Fat vs. Carbs - Energy Source

**gbrice75** · 08-19-2010, 11:04 AM

I'm having a little confusion with this that i'm sure can be cleared up easily.

We know that with keto diets, a person has to be depleted of carbs for several days before the body can make the 'shift' over to a keytone burning metabolism vs. glucose.

I hope i'm right in assuming that dietary fat is processed differently than keytones? In other words, I am on a relatively low carb diet and have made up for my carb deficit with fats (this is not a keto diet, i'm around 100g carbs/day) - but I need to be sure my body can readily use these fats as opposed to storing them, considering I will still have plenty of glucose circulating.

Let me know if i'm off base here, thanks.

**musclestack** · 08-20-2010, 04:49 AM

I was wondering this as well, gbrice. I am also sitting around 100g. of carbs/day. I, on the other hand, have increased protein rather than fat to make up for the deficit (which is probably why I'm always tired).

Bump for gbrice!!

**Damienm05** · 08-20-2010, 05:06 AM

Provided that you are separating carb/fat meals, so insulin is not released while processing dietary fat - it is processed strictly as an energy source so long as your calories are in check and your body is not overrun with extra energy. Dietary fat must be converted and it's not as quick a process, as say, turning starches into pure glucose, as there's no direct storage facility without insulin release. I could link info but I'm on my smart phone. I believe TOP posted an article a while back but it may have been someone else.

**gbrice75** · 08-20-2010, 07:40 AM

Originally Posted by musclestack

I was wondering this as well, gbrice. I am also sitting around 100g. of carbs/day. I, on the other hand, have increased protein rather than fat to make up for the deficit (which is probably why I'm always tired).

Bump for gbrice!!

Thanks for the bump bro! The fact that you have increased protein rather than fat to make up for the deficit is a mistake IMO; you can't take away energy and replace it with non-energy. The point in reducing carbs is for somebody who feels they may be carb sensitive, or just want to get carbs in around active parts of their day, such as in my case with going to the gym. You can raise protein a bit, but you need a consistent energy source. What are your current daily macros sitting at?

**gbrice75** · 08-20-2010, 07:43 AM

Originally Posted by Damienm05

Provided that you are separating carb/fat meals, so insulin is not released while processing dietary fat - it is processed strictly as an energy source so long as your calories are in check and your body is not overrun with extra energy. Dietary fat must be converted and it's not as quick a process, as say, turning starches into pure glucose, as there's no direct storage facility without insulin release. I could link info but I'm on my smart phone. I believe TOP posted an article a while back but it may have been someone else.

Thanks bro, this is kind of what I figured but wasn't 100% on it. At 100g carbs/day (only eaten in meal 1 pre workout, and meal 2 PWO), I highly doubt I have any extra energy in my system by the time I start consuming fat.

I initially got concerned because my 1st non-carb meal lately has been a can of solid tuna in olive oil (undrained) and i've been adding 1/2 an avacado to that (about 2.5oz) which is quite a bit of fat in one sitting. I was thinking of dropping the avacado, or draining as much oil as possible, but it's just not enough food to keep me satisfied. I could add a 2nd can of tuna and drop the avacado all together, but then that'd be protein overkill in one meal.

Do you think the olive oil (about 12g fat in the entire can) and the 2.5oz of avacado is ok in one sitting, with no carbs present in that meal?