respect the fat: why fat is so cool

[mc]

After a few discussions this past week around calories, i got thinking about
a) how fat yields more energy when its bust up than carbs and protein
but in particular
b) how fat has WAY MORE energy than any other source of fuel specifically for our bodies to use as energy directly. one molecule of fat yields more than ten times the usable energy of a molecule of carbs.

So here's a bit more on the amazingness of Fat, ATP and fat burning in the flame of carbohydrates. just fyi. and a wee bit of a question as whether fat is actually hard to shed or if it's more the fat habit?

best
mc

[xafier]

I have to admit I love reading your posts and articles MC, your scientific viewpoint on diet and exercise makes for great reading!

Reading through the article I'm still wondering, are you talking about body fat being a good fuel or that nutritional fat is underrated?

Since I started on my journey of improving my lifestyle, both exercise and diet, I've learnt a lot, and I must admit I do still eat plenty of fat, but now its from good sources such as pecan nuts, eggs etc...

Hell pecan nuts are about 70% fat, but I enjoy eating them, they're a great source of calories and I've not gained any weight from eating all that "fat", as pointed out previously, its not really nutritional fat that makes you fat like most people are lead to believe.

[mc]

I have to admit I love reading your posts and articles MC, your scientific viewpoint on diet and exercise makes for great reading!

Reading through the article I'm still wondering, are you talking about body fat being a good fuel or that nutritional fat is underrated?

Since I started on my journey of improving my lifestyle, both exercise and diet, I've learnt a lot, and I must admit I do still eat plenty of fat, but now its from good sources such as pecan nuts, eggs etc...

Hell pecan nuts are about 70% fat, but I enjoy eating them, they're a great source of calories and I've not gained any weight from eating all that "fat", as pointed out previously, its not really nutritional fat that makes you fat like most people are lead to believe.

thanks for your kind words. it's delightful to hear a person likes something one does, to be sure.

that's a really good question about what kind of fat.
i guess it's betwixt and between since fat we intake gets largely processed into fuel or fuel reserves - though of course some is used for other stuff like anti-inflammatory effects, and i didn't get into how things like epa/dha and cla help mobilize fat itself. so much to consider!

so i guess, i was thinking of fat that's in adipose tissue/inter-muscular tissue and being brought out of storage to be used as fuel.

In other words: the stuff folks have and want to shed. so stored fat.

i think you could also say that nutritional fat is certainly under-rated and at least in the UK "low fat" is still the doctrine. But i've also gotten a bit fazed in the not to distant past about how carbohydrates seem to have become it seems the new fat. or evil nutrient. god, it's food!

sounds like you're doing great with your fat intake - that's super. hope you're enjoying many colors of veggies and at this time of year fresh fruits too. oh for a georgia peach in august.
or ontario peach. mm mm mm.

best
mc

[xafier]

I don't much care for low fat products, I eat natural yoghurt and milk, although I'm cutting down on it and currently looking at alternatives, such as hemp milk. But personally I love full fat, I can't drink skimmed milk, its just like water!

I eat quite a lot of fruit and veg now, less meat than I used to, I get a lot of calories from nuts and seeds, especially almonds, hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds and pecans

I honestly think that changing my diet and picking up kettlebells have been the best things I have done for myself, cutting out junk food wasn't as hard as I thought it would be... sure I have lapses sometimes, such as eating quite a lot of "bad" food this last week whilst being on holiday in Scotland and clocking up 1500 miles in a week... but its fine for the odd occassion

What I'd like to know more about is all this Omega3, Omega6 stuff, DHA and EPAs etc... its all a little baffling, and I've read a fair bit recently that says that hemp is a fantastic source of nutrients with a good balance of healthy fats... whether its true or not, I have no idea!

[x-mullet]

depending on my training intensity my nutrient ratios stay about the same,just manipulate the calories. Withthat said im about 50% fat 40% protein 10% or lower carbs. I was concerned about having low glycogen as I prepare for the rkc, no such animal( no pun). I bring this up because im training harder than ever in my life at 42. vwc once a week, snatch testing once a week, and brett jones protocal of 3 days ina row of all the rkc lifts inm a curcuit. Im recovering fine and actually maintaining mass, which I could care less about. We are all different, on paper I should be depleted of glycogen and not progressing, but i am. One caveat is I have most my carbs fruit veggies after my workout and I carb load one meal a week, usually on the weekend.

[Raptor]

Just for your info; a couple years ago a guy walked/xski across Labrador in the dead of winter, his fuel, butter sticks and peanut butter, lots of it. The first lady to climb Everest years ago relates in an interview that the favorite food above 16000 ft was canned bacon. Atkins was right.

[avilezj]

depending on my training intensity my nutrient ratios stay about the same,just manipulate the calories. Withthat said im about 50% fat 40% protein 10% or lower carbs. I was concerned about having low glycogen as I prepare for the rkc, no such animal( no pun). I bring this up because im training harder than ever in my life at 42. vwc once a week, snatch testing once a week, and brett jones protocal of 3 days ina row of all the rkc lifts inm a curcuit. Im recovering fine and actually maintaining mass, which I could care less about. We are all different, on paper I should be depleted of glycogen and not progressing, but i am. One caveat is I have most my carbs fruit veggies after my workout and I carb load one meal a week, usually on the weekend.

MC I want to ask you a question related to this post. Basically what this guy is doing is almost eliminating a macronutrient from his diet. I don't think that is a good thing to do. Low carbohydrate means less leptin. So if you are producing less leptin, that's not a good thing. What are your thoughts??

[mc]

MC I want to ask you a question related to this post. Basically what this guy is doing is almost eliminating a macronutrient from his diet. I don't think that is a good thing to do. Low carbohydrate means less leptin. So if you are producing less leptin, that's not a good thing. What are your thoughts??

couple things
unless you're really counting your cals it can be hard to see exactly what ratio you're really at. i've thought i must be doing 40 30 30 for instance and it rarely if ever was when i really looked at it.

i'm a little wary of training so low carb for extended periods but, i'd say to anyone really interested in that, take a look at lyle mcdonald's excellent ketogenic diet to get the full real story about what goes on when privileging fat in lieu of carbs. His discussion of training and carb intake to support that is really bang on.

metabolic flexibility is amazing.

best
mc

[Raptor]

Further; one pound of fat gives you about 55 miles, a pound of sugar, only 11.

[xafier]

So what you need is a fat equivalent to kendal mint cake (a UK thing, basically raw sugar that tastes minty) and your sorted for mountain expeditions