Even as Americans have been gaining weight, they have cut their average fat intake from 36 to 34 percent of their total diets in the past 15 years.
Even
as
Americans
have
been
gaining
weight
,
they
have
cut
their
average
fat
intake
from
36
to
34
percent
of
their
total
diets
in
the
past
15
years
.
And indeed, cutting fat to control or lose weight makes sense.
And
indeed
,
cutting
fat
to
control
or
lose
weight
makes
sense
.
Fat has nine calories per gram.
Fat
has
nine
calories
per
gram
.
Protein and carbohydrates have just four.
Protein
and
carbohydrates
have
just
four
.
Moreover, the body uses fewer calories to metabolize fat than it does to metabolize other foods.
Moreover
,
the
body
uses
fewer
calories
to
metabolize
fat
than
it
does
to
metabolize
other
foods
.
Compared with protein and carbohydrates--which break down into amino acids and simple sugars, respectively, and can be used to strengthen and energize the body---- dietary fat is more easily converted to body fat.
Compared
with
protein
and
carbohydrates
--
which
break
down
into
amino
acids
and
simple
sugars
,
respectively
,
and
can
be
used
to
strengthen
and
energize
the
body
--
--
dietary
fat
is
more
easily
converted
to
body
fat
.
Therefore, it's more likely to stay on buttocks, thighs and bellies.
Therefore
,
it
's
more
likely
to
stay
on
buttocks
,
thighs
and
bellies
.
But cutting fat from your diet doesn't necessarily mean your body won't store fat.
But
cutting
fat
from
your
diet
does
n't
necessarily
mean
your
body
wo
n't
store
fat
.
For example, between nonfat and regular cookies, there's trivial difference in calories because manufacturers make up for the loss of fat by adding sugar.
For
example
,
between
nonfat
and
regular
cookies
,
there
's
trivial
difference
in
calories
because
manufacturers
make
up
for
the
loss
of
fat
by
adding
sugar
.
Low-fat crackers, soups and dressings can also be just as high in calories as richer versions.
Low-fat
crackers
,
soups
and
dressings
can
also
be
just
as
high
in
calories
as
richer
versions
.
No matter where the calories come from, overeating will still cause weight again.
No
matter
where
the
calories
come
from
,
overeating
will
still
cause
weight
again
.
The calories from fat just do it a little quicker.
The
calories
from
fat
just
do
it
a
little
quicker
.
A Wisconsin computer programmer who decided with a diet coach to eat only 40 grams of fat a day learned the lesson firsthand.
A
Wisconsin
computer
programmer
who
decided
with
a
diet
coach
to
eat
only
40
grams
of
fat
a
day
learned
the
lesson
firsthand
.
He wasn't losing weight.
He
was
n't
losing
weight
.
Then he showed his food diary to his coach and revealed he'd been eating half a pound of jelly beans a day.
Then
he
showed
his
food
diary
to
his
coach
and
revealed
he
'd
been
eating
half
a
pound
of
jelly
beans
a
day
.
"They don't have any fat," he explains.
``
They
do
n't
have
any
fat
,
''
he
explains
.
But they had enough sugar to keep him from shedding an ounce.
But
they
had
enough
sugar
to
keep
him
from
shedding
an
ounce
.
Nonfat foods become add-on foods.
Nonfat
foods
become
add-on
foods
.
When we add them to our diet, we actually increase the number of calories we eat per day and gain weight.
When
we
add
them
to
our
diet
,
we
actually
increase
the
number
of
calories
we
eat
per
day
and
gain
weight
.
That was borne out in a Pennsylvania State University study.
That
was
borne
out
in
a
Pennsylvania
State
University
study
.
For breakfast, Prof. Barbara Rolls gave two groups of women yogurt that contained exactly the same amount of calories.
For
breakfast
,
Prof.
Barbara
Rolls
gave
two
groups
of
women
yogurt
that
contained
exactly
the
same
amount
of
calories
.
One group's yogurt label said "high fat"--the other, "low fat."
One
group
's
yogurt
label
said
``
high
fat
''
--
the
other
,
``
low
fat
.
''
The "low fat" yogurt group ate significantly more calories later in the day than the other group.
The
``
low
fat
''
yogurt
group
ate
significantly
more
calories
later
in
the
day
than
the
other
group
.
"People think they've saved fat and can indulge themselves later in the day with no adverse consequences," says Richard Mattes, a nutrition researcher at Purdue University.
``
People
think
they
've
saved
fat
and
can
indulge
themselves
later
in
the
day
with
no
adverse
consequences
,
''
says
Richard
Mattes
,
a
nutrition
researcher
at
Purdue
University
.
"But when they do that, they don't compensate very precisely, and they often end up overdoing it."
``
But
when
they
do
that
,
they
do
n't
compensate
very
precisely
,
and
they
often
end
up
overdoing
it
.
''
Even as Americans have been gaining weight, they have cut their average fat intake from 36 to 34 percent of their total diets in the past 15 years. And indeed, cutting fat to control or lose weight makes sense. Fat has nine calories per gram. Protein and carbohydrates have just four. Moreover, the body uses fewer calories to metabolize fat than it does to metabolize other foods. Compared with protein and carbohydrates--which break down into amino acids and simple sugars, respectively, and can be used to strengthen and energize the body---- dietary fat is more easily converted to body fat. Therefore, it's more likely to stay on buttocks, thighs and bellies.  But cutting fat from your diet doesn't necessarily mean your body won't store fat. For example, between nonfat and regular cookies, there's trivial difference in calories because manufacturers make up for the loss of fat by adding sugar. Low-fat crackers, soups and dressings can also be just as high in calories as richer versions. No matter where the calories come from, overeating will still cause weight again. The calories from fat just do it a little quicker. A Wisconsin computer programmer who decided with a diet coach to eat only 40 grams of fat a day learned the lesson firsthand. He wasn't losing weight. Then he showed his food diary to his coach and revealed he'd been eating half a pound of jelly beans a day. "They don't have any fat," he explains. But they had enough sugar to keep him from shedding an ounce.  Nonfat foods become add-on foods. When we add them to our diet, we actually increase the number of calories we eat per day and gain weight. That was borne out in a Pennsylvania State University study. For breakfast, Prof. Barbara Rolls gave two groups of women yogurt that contained exactly the same amount of calories. One group's yogurt label said "high fat"--the other, "low fat." The "low fat" yogurt group ate significantly more calories later in the day than the other group. "People think they've saved fat and can indulge themselves later in the day with no adverse consequences," says Richard Mattes, a nutrition researcher at Purdue University. "But when they do that, they don't compensate very precisely, and they often end up overdoing it."