How Much Fat Can I Eat?

If you have ever struggled with weight loss, you know there are so many diet plans out there, it is mind-boggling. You could probably spend the rest of your life reading diet books and trying to decide which is the best way to lose weight. In fact, I have spent untold hours reading, studying, and pondering the attributes of different diets. I have experimented with many of the most common diet plans to see how they work. And I've learned a lot over the years.

I've also written thousands of blogposts on the subject. Here's yet another one!

After reading about the ketogenic diet, which emphasizes the consumption of fat, with a modest amount of protein and a very low daily dose of carbs, I was sold. My husband lost at least 20 pounds on this plan (because he actually followed it!) while I basically just ate more fat without monitoring my carb intake. After all, the whole low-fat phenomenon of the 1980's is SO over. These days, everyone knows about the "good" fats which we should all be eating. Avocado toast is a craze. Even Chip and Joanna Gaines are serving it at their new, factory-sized restaurant in Waco. But eating an entire avocado (about 8 servings of fat) smeared on bread (high in carbs) is a good example of how to gain weight!

Fast forward to the end of winter and I have gained about 7 pounds. Not stepping on the scale for the entire winter made it easier for me to pretend this wasn't happening. As spring arrived, I made the decision to get this weight gain under control. And I realized that the amount of fat I had been eating was probably a major factor. I had to cut back on the fat.

Now, I am not suggesting anyone return to the low-fat fad. Fat is an integral part of a healthy diet. Everyone should be eating a small amount of fat with every meal. But the key here is not to go crazy with the fat while still chowing down on the carbs. The combination of too much fat with too many carbs will definitely pack on the pounds.

So how much fat CAN I eat?

According to the Zone diet, the amount is pretty small. Here are some examples of how much fat I can eat per meal while still losing weight:

* 1/4 of an avocado or 3 TB of guacamole
* 1 teaspoon of almond butter
* about 9 whole almonds
* about 9 olives
* 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of peanut butter
* 1 teaspoon of butter

You get the idea. If I have a sandwich (2 slices of bread) I have already chosen to load up on carbs for the meal. I cannot then ALSO choose to load up on fat. And I was doing this on a regular basis: grilled turkey and cheese sandwich (cooked in butter) with pesto (made with nuts and olive oil) or guacamole on the side (about 4 TB of fat). I was probably eating 6-8 servings of fat per meal!

On the other hand, if you decide to go keto, fat is your best friend. It is the carbs you need to count. So bread is a definite no-no. As is pasta, chips, potatoes, corn, and anything made from grains. Sugar is completely out.

If you prefer carbs, I recommend the Zone diet. It is 40% carbs, so not super low carb, 30% protein and 30% fat. It's a very balanced diet and not difficult to follow. But measuring all your food choices is crucial.

If you struggle with weight loss and need assistance, I am available for weight loss coaching as well as personal training. Send me a message!