Stupid question about fat...

[mb in md]

OK, so you know that Meal Template? We got the protein, we got the veggies and lots of 'em (yum), but about the fat... The book says "Add fat in the following recommended amounts per meal" and gives a list. Just to make sure I'm not skidding off the rails completely, is that an "OR" list or and "AND" list? We love avocado, we love nuts, we love olives, we love coconut in all forms -- and we'd LOVE to have ALL of them at every meal LOL But I think we're only supposed to have ONE from the list at each meal?? 

[jmcbn]

Yep, it's an 'or' list.

So just the one, in addition to any oil you use for cooking.

And it's best to keep nuts to a minimum - say a closed handful, every other day.

 

[SugarcubeOD]

JMCBN is right... it's an 'or' list but if you choose to have avocado with your chicken salad made with home made mayo, that's totally acceptable... you can mix and match

[Georgia Kaye]

Another fat question:

 

Is the only purpose of adding the fat to each meal to provide satiety, or does it also help our bodies to become fat adapted?  I find that I don't add additional fat to breakfast, but I do to lunch and dinner.  I'm never hungry before lunch, so don't feel that I need that extra fat, but if it's crucial to turning my body into a fat burner, I can add it.

 

I started my second Whole 30 on Monday.

[jmcbn]

The human brain is around 60% fat so you actually need to eat fat for brain health as well as for satiety.

Fat will also provide a much more sustained level of energy - carbs peak in the blood as energy somewhere between 30-60mins, protein somewhere between the 2- 4hr mark, whilst fat can provide steady energy for up to 10hrs.

IMHO key in becoming fat adapted would be:

1. Not snacking on fruit/nuts etc & therefore constantly topping up glucose supplies
2. Eating to satiety so as to leave that 4-5 (or longer) window to allow the body time to learn to tap into fat stores for energy

3. Eating adequate fat to get that sustained energy without the highs & lows some people suffer from otherwise

 

In short, I'd say follow the template.

If you're able to go 4-5hrs between breakfast & lunch without feeling hangry then you're probably ok - what are you generally eating for breakfast? And what are your usual meal timings?

[praxisproject]

Fat also helps to absorb nutrients and perform other bodily functions.

 

Things like Vitamin A are fat soluble, so you need fat to absorb the goodies.

[Georgia Kaye]

Thanks to both moderators for the quick replies.  

 

For breakfast, I'm usually eating three eggs with a slice of prosciutto and some veggies,  I cook the eggs and prosciutto in olive oil. Sometimes I make hash browns, and the cooking fat definitely stays with those.  I eat breakfast around 7 or 7:30, depending on what time I get up, and lunch is usually around 12:30 or so, never before noon.  I'm not hungry before lunch, so feel like I'm ok.  Dinner is at 7, and while I'm good and hungry by then, I'm not snacking at all.

 

I can't seem to wrap my brain around the fact that I should be eating fat in addition to cooking fat and the natural fats in the foods.  I add clarified butter to my veggies at dinner, and half an avocado along with some olive oil in my salad for lunch, so am following the template there.  The no added fat at breakfast is really the only thing I'm not doing exactly by the template.

[jmcbn]

Thanks to both moderators for the quick replies.  

 

For breakfast, I'm usually eating three eggs with a slice of prosciutto and some veggies,  I cook the eggs and prosciutto in olive oil. Sometimes I make hash browns, and the cooking fat definitely stays with those.  I eat breakfast around 7 or 7:30, depending on what time I get up, and lunch is usually around 12:30 or so, never before noon.  I'm not hungry before lunch, so feel like I'm ok.  Dinner is at 7, and while I'm good and hungry by then, I'm not snacking at all.

 

I can't seem to wrap my brain around the fact that I should be eating fat in addition to cooking fat and the natural fats in the foods.  I add clarified butter to my veggies at dinner, and half an avocado along with some olive oil in my salad for lunch, so am following the template there.  The no added fat at breakfast is really the only thing I'm not doing exactly by the template.

I'd say you're doing okay... 

[IslandBetz]

I had the same question..."and" or "or". Too bad it's not the latter, but it was worth a try! I'm also trying to get a grip on the fats. For instance, if I'm not cooking but having a salad, I'm not using cooking fats. Is Tessemae dressing counting as a fat? And either way, can I still have nuts or avacado? Also trying to understand why I need to add cooking fat when cooking something already fatty like hamburger. Thoughts please?

[jent103]

Is Tessemae dressing counting as a fat? And either way, can I still have nuts or avacado?

 

I haven't had Tessemae's so can't answer that one specifically. But when I eat a salad, the only way it keeps me full for a decent amount of time is with plenty of fat. A typical salad for me has a generous amount of dressing (either olive oil or homemade mayo-based) and often some nuts and/or diced avocado.

 

Also trying to understand why I need to add cooking fat when cooking something already fatty like hamburger. Thoughts please?

 

You may not - if the meat is quite fatty, especially if it's well sourced (grass fed beef in the case of the hamburger), and you're satisfied for 4-5 hours without additional fat, great. I wouldn't add fat to the meat if I were grilling burgers. But I probably would add some homemade mayo or guac on top, both for satiety and deliciousness. Another example - something like short ribs may not need added fat, but chicken breast does.

[Georgia Kaye]

Also trying to understand why I need to add cooking fat when cooking something already fatty like hamburger. Thoughts please?

I don't think anyone is telling you that you must use cooking fat, just that you shouldn't count whatever cooking fat you may use as the fat serving for that meal.  The reasoning is that most of the cooking fat remains in the pan and doesn't actually get consumed.  I use my own judgement with that theory, as clearly the cooking fat is absorbed by some vegetables, such as potatoes when making hash browns.  In the case of your hamburger, you probably don't need to use cooking fat, and you should still add a serving of fat to that meal.

[praxisproject]

Cooking fat and dressings can be misleading because you think you're eating it all, but a lot gets left in the surface area of the pan or bowl.

 

Add some avocado, nuts (don't make nuts your only fat source), coconut butter, sunflower seed butter, coconut cream, coconut milk, there's really a lot of options but sometimes it's about figuring out either how to add it in your meal or how to add it on the side or in a drink.

 

I can add coconut cream to my coffee, avocado into a salad, duck fat blended into a soup, I usually only eat nuts when I'm on the move, sunshine sauce in a stir fry, if a fat serve just doesn't really go I mix some coconut butter up with some fruit like blueberries and eat it with my meal.

[kattwumn]

This is so not a stupid question. I think the template is not worded precisely enough. I unfortunately find many typos in the book and online, just saying. Nonetheless I am so glad I found this thread because I had the same questions and concerns.