Which is more important for weight loss: low calories or low fat?
Asked by isodore on Sep 21, 2009
in Weight Loss
I have had many days when my calorie count has been below 2000 (my weight is 198 lb) but my fat intake was over 40 grams, even though my saturated fat was below 20 grams. I am not losing weight and I have added 40 miles per week walking and some strength-training. What is causing my weight to remain at 198 lb?
Answer
It is more important to focus on total calories than on grams of fat when you are trying to lose weight. Ounce-per-ounce, fat delivers over twice the calories of carbohydrate and protein, but calories from carbohydrate and protein can be eaten in excess too. Overindulging on low-fat foods while racking up the calories from sugar even has a name - the “Snackwell Syndrome” - named for the low-fat, high calorie cookie that was eaten to excess by the misinformed public. For your gender, age, height and weight, I see that you need 1600 calories a day to lose 1.5 pounds per week, and so you should adjust your intake. On 1600 calories, your fat intake should be around 53 grams per day.
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