Eat More Fat To Lose Weight
Officially, Spring starts on March 19th, a day we envision warm weather and days spent outdoors basking in the sun. Naturally, people gravitate toward losing weight this time of year, and if you suffer from IBS, there is a good chance you are somewhere on the spectrum of needing to lose weight because 75% of adults in the US are either severely obese, obese, or overweight. If you have IBS and fall into one of these categories, it’s not your fault! Our society was misled to believe that achieving a healthy weight meant eating less fat, more carbohydrates, and fewer calories. This highly inaccurate
information led to an obesity epidemic in this country.
Low-fat theory
As early as the 1940s, poor scientific research showed a correlation between a high-fat diet and high cholesterol, suggesting a low-fat diet would prevent heart disease. By the 1960s, healthcare providers started recommending a low-fat diet to obtain a healthy weight, and by 1980, it was recommended by the federal government. The American food industry jumped on board and started filling grocery store shelves with “heart-healthy” products that were low in fat. Food manufacturers replaced the fat in their products with sugar and other chemicals to improve the taste. Whole-grain processed foods became the epitome of health. Just look at the cereal aisle in any grocery store! They are filled with “heart healthy” products claiming to be low-fat, filled with sugar and chemicals to improve the taste, triggering your brain to crave more.
Sugar, Not Fat, Causes Weight Gain
Our hunter and gatherer ancestors ate less than 22 teaspoons of sugar per year and only if they were lucky to find a bee hive or berry bush. Today, adults eating the Standard American Diet consume 22 teaspoons daily, and children consume 34 teaspoons daily. While our daily consumption should be less than six teaspoons, the average American exceeds this amount by drinking one can of Coke (10 teaspoons of sugar), 2 cups of Honey Nut Cheerios (6 teaspoons of sugar), or a mocha frappuccino
from Starbucks (12 teaspoons of sugar) for example. Not only does this highly processed food contain a staggering amount of sugar, but it is also devoid of essential nutrients and full of poor-quality oils and chemicals that cause inflammation throughout your body, leading to obesity, cancer, heart disease, autoimmune diseases, and IBS, and so many more health problems.
Abdominal Fat Is Dangerous
The USDA’s announcement in the late 1980s (to eat less fat and more grains) started the obesity epidemic and left individuals wondering why they were gaining weight while following the guidelines. Researchers didn’t understand that whole grains break down into simple sugar, stored as abdominal fat, causing excessive weight gain. Abdominal fat(or visceral fat) differs from subcutaneous fat on the arms or legs because it wreaks havoc on the surrounding organs, causing inflammation throughout the body and leading to many chronic diseases. Your waist-to-hip ratio is a good indicator of abdominal fat and whether it is a problem. The ratio should be less than 0.9 for men and less than 0.8 for women.
Carbohydrates Spike Your Blood Sugar Levels And Cause Weight Gain
Eating whole wheat grains was touted as healthy, and people were encouraged to make it a significant part of their daily diet. What they did not appreciate at the time is that whole wheat spikes your blood sugar more than white bread and table sugar. The glycemic index is a measurement used to determine how much blood sugar levels rise after eating a particular food. The higher the number, the higher the blood sugar levels. Table sugar has a glycemic index(GI) of 52, white bread has a GI of 69, and wheat bread has a GI of 72. Carbohydrates are not essential(whether from bread or vegetables like potatoes). Unlike essential fatty acids, proteins, vitamins, and minerals,
your body does not require them to function. So, if you are trying to lose weight, consider eliminating carbohydrates(except for berries, which have minimal sugar) until you reach your ideal weight. Carbohydrates to eliminate temporarily would include bread, pasta, and starchy vegetables such as potatoes. Eat unlimited non-starchy vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, and kale. Although all vegetables are carbohydrates, starchy vegetables can be a problem when trying to lose weight.
What Fats You Should Eat
Unlike carbohydrates, your body needs good fats for optimal health. Good dietary fats (Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids) have been proven to speed up your metabolism, decrease hunger, stimulate fat burning, and improve brain function. Below is a list of fats to include and fats to avoid. Be sure to include 4-5 servings of good fat daily.
Healthy Fats To Include:
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (1 Tbsp)
Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (1 Tbsp)
MCT oil (1-2 Tbsp)
Organic Coconut milk (¼ cup)
Avocado (½-1)
Fatty fish such as wild salmon, sardine, mackerel, herring, and black cod(4-6 oz, 3-4 x per week)
Nuts and seeds(except peanuts, 2-3 handfuls)
Olives (¼ cup)
Grass-fed butter, clarified butter or Ghee
Fats to Avoid
The following oils contain highly inflammatory Omega-6 fats and are full of toxic contaminants:
Corn oil
Canola Oil
Soy Oil
Sunflower Oil
Safflower Oil
Sugar, poor-quality oils, and Frankenfoods with chemicals cause weight gain, not fat. So, if you need to lose weight, I encourage you to eliminate sugar and carbohydrates and include 4-5 servings of healthy fats daily. You will be surprised how your body starts to lose weight with ease!
Essential Fatty Acids (Fat)
Essential fatty acids are required for optimal health, but the body does not synthesize them, and they must be obtained from dietary sources. Omega-3 fatty acids are the most important because they decrease inflammation, cancer, brain health, immune function, skin health, and more. They can be found in wild fish, flaxseeds, and walnuts. Omega-6 fatty acids must come from natural sources like nuts and seeds instead of refined unhealthy oils like sunflower, safflower, corn, and soy. These oils are used in highly processed packaged foods and fried foods like french fries and donuts and are
linked to nearly every chronic disease and obesity.
Eat More Fat To Lose Weight
It sounds counterintuitive to encourage people to eat more fat to lose weight, but it’s true! Your brain is nearly 60% fat, and the recommendation to remove all fat from your diet was wrong. Your brain needs the fat to perform properly, especially the Omega-3 Fatty Acids. If you need more proof, read the book “Eat Fat Get Thin” by Mark Hyman. It’s packed full of all the proof you need to let go of the old idea eating fat makes you fat. Use olive oil liberally on your salads, eat more avocados, or look for recipes with coconut milk. Your body will thank you for it.
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