What if you like your "fats" too much?

[tickletussler]

I know this sounds really dumb... but what do most experienced Atkineers do when they reach Pre/Maintenance? I mean, before I started Atkins, I hated the taste of butter or cream - mainly instilled out of guilt over 20 years. But I learnt to love both of them, and love eating the chicken skin or the little bit of fat on my steak.

But I'm wondering, the 65%fat/30%protein/5%carb rule will change past Induction won't it? I mean, as we increase our carbs to find out CCLL, then proportionately we'd have to reduce the other components - otherwise if we keep them the same, won't we end up eating way too much calories?

One of Dr Atkins books does say to limit meats/seafood to 6oz per meal only but...

I know at the moment, just following the Induction menu, I would often go over 2,000 calories (yesterday I was as high as 2,500 calories) and I do know that for my height, weight, I need only about 1,600-1,700 calories...

I'm just worried, because I really like eating my fats now, but if I am to reduce them later on, I know I'll find it really hard.

How to other Atkineers manage?

[snorkelman]

yes, this is part of the reason so many people drop out of Atkins. No question, most people will lose weight with Atkins, but it is a major eating change for most people. There are clearly a lot of restrictions.

Also, as you implied, when you reduce the fat, you risk other factors. Primarily when you cut the fat down, you WILL have more cravings. It is the fat that makes you feel full, and hence reduces your daily caloric intake.

[Kent]

Here is Kent's take on what is working for me: (this will not work for everyone nor do I even advocate it for anyone else, I only propose it as one example of something working)

My soon-to-be pre-maintenance percentages are still 60% Fat/30-5% Protein /5-10% Carb. Most people are adding more carbs back, and the fat numbers drop much lower. I find I am happier eating the way I was during Induction with addition of other foods. I am eating more high fibrous/low carb salad vegetables, so they don't appear in my calorie total much (as more onions would). I guess my point is you have to figure out what pre-maintenance means for you. Just because your CCLL is 40,50,60, or even 100g that does not mean you have to eat at that level no more than you had to eat exactly 20g Carbs every day during Induction.

Just my thoughts.

[sadie147]

I completely agree with Kent...

I'm in maintenence and I average 50% fat 15% carbs and 35% protein on most days. The carbs/protein is sometimes 10%/40%. depends on the day. Fats rarely go below 50%.

when you hit the higher rungs of owl...you're carbs naturally are going to rais a little as you are adding higher carb foods (starchy veggies, grains etc) and you are also working your way up to your level to maintain.

..once you start eating higher carb and more veggies and grains in general..Your calories will decrease. As veggies may be higher carb but lower in calories. Fat is much higher in cals. I usually average about 1600-1800 cals a day..which is about 200 to 300 cals lower than my induction/owl ladder levels.

I can usually have around 80g of carbs a day without gaining..but usually stay around 40, only because I'm happy with what i'm eating. Meats, tonnes of veggies, cheeses, grains etc.

[not2late]

As you move to OWL and Pre-Maintenance, you will up increasing your carbs. So your fat percentages will drop slightly as you up the carbs. By Maintenance, you'll be eating about 50% fats. The protein percentage stays the same from Induction to Maintenance. Actually, I think this is what goofs people up during Atkins---they overeat the protein. Excessive protein is converted to glycogen and fat.

When you get to OWL, Pre-Maintenance and Maintenance, you might have to start watching your calories more---especially if you didn't learn during Induction what the difference is between eating until "satisfied" and stuffing yourself like a Thanksgiving turkey.

[2big4mysize]

Yep many folk don't understand that on Atkins you will always be a fat burning machine just you will have more supplemental fuels in maintenance then in induction.

It takes very little fat removed to lower your fat percents usually we are talking about 2-3 tabkespoons which would be 200-300 cals which whould be 50-75 net carbs added back.

the proteins are converted not just to glycogen for storing but first to glucose and can enter your blood stream to raise your blood sugar levels so you do not want to up those proteins on Atkins cause we all know when sugar is burned fat is stored!

Happy low carbing.

[ttdriver]

I still eat ALOT of fat. I've been in maintenance for going on 2 years. Matter of fact, well below my goal. I exercise alot, which requires the fat to fuel it. I love butter, full-fat yogurt, cream cheese. I also love steak!! I too, eat alot of fibrous veggies which fill me up and keep me full. I also eat whole grain breads occasionally too.

Basically I eat what I love. No refined carbs or starchy veggies. No desire for them.

I don't know why this is an issue with folks; it seems to come natural to me, but maybe I'm just weird?? ensive

Betty

[not2late]

I don't know why this is an issue with folks; it seems to come natural to me, but maybe I'm just weird?? ensive

Betty

Betty, in today's world, you're weird (along with the rest of us fat-eaters). We've been brainwashed by the anti-fat people, well the anti-animal fat people, that fat is bad. Some of you know I work for a group of doctors. Anyhow one of my bosses, a pediatrician, came back from a blind date fuming mad. Her blind date was a cardiologist and they got into a nutrition discussion during their date. He told her that breast milk is the worst thing to feed a baby because it's about 50% fat and she's guilty of medical malpractice for recommending fattening breast feeding over the soy formulas. Needless to say, she never saw him again.

Here's a fascinating tidbit out of a book I'm currently reading called Know your fats by Mary Enig, PhD "(she a leading researcher on fat and was one of the people who sounded the alarm about trans fats in the 1980s). Anyway, in the 1890s, the average daily fat intake was 30-43%--the majority of those fats used, in descending order, at that era was animal fat (lard, tallow, chicken fat, butter), olive oil, palm oil, coconut oil, peanut oil and cottonseed oil. Natural fats. If you listen to the anti-fat people, these 1890s folks should have all been obese, diabetic and were heart attacks waiting to happen. Fast forward 100 years to our era, where animal fats have been replaced by "partially hydrogenated oil" and other fat substitutes and alot of us are obese, alot of us have diabetes and alot of us are heart attacks waiting to happen.

The only fat to be afraid of is trans fats....

[ttdriver]

OMG, that is quite a revelation!!

Well, call me weird while I enjoy saturated fats and a cholesterol ratio of 1.12!! And running 35 miles a week at nearly age 50!!

Life should always be this good!

Betty