Moderate or Low-Fat Diet: Shocking Way to Weigh Less

To lose weight, should you stick to a moderate or low-fat diet? Many people wonder how much fat they should eat to lose weight.

An interesting study conducted at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston showed that people who ate a moderate amount of fat were able to stay on their diets longer and maintain weight loss better compared to people on a low-fat diet.

In the study, the low-fat dieters had 20 percent of their total caloric intake from the day from fat; while the moderate-fat dieters had 35 percent fat.

Both groups lost the same amount of weight in the first six months. But the more interesting point is the fact that after 18 months only 20 percent of the low-fat dieters were still on their diets compared to more than half or 54 percent of the moderate-fat dieters.

Another interesting point is that the moderate-fat dieters kept off their weight: an average of 10 1/2 pounds. Meanwhile, the low-fat dieters gained back most of their weight loss.

I've been following the Insanity Workout Diet recently that recommends 20 percent of your calories for the day come from fat. However, if I start to feel deprived, I don't feel guilty at all about having whole eggs, avocados or salmon.

In my own experience, I've always found avocados, nuts, olive oil and fish and other foods found on the Sonoma Diet and the Thai diet have a slimming effect on me.

When it comes to how much fat you should eat a day to lose weight, here are five tips for the best long-term weight loss results:

No. 1: Replace bad fats with good fats. The bad fats are the saturated fats such as animal-based foods and trans fats (the fats developed in a laboratory to extend shelf life of foods). The good fats are the healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

No. 2: No more than 30 to 35 percent of your total calories should be from any fat including saturated, monounsaturated, trans and polyunsaturated.

No. 3: For heart health, have no more than 7 percent of your total calories from saturated fat and no more than 1 percent from the bad trans fat.

No. 4: Ward off hunger with right amount of fat. A higher-fat diet such as 35 percent may help you feel full longer, which will help you to stay on your diet.

No. 5: Focus on plant-based fats and the omega-3 fatty acids found in fishes. Other good options include the monounsaturated fats found in olive oil and avocados. Polyunsaturated fats can be found in corn, soybean. Some people rave about the health benefits of coconut oil, even though it does contain saturated fat. Plant-based saturated fats appear to be healthier than animal-based saturated fats.

If you are using low-fat protein shakes such as Almased or Quick Trim, feel free to add a few teaspoons of olive oil or ground flax seeds to your smoothie. I have never noticed a difference in taste.

Bottom line when it comes to how much fat you should eat to lose weight: Concentrate on the good fats and you probably won't feel the desire to overeat in general.

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Sources:

American Heart Association: "Fat."

BNet Health Publications: "Eat More Fat, Lose More Weight."