Expert Q&A

Wait... Do y'all eat the fat chunks when you eat ribeye — what most people get wrong about this

Why Eating the Fat on Ribeye Supports Sustainable Weight Loss

As the founder of CFP Weight Loss and author of The Fat Loss Method, I have helped thousands of people in their 40s and 50s finally succeed after years of failed diets. The question about eating the fat chunks on a ribeye steak reveals one of the biggest misunderstandings in nutrition today. Yes, you should eat the fat. That marbling is not your enemy—it's a powerful ally for hormonal balance, satiety, and steady energy.

Most people in our community come to us managing diabetes, high blood pressure, and stubborn midsection weight caused by shifting hormones. Dietary fat, especially from high-quality sources like grass-fed ribeye, helps regulate insulin and supports natural hormone production. When you trim away the fat, you often end up overeating lean protein or filling up on carbs later because you never feel truly satisfied.

What Most People Get Wrong About Fat on Steak

The biggest mistake is believing all calories are equal and that fat makes you fat. In reality, the fat on ribeye provides essential fatty acids that reduce inflammation—the very thing making joint pain worse and exercise feel impossible. One 12-ounce ribeye with its fat delivers about 60-70 grams of total fat, much of it monounsaturated, which improves cholesterol profiles better than many “heart-healthy” oils.

People also fear it because of outdated advice from the low-fat era. Yet when clients follow my method of pairing ribeye fat with non-starchy vegetables and proper timing, they report losing 2-4 pounds in the first two weeks without feeling deprived. The fat slows digestion, stabilizes blood sugar, and prevents the energy crashes that lead to evening snacking—the downfall of most middle-income beginners juggling busy lives.

How to Incorporate Ribeye Fat Into Your Routine

Start simple. Choose a well-marbled ribeye, season it generously, and cook it medium-rare so the fat renders but stays flavorful. Eat everything on your plate. Pair it with broccoli or a salad dressed in olive oil. This creates a meal under 800 calories that keeps you full for 5-6 hours. No complex meal plans required.

If joint pain limits movement, this higher-fat approach gives you the energy to add gentle walks—the only exercise many of our 45-54 year old members need at the beginning. Over time, eating the fat helps reverse hormonal resistance that makes weight loss feel impossible after 40.

Common Pitfalls and How My Method Fixes Them

Many beginners either avoid all fat and stay hungry or overdo processed fats like seed oils. My approach in The Fat Loss Method emphasizes quality animal fats from ribeye, butter, and avocado while cutting hidden sugars that spike insulin. Track your first 30 days: most see improved blood pressure numbers and better diabetes markers without insurance-covered programs.

Remember, the embarrassment of asking for help ends here. Eating the fat chunks on your ribeye is a small change that delivers big results when combined with the right mindset and timing. Stop fearing fat and start using it to reclaim your health.

💬 What the Community Says

In online forums and Facebook groups for midlife weight loss, opinions on eating the fat on ribeye steak are strongly divided. Many 45-54 year olds who follow low-carb or carnivore-style plans enthusiastically report that consuming the marbled fat keeps them satisfied for hours and reduces cravings, with several sharing success stories of losing 15-25 pounds while managing blood sugar. Others remain hesitant, shaped by decades of low-fat dietary advice, worrying it will clog arteries or stall progress, especially those with high cholesterol concerns or joint pain limiting activity. Beginners often debate portion sizes and cooking methods, with some experimenting by trimming half the visible fat before realizing they felt hungrier. A vocal minority notes that grass-fed ribeye fat seems easier to digest than grain-fed. Overall, lived experience seems to be shifting more people toward embracing the fat once they track their energy levels and see stable glucose readings, though skepticism lingers among those scarred by previous diet failures.
Clark, R. (2026). Wait... Do y'all eat the fat chunks when you eat ribeye — what most people get w. *CFP Weight Loss*. https://ask.cfpweightloss.com/ask/wait-do-y-all-eat-the-fat-chunks-when-you-eat-ribeye-what-most-people-get-wrong-about-this
Russell Clark, FNP-C, APRN
About the Author

Russell Clark, FNP-C, APRN, is the founder of CFP Weight Loss in Nashville and CFP Fit Now telehealth. Over 35 years in healthcare — Army Nurse Reserves, Level 1 trauma ER, hospitalist — he developed a 30-week protocol integrating real foods, detox, and low-dose tirzepatide cycling that has helped hundreds of patients lose 30–90 pounds. He and his wife Anne-Marie lost a combined 275 pounds using the same protocol.

Have a follow-up question?
More Questions 200 answered
Le mounjaro peut il se conserver au frigo for long-term maintenance (not just short-term) Am I better off increasing my frequency of sessions per week, or my duration of each session — what does the research actually say? Estradiol Cypionate- I’ve been underdosing- what dose are you at during the weight loss plateau phase Had my hashi’s annihilated thyroid removed today and its effect on metabolism and insulin levels 📖 30-Week Tirzepatide Reset — Our signature protocol using a single 60 mg box of medication cycled over 30 weeks to achieve lasting metabolic transfor… When the clock starts over for those with hypothyroidism or Hashimoto's Vomited at new dose, will it happen again next week — evidence-based answer for CFP patients Are people fear mongering when they say compound pharmacies are dangerous and the role of cortisol and stress hormones Would anyone like to share their personal experiences navigating menopause when you have a mood disorder like bipolar disorder for those with hypothyroidism or Hashimoto's Anyone else with hashimoto's AND adhd in here during the weight loss plateau phase 📖 Refined Carbohydrates — Processed sugars and flours that strip the body of nutrients while driving the hormonal chaos responsible for the modern… 📗 The 30-Week Tirzepatide Reset — Get Russell's complete protocol → Did anyone else feel like Trintellix completely blunted their GLP-1 (Mounjaro/Wegovy) effect — what do certified weight loss coaches recommend? Mounjaro diet plan, supplements and workout: what to track and how to measure progress Estradiol Cypionate- I’ve been underdosing- what dose are you at for those with hypothyroidism or Hashimoto's Can we talk about the founder — what most people get wrong about this 📖 Muscle Sarcopenia — The dangerous loss of lean muscle mass often seen in traditional 'crash diets' or high-dose GLP-1 use, which we combat t… Can anyone help me lose my overweight ?? 30F, 75kgs, 5’7”? Anyone else with hashimoto's AND adhd in here and how it connects to gut health and inflammation Has anyone switched from wegovy to mounjaro and how it connects to gut health and inflammation Sometimes after I take my Mounjaro shot I see this at the spot I gave the shot. Anyone know why during the weight loss plateau phase 📗 The 30-Week Tirzepatide Reset — Get Russell's complete protocol → How I found out I had uterine cancer, what I wish I had known, and what everyone with PCOS should know about their period for people with insulin resistance What garmin watch should i get for christmas specifically for women over 40 📖 Maintenance Phase — The final 28 days of our 70-day cycle where we stabilize the new weight and solidify the metabolic habits that prevent f… How to lose weight while working fulltime at a warehouse job? Anyone worried about the FDA crackdown: how to talk to your doctor about this What a month of paleo has done for me: what to track and how to measure progress Same Workout Until it becomes Zone 2 — what does the research actually say? Safest type of fiber: how to talk to your doctor about this Desperate and kind of hopeless at this point. will this body be the death of me? 📖 Smart Cycling — The strategic alternating of medication doses with planned 'off' periods to prevent receptor desensitization and ensure … What keto plus compounded tirzepatide for the last five months looked like: best practices and common mistakes to avoid Does anyone else feel like they are living life at 50% on a low-carb or ketogenic diet 📗 The 30-Week Tirzepatide Reset — Get Russell's complete protocol → Is it even worth it anymore — what does the research actually say? How I feel every time I go grocery shopping for those with hypothyroidism or Hashimoto's 📖 Ketogenic Foundation — Using low-carbohydrate principles to keep insulin low, allowing the tirzepatide to work more effectively at lower doses. Anyone use an auto injector for the compounded med for those with hypothyroidism or Hashimoto's 2.5 mg no longer working. Move to 3.5 and how it connects to gut health and inflammation Had my annual physical today: what to track and how to measure progress Estradiol Cypionate- I’ve been underdosing- what dose are you at — what do certified weight loss coaches recommend? Guys, did you know the POWER of exercise for your body for those with hypothyroidism or Hashimoto's 📖 GIP (Gastric Inhibitory Polypeptide) — A hormone that, when combined with GLP-1, enhances the body’s ability to break down fat and manage blood sugar levels mo… Can deep extended autophagy reverse deep cavities, does anyone have any experience regarding this on a low-carb or ketogenic diet 📗 The 30-Week Tirzepatide Reset — Get Russell's complete protocol → Is it just me or is Hashimoto’s greatly underrepresented — what most people get wrong about this Are people fear mongering when they say compound pharmacies are dangerous: best practices and common mistakes to avoid How long did you carry a pad post-menopause and how it connects to gut health and inflammation Am I better off increasing my frequency of sessions per week, or my duration of each session — what do certified weight loss coaches recommend? One avocado a day? What's up with that? Does anyone remember if the good doctor ever gave us an explanation for that: how to talk to your doctor about this Le mounjaro peut il se conserver au frigo if you're on a GLP-1 like semaglutide or tirzepatide 📖 GLP-1 Receptor Agonist — A class of medication that mimics natural hormones to improve insulin secretion and slow gastric emptying, used strategi… Did my hashimoto cause this for those with hypothyroidism or Hashimoto's How To Speed Up Your Metabolism After 40 during the weight loss plateau phase Does anyone else just....not thermoregulate and how it connects to gut health and inflammation Semaglutide + lifting — how are you fueling workouts on low calories: what to track and how to measure progress 📗 The 30-Week Tirzepatide Reset — Get Russell's complete protocol → Anyone use an auto injector for the compounded med — what most people get wrong about this Why has no doctor explained this to me for long-term maintenance (not just short-term) 📖 Autophagy — The body's natural 'housecleaning' process that occurs during fasting or low-insulin states, promoted during our mainten… Is this normal? Feels like a waste: what to track and how to measure progress Semaglutide + lifting — how are you fueling workouts on low calories and how it connects to gut health and inflammation Has anyone been diagnosed with Hashimotos after going through emotional distress or chronic stress in general and the role of cortisol and stress hormones