Does body fat percentage correlate with fat intake?
- Thread starter sophiem
- Start date
I would say yes, in that fat is the most calorie dense nutrient. 1 gram fat = 9 calories, 1 gram carb = 4 calories, 1 gram protein = 4 calories. So, if you eat less fat, you will consume less calories, which should lead to weight loss, i.e. fat loss. Your total calorie level is important, too. If you consume more calories than your body requires for your daily activities, you will gain weight, even if you are eating low fat.
So, the short answer is yes!
So, the short answer is yes!
LauraMax
Cathlete
I'm not sure about this. You definitely have to reduce carbs b/c of your body's two sources of energy (carbs & fat), your body burns carbs first, then fat. I do a pretty strict low carb diet & don't really pay much attention to my fat intake, although most of my meals are pretty health conscious.
You also have to increase muscle mass so that your body burns fat more efficiently & faster.
Also, your metabolism & genetics plays a role.
My only really helpful suggestion for you is to do a diet you can live with (if your diet makes you miserable you'll never stick to it) and find a fitness routine that fits your lifestyle.
You also have to increase muscle mass so that your body burns fat more efficiently & faster.
Also, your metabolism & genetics plays a role.
My only really helpful suggestion for you is to do a diet you can live with (if your diet makes you miserable you'll never stick to it) and find a fitness routine that fits your lifestyle.
kathryn
Cathlete
Dietary fat is more easily converted to body fat than are either carbs or protein, but the type of fat you eat also plays a role. Raw fats (like those found in avocado, raw nuts---which should be soaked before eating to deactivate enzyme inhibitors--and olives) contain within them the enzyme lipase, which helps with digestion of fat, while cooked fats (any heated over around 118 degrees, including most vegetable oils) are denatured and have had their enzymes destroyed. Coconut oil is even supposed to help your body burn off fat.
As for what kind of "diet" to follow, I think focusing on just one nurient (fat, carbs, isolated vitamins, whatever) is a somewhat erroneous approach. Instead, if you stick close to what nature intended for humans to eat (foods that the human body can easily assimilate) you don't have to worry so much about counting anything: fats, carbs or calories.
Try increasing your intake of raw foods and decreasing (or, better, elminating) processed foods, including most vegetable oils (the exceptions being first-cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil and raw coconut oil).
Sticking to a diet of about 55-65% healthy carbs (from fruits, vegetables, legumes and grains--limiting the amount of wheat and rye), 20%-30% fat and 12-20% protein is a good guideline. This can not only help you reduce body fat but, perhaps more importantly, is a health-promoting way of eating, based on nutrient profiles of healthy populations, and that can reduce the risk of many diseases that are rampant in the US, rather than just working on appearance.
As for what kind of "diet" to follow, I think focusing on just one nurient (fat, carbs, isolated vitamins, whatever) is a somewhat erroneous approach. Instead, if you stick close to what nature intended for humans to eat (foods that the human body can easily assimilate) you don't have to worry so much about counting anything: fats, carbs or calories.
Try increasing your intake of raw foods and decreasing (or, better, elminating) processed foods, including most vegetable oils (the exceptions being first-cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil and raw coconut oil).
Sticking to a diet of about 55-65% healthy carbs (from fruits, vegetables, legumes and grains--limiting the amount of wheat and rye), 20%-30% fat and 12-20% protein is a good guideline. This can not only help you reduce body fat but, perhaps more importantly, is a health-promoting way of eating, based on nutrient profiles of healthy populations, and that can reduce the risk of many diseases that are rampant in the US, rather than just working on appearance.