"Eat all
the Fat You Want and Lose Weight!"
Sounds like a
4 am infomercial, doesn't it?
And, if you
are not easily swayed, tainted or sold, you roll your eyes
and change the channel. Good for you!
But in all
actuality, it's true.
Not the way
the infomercial claims, but there is truth to it.
Turn on the Fat Burning Genes
· Eat 'good' fats and you
will turn ON your peroxisome proliferator activated
receptors on the nucleus of your cells (don't be
impressed, I had to look that one up), labeled PPAR.
· 'Good' fats turn ON the
genes that increases your metabolism, helping you burn fat
more quickly and become healthier.
· Eat 'bad' fats and you
turn OFF those receptors. Actually not really off,
but your genes, very quickly after eating a 'bad' fat will
immediately promote weight gain and your metabolism to
slow down.
· Take home message? The
type of fat that you eat is more important than the
amount of fat that you eat.
Want the list of GREAT fats?
· Wild fish, including
salmon, herring, sardines (farmed fish isn't as good, but
better than not eating it at all)
· Olive oil, flaxseeds and
flax oil (add to shakes in a blender)
· Nuts and seeds, including
walnuts, pumpkin seeds, hazelnuts, almonds, brazil nuts,
cashews, avocado, sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds (limit
daily consumption to the size that'll fit into an Altoids tin
can per day). Thanks Lauren for that rule of thumb!!
Here is a list of GOOD fats
· Chicken, turkey, shrimp,
trimmed tenderloin and lean pork - especially grain fed
· Nut butters: almond and
cashew. Peanut butter is okay as well. (Watch your daily
consumption here too.)
List of BAD fats
· Poultry with skin on.
· Processed poultry products
· Grain fed red meats in
moderation
· bacon, ham and sausage
· All processed meats (deli
meats)
List of "Ugly" Fats
· Most baked goods,
processed foods and anything that says "partially
hydrogenated fat" on the label.
Did
you know:
· that Ritz cracker can last
for generations in its package?
· a Twinkie lives longer
than a tortoise?
· and if you open a tub of
margarine, a bug will never go near it. They know better!
Remember, the
formula for success is 90% compliance. Not 100%
If you eat 5
meals (3 meals, 2 snacks/day) for 7 days, that's 35 meals.
Ninety percent of that is 31 successful meals. So go enjoy 4
of them each week. Your body will take care of them
appropriately.
A low fat diet
won't help you lose weight. But a diet high in
'bad' fats is even worse. Seek out the better fats and
consume them in moderation.
