How little fat is too little or too much fat on cut?

[simplesteve]

Currently on a slow cut going for a loss of 1-2 LBS a week and feel I have everything close to dialed in how I want it.

I am going to cut my fats to the lowest I have cut them before.

Current weight is about 223 - Daily Calories are going to be

Calories: 2138
Carbs: 229
Fat: 35
Protein: 222

I know that these do not meet up exactly for Macros = Calories but It's close and consistent with What I have been doing.


Edit: Also I am terrible at remembering where or how energy and calories are pulled from what where and how and all that stuff like a lot of people here are good at, that Is why I am asking.

What I am good at is Finding what to eat and eat the same thing over and over and over again without complaint.

 

[Diesel59]

I've always understood we need 0.3 grams of fat per pound of bodyweight to maintain proper hormone function. If I cut fats too far below that, my facial hair will start coming in white/grey. I normally don't have any grey hairs at all, so that freaked me out the first time.

Of course, I am answering this question as a natty.

Why are you going all the way down to 35 grams?

 

[CJ]

Need fats not just for hormones, we need them for other things, too. Every cell in the body is made with fat.

Still don't need a lot, though.

 

[BigChief1]

I’ve played with it a bit the last year. I prefer a more moderate amount of fat and less carb. I can certainly eat more with less fat but I’m starving 45 min after I eat. More fat keeps me full and happy. It’s the same calories/same deficit so end of the day I do what I feel better with.

 

[simplesteve]

I've always understood we need 0.3 grams of fat per pound of bodyweight to maintain proper hormone function. If I cut fats too far below that, my facial hair will start coming in white/grey. I normally don't have any grey hairs at all, so that freaked me out the first time.

Of course, I am answering this question as a natty.

Why are you going all the way down to 35 grams?

I want to get my body fat percentage down as much as possible while retaining as much muscle as possible. Too be as lean as I can.

This is why I am aiming for 1-2 LB loss a week, My thought process is If I eat less fats and higher protein / carbs then There will be less fat to add onto my body as I do this therefore hopefully getting rid of the already existing fat some.

 

[buck]

20% of calories from fat seems healthy. 10% would be a very low end for me. May depend on how healthy you want to be or end up after the cut and how long it will take to get there.

 

[CJ]

I want to get my body fat percentage down as much as possible while retaining as much muscle as possible. Too be as lean as I can.

This is why I am aiming for 1-2 LB loss a week, My thought process is If I eat less fats and higher protein / carbs then There will be less fat to add onto my body as I do this therefore hopefully getting rid of the already existing fat some.

You will not add net bodyfat as long as you are in a calorie deficit.

Eating adequate protein and proper resistance training will ensure that you retain all of your muscle, which is a overblown concern anyway.

 

[simplesteve]

20% of calories from fat seems healthy. 10% would be a very low end for me. May depend on how healthy you want to be or end up after the cut and how long it will take to get there.

Would IDEALLY like to get to 8% - However I do not wish to go under 190# According to chatgpt math I need to lose 29.5 lbs.

You will not add net bodyfat as long as you are in a calorie deficit.

Eating adequate protein and proper resistance training will ensure that you retain all of your muscle, which is a overblown concern anyway.

What part is the overblown concern?

(on the extreme side of things) If I was to eat nothing but lard for my calories would I still not gain any bodyfat? Something as if i uses all the new food/calorie/energy first then stored?


I guess I get confused as to where the body is pulling the used energy from throughout the day. or is it a mix or when in a deficit does it chose to go to the stored love handles.

 

[CJ]

What part is the overblown concern?

(on the extreme side of things) If I was to eat nothing but lard for my calories would I still not gain any bodyfat?

If you were in a deficit, no, you would not. You would burn off some bodyfat to make up the difference.

Not optimal, though. You still need protein, so you'd lose muscle then due to protein turnover.

 

[buck]

Would IDEALLY like to get to 8% - However I do not wish to go under 190# According to chatgpt math I need to lose 29.5 lbs.

Then you still have plenty of stored fuel to rely on for day-to-day things as well as working out.