Essential Fats for Weight Loss
Over the past few decades, the cornerstone of a good, solid weight loss plan has included studying the 'Nutrition Information' on food packaging, thumbing nervously through a 600 page (yet implausibly titled 'pocket sized') calorie counter and triumphantly and guiltlessly striding down supermarket aisles with a trolley brimming with exquisitely packaged, molecule sized, fat free food.
To most people, avoiding fat (or consuming as little as possible) is the sure-fire path to a slim and slender body. However, for the eager and the open-minded, this is all about to change as study after study begins to tell us how fat is about to become your new best friendĄ
How Can Fat be Good?
It has long been common knowledge amongst athletes and nutritionists that Omega 3 and Omega 6 fats are extremely beneficial - yet these have been largely avoided by most of us because they are basically fat - the death knoll of the diet.
Of the many fats that exist, Omega 3 and Omega 6 have been scientifically termed Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs). The reason for this is simple - they are essential. EFAs are essential because they are in constant demand from every living cell in the body - however, the body cannot produce them on its own. It relies on us to provide them through the food we consume each and every day!
Creating a balance of Omega 3 and Omega 6 in our diet is absolutely essential, not only if weight loss is on the agenda but also to help our body function properly and ward off a whole host of ailments such as high blood pressure, a low immune system, dry skin, hair and nails, poor digestion and low energy. Omega 6 and Omega 6 supplementation was also voted by women as being among the top three most effective PMS treatments! The list could go on.
EFAs and Weight Loss
So, we shouldn't avoid all fats like the plague if we want to be slim and healthy, but I am sure you are wondering why EFAs are important our weight loss plan?
Among other reasons, EFAs help to:
- Make us slim and keep us slim by behaving like the hormones that increase the body's capacity to burn fat and decrease the fat that the body produces for protection (the fat that hangs around our organs and sits around our waists).
- Suppress the body's requirement to over-inflate our appetite.
- Minimise the blood sugar swings, fat production, food cravings and loss of energy that carbs and sugars do.
- Decrease inflammation and water retention in tissues, and instigate the removal of water unnecessarily held in other parts of the body. This can have a dramatic effect on our ability to lose weight!
- Boost our energy levels throughout the day - which, amongst other things - increases your chances of going out for that run, making it to the gym or doing that extra lap of the pool!
- Increase the stimulation of the brain to create happier moods and lift depression - making us less likely to reach for the crisps and chocolates!
Good Fats and Bad Fats - What to Eat and What to Avoid!
Of course, EFAs include only good fats - the bad fats should still be avoided at all costs! These include the fats obtained from meat and dairy, saturated fats, trans-fatty acids and any cooked, fried or heated fats (EFAs lose their goodness and become harmful when heated).
Good fats can be found in foods like avocado, almonds, green leafy vegetables, high fat (coldwater) fish such as tuna, sardines, halibut and salmon and seeds such as sesame, sunflower and flax-seeds. However, the easiest and most effective way to ensure that your body is getting the right amount, and the right blend of good fats is to take an oil blend supplement.
