How many fat grams should I eat a day

[glamourpuss]

Hi Everyone,
I am new at this low fat stuff. I have been doing Atkins, I lost 50 lbs 2 years ago and gained them all back. I have been trying to get back on the Atkins wagon and I just can't seem to stick with it.
So, I decided maybe I need to try someting else. My mother used to do low fat and I know things have changed a lot since than. More products on the market, etc...
The thing I'm unsure of is if you want to lose weight how many grams of fat should you be eating in a day, and should you count calories also?
I have a lot of weight to lose, 130 lbs and my big problem is I'm a sugar addict. I'm trying to eliminate sugar, I sometimes eat splenda though.
I have been walking and want to lose weight is a way that is healthy.

Thanks for any input.

Sues

[ClaraB]

Hi, and welcome to the boards!

I don't think that counting fat grams alone will help you lose weight - if you reduce your fat intake and replace it with carbs, you won't lose anything. In other words, you need to reduce your calorie intake to lose weight - bottom line. How many calories you need is a very personal thing, depending on your metabolism and how active you are. I would highly recommend reading Eat, drink and be healthy by Walter Willett; IMHO, it's the most scientifically accurate nutrition book out there right now, and it really explains protein, fat and carbs well. I'm sure lots of others have good insight, too - the weekends are often slow around here!

[lindrusso]

Hi. I agree with ClaraB, but I would also acknowledge that it's helpful to start somehwhere and why not start with cutting back on fat. Most low-fat programs recommend 10-30% of calories coming from fat. I go for 30% because anything lower than that does not keep me feeling satisfied. So, you would need to figure out how many calories you need each day and go from there.

As Clara said, many believe, and there is evidence out there, that there is more to losing weight than just going low fat. For instance if you can eat low-fat all day and still be eating too much junk, too much sugar and too many calories. It really helps to read, read, read and try to educate yourself as much as possible.

Good luck! :)

[lakelady1]

Hi, sues, welcome to the boards. I see that is your first posting and hope you get lots of good advice from this group! They certainly can be a source of inspiration and knowledge.

I agree with linda in that knowledge is the key. Any diet will work if you follow it. The question is, with which one out there can you live. Or, maybe, with which one can you live before you switch to another.

Low fat, say 20 grams a day, does work, but only if everything else you are eating is natural and healthy. Alcohol, for example, has no fat. If all you did was drink all day, you would have consumed no fat, but you are not likely to lose weight. All the low fat foods they now have bring the amount of fat down, but compensate with sugar and chemicals. Same with artificially low carb packaged foods. I lost a ton of weight once on WW "fat and fiber" diet, in which I was allowed a minimun of 20 grams of fiber and a maximum of 20 grams of fat every day. But, I was well versed in healthy eating by that time and it worked for me. It was a disaster for WW, however, because people played games with the numbers and consumed a ton of junk food -- stock in whoever makes Snackwells went WAAYYY up.

Good luck!

[DocAgocs]

Sues, be very careful with low fat. I have seen countless female patients really screw up by eating low fat. You need fat for precursors for most of your hormones, as well as for cell membranes and a bunch of other stuff. If you aren't getting it, or aren't getting the right types of it, you're body will substitute for it and the results are disastrous. About 30% or so of your total calorie intake should be "fat."

The main fats people should eat, though, are real natural stuff. Use real butter, not margarine or "trans fat free" processed garbage. That doesn't mean you go through a stick of butter a day, though! Your fat should come primarily from the food you are already eating (like the fat you'll find along with protein). If you're adding fat to your diet via cooking, use real butter, flaxseed oil (never cook with it) and for cooking, olive oil. That's about all you need.

The reason most people can't succeed with Atkins is that they read the first part of the book, the Induction Diet, and they think they can do that forever. That diet gets you to lose weight fast, but you can't sustain that and when you stop eating that way the pounds come back like you're a super magnet! A proper diet is mostly vegetables, 4-5 ounces of protein each meal, some fruit and some whole grains (1-2 servings per day).

[JulieM]

Sues, I completely agree with ClaraB--Willets book is excellent, and if you only bought one, this is the one I'd recommend too! But I also recommend The New Glucose Revolution. Eating a healthy diet that is relatively low on the glycemic index really, really works. Willet talks about this in his book as well. Good luck!

[ClaraB]

Thanks for recommending that book, Julie - I just put myself on the waiting list for it at my library. Unfortunately, I'm third in line, so I may be waiting awhile....

[kwormann]

I say read Willetts book, then read South Beach Diet. He has the same basic principals but gives you a schedule of HOW to lose weight. It is working great for many of us on the board. We even have a support group you are welcome to join:)

[JenZen]

Hi,

I just wanted to add my thoughts. I realize, like the above posters have noted, that low-fat isn't the complete answer. But for me, I've found that it serves as a good guide. I really only look at fat information on products, which has helped my change my diet. For instance, I'll choose raisins and nuts for a snack instead of chips, because I'm aware of the types of fat in the snack and that one is greater than the other. I tend to go with the recommendation that CL includes with each issue. If I'm not mistaken, it's about 60 grams per day. I probably eat less than that, but I just use it as a guidepost. For instance, it helps me realize that by eating a 10-gram candy bar, I'm using up a lot of fat that could have been used eating something with much more value.

The main thing is not really to be low-fat, but to just be aware of your food choices and portion control.

I have made changes, like if I'm going to use mayo, I buy low-fat. I always buy low-fat sour cream and cottage cheese, as well.

I guess my point is that I don't go out of my way to count the grams, I just choose foods with fewer grams. Like chicken instead of steak. I generally make my menu choices at a restaurant based on how many grams of fat a dish has.

[DmOrtega]

Originally posted by JenZen
...
The main thing is not really to be low-fat, but to just be aware of your food choices and portion control.
...

This is the single most important thing to keep in mind, always. We need a large variety of foods to be healthy. Some on a daily basis, some weekly, and other less often. If you can reduce portions and keep balance in the meal you will have more energy and feel better in no time. When happens then is that you burn more calories because you're more active. A chain reaction happens. However it is so easy to fall into bad habits (personal expierence talking) but don't give up. Any long term health benefits will take time and always think balance.

[cindyluwho]

I don't know if this will help, but since food is supposed to nourish us and keep us healthy and energetic, perhaps when you are thinking about what to prepare or eat, you might think about what it will contribute to the smooth functioning of your body? This is sort of a more big picture approach, but it does require you to know to some degree what is in different foods beyond how much fat there is.
The way I approach it is kind of like this...I try to eat a nice healthy bowl of cereal in the mornings (I mix fiber twig-like cereal with a flax cereal and Kashi honey puffed cereal, in soy milk). This has lots of fiber and whole grains, quite a bit of protein and vitamins. This keeps me full until lunchtime or even later sometimes, and umm...keeps things running smoothly. ;) I tend to go for colorful vegetables because they tend to have lots of vitamins and good things. I try to eat lots of whole grains because as a vegetarian I think this helps me in terms of zinc and other stuff. I make most of my food, which is helpful because then I know what's in it. But the idea applies even if I'm eating processed stuff--if I want a snack from the vending machine, for example, I'll have peanut M&Ms, which may not seem that great but at least there's something of nutritional value in peanuts (protein, healthy oils, etc). This is how I eat most of the time. But I will, for example, totally eat full fat ice cream. I don't see any reason to eat ice cream unless it's full fat, but I just eat some and then put it away (a serving or less, probably). If I go out to a very nice restaurant, I let myself eat pretty much whatever, because I enjoy eating really good food that I did not have to make for myself, and I know that I do not normally eat that way so it is fine.

I guess I think it helps to think very flexibly and consider what it is your body needs to function well. Speaking of which, I need to go drink some water! :)

[TieKitty]

Reported.