Weight-Loss Fat vs. calories

Weight-Loss
1

11firecrackers

New member
I have been wondering this for quite some time, but I've never been able to get a solid answer.

Assuming that weight loss or gain is based on calories in/out, fat grams don't matter, right?

For example (and this is hypothetical; assume that health is not an issue here because I'm only asking about weight right now) if a person ate a surplus of calories in broccoli a day their entire life--while another ate the same amount of calories in chocolate cake--would they both gain the same amount of weight in the same amount of time?

Broccoli obviously has no fat, and chocolate cake has a ton. But if it's only calories that affect your weight, it shouldn't matter, right?

I'm not saying that I'm going to eat my heart out in fatty foods if this is true, but I'm currently on a very low-fat diet and I'm worried about increasing my fat intake--without increasing my calories--because I don't want to gain weight.
 
11firecrackers said:
Assuming that weight loss or gain is based on calories in/out,
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You're right, weight loss or gain is *primarily* based on calories in/out.

However, based on some of the things you're saying in that other 'starvation mode thread,' fat loss is about calories and nutrients.

fat grams don't matter, right?
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Dietary fat does not equal body fat.

For example (and this is hypothetical; assume that health is not an issue here because I'm only asking about weight right now) if a person ate a surplus of calories in broccoli a day their entire life--while another ate the same amount of calories in chocolate cake--would they both gain the same amount of weight in the same amount of time?
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That question really can't be answered. Theoretically, yea. In reality, probably not.

But again, what's with all this discussion about weight. We should be concerned about body fat.
 
Well, I tend to use the two terms interchangeably anyway, considering that when my weight goes up, as does my body fat. And thus, I look fatter and flabbier than before.

And dietary fat =/= body fat? I actually didn't know that...
 
Steve said:
You're right, weight loss or gain is *primarily* based on calories in/out.

However, based on some of the things you're saying in that other 'starvation mode thread,' fat loss is about calories and nutrients.



Dietary fat does not equal body fat.



That question really can't be answered. Theoretically, yea. In reality, probably not.

But again, what's with all this discussion about weight. We should be concerned about body fat.
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But answer me this,
what if the same was said for the foods that supposedly have negative calories ;)
 
11firecrackers said:
I'm currently on a very low-fat diet and I'm worried about increasing my fat intake--without increasing my calories--because I don't want to gain weight.
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If an anecdote will make you feel any better, I've been running 30-40% of calories from fat since I started keeping track around the end of September, and have been consistently losing.

BTW, a cup of broccoli has about half a gram of fat. So your very low fat diet may not be as low in fat as you think. (I get the vast majority of the fat in my diet from nuts, which are touted as being full of healthy fats, and still have trouble keeping my total saturated fat as low as I'd like - because nuts contain a fair amount of saturated fat.)
 
11firecrackers said:
Well, I tend to use the two terms interchangeably anyway, considering that when my weight goes up, as does my body fat. And thus, I look fatter and flabbier than before.
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That's b/c you aren't eating and/or exercising correctly.

And if your weight goes up when you're trying to diet, you aren't being consistent with your nutrition.

And dietary fat =/= body fat? I actually didn't know that...
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If you eat nothing but fat, yet remain in a caloric deficit, you aren't going to gain weight. Calories are energy. You can't create something out of nothing.
 
allyphoe said:
If an anecdote will make you feel any better, I've been running 30-40% of calories from fat since I started keeping track around the end of September, and have been consistently losing.

BTW, a cup of broccoli has about half a gram of fat. So your very low fat diet may not be as low in fat as you think. (I get the vast majority of the fat in my diet from nuts, which are touted as being full of healthy fats, and still have trouble keeping my total saturated fat as low as I'd like - because nuts contain a fair amount of saturated fat.)
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Well, a gram or so isn't going to make much a difference to me.

Even now that I know about that, my daily fat intake is still less than 10 grams a day, which I know is probably horrible for me. I just don't want to increase and suddenly balloon.
 
I just watch where my calories come from in general. For instance, 200 calories of fruit is better than 200 calories of french fries any day.
 
11firecrackers said:
Even now that I know about that, my daily fat intake is still less than 10 grams a day, which I know is probably horrible for me. I just don't want to increase and suddenly balloon.
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you are not going to balloon overnight... and if your weight goes up by a pound or two, so what... I strongly doubt your measurements are going to change.

But your body needs fat for basic functions... 10 grams isn't a whole lot...

You really need to focus less on the number on the scale, and more on how you're feeling... not necessarily what you see in the mirror, because I strongly suspect that you arent seeing yourself clearly...
 
Well... if dietary fat doesn't affect fat gain, then why do dieters cut down on fat in their diets to lose weight? That's what I don't understand.
 
Calories affect gain... foods with higher levels of dietary fat tend to have a bit higher calories than other foods...

Some fats are bad for you - saturated fats is what people do cut down on for cholesterol and heart health reasons... but there are good fats, like those found in olive oil and fish and avocados that are good for you...
 
Usually the calories are the most important, but remember that 1g of fat is 9 calories but 1g of protein, carbohydrates is 4 calories. So it is better for someone who is trying to lose weight that they eat more carbs and specially vegetables and fruits because they are lower in calories and you can eat more of it than fat.
 
Well I could definitely up my fat intake by a long shot without increasing my calories at all... this wouldn't make me gain weight, then?
 
11firecrackers said:
Well I could definitely up my fat intake by a long shot without increasing my calories at all... this wouldn't make me gain weight, then?
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Not unless you increase your calories, but simply gaining weight may be the least of your concerns with a high fat diet. Consuming too much fat can lead to other health issues, especially if it's not the right kind of fats. You could eat 1600 cals a day of pure trans fats and lose weight, but it would adversely affect your health in other ways.
 
JDhd said:
simply gaining weight may be the least of your concerns with a high fat diet.
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Since she's described her current diet as containing fewer than 10 fat grams a day, somehow I don't think that the plan is to switch to what most people would consider a high fat diet.
 
allyphoe said:
Since she's described her current diet as containing fewer than 10 fat grams a day, somehow I don't think that the plan is to switch to what most people would consider a high fat diet.
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I should've paid more attention to that, sorry.
 
fitnessgeek said:
Usually the calories are the most important, but remember that 1g of fat is 9 calories but 1g of protein, carbohydrates is 4 calories. So it is better for someone who is trying to lose weight that they eat more carbs and specially vegetables and fruits because they are lower in calories and you can eat more of it than fat.
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That post minimizes the important role fats play in overall health.

Yes, fats are more calorically dense. That doesn't mean they should be avoided. Simply moderated, just as any other factor in a diet should be.
 
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