Fat vs calories
Hi guys im new to the Keto diet but combined with intermittent fasting I have noticed some improvements this past fortnight.
My question is that after trying to achieve daily targets of fat to carb ratio sometimes I find myself gulping 3 or 4 spoons of olive oil to increase my fat percentage. Naturally this pushes my calories up. I do exercise so still a bit below my calorie target but would prefer to be in more deficit. So which is more important achieving that higher fat content in the diet or staying more negative in energy balance?
thanks in advance
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Hello, Khurum, welcome to the forums!
if it helps, think of both calories and fat as limits, not as goals to make. Being short on them sparks better improvements, especially when first losing weight. Later on as one approached their goal weight, getting closer to fat and calories becomes more important.
Since the body can burn either carbs or fats (but perfers carbs), limiting carbs is key to becoming fat adapted. But once you’re burning fats, the less dietary fat you eat (thereby staying below your fat macro), the more stored fat (adipose fat) is burned. That’s where the weight loss and other health benefits come from - losing stored fat.
So if you’re short of your fats and below calories, that’s not bad and should accelerate your improved health benefits.
hopes this helps
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Pat F thanks pat that’s good advice , I thought as much but so much variation in what you can read on the internet. The concensus seems to be starving yourself to be in a deficit is an inefficient way to lose weight and High proportion of fat to protein with minimal carbs was the way to go hence the question. Must admit I went cold turkey and opted for Keto and intermittent fasting with fasted cardio on almost daily basis and so far seems to be working. Granted that there will be a certain net water loss but the clothes def feel looser.
Once again thanks for the detailed and helpful response.
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Khurum
Thanks! I try to back up everything I say with some medical science. There are some great books out there, and I’d highly recommend ‘The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Living’ by Drs Jeff Volek and Stephen Phinney. They’re also on YouTube, and you can google Virtahealth to find their business (I’m NOT a customer) where they have a plethora of medical case studies to back up what they say - either way, they can explain things very well and give all the medical science behind the scenes. And don’t forget the information found right here on the Carb Manager app (under the ‘Learn About Keto’ tab or the excellent .pdf file found in the ‘KetoGenius Diet Plan’. Both are excellent.
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I'm very glad I saw this post. I am VERY new to Keto (as of yesterday at noon) so today is my first full day and yesterday I wasn't sure if I was supposed to meet all the nutrient goals or not. I was below my calories, 1 gram below net carbs & 6 grams over fat & pretty much below everything else... I'm reading and reading trying to retain it! Kinda overwhelming a bit but slowly but surely,,, I'm trying! :)