STRONG IDEA: The Skinny on Fat - Nutrition Series Part 4 of 5
By Emily Stapleton on May 07, 2013 from Strong Ideas via Connect-Bridgeport.com
This is the fourth post in a 5-week series on nutrition. Again, I’m not a nutrition expert; just a regular Jane, trying to make today a little healthier than yesterday. This series presents a positive approach to nutrition. In a world where most diets try to get you to eliminate certain foods, this plan focuses on what you should be eating. So read on, and stay with me for just a few more weeks to discover a complete, positive approach to better health.
Week 1: Drink Water
Week one was all about water and hydration. Didn’t read the first post? Click here to read. I urge you to take this one step at a time. So, if you haven’t increased your water consumption, start there and come back next week to move forward.
Week 2: Eat More Fruits and Vegetables
Week two focused on fruits and vegetables. If you’re hydrating, but haven’t started working on fruits and vegetables, click here.
Week 3: Consider Protein
Last week, we moved discussed protein and why we need it. Want more information on that topic? Click here.
If you’re still reading and haven’t read the first three posts, you may just want a quick summary, so…here it is. Drinking water is the single best thing you can do for your health. Take your body weight in pounds and divide by 2. That is the number of ounces of water you should aim to consume each day. Fruits and vegetables contain vital nutrients and most of us aren’t getting enough. Most people need approximately 2 cups of fruit and 2 1/2 cups of vegetables every day. Proteins are a part of every cell, tissue, and organ in the human body. They are constantly being broken down and replaced through protein that we eat. Most Americans get plenty of protein, so this goal is super easy…just make sure you are consuming a protein sources three or four times per day.
Week 4: The Skinny on Fat
In the 90’s I remember, on more than one occasion, my college roommate and I coming in from a late night of socializing or studying to eat some fat-free sandwiches followed by some fat-free cookies. We purchased everything in a fat-free version in an effort not to gain the freshman 15. Guess what? It didn’t work. During that time, the common belief was that eating fat would make us fat. Fast-forward almost 20 years and the research shows that eating foods containing fat actually reduces the risk of heart disease and diabetes and won’t cause obesity. Who would have thought?
According to Health.com, not all fats are created equal. Here is a rundown on the different types of fat most Americans consume:
- Monounsaturated fat. Found in animal products (like nuts, olive oil, and canola oil) as well as poultry, this type of fat is good for your health.
- Polyunsaturated fat. Another “good fat”, this one is found in fish. Most of us can improve our health by simply adding one fish serving per week.
- Saturated fat. Most of us get more than enough of this one, as it’s found in red meat and dairy products. You can think of it as an “ok” fat. No need to eliminate it, but you don’t need very much.
- Trans fat. I know I’m not supposed to talk about eliminating foods, but this is where I make my exception. Trans fat, found in processed foods, is definitely a “bad” fat and should be avoided. The good news; most food manufacturers are eliminating this ingredient from their products after current research has revealed it’s negative effects.
Why do you need fat in your diet? It’s worth repeating that the current belief is that fat actually reduces the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Fat as a part of a balanced diet also serves to make us feel more full so we don’t overeat. While ounce for ounce, fat contains more calories than carbs and protein, a little goes a long way.
How much fat should we be eating? The American Heart Association recommends that unsaturated fats should make up 18-28% of calories and that less than 7% of calories should come from saturated fat. Good recommendation, but way too complicated for our keep it simple approach. My recommendation? Make sure you are getting most of your fat from healthy sources like fish and nuts, consume red meat only a couple times per week, and eat 2 or 3 servings of dairy each day (can be reduced fat versions). You’ll get what you need, but not too much.
Write it down.
Writing down what you eat keeps you focused and leads to better overall compliance to a plan. So if you’re serious about improving your eating habits, write it down!
Continue to log your water consumption, as well as your fruit and vegetable consumption. You should also continue to make a hash mark every time you consume a protein source. Your goal for fats: eat at least two fish based meals this week and eat no more than 3 red meat based meals. And record these two goals. Note that you will log some foods as both protein and fat. You will also be getting fat from nuts, oils, and dairy but I’m not asking you to write these down.
If you have been following my advice over the past few weeks, I hope you are noticing a difference in your overall health.
Until next week,
Emily Stapleton
