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Fat Is Legit

Hey there! I want you to meet my good friend, Fat. You may already know him, or maybe you've heard a lot about him. He hasn't had the best reputation in the past, but you should know he's just been terribly misunderstood. I feel like if you spent more time with him in the right setting, you'd love him. He's a badass with really solid intentions.

No one was intimidated by Fat before the 1970s when our government thought it was their job to analyze the relationship between diet and disease. After getting all the "facts," they came up with a pretty convincing plan that went something like this: "Fat makes us fat, so we need to make everything low-fat! This will be great because we can put fear in the minds of the people, then make billions with all these new products we'll put on shelves to solve the problem!! We'll be heroes!"

Uh oh. New problem(s).

When you take all the fat out, it tastes like crap! Complete crap...and they knew it. So they used sodium and sugar to make up for the boo boo flavor, and guess what?! People got fatter and heart disease was still an issue. Not only did it not solve the original problem, it added to it. However, they DID accomplish their goal of making billions in the "low/non-fat food initiative." So high five for that! ;) For more, you can read NPR's article "Why We Got Fatter During The Fat-Free Food Boom."

Let's just get to the truth about fat. It's legit. It's one of the three major macronutrients, so it's kind of a big deal. We need it. Our bodies function really well when we have it. We actually feel fuller for longer when we consume it, it's why food tastes delicious, and it's really beneficial for you and your body!

When you consume the right fats, you actually lose weight, so the type of fats you are consuming is obviously the next thing to address. Here are a few of my faves:

  • Avocados (in large quantities) ;)
  • Olive oil
  • Coconut (any of it, not just the oil)
  • Nuts
  • Seeds (chia, hemp, flax)
  • Butter!!

When you eat more fat, you have the following benefits:

  • You are fuller, thus you don't snack between meals because of how nutrient dense the last meal was - no more empty calorie eating!

  • Helps absorb fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, K, and E) which leads to more efficient body functionality

  • Better skin and eye health

  • Weight loss due to release of fat-burning hormones which not only increase fat-burning, but also increases your metabolism

See? You shouldn't be afraid of Fat at all. You should LOVE Fat. He is nothing short of amazing. Here is a helpful source to get you started: Top 10 fats to add to your diet. It's a quality nutrient.

Here's one last tip: don't go to the store and buy all of the "Top 10" for your meals this week! Please, incorporate one at a time. Ask a friend if they've ever used any of this in their cooking and how they use it. If you don't like something, don't keep eating it because it's "healthy." There are other things out there! Find something you like that makes sense for you and your family.

Good luck and here's to our loyal and handsome friend, Fat!