Hello My Darling!
Do you still equate “low fat” (or NO fat!!) items with being both better for your health, & better in the waistline effort in general?
If so, you’re definitely NOT alone.
There has been a slow & steady movement in the opposite direction of awareness, but less fat being MORE for most is certainly still prevalent.
I’d like to focus on 3 aspects of this situation as to WHY this still reigns supreme:
– propaganda
– current lifestyle & preference
– calories
Propaganda: (again) there seems to be a growing awareness about the radical food tampering & obesity epidemic that started somewhere in the 1960’s where sugar lobbyists essentially vilified fat & downplayed the role of sugar on heart disease, & poor health in general. When fat was stripped from food a cascade of health harm arose, most notably heart disease (ahem), diabetes & obesity.
Current Lifestyle & Preference: Taste is one thing, but if you’re continuing to sign up for something that’s not serving you fully – it might be time to reassess. One major thing I do let people in on that are either flirting with eating more fat as a lifestyle, or just in that moment – is that high carbohydrates AND high fat = recipe for DISASTER. It’s a quick way to gain weight, so I encourage people to do one or the other, & to seriously consider swaying in the direction of FAT.
Calories: This is probably the biggest motivator of all for people to steer clear of the rich & creamy stuff. However, not only are all calories not created equally, but the configuration of all calories doesn’t always FEEL equal in your belly. Purchasing solely on price is never a great option – & the same holds true for always aiming LOW with what you’re choosing to consume. A frequent drawback that tends to happen when we’re only looking at the number on a package or in our calorie counter – is that we often end up being HUNGRY!! AGAIN!!! This boomerang hunger is par for the course when we’re deliberately (or inadvertently) restricting calories – as the body will MAKE us have when it needs. This often ends up with less than ideal choices, & at less than ideal times (ie LATE). Lastly calories DO count, BUT if we’re deliberately scaling WAY back on the fat – it leads to a meal that lacks, “something”, making our bodies reach out for more until we’re satisfied.
And the reason why this often ends up NOT feeling like the best tactic or treatment of your body is:
Biological Wiring: We’re MADE to burn fat for fuel. We have evolved to do so in order to not perish as a species in times of famine, & to take advantage of the opportunity to feast (to withstand those points when food is scarce). Not only is fat DELICIOUS (can I get a show of hands for who does NOT like butter, heavy cream, or fried foods to some degree??), but fat is filling!! Fat keeps us satisfied for AGES. We’re meant to run on the stuff, & when we do, we actually run BETTER. So to deny that predisposition is not only unnatural, but it’s also HARD.
What also ends up happening when you have fat as a more major macronutrient in your world, is you eat less often (which often results in eating less food) which has a positive affect on blood sugar & insulin sensitivity (easier to lose weight, harder to gain it).
Is that enough?! There honestly is more.
AND if the struggle is real – learning more about a tactic to turn to in order to have more delicious & satisfying foods that actually benefit your waistline as well might be of use.
If so, please check this out:
5 Parts to a Fat Burning Equation
To getting you clearer on how the body works, & how to make it work for you.
xox, M