Many people assume it is a case of avoiding fat as much as possible if you want to lose weight. However, you should consume fat to lose fat. There are healthy fats that you can include in your diet as part of a healthy lifestyle.
Remember that fat isn’t the enemy when it comes to weight loss, and it isn’t the enemy when you’re trying to lose fat too. It would be best if you consume fat to lose weight, but when I say fats, I mean the good kinds of fat… not a takeaway every night.
Health Benefits of Fat
Fat is one of the three macronutrients that we require in our bodies for it to function properly. It’s essential, not just beneficial. Healthy fats are essential fatty acids for vitamin absorption, growth, regulation of bodily functions, and healthy skin. When we have fat stored in our bodies, it provides us with energy during hungry times and protects our vital organs. It provides us with so much, even a cushion, to prevent any injuries and keep us warmer.
There Are Three Types of Fats:
Polyunsaturated Fats: This fat is found in certain types of fish – trout and salmon, nuts, and seeds. Eating these certain foods is associated with a lower risk of certain health conditions such as specific cancers and cardiovascular disease.
Monounsaturated Fats: These fats give a wide range of health benefits and are found in plant sources such as hazelnuts, almonds, and avocados. They decrease low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in your blood.
Unhealthy Fats: As much as we may all love these types of fats, they are known to increase the risk of any health problems. They are found in processed foods such as snacks. They should be limited or avoided completely.
Eating Fat to Lose Weight
You might think that avoiding nuts, avocados, cooking oils, and high-fat ingredients is a good idea if you’re losing weight. Maybe you’ve seen that fat has more calories per gram than protein or carbohydrates. Although calories aren’t the main story of losing weight, there are important reasons you should include fat in your program.
Fat Tastes Good
What is a better way to add something to your weight loss diet than the fact it tastes amazing? It’s great to eat something that has flavor. It all tastes amazing when you add a dollop of oil or butter. As you might already know, we’re all so much more inclined to enjoy foods that contain fat.
If adding a bit of fat to your meal makes you eat, and you enjoy it more, then it’s a win-win situation. Fat ultimately supports our body to absorb fat-soluble vitamins from certain foods and turns them into a more filling meal. If you’re making foods taste better by adding a little bit of fat, then it just means you’ll be more inclined to eat it, and you are, after all, actually eating the healthy foods. You may have purchased yourself some fat-free dressings and desserts because you see the “fat-free”. Don’t be fooled by this; they usually have extra sugar to compensate for the missing flavor. This makes them less healthy as sugar converts to fat too.
Fat Is Filling
Instead of carbohydrates, fats take a bit longer to digest, and they leave us feeling fuller for longer. If you have a smaller portion of food, it is more satisfying and enjoyable when it contains a bit of fat. It is said that you should always have breakfast, but if you’re eating low-fat cereal with skimmed milk, you’re more than likely going to get hungry quicker. Whereas, if you eat a slice of toast with avocado or an egg on top, you’ll feel fuller for longer.
Breakfast prevents you from that mid-morning trip to the local fast-food shop or vending machine. Consuming foods that contain fat supports your weight loss efforts as the food has more satiety than lower-fat foods. The texture and the fact it travels around our digestive system slower tricks our brains into thinking that we’ve had a more satisfying meal.
Friendly Fatty Foods to Include In Your Diet:
– Dark Chocolate
– Avocado
– Cheese
– Nuts (almonds and walnuts)
– Extra Virgin Olive Oil
– Salmon
– Chia Seeds
– Eggs
– Coconut Oil
– Hemp Seeds
If you’re considering adding some healthy fats into your diet, as well as lean protein and complex carbs, you’ll be setting yourself up to lose fat and ultimately lose weight.