The Big Fat Truth: Why Non-Fat Isn't the Answer

The Skinny on Fat

You've shied away from eating it and worked on the treadmill to burn it off. But fat, it turns out, can be your friend. "Your body needs it in order to function," says Barbara Roberts, MD, director of the Women's Cardiac Center at the Miriam Hospital in Providence and author of How to Keep from Breaking Your Heart. "Fats help you absorb vitamins A, D, and E, and they are vital for your nervous system." Not only that, women who ate a Mediterranean diet filled with healthy monounsaturated fat lowered their risk of heart disease by 29 percent, according to a new study in Circulation.

Of your total daily calories, 25 to 30 percent should come from fat. The keys: Pick good-for-you fats, and limit the bad kinds. Don't know a saturated from a poly? Here's the skinny on which fats to eat and which to avoid.

The Good: Unsaturated Fats

Monounsaturated Fats What they do: These fats, known as MUFAs, raise good HDL cholesterol, lower bad LDL cholesterol, and protect against the buildup of plaque in your arteries. They also help prevent belly fat, according to research.
Where you'll find them: In olive oil and olives, canola oil, almonds, cashews, peanuts, peanut butter, sesame seeds, and avocados.
How much you need: Most of the fat you eat should be unsaturated, like MUFAs. "Just two to three tablespoons of olive oil a day can raise HDL levels and protect against heart disease," says Dr. Roberts.

Polyunsaturated FatsWhat they do: In addition to lowering your LDL, these fats contain essential omega-3 fatty acids — which boost brain function and may help strengthen your immune system and improve your mood — and omega-6 fatty acids, which in small amounts can keep skin and eyes healthy.
Where you'll find them: Omega-3s are primarily in fish like salmon, mackerel, and herring, as well as canola oil, flaxseed, walnuts, and tofu. Omega-6s are in corn and safflower oil, corn-fed chicken and beef, and farmed fish.
How much you need: Most of the polys you eat should be omega-3s. Too much omega-6 can lead to inflammation, which is linked to heart disease. Trade vegetable oil for olive and canola oils, and eat grass-fed beef and wild-caught fish.

The Bad: Saturated Fats

What they do: They raise cholesterol levels and increase your risk of heart disease.
Where you'll find them: In meat and poultry, in dairy products like cream, butter, and whole and 2 percent milk, and in some plant foods like coconut and palm oil.

How much you need: Limit saturated fat to less than 10 percent of your total daily calories. One easy way to cut back: "Remove any hard fat you can see, such as the skin on chicken," says Christine Gerbstadt, MD, RD, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.

The Ugly: Trans Fats 

What they do: Made from unsaturated fat that's been chemically altered to prolong the shelf life of packaged foods, trans fats raise bad LDL and lower good HDL, increasing inflammation throughout the body. "They 100 percent promote heart disease," says Dr. Gerbstadt.
Where you'll find them: In shortening, margarine, doughnuts, french fries, and processed foods such as crackers, cookies, chips, and cakes.
How much you need: Zero. But know this: The FDA allows food manufacturers to claim that a product contains "zero trans fats" if one serving of it has 0.5 grams of trans fats or less. "That means if you eat more than one serving, you could be getting a gram or more," warns Dr. Gerbstadt. Before buying foods, check the ingredient labels for "partially hydrogenated vegetable oil" — trans fats' sneaky pseudonym.

Fight the Flab

"The average person has 10 billion to 20 billion fat cells," says Philipp Scherer, PhD, director of the Touchstone Diabetes Center at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. Researchers aren't sure what determines your number, but they do know genetics and lifestyle play a role. Eat too much for too long and your body can create new fat cells, says Susan K. Fried, PhD, director of the Adipocyte Core at the Boston Obesity Nutrition Research Center at Boston University School of Medicine. "If you lose weight, fat cells shrink, but they don't disappear."

To outfox your fat, follow a healthy, balanced diet of lean protein, fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy, and whole grains. Do cardio and strength training regularly. And if you have belly fat, which research has linked to an increased risk of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, pick up your pace by doing interval training four times a week: Alternate two minutes of sprinting with 60 seconds of walking for half an hour.

Feeling Like You Need a Fat Fix?

You may have a "fat tooth." The tongue has a receptor for fat, just as it does for sweet and salty, research shows. "The richness and creaminess of foods like ice cream and the texture of chocolate can make them irresistible to us," says Bonnie Taub-Dix, RD, a national spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. To curb your fat cravings, eat every three hours, advises Emily Rubin, an RD at the Jefferson Digestive Disease Institute in Philadelphia. "Munch on lean protein and fiber-rich foods, such as chicken and vegetables, which keep you feeling full — and less likely to pig out."

Get-Slim Picks

Trying to lose weight? "Have a small amount of fat at every meal," says Katherine Zeratsky, an RD at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. "It digests slowly, so you'll feel satisfied for a longer period of time, and you'll eat less overall." Reach for a few of these heart-healthy choices every day.

Almonds
1 ounce (23 nuts): 163 calories, 14g fat (1g saturated)

Walnuts (chopped) 
1/4 cup: 193 calories,18g fat (1g saturated)

Avocado 
1/4 California avocado: 57 calories, 5g fat (1g saturated)

Olive Oil 
1 tablespoon: 119 calories, 14g fat (2g saturated)

Peanut Butter (smooth) 
1 tablespoon: 94 calories, 8g fat (2g saturated)

Olives (green or black) 
8 jumbo olives: 54 calories, 5g fat (1g saturated)

Sunflower Seeds (unsalted, roasted, hulled) 
1/4 cup: 186 calories, 16g fat (2g saturated)

Three Smart Swaps

Need to start small? Switch from...

• ...Regular bacon to turkey or Canadian bacon. "Pork bacon is loaded with saturated fat," says Emily Rubin, RD. Canadian and turkey bacon are much leaner choices.
• ...Stick margarine to tub — or even better, to butter. Stick margarine can have three times the trans fats the tub version does. Butter has no trans fats.
• ...Premium ice cream to low-fat. "Two scoops of the premium kind can have 11 grams of saturated fat — about half the amount you should eat for the entire day," warns Rubin. Low-fat ice cream can have less than one gram.

Source
http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipes/healthy-eating/tips/why-non-fat-isnt-the-answer/

How to Use Coconut Oil for Weight Loss

One key to successful and lasting weight loss is to ensure steady blood sugar so that any extreme ups and downs are avoided and don’t cause you to fall off the wagon and make a beeline for the junk food aisle at the supermarket or the jumbo bag of chips in your pantry.

How to best steady the blood sugar over long periods of time and between meals? With healthy and satiating fats of course!

Coconut oil for weight loss is the best fat to choose, due to the plethora of healthy medium chain saturated fatty acids (MCTs) that boost metabolism for immediate energy. As a bonus, the MCTs in coconut oil don’t end up as stored body fat like longer chain fatty acids sometimes can.

Countries that consume high amounts of coconut and coconut oil in their diets such as the Philippines, India, and the Pacific Islands have significantly fewer cases of heart disease and obesity clearly disproving any agenda driven smear campaign against this marvelously healthy oil!

Supermodels are already onto the coconut oil for weight loss secret.  Australian beauty Miranda Kerr has been using coconut oil for years to maintain her enviable figure and won’t go anywhere without it!

Coconut Oil for Weight Loss better than Olive Oil

Olive oil in particular should be limited or avoided entirely by those wishing to lose weight!

This is surprising to many people as olive oil is typically the first “healthy oil” that they think of due to heavy promotion of this Mediterranean oil by conventional doctors and nutritionists.

In fact, a 1994 study published in The Lancet noted that the fatty acid most predominantly found in body fat was monounsaturated fat like that found in high amounts in olive oil!

Could this be why those in Mediterranean countries so often gain weight at middle age?

When choosing a fat to speed up weight loss then, limit the use of olive oil and other predominantly monounsaturated fats like peanut oil.  Coconut oil for weight loss is the far better choice!

How to Use Coconut Oil for Weight Loss

Coconut oil naturally solidifies at 76F so it is best to liquify it in hot water before consuming as a weight loss aid.

Twenty minutes before mealtime is the best time to take your coconut oil as it will significantly reduce appetite and help you to feel full more quickly and be satisfied with smaller portions.

To liquify, mix 1-2 TBL of coconut oil in a mug and add hot water or herbal tea (NOT bulletproof coffee!).  Stir to melt and drink.  Use the following guidelines to determine how much oil to consume before each meal:

• 90-130 lbs, use 1 TBL coconut oil before each meal for a total of 3 TBL per day.
• 131-180 lbs, use 1.5 TBL coconut oil before each meal for a total of 4.5 TBL per day.
• Over 180 lbs, use 2 TBL coconut oil before each meal for a total of 6 TBL per day.

Alternatively, you can simply eat the coconut oil and let it liquify in your mouth for a few seconds before swallowing.

*If you find that the coconut oil makes you a bit queasy at first, try using herbal bitters as an inexpensive remedy to help your liver and gall bladder adjust.

What is the Best Coconut Oil for Weight Loss?

Be aware that not all coconut oils are created equal for weight loss purposes!

While coconut oil is very resistant to heat damage, solvents are frequently used to extract it, so sourcing high quality oil from a reputable company is of paramount importance to avoid any chemical residues.

Using only organic virgin coconut oil therapeutically for your weight loss efforts is a good idea as all the delicate micronutrients in the oil will be preserved and no chemicals will have been used in processing.

Source
http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/stomp-the-weight-loss-accelerator-using-coconut-oil/

Sources and More Information

Eat Fat, Lose Fat

The Effect of Coconut Oil on Serum Cholesterol Levels and HDLs, by Dr. Mary Enig

How to Implement High Fat Low Carb for Weight Loss

When Coconut Oil May Not Be Right for You

MCT Oil: The Coconut Oil Dregs

Why Buying Coconut Oil at Costco is Risky Business

How to Use Chia Seeds for Weight Loss

"Ch-ch-ch-chia" offers so much more than fodder for late night commercials and white elephant gifts. The seeds that sprout green "hair" and "fur" on terra-cotta heads and animals are a nutritional wonder food. A staple part of the Aztec diet as long ago as 3,500 B.C., chia seeds have come back into the diets of the health conscious -- especially those interested in losing weight. Chia seeds can be part of a weight-loss plan, but don't expect them to work miracles.

First, the Bad News

Despite the claims of certain weight-loss diets and products, chia seeds are not a magic weight-loss food. A study published in "Nutrition Research" in June 2009 found that consuming almost 2 ounces of chia seeds daily made little difference in the appetite or weight-loss success of overweight and obese people after 12 weeks. A review of research on chia seeds, also known as salva seeds, published in "Reviews on Recent Clinical Trials" in 2009 also found no evidence that the tiny seeds have any effect on body weight.

Fiberific

Chia seeds may not be a ticket to easy weight loss, but they can be part of a healthy eating plan that helps you drop pounds. With 11 grams of fiber per ounce, chia seeds provide more than 40 percent of your daily fiber needs -- and fiber can contribute to weight loss by moderately dulling your appetite and discouraging bloating. Have an ounce at breakfast to boost your daily fiber intake -- whiz them into a smoothie made with fresh fruit and low-fat milk or sprinkle a tablespoon over hot cereal.

Pass the Dessert

A downfall of many weight-loss seekers is dessert. You come to the end of a meal and you just can't resist something sweet, which usually means you surpass your calorie target for the day and fail to lose weight. Use chia to make a dessert pudding that satisfies your desire for something sweet and creamy, but offers calcium, protein and minimal calories. Mix about 2 tablespoons, or 1 ounce, of chia seeds for every 3/4 to 1 cup of liquid -- use almond milk, low-fat milk or 100 percent juice. Let stand in a refrigerator for one hour or overnight to create a pudding with a texture similar to tapioca. If you need a little extra sweetener, add a teaspoon of maple syrup or agave nectar. The chia seeds have about 98 calories per serving.

Good Fat

Consuming chia contributes to your intake of healthy fats, particularly omega-3 fatty acids. These little powerhouse seeds are one of the best sources of this nutrient, which helps with brain function and heart health. In addition, consuming adequate fat helps keep your blood sugar and appetite in check. Aim to eat at least 15 to 25 percent of your calories from healthy fats, even when trying to drop pounds. An ounce of chia can be part of these fat calories as can be avocados, nuts, olive oil, coconut oil and fatty fish.

Source

References

• The New York Times: The Claim: Chia Seeds Can Help You Lose Weight
• Nutrition Research: Chia Seed Does Not Promote Weight Loss or Alter Disease Risk Factors in overweight adults
• Reviews on Recent Clinical Trials: Chia (Salvia Hispanica): A Systematic Review by the Natural Standard Research Collaboration
• The Dr. Oz Show: Chia: Ancient Super-Seed Secret
• Heal With Food: Nutritional Value of Chia Seeds & the Complete Nutrient and Calorie Profile
• Experience Life: Weight-Loss Rules to Rethink 

http://www.livestrong.com/article/386524-how-to-use-chia-seeds-for-weight-loss/