've remained in ketosis, so I'm puzzled by this.

[clackley]

Understanding ketosis and the role that protein has is such a fascinating subject. Dr. Phinney and Volek have done some great work in this area and I would suggest their book "The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Living".

Another source of information is Jimmy Moore's blog.

In the meantime, the O.P.''s thread has been totally high jacked and I think it would be great if someone was interested in discussing the pros and cons of high fat/ low carb / moderate protein way of eating, another thread should be started. I am sure it would be well 'attended'.

[JanCA]

Ack. The discussion is really interesting and I'm following it, but I'm still confused and the math makes my eyes cross. I'm kind of struggling to keep fat and calories up so in my case I think increasing some fat would help that. It's not easy when you've been brainwashed your entire life, but I really want to be comfortable in my body again AND I want to be able to stay that way this time.

To that end I need to get some chia seeds and coconut oil. Thanks for the ideas!