How much fat is too much fat?

[Boxedwine]

Hi all,

 

I'm on Day Four and I have a question about olive oil and avocados. I love them. I love them both. Cutting out butter is not a big deal to me because I mostly cook with olive oil anyway. And I love avocados. But how much fat is too much fat for a meal? 

 

If I cook my eggs in olive oil in the morning and add avocado, is that too much? If I reheat my brussel sprouts for lunch (cooked in olive oil that was admittedly a little too heavy on olive oil) should I cut the avocado? 

 

Full disclosure: I rarely just eat half an avocado. If I'm going to include avocado in a meal, it's probably all going into my belly. 

[Tom Denham]

Too much fat might be a serving that exceeds 1/2 of your serving of protein. I would not fuss about exceeding 1/2 at one meal per day, but you should probably not exceed 1/2 of the protein portion at two or more meals per day. 

 

Note: I just made this guideline up as an experienced Whole30 eater. No scientific calculations recommend this guideline, but I am not aware of any guidelines that would refute it either. 

[GlennR]

Too much fat might be a serving that exceeds 1/2 of your serving of protein. I would not fuss about exceeding 1/2 at one meal per day, but you should probably not exceed 1/2 of the protein portion at two or more meals per day. 

 

Note: I just made this guideline up as an experienced Whole30 eater. No scientific calculations recommend this guideline, but I am not aware of any guidelines that would refute it either. 

 

 

Obviously, you've never been to a Filipino party.  (That's roast pork.)

[ThyPeace]

One other thing to think about is how you feel.  If you find yourself having indigestion after a particularly high-fat meal, you might want to tone it down a little.  If you start to feel as though your tongue is coated in grease during a meal, same thing.

 

If you're not noticing any major "yuck" symptoms, then there is also the question of how satisfying your meals are.  I find that I tend to keep eating for the day until I've hit the right amount of protein for me.  Your protein amount may be different, and this is something much easier to figure out when you're using something like MyFitnessPal to track your foods.  Obviously not something to do during a Whole30 when you're not supposed to be tracking, but possibly worthwhile afterward.

 

Something similar is true for fat, I think.  If you don't get enough, your body will drive you to look for food -- unfortunately mine seems to get confused about what food I actually need and will have me reaching for buttered noodles instead of an avocado....  Anyway, I have increased the amount of fat that I eat to the point where it is about half of my calories.  That's a lot, but you know, I have lost weight, feel better, all my blood chemistry is better, and most interestingly, my Vitamin D levels finally went to normal.  The nutritionist's comment was, "Of course they did.  You're finally eating enough fat to be able to metabolize it correctly."

 

I am sure there is too much fat for me -- I learned the hard way with the first couple of things I mentioned above.  But if I stay below that and make sure to eat enough protein, my body seems to be pretty happy.

 

ThyPeace, had too much fat today, may pay for it tomorrow.

[kirkor]

Anyway, I have increased the amount of fat that I eat to the point where it is about half of my calories.

60% and up for me! ( ....... keto)

[ThyPeace]

Wow, kirkor, glad to know there are people who are higher than me.  Makes sense if you're trying for keto.  I am not, but find that as I add protein, fat, and vegetables to the diet (which increases nutrients and decreases carbs), the whole body feels better.

 

ThyPeace, but I still eat apples, bananas, and starchy vegetables.  My goal is to eat in a way that I can eat forever.  Those make it much easier for me, so I'll only cut them out if I find that I'm not continuing to improve my health.

[evaq]

 

Obviously, you've never been to a Filipino party.  (That's roast pork.)

 

 

OMG GlennR, that's Asian gateway food (or food without breaks) for sure! All that's missing from that photo is the white rice and hoisin dipping sauce. Gosh, one of my faves.

[GlennR]

OMG GlennR, that's Asian gateway food (or food without breaks) for sure! All that's missing from that photo is the white rice and hoisin dipping sauce. Gosh, one of my faves.

 

I remember one time back in college, some friends and I went to an island that happened to have a pig farm. The workers there roasted a whole piglet (lechon) just for the five of us. We feasted around the campfire under the stars. Usually in parties with lechon, people fight to get the crunchy skin. This time, we had way more skin than we could eat. We lay on our mats after, bellies full, watching stars streak across the sky, till we fell asleep.

[ladyshanny]

I remember one time back in college, some friends and I went to an island that happened to have a pig farm. The workers there roasted a whole piglet (lechon) just for the five of us. We feasted around the campfire under the stars. Usually in parties with lechon, people fight to get the crunchy skin. This time, we had way more skin than we could eat. We lay on our mats after, bellies full, watching stars streak across the sky, till we fell asleep.

OMG, that sounds absolutely amazing!!!!!!!!!