If you’re doing all the things you think will help you lose weight and still are packing on the pounds, maybe you should try adding fat. Most people think fat will make you gain weight, but that’s not necessarily true for a number of reasons. Opting for fat free foods may be actually causing you to increase your waistline rather than help you lose weight. Why? Let’s start with one obvious reason. When manufacturers remove fat, it affects the flavor of the product. In order to make their product more palatable, they increase sugar and other easily digested and high calorie carbs.
Some fats are healthier than others are.
There are many types of fat. Some fats are unhealthy, but those are mostly fats altered in manufacturing, trans fats. Trans fats are hydrogenated, which changes the chemical bonding, creating health issues in your body. Those types of fats are often found in fast foods, pastries and other types of junk food. They provide no benefit for the body, except calories and may lead to health issues. There are naturally occurring trans fats in dairy and meat, which may provide health benefits.
Fats are necessary for weight loss.
There are many bodily functions that require fat. Fat helps cell growth, improves brain functioning, helps your nervous system, lubricates the joints, improves your skin and aids in producing hormones, some of which affect your weight. In fact, it’s necessary to achieve a healthy weight, since it aids in stabilizing your blood sugar levels.
Fat slows digestion and keeps you feeling fuller longer.
Those low fat items aren’t nearly as satisfying as the full fat foods and there’s good reason why. Fat slows digestion and takes longer in the small intestines. The longer it takes to digest a food, the longer you’ll feel full. Unlike carbs, which digest quickly and spike your blood sugar, which can increase the potential for insulin resistance that makes weight loss harder, healthy fat can boost metabolism and help you burn fat, without that empty feeling you get after eating carbs.
- Polyunsaturated fatty acids increase the markers that show you’re full or hungry. It boosts the satiety markers and decreases the hunger markers. Eating an avocado, filled with healthy fat, at breakfast has shown to reduce food intake for up to six hours.
- MCT—medium-chain triglycerides— a type of fat in coconut oil, metabolize differently than other types of fat. It’s used immediately for energy, rather than being stored as fat. It boosts your metabolism and causes you to burn calories.
- Opt for foods that are whole foods, closest to their natural state and not prepackaged or fast foods. Salmon, nuts, full fat yogurt and eggs are good options that will keep you feeling full longer.
- Fat is necessary for transporting fat soluble vitamins like vitamins A, D, K and E. Obese people have a shortage of vitamin D, but it’s not yet known whether the obesity caused the shortage or the shortage caused obesity.
For more information, contact us today at Iron Fit San Antonio