This question I always get asked, when people are considering beginning their ketogenic journey is, “Won’t eating fat make me fat?” I find many people are still nervous to take the plunge into eating high amounts of fat! Heres why:

When we want to lose weight, mathematically it seems like removing fat from the diet is the right approach.

Since 1g fat = 9 calories opposed to:

1g of carbs or protein = 4 calories. 

Fat has more than double the amount of calories. So I see logically why people would cut back on fat for weight loss (I use to be a slave to this method).

For years I was terrified to eat fat. I was afraid I would blow up and not be able to control my weight. But the more I ate low fat (trying to control my weight) the heavier I got on the scale, with my skin looking dull and gaunt.

Overtime my hormones became so imbalanced, it was extremely difficult for me to lose weight.

We can get so caught up in the numbers game, calories in vs. calories out, that we forget about nutrients found in food and how certain foods not only effect our weight, but our mood, energy, brain function, gut health and most importantly our HORMONES!

Different types of fat.

There is a difference between the fat you eat and the body fat you carry. Just because someone consumes more fat in the diet, it doesn’t magically turn into fat in the body!

Fat takes the longest to digest compared to carbs and proteins so it will keep you feeling full longer and won’t cause you blood sugar to go haywire!

Marja Chow Holistic Nutritionist -Will eating fat make you fat!

Fat doesn’t cause an insulin response like carbs. Insulin is a hormone that regulates your blood sugar levels and plays a massive role in energy levels and weight.

Fat cells also knows as adipose tissue are classified into white and brown fat cells.

 

Brown fats cells burn calories, while white fat cells are for storing fat, until they are called upon for energy production.

Fat is healthy for us when we consume it from healthy sources.

When you choose a “low fat option,” if you read the label, the fat is reduced and the sugar/carbs are increased to make it palatable. Most people who have weight issues, consume too much refined processed foods, or just large amount of carbs, opposed to the over consumption of HEALTHY fats.

People can be overweight, even obese and deficient in good quality fats. In my opinion society as a whole is overfed and undernourished. People are consuming “food like” products but not real food. An excess of bad fats predominantly vegetable oils and seed oils are linked to a variety of illnesses and diseases, especially cardiovascular disease and obesity.

Having margarine, canola oil, soybean oil, DOES not fall in the category of a ketogenic diet!

Fats from vegetable oil compared to an MCT oil (medium chain triglyceride) react completely different in the body. MCT will give your brain a cognitive pick me up and lasting energy, where a canola oil can create inflammation. So it’s important you distinguish between the types of fats you are eating!

FAT is one of the most nutrient dense and healing foods that should take up a significant amount of your diet and remember Not all calories are created equal!

An avocado and donut have similar amounts of calories in them.

However, a completely different cascade of hormones are secreted to break down an avocado opposed to a donut, and how your body uses those calories is very different.

WHY IS FAT FUNDAMENTAL IN OUR DIET?

1). Fats help to regulate blood sugar since it slows digestion down and prevent energy crashes.

2). Fats are integral for sex hormone production…. HELLO LIBIDO!  We need good quality fats in the diet for our hormones to function and communicate with each other properly!

3). Good quality fats help with brain health & cognition. The brain is 50 percent made of fat and has a high affinity for using ketones for energy!

4). Fats make your food taste good!

5). Eating healthy fats creates a strong cell membrane. That cell wall determines what nutrients can come in, and what toxins can come in and get out!

Having a healthy amount of fat cells play a crucial role in:

  • Protecting your vital organs
  • Cell health & protection
  • Communicating with other fat cells
  • Transporting nutrients
  • Immune function
  • Hormonal health.

The take away here is eating the right types of fats won’t make you fat! The problem is high amounts of nutrient void carbs and the consumption of poor quality oils.

When I work with clients we focus on the 3 Most important principles of health:

1.Reduce stress & rebalancing hormones

2.Reduce Inflammation

3.Amp up Metabolic Fire

This is achieved by getting rid of nutrient deficient foods and replacing them with high satiety, high fat, REAL FREAKING FOOD!

Hippocrates said it best

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food!

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