I know many athletes/trainers/nutritionists who are in great shape, and they all eat red meat, and so do I. Just because a piece of food has a higher than normal fat content, does not mean that you will simply 'get fat'. A lot of foods that are high in fat tend to be processed, high in sugar and additives. A slab of red meat, a steak for example, is not processed or high in sugar. A steak is high in protein, but it also contains a good hit of iron, vitamin b6 and b12. Yes it contains more fat than other meats, but as mentioned, that doesn't mean you will put on body fat.
If you live a sedentary life, then yes, eating a lot of red meat will put on body fat. But if you ate a lot of chicken and sat down all day, you would end up putting on weight, simply because of the increased calories (yes, it's possible to gain weight even if you eat healthy). If you're an active individual, and especially if you are going into bodybuilding or simply training for muscle mass, then red meat is a superb addition.
Too many people worry about fat levels in food, whereas they should worry more about sugar content and what foods they are actually eating - fresh or processed. If you eat a healthy diet (no garbage, fast food, processed food etc etc etc) then you wouldn't end up eating a lot of fat, even if you had red meat in your diet. You must remember that there is actually a benefit of eating fat - your body does need it, just not a lot of it. Don't avoid fat altogether!
Lee Gregory Fitness
