Written by
Featured Contributor
OK, so this may sound a little nutty to those of us that are used to seeing fat as the enemy when losing weight. Actually, seeing fat as the enemy seems to make sense, doesn't it? You want to lose fat, so you eat less of it. It’s very logical. But there are a lot of eating plans out there that are claiming that fat isn't the enemy we once thought it was. Below we discuss these eating plans and the science behind them to see whether we should be losing weight by eating more fat.
Yes - Fat Burns Fat = Ketosis
One reason to eat more fat in your diet is ketosis. This is a state the body gets into where there are more ketones in the system. These are released when the body used fat for energy instead of glucose.
This is a good thing for those looking to lose weight because it means the body is digesting its fat stores. In fact there is the ketogenic diet which you can read about at sites like Tasteaholics. As well as other low carb and paleo diets, which promote this process solely for the function of weight loss.
So it would seem that despite believing that high-fat items were preventing weight loss all along, they aren't! They are not even linked to heart disease like we once believed they were either! So fat is definitely not the enemy here.
No - Calories and Carbs
But it isn't as simple as just increasing your fat content. There is more to it than that. For example, you also need to severely decrease your carbohydrate consumption. As well as watching the calories that you consume.
So this means you may be tucking into dishes like cheese covered pepperoni chicken, or enjoy bacon and eggs for breakfast. But you have to remember that there won't be any toast or pancakes along with that. Unless you go to the trouble of making low carb, keto version like the ones available here.
You also need to make sure that you have your percentages right. For fat is around 75% of your diet, protein at about 20% and carbs at 5% or under.
Yes - Carbs Make You Fat Not Fat
But the reduction of carbs is precisely why these diet plans work. In fact, it is suggested that the overconsumption of carbohydrates that the body cannot process quickly enough to be burnt off is what leads to fat stores in the first place.
So by replacing carbs with fat in your diet, your body switches from burning glucose from the carbs which are ineffective for weight loss and the fat stores are burnt instead. So that really does mean, yes, by eating more fat you can indeed lose weight.
No - Doesn’t Suit Everyone
Of course, like any restrictive eating plans, these low carb options do have their pitfalls as well as benefits. For one, the reduction in intake in carbohydrates can cause folks to feel ill in the beginning stages.
Also, while a low carb diet can help those diabetic with type 2 diabetes as it can increase the amount of insulin produces. It can be very dangerous for suffers from type 1. So if you fall into this group always, always speak to your medical professional before doing this.