Eat Fat and Get Skinny

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WAIT, EAT FAT + GET SKINNY?

Eat fat and lose weight – can you repeat that?

In this post, I’m going to show you how eating fats in your diet can actually make you skinnier.

GOODBYE CARDBOARD DIET

We ate low fat and fat free & we consumed the minimum fats and oils because we were told that these things would make us skinny. That’s what we all did for many years and where did that get us? We were hungry and we were still not losing any weight.

We have been brought up in a world where we have been told to get skinny by staying away from the oils and fats – but science proves that adding healthy fats to our diets will make us skinny.

For decades we have been eating mostly grainy or starchy carbohydrates and we have been taught to use these to make up the bulk of our meals. But here are two truths about carbohydrates: While of course we need to eat carbohydrates in our diet, we need healthy fats and good protein just as much. AND grains are not the only carbohydrate options out there.

Carbohydrates are commonly believed to be grains and starchy vegetables but the term “carbohydrates” also describes fruit, legumes, beans, milk and dairy products as well as sugars and vegetables. These foods are all rich in carbohydrates.

The truth is that most food contains a mixture of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Foods are grouped in one of these three categories – whichever it contains the most of – and very few foods are made up of only 1 of the food groups.

WHY WE LOVE FATS

Fats take the longest to digest out of these 3 categories and the more fat your meal contains, the longer it will take for your body to digest the meal. Therefore if you eat meals that are high in fat, you will be less hungry for the rest of the day and will be less likely to snack as you will feel fuller for a longer time after a meal. Studies have shown that by eating healthy fats with your meal, you will be more satisfied after a meal.

Carbohydrates and sugars alone can cause insulin levels to spike quickly and then fall, while fats and protein help to keep energy constant for hours. A carbohydrate is broken down by the body into a sugar.

People tend to be scared of fats, but that is only because we have been taught our entire lives to be scared of fats. Yes, fats have a higher calorie content but they keep you going for much longer than carbohydrates and proteins (it is still important to consume all 3 food groups).

It was previously believed that fats caused unhealthy cholesterol but new research has disproved this theory. Good fats and saturated fats do not cause cholesterol. It is in fact sugar that causes cholesterol.

WHAT FATS ARE HEALTHY?

1. Coconut oil

2. Olive oil

3. Avocado’s

4. Avocado oil

5. Flax seed oil

6. Hemp seed oil

7. Fatty fish (Snoek, salmon, etc)

8. Good fat from raw nuts (especially walnuts, macadamia nuts and almonds)

9. Eggs (the egg white and yolk)

10. Sesame oil

11. Macadamia oil

12. Pumpkin seed oil

13. Raw seeds such as chia seeds, flax seeds, sesame seeds, hemp seeds, sunflower seeds & pumpkin seeds

14. Cacao butter

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These are not the only good fats, but some of the best. Here is a tip when buying oil – only ever buy oil that is cold-pressed (if the label does not say cold-pressed then it is probably not cold-pressed).

I personally do not enjoy eating animal fats and so I follow a diet that is made up mostly of plant-based fats from various cold-pressed oils, avocado, nuts and seeds. But I do sometimes eat eggs, lean meats and fish.

The benefits of eating healthy fats?

1. Healthy weight loss

2. More energy

3. Sustained energy

4. Less desire to snack between meals

5. Less unhealthy cravings

6. Healthier brain

7. Healthy heart and arteries

8. Lower cholesterol levels

9. Healthy and clearer glowing skin

10. Healthy hair and nails

11. Happier and healthier organs

12. Balanced hormones

13. Less likely to get diabetes

Top tips

Don’t be afraid to try this new way of eating. Switch up your other oils with cold-pressed macadamia nut oil orcoconut oil when you cook. These oils have a higher smoke rate and hold up better with high heats.

Add some oil to your diet. One of my favorite ways to get healthy fats in my diet is to eat is a fresh salad (lots of mixed leafy greens) with other mixed vegetables, some avocado (1/4 to 1/2 is enough for me) and 1 teaspoon of oil such as olive oil or sesame oil (always cold-pressed) as well as a small amount of good quality protein, like a few nuts and seeds or good quality animal protein such as a boiled egg (or two) or meat or fish (about the size of my palm) – see egg, pepper & avocado salad.

LOVING IT

I have found that while eating a diet containing fats I am full for hours after I eat and no longer need to snack constantly, and because I am not snacking all day I am able to lose weight (even though fats are higher in calories than protein and carbs).

Fats are so good for us & it’s important to eat them! Remember that all of the food groups are important.

Just remain mindful of calories in the healthy fats that you choose you eat if you are trying to lose weight.

Liezl Jayne xo

Ps. I’ve also got a 3 day eating plan for weight-loss that you can download here on my blog – this is what I used to lose 40 Lbs!

Photographs by Ross Charnock for liezljayne.com – styled by Liezl Jayne