The Truth about the Relationship between Weight Loss and Fat
How are weight loss and fat connected? Everything seems to get a turn in the spotlight when it comes to foods you should or shouldn’t eat in order to lose weight. Super foods that give your metabolism a big boost and help burn more calories are on the recommended “to do” list; while those that cause you to gain weight and cause problems with your health are suddenly poison. You know that you can cut calories, cut carbs, or cut fat and lose weight as long as you stay on your weight loss program. However, sometimes it is the ability to stick with a diet that is important rather than the ability of the food to take your weight off. Is the connection between weight loss and fat the key to your success?
Fat is an important part of our diets whether we are trying to shed a few pounds or not. You should never completely eliminate fat from your diet in order to speed up your weight loss. Instead, you should use the guideline set by the American Heart Association and never get more than 30% of your calories from fat. That means that however many calories you are eating, whether trying to drop weight or maintain it, you will have the right balance of fat to other nutrients in your diet. You should also remember that this is the maximum amount of fat you should consume daily, not a requirement. Eating foods high in fat have also been shown to cause obesity and health problems. Weight loss and fat can coexist in your life, you will just have to be selective about the types and amounts of fat you consumer.
An important consideration is the type of fat you eat. Too much saturated fat and cholesterol will cause an increased risk of heart disease as well as some types of cancer. Fats are listed in three separate categories: saturated, polyunsaturated, and monounsaturated. Those that are saturated are the ones that contain cholesterol while the others have been shown to lower it. Healthy fats are found in oils like olive oil, and in some vegetables like avocados. Consuming too many unhealthy fats will inhibit your weight loss, and fat (of the wrong kind) can affect your health as well.
Ideally, your diet should contain less than 10% of your daily calories from saturated fat. You should also consume no more than 10% of your calories from polyunsaturated fat and get 10 to 15% from monounsaturated fat, the healthiest of the choices.
To increase weight loss, cut the fat – but only the bad kind! Eliminate oils that are unhealthy and eat foods that contain monounsaturated fats. That means using olive oil for those things you need to fry and baking everything possible without oil. If you normally eat a diet that is high in fat, you will find that making healthier choices will also help you shed the pounds, and make you feel better, too! Rev up your menu, and don’t be afraid of slowing down your weight loss, and remember, fat of the right type can actually improve your health.
