Throughout all my months and months of maintenance, and even during weight loss, I never really counted fat. I kept an eye on sodium, made sure I was high in protein and watched calories mostly like a hawk. Fat I never had issues with, once I cut out the greasy fried stuff. I track my stats on Sparkpeople, and finally got to looking at the weekly info at the bottom of the nutrition page.
The amount of fat I "Should" be getting is, according to the site, 45-79 grams per day, with no more than 25 g. saturated fat. I'm good to go in the saturated fat area. But the fats...apparently not. Most days I'm low. Way low. Like today - 20 grams. Probably 3/4 of the last two weeks I've been far too low.
Mindi, I think it just depends how you feel. I find that if I'm trying to lose and I don't eat enough fat, my weight loss stalls, so I try to incorporate "good" fats in my diet. Some people say if they don't get enough then their hair and skin don't look or feel as good. I figure if you're not feeling any ill effects, then don't worry about it. You could always consult your doctor or a nutritionist if you're worried.
Hi! I'm not a maintainer, but I saw this thread on the main board so hope it's okay to chime in...
I think it's perfectly fine to be at about 20-30 grams of fat a day, but what you may want to look at is where that fat comes from. You say you are good to go on the saturated fats, but what is the ratio of saturated to unsaturated fats you are getting? If you are very low on saturated then you are getting mainly healthy fats and you should be overall fine. If all of your fat is coming from eating yogurt, cheese, lean meat, then it is probably mainly saturated and that could lead to problems. If it's from nuts, vegetatables, fruits, then you should be fine.
Unsaturated fats help raise your HDL cholesterol levels, and those help reduce your LDL levels. A high ratio of saturated fats are the biggest contributer to rising cholesterol levels.
You also need esential fatty acids that your body can't produce - such as DHA/EPA/Omega 3's. So a part of your fat intake needs to come from these items (fatty fish, walnuts, flax seeds, algae) if you are not taking a supplement. These fats helps with mood, and fats in general help with vitamin absorption and hormone regulation.
Hi, Mindi! Hopefully JayEll will chime in here, too, because both of us are on that spectrum of "needs more fat" than the typical chick. I couldn't lose weight until I got up closer to the 35-40% range for fat (seriously!). I made a sincere effort early on to cut fat down to 20%, and what I got out of that deal was 3 pounds *gained* in 2 weeks, low-level depression, shattering fingernails, dry skin, and constipation. It was the same number of calories (1300-1700), and a whole lot more food than I get today ... but it simply did not work for me. I was MISERABLE! And my cholesterol hit 270 ... a personal worst.
Today, my snacks are avocados, dairy and nuts, and I use walnut oil or olive oil on salads. I still have to count the calories in the EPA/DHA supplements. Less on the plate, for sure, but strangely, it's rare for me to be hungry and I'm happy, healthy ... and cholesterol holding at 210 with a very nice ratio.
What works for me might only work for me! Admittedly ... portion control becomes a bigger factor. But having tried Atkins, South Beach, DASH, Slimfast, SugarBusters, and even Ornish, this seems to be the happy compromise.
I also eat more fat than many people - 30-35% of my calories is typical. I do feel ill effects when I do not eat enough and definitely notice a difference in my hair/nails/skin. I also take EFAs (Omega 3-6-9s) 2-3x/day, and don't count those in my daily #s.
Maybe try incorporating a couple of higher fats into your diet regularly & see if you feel differently? ICUwishing mentioned some of my favorites: avocado, nuts, olive oil. It doesn't take much - 1/4 avocado on your salad + 1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil will get you an additional 21g heart-healthy fat.
Let us know how it goes. Every body is so different, so it will be interesting to learn if you feel differently with this change.
The "Zone Diet" percentage for the ratio of proteins : carbs : fat. is 30% : 40% : 30%. That's percentage of calories. So, if you're eating 1500 cals per day, say, then you could have 450 protein cals, 600 carb cals (excluding fiber), and 450 fat cals. In terms of grams, that would be just under 50 grams of fat.
Fat is really essential for skin and other organ health. It's not hard to add "good fats" to the diet--vegetable oils, etc., as ICUwishing posted. So, don't be afraid to shift your ratios a bit. I don't adhere strictly to the ratios--who needs more numbers to count! --but I do notice when I'm getting too far off.
I'm not in maintenance but I just wanted to say I stopped experiencing hunger when I got over my 80s-induced fear of fats and added olive oil, nuts and seeds and their butters, and avocados to my meals. These items are the only items I still measure/weigh since they are so calorie dense, but I find a little goes a long way to keeping me happy and satiated.
Height: 5 ft 8.5" athlete who can give a punch & certainly take one too! :)
Hey Mindy, I don't worry about amounts or numbers, but I DO include fats in each meal, which keep me hunger at bay- plain almonds, peanut butter, almond butter, ground flax, salmon or olives being I am NOT a fan of straight up oil nor avocado- bleh....
Last edited by evilwomaniamshe; 11-02-2010 at 09:10 PM.
Count me as another whose weight loss stalled whenever I cut my fats down too low. I try to eat mostly unsaturated/good fats, and I notice from my nails and skin (well, at least in the summer, in winter my skin is dry no matter what) whether I'm cutting back too much. I also take a fish oil based supplement.
I start to binge eat if I don't get enough fat. I have been known to snack on a pat of butter a couple of times a week and I eat avocado on a lot of things. Nuts/nut butters don't work for me as I can't stop eating once I start.
I also cook with small amounts of butter (not an oil fan) rahter than all the fat free sprays (although we do make potato wedges with the olive oil flavored Pam).
I would say I most likely eat less fat than most. For me, it really is all about volume and given the high calorie content in fat, I do keep it kinda low. Given that I am full of energy, my nails and hair have never been thicker and stronger, medical check ups A+, haven't had as much as a cold or sniffle since I changed up my eating, it's clearly working well for me.
My main source of fat comes from the canola oil that I am using to saute and roast all that volume (veggies) I'm consuming. Of course there's the every now and then avocado, chicken drumstick, salmon, nuts, etc.
Mindi, sounds like a bit of experimenting may be in order for you.
This is all personal preference, really. Some people would prefer 300 calories of avocado (low volume, high fat), some would rather have 300 calories of veggies & egg whites (high volume, little fat).
Do what's best for you + what works. That's different for everyone.
Not enough fat?
I don't adhere strictly to the ratios--who needs more numbers to count! 
--but I do notice when I'm getting too far off.
