Unconventional Tips On Healthy Eating For Weight Loss | Diet and Exercise | Real Life Fitness | PhitZone

Unconventional weight loss tips

Guest post by Greg Hayes

For those of us who either struggle, or have struggled with weight loss, the mantra goes that fat is bad. The “experts” encourage us to strip fat from our diets, under the guise of reducing calorie consumption, while also limiting our risk of cardiovascular disease. While there is some merit to those arguments, it can be taken too far, and in many instances, it has.

The fact of the matter is that fats are an essential part of a healthy diet, and complete elimination comes with its own perils. Consider the merits of including these unconventional fats, in your weight loss plan.

Early research into the health effects of saturated fats were based heavily on coconut oil, which is primarily comprised of saturated fats. This early research even formed the basis for much of the argument against saturated fats. In recent years, its come to light that all the work was done with partially hydrogenated coconut oil; the only form of coconut oil available at the time. While subsequent work has confirmed the negative effects of partial hydrogenation (trans fats), more recent studies have proven that short and medium chain saturated fats, like those prevalent in pure coconut oil, can actually raise HDL. This makes the use of coconut oil in place of butter an ideal substitution when preparing either healthy snacks for weight loss , or tasty, satisfying meals at home.

Similarly, whereas lard was once a staple in pantries around the U.S., the application of industrial production methods to seed oils, coupled with the medical bias against saturated fats, has almost eliminated its use. Again, as our understanding of the value it brings to the kitchen has improved, so too, has it started to make a come-back. Easily sourced from bacon connoisseurs have come to recognize that lard imparts a very unique and desirable texture to baked goods.

Palm oil, the plant oil with properties nearest to those of lard, makes a poor substitute. Further work has shown that lard from hogs fed on a diet of omega-3 fats can be a source of omega-3 fats, and lard has lower cholesterol levels than butter. Rendered in its pure form, it contains no trans fats, and makes an ideal addition to the kitchen when preparing baked goods, pastries, and as another alternative to butter in nearly any cooking application.

One of the most important aspects of having long-term successful with weight loss is finding a strategy that works over the long-term. For most of us, extreme diets are unsustainable over a period of years, while moderate eating habits can be readily successful. Generally speaking, this means finding a way to include fats in your diet; even saturated fats. Fats not only contribute to satiety, which will stave of hunger, but are also integral to good health. So, if you’ve forsaken fats to pursue your weight loss goals, or are researching ways to be successful with weight loss, consider including moderate amounts of healthy fats in your plan to help achieve your goals.

Greg Hayes is the author of Live Fit Blog, where he writes about fitting fitness into busy lives. For more tips on healthy weight loss, including how to lose belly fat, check it out!

Photo: Jay Lopez

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