Help change my mind on FATS!

(Holly) #1

I’m getting ready to give Keto a try. I’ve spent a “few” years not prioritizing a healthy eating lifestyle and my pants size reflects that.

I’m finding that what worked when I was in my 20s doesn’t work for me now. Back in the day it was all about high protein, low carbs, and low fats. I’ve got a pretty good handle on the protein and carb requirements of Keto, but eating higher amounts of fat is a whole new concept for me.

I’ve done a lot of research on healthy fats, so I’m becoming familiar with what constitutes as healthy fat vs unhealthy fat. My problem is convincing myself it’s ok to eat them.

Any tips or word of wisdom that has helped you along the way would be greatly appreciated.

(Joey) #2

Greetings @hawalsh, welcome to the forum.

Since it sounds like you’ve been doing your research and have a “pretty good handle on protein and carb requirements of Keto,” you know that the primary key is to restrict carbs. The secondary key is to eat a prudent amount of protein (probably not that much different than you’re eating now?)…

So this begs the question. If your carbs are a given (hopefully <20g/day) and your protein is largely unchanged (roughly 1g per 1kg of lean body weight, but can range broadly around this over the course of a week of eating), then HOW MUCH FAT DO YOU NEED?

Well, keto is NOT about restricting your overall calories - that’s a recipe for starving yourself and, over the long run, messing up your metabolism. No, keto is about SUBSTITUTING those carb calories with fat calories. After all, you better get your nourishment from somewhere … right?

Now, most of us can completely understand your resistance to eating “too much” fat because it’s been drilled into us over the decades that this is dangerous to our health. (Our grandparents and their grandparents knew better than this silliness, but I digress).

Yes, if you eat saturated fats WHILE eating lots of carbs then those fats will likely circulate around and cause heart issues and other problems over time. But remember, you’re significantly restricting carbs, right? Well, without those noxious carbs, your body will return to its natural state - the state in which ALL of us were born - which is a state of ketosis. In a state of ketosis, those healthy animal fats we eat will get USED for energy and overall cell health.

So the context really matters. Eating carbs? …then yeah, loading up on fats may not be so healthy after all. But reducing your carbs per keto eating, then no, those fats won’t harm you at all… in fact they will prove to become your ticket to better health in virtually every respect.

In fact, a very common problem those starting out on keto experience (myself included) is holding on to our FEAR OF FAT. This is going to cause you problems if you don’t face it squarely and overcome it … you will otherwise not eat enough (or perhaps overload on protein, which may cause challenges of a different sort).

Trust the science. Eating healthy fats - when not allowing pesky carbs to get in the way - is healthy. And you need healthy food to thrive.

Hopefully some of this helps you begin to revisit the misinformation we’ve all been fed over these past few decades.

(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #3

Really? Maybe Amy Berger can help. As @SomeGuy says, the problem is carbs, not fat. Other than so-called ‘vegetable oil’ fats, which are really ‘seed/grain oil’, which are extracted under both high heat and pressure and often chemical solvents, fats are AOK.




(Holly) #4

Thank you. That very informative.

(Joey) #5

@hawalsh You’re welcome! I might add that, after eating all those delicious fats while on keto for some period of time, you’ll likely be curious to have your lipid bloodwork done… especially if you’re concerned about that “dangerous fat.” If you’re like most of us, you will not be disappointed in the results - especially as compared to how things looked beforehand.

('Jackie P') #6

Basically anything by Nina, her book the Big Fat Surprise and any of her You Tube presentations are brilliant.
(Susan) #7

Welcome to the forum, Holly =).

Just keep your carbs at 20 grams or less, no sugar, enough calories! (from proteins and healthy fats) do not under eat, start out with 3 meals a day and no snacks, eat enough at each meal and try not to eat from supper to breakfast (to do a 12:12 eating window, helps your body lose better! and most of that time you should be sleeping anyway =).

Adding butter to all the meats and vegetables you cook really helps, for adding fats. Also, adding Heavy Whipping cream and/or Coconut Oil or MCT oil to your coffee and tea helps.

A new thing I love is making hot tea, (flavoured herbal ones especially) and adding them to the blender, with 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream, and lots of ice, and blending it up, delicious!

Drink enough water, and make sure you get enough electrolytes.

Best wishes, and if you have any more questions, just ask =).

(squirrel-kissing paper tamer) #8

I personally don’t eat “extra” fat but I do use it liberally to make things taste good. If I have to choose between 1 tbsp of butter or as much as I want to cook up some veg or meat, I choose the latter. I think if you use fats intuitively while not limiting or fearing them, you’ll be fine.