still a beginning low carber ... doing the research and shopping... and noticed a few things.... and have a few questions!!

Is there an amount of fat that is TOO bad? I found some packaged chicken and beef patties today .... both have over 30 grams of protein and 0 carbs, however, the fat content in the burger was 29 grams!!! including 370 calories! NOW, I added a piece of cheese, 1 carb - but had no bun and no ketchup .. just fired normally in a pan.. and wa-la, was good ... but seemed as if I was consuming too much fat for my own good.

I scouted out some "theoretical" diet plans for a day .. steak, eggs, fried in butter, salads with real dressing, bacon, sausage, pork rinds .... I understand the ideals of the atkinds diet, however, my only concern is keeping/knowing a ballpark figure of how much fat is considered ( o-k ) in one day. I can keep the carbs to under 20-under, but the fat and calories just seems to be SO much....
HELP!

it does seem like alot of fat, but when you keep the carbs low you won't gain, because your body will use for energy not glucose but the *stored* fat in your body. this is how it theoretically works...and why you lose weight although eating this high amount of fat. it's quite a nice feeling shopping and not caring if something is fatty or not as long as carbs are low . It is good though to eat good fats also, olive oil etc..
trust me coming from a low-fat , salad eating vegeterian this was a MAJOR change but it really does work.

you might want to purchase Dr Atkins New Diet Revolution book - he explains it all - although it may get a little scientific - but still a good book to read.
Why don't you experiment for 2 weeks. It's enough time to notice some change in your body - but it all depends on your body. The closer you are to your ideal weight, the slower, harder to lose those last few pounds.

Very good question!

There are good fats, and bad fats.

Natural fats, essetial oils, omiga-3 flax oil etc. as long as they are not mixed with high-carbs, can low-your cholstrol! (Check under Studies).

Synthetic fats are bad for you, such as hydroginated oils, and all the processing they go through to make a "low-fat/low-cholestrol" version.

You can eat low-carb and low-fat if you want to, and some do and have no problems with it.

However, most people avoid healthy fats, because the 50's research and the TV commercials brain-washed us into that metality. There's a lot medical reserch on this myth.

Wa'il

thanks bluugirl!!

I am actually on my way out to grab the book! I am a carb junkie so this whole eating loads of fat thing really just seems so weird to me!!!!
thanks for the advice!

to continue with Wa'il's theme ....... natural saturated fats from animal foods are beneficial as well.

Butter -- pure, natural butter ... contains butyric acid, which can raise HDL, the "good" cholesterol.

The fat in red meat is rich in CLA - conjugated linoleic acids, which studies show can lower cholesterol and speed the burning of body fat as fuel (Wa'il has posted Studies in the Research/Medai forum on this)

Fish oils, and fatty fish are rich source of omega-3 fatty acids.

Egg yolks are one of the richest sources of lecithin, which lowers both cholesterol and triglycerides, and aids the digestion of fats.

etc......

Plus, fat makes food taste good, and adds satiety ... slows the digestion a bit, so you don't feel ravenously hungry an hr. after you've eaten a meal.

There are good fats and bad fats. But even good fats can turn bad with cooking at high temperatures.

When cooked at high temps, certian fats cross-link forming the notorious trans-fatty acids. Butter does this, but clarified butter does not. I have been cooking with clarified butter and using butter on veggies and such. I can't remember all the good fats that turn bad at high temps, and I lent that book to a friend. I just remember canola oil being one of the best for high temp cooking.

Other than that, fat has gotten really bad press. It is a shame how the FDA and the AMA have stripped all the flavor from our diets!!!!

Excellent point Gypsy!

Wa'il

I can't believe the amount of fat that I am eating, I had fried eggs and steak for breakfast, half a bbq chicken with skin for lunch, scrambled eggs and steak, fried onion and tomato for dinner. I weighed myself this morning and I am 4 kilograms (over 8 pounds) lighter than I was a few weeks back. I can see the weight loss in my face, I lose weight from the top down.
When I tell people about the diet the first thing they say is "but what about your chlolesterol level." They don't seem to understand when I try to tell them that it actually helps it. Though I am one of the lucky ones, I have a very low level, even though I am overweight.
A friend noticed that I had lost weight today, which gave me a boost.

Cheryl in Australia

I have been going through the SAME thing!!!!

Everymorning, I have eggs and sausage or bacon, and my mom cannot understand how this can be healthy!! I've read this and that .. and am trusting that this is doing good for me.. but it still seems so weird when I prok down huge quanitities of burger, steak, chicken , salami... everything!
congrats on the weight loss!