Can you be Low Carb AND less than 35% fat???

Hi, all
After reading about the FitDay.com software online, I thought I'd
try it. Seems I'm eating equal amounts of Protein and Fat, and a much
smaller amount of Carbohydrates. Now, I know that if you are lowering
one part of the C/P/F, one or more of the others will go up. That's a
gimme. What I'm interested in, is it beneficial or even warrented to
try and decrease fat? I'm really not doing a strict Atkins Diet
anymore, but am less than 20% on carbs for the last 2 days. I'm not
sure you can push the protein higher without increasing fat, too. Not
sure you would want to.
I'm thinking about going like I am now (which I'm losing at a nice
rate, maybe a little fast) until May and then asking my GP to check my
blood levels again. All my chemistry was great the last time (Aug 04).
It would be interesting to see if the change in the diet has had an
affect on the cholesterol/triglycerides/LDL/HDL, etc.
Just wanted some input from those of you that have info on stuff
like this.

Donna K.
398.8/291.2/275 (next short term goal)
New WOE began Jan 2003

Nuclear Girl wrote:
Hi, all
After reading about the FitDay.com software online, I thought I'd
try it. Seems I'm eating equal amounts of Protein and Fat, and a much
smaller amount of Carbohydrates. Now, I know that if you are lowering
one part of the C/P/F, one or more of the others will go up. That's a
gimme. What I'm interested in, is it beneficial or even warrented to
try and decrease fat? I'm really not doing a strict Atkins Diet
anymore, but am less than 20% on carbs for the last 2 days. I'm not
sure you can push the protein higher without increasing fat, too. Not
sure you would want to.
I'm thinking about going like I am now (which I'm losing at a nice
rate, maybe a little fast) until May and then asking my GP to check my
blood levels again. All my chemistry was great the last time (Aug 04).
It would be interesting to see if the change in the diet has had an
affect on the cholesterol/triglycerides/LDL/HDL, etc.
Just wanted some input from those of you that have info on stuff
like this.

Donna K.
398.8/291.2/275 (next short term goal)
New WOE began Jan 2003


I would argue that you *are* following Atkins - because that diet is
about *sufficient* carbs. True, you are not following induction, but you
are trying to find the "right" amount of carbs, which is what Atkins was
actually on about.

I found just by eliminating refined carbs from my diet, I was able to
make carbs the lowest of the C/P/F balance quite easily, and that's as
far as I think I need to take it.

--
Succorso

"Nuclear Girl" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi, all
After reading about the FitDay.com software online, I thought I'd
try it. Seems I'm eating equal amounts of Protein and Fat, and a much
smaller amount of Carbohydrates. Now, I know that if you are lowering
one part of the C/P/F, one or more of the others will go up. That's a
gimme. What I'm interested in, is it beneficial or even warrented to
try and decrease fat? I'm really not doing a strict Atkins Diet
anymore, but am less than 20% on carbs for the last 2 days. I'm not
sure you can push the protein higher without increasing fat, too. Not
sure you would want to.
I'm thinking about going like I am now (which I'm losing at a nice
rate, maybe a little fast) until May and then asking my GP to check my
blood levels again. All my chemistry was great the last time (Aug 04).
It would be interesting to see if the change in the diet has had an
affect on the cholesterol/triglycerides/LDL/HDL, etc.
Just wanted some input from those of you that have info on stuff
like this.

Donna K.
398.8/291.2/275 (next short term goal)
New WOE began Jan 2003

Look at you sliding down the scale! I remember the day you posted that you
broke 300 -- excellent progress, Donna!
I am currently trying to figure out my correct balance on FitDay too -- I am
going to take my laptop to my next nutritionist visit and see if he can help
me adjust my numbers. Right now I am kind of going for fat 30%, carb 40% and
protein 30%, which is the Zone. But I find that I am going over 30% on fat,
and am trying to get that down while getting protein up. So I am interested
to see how it continues for you.

Mary

Ignoramus30876 wrote:
A low carb diet that is practiced as low fat has less chance for
bringing about weight loss. That happens for a couple of reasons, one
is that excess protein is converted to sugar, and second is that it
is
difficult to eat the necessary quantity of protein. Eating protein
without increasing fat is possible, a lot of meats such as turkey
breast are fat free.

Interesting. I'm not really sure that I would even need to worry about
the fat at this point. It has got to be better to have this much
weight off, pretty much regardless of how it's done (within reason). I
guess just seeing the graph surprised me for some reason. You know,
out of sight out of mind. I've been so fixated on the carbs that I
didn't even think about the fat level.

This has been discussed many times in alt.support.diet.low-carb.

I'm sure, but I don't find the "atmosphere" conducive to learning. I
could try and search the archives. That would limit exposure to the
group.

Donna K.
398.8/291.2/275 (next short term goal)
New WOE began Jan 2003

Succorso wrote:
I would argue that you *are* following Atkins - because that diet is
about *sufficient* carbs. True, you are not following induction, but
you
are trying to find the "right" amount of carbs, which is what Atkins
was
actually on about.

Well, if you put it that way, okay. Really, I'm just keeping the
carbs down by not eating regular pasta, potatoes, rice, refined sugar.
I have been eating more vegetables: broccoli, brussel sprouts,
cauliflower, green beans. I've been cooking with less butter/oil/etc,
so the vegetables are prepared healthier.

I found just by eliminating refined carbs from my diet, I was able to

make carbs the lowest of the C/P/F balance quite easily, and that's
as
far as I think I need to take it.

If I remember correctly, the C/P/F ratio was around 10%/45%/45% over
the last few days. I like the fact I don't really have cravings and
very seldom get "hungry" unless I have gone over 5 hours without
eating. Hopefully, my blood chemistry will remain good and I'll not
have to worry about it right now. Kinda scared to increase the carbs
too much, don't know how my system would react to it.

Donna K.
398.8/291.2/275 (next short term goal)
New WOE began Jan 2003

Mary M/Ohio wrote:
Look at you sliding down the scale! I remember the day you posted
that you
broke 300 -- excellent progress, Donna!

Thank You!!! I'm kinda amazed myself. I don't think I really thought
I would make it below 300, now I'm looking at 275!

I am currently trying to figure out my correct balance on FitDay too
-- I am
going to take my laptop to my next nutritionist visit and see if he
can help
me adjust my numbers. Right now I am kind of going for fat 30%, carb
40% and
protein 30%, which is the Zone. But I find that I am going over 30%
on fat,
and am trying to get that down while getting protein up. So I am
interested
to see how it continues for you.

I really like the software. I'm using the online version to see if I
want to buy it. Do you use the online software or have you purchased
it? I'm not sure it would be worth it or not. I'll need to check into
it further before I decide.

Donna K.
398.8/291.2/275 (next short term goal)
New WOE began Jan 2003

Ignoramus6609 wrote:

I think that the progress that you are having cannot be described as
anything but "wonderful".

Thank You so much. I'm really kind of shocked myself. Maybe it was
just time for things to start clicking. I can only hope/work that it
continues.

Donna K.
398.8/291.2/275 (next short term goal)
New WOE began Jan 2003

Nuclear Girl wrote:

Seems I'm eating equal amounts of Protein and Fat, and a much
smaller amount of Carbohydrates.

Okay. Equal calories or equal grams?

Now, I know that if you are lowering
one part of the C/P/F, one or more of the others will go up.

For percentages, sure.

What I'm interested in, is it beneficial or even warrented to
try and decrease fat?

Not unless you are already in your last 10 pounds or
maybe 20. Once low in carbs decreasing fat stops helping.
The reason is hormonal. Eat low enough carbs to be in
ketosis and your insulin falls below some threshhold.
Eat even less and all you're doing is working towards
starvation mode triggered by thryoid-T3/leptin feedback.
Eat more fat and your body releases more glucagon; eat
less fat and your body releases less glucagon. It's an
indirect reaction that includes adrenaline feedback.
Here's the key: Glucagon level determines the rate of
fat withdrawal. More dietary fat, indirectly more
glucagon, more fat withdrawn, higher resting metabolism.
As you approach an overeating level this gets overwhelmed,
no free lunch and no unlimited fat. Less dietary fat,
indirectly less glucagon, less fat withdrawn, lower
resting metabolism. As you approach starvation the
decrease doesn't hit zero so the big hammer approach
of starvation does trigger some loss.

I'm really not doing a strict Atkins Diet
anymore, but am less than 20% on carbs for the last 2 days.

You can't tell if you're strict from your carb intake.
As long as you're in ketosis then you count as strict or
not depending on what order you added your carbs. Strict
is about adherence to the process not about lowness of
carb count.

I'm not sure you can push the protein higher without
increasing fat, too.

Whey/soy/egg protien isolate powder. Yuck in quantity.

Not sure you would want to.

Since it is merely extra calories that don't much effect
withdrawal of fat, agreed. Then again the optimal loss
is getting down to your lowest safe level of protein
and making up the calories with fat. Doing that (per
the hormonal feedback loops above) does work to bust
stalls, but eating small amounts of very greasy meat is
yuck as well.

I'm thinking about going like I am now (which I'm losing
at a nice rate, maybe a little fast) until May

If it's going well, don't break it.

and then asking my GP to check my
blood levels again. All my chemistry was great the last time (Aug
04).
It would be interesting to see if the change in the diet has had an
affect on the cholesterol/triglycerides/LDL/HDL, etc.

Dr Atkins claimed 80% of folks see better blood results
after 6 months on his plan. Given posted numbers this
appears to be true. You aren't actually doing Atkins but
close enough that I suggest you have that 80% chance after
doing it 6+ months.

Low Carb + Low Fat fails.

"Nuclear Girl" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi, all
After reading about the FitDay.com software online, I thought I'd
try it. Seems I'm eating equal amounts of Protein and Fat, and a much
smaller amount of Carbohydrates. Now, I know that if you are lowering
one part of the C/P/F, one or more of the others will go up. That's a
gimme. What I'm interested in, is it beneficial or even warrented to
try and decrease fat? I'm really not doing a strict Atkins Diet
anymore, but am less than 20% on carbs for the last 2 days. I'm not
sure you can push the protein higher without increasing fat, too. Not
sure you would want to.
I'm thinking about going like I am now (which I'm losing at a nice
rate, maybe a little fast) until May and then asking my GP to check my
blood levels again. All my chemistry was great the last time (Aug 04).
It would be interesting to see if the change in the diet has had an
affect on the cholesterol/triglycerides/LDL/HDL, etc.
Just wanted some input from those of you that have info on stuff
like this.

Donna K.
398.8/291.2/275 (next short term goal)
New WOE began Jan 2003

"Nuclear Girl" wrote in message
oups.com...
Mary M/Ohio wrote:
Look at you sliding down the scale! I remember the day you posted
that you
broke 300 -- excellent progress, Donna!

Thank You!!! I'm kinda amazed myself. I don't think I really thought
I would make it below 300, now I'm looking at 275!

I never thought I would actually make it below 200. It took 22 years--eek!

I am currently trying to figure out my correct balance on FitDay too
-- I am
going to take my laptop to my next nutritionist visit and see if he
can help
me adjust my numbers. Right now I am kind of going for fat 30%, carb
40% and
protein 30%, which is the Zone. But I find that I am going over 30%
on fat,
and am trying to get that down while getting protein up. So I am
interested
to see how it continues for you.

I really like the software. I'm using the online version to see if I
want to buy it. Do you use the online software or have you purchased
it? I'm not sure it would be worth it or not. I'll need to check into
it further before I decide.

I bought it and love it -- I thought the price was very good for the
features. I haven't used the online version in a long time, so I don't
really know what the differences are.

Mary