Dietary Fats

Dietary fats are the fats that we eat.  Although we have been taught by media and diet fads that fats are bad and should be avoided, that is not entirely true.  Some fats should be avoided, but others are necessary.

Remember that there are three macronutrients.  Carbohydrates, protein, and fat.  Each provide energy, among other things, for the body.  On the energy scale, carbohydrates and proteins are tied at 4 calories per gram.  Fat more than doubles the energy it has at 9 calories per gram.  Keep this in mind when you are eating your fats.  An equal portion size of fat has twice as many calories as protein or carbs.  Therefore, they should be used sparingly if your aim is weight loss or weight control.

Eating fat is not the only way you get adipose tissue on your body.  Your body also makes its own fat from excess calories to store energy for later.

Fat is an essential nutrient.  Therefore, any diet that eliminates all fat from your intake is not healthy.  Fat lubricates joints, insulates nerves, supports a healthy immune system, forms the cell membrane of every cell in your body, and is necessary for absorbing and storing fat soluble vitamins.  The fat soluble vitamins are A, D, E, and K.  These vitamins need some fat in your diet to be absorbed, and they are stored in the fatty tissue of your body.

Just a side note, be careful not to megadose on these vitamins.  Unlike water soluble vitamins which are washed out of the body and need to be constantly replaced, the fat soluble vitamins can accumulate to a toxic level in your body.  This is not a concern if you get your vitamins from a healthy diet, but if you supplement with vitamin pills, it is something to watch out for.

There are two bad fats that you should strive to exclude from or limit in your diet.  On food labels, you will see a category for "Total Fat."  Under that you will see listed "Saturated Fat" and "Trans Fat."  These are the two fats you want to limit in your diet.

Trans fat is considered the worst of the fats.  It is a fat that is found sparingly in nature.  Mostly, it exists through man made processes call partial hydrogenation.  It's a chemical change that I'll leave up to you to google if you want to know more.  What is important for you to know now is that this fat increases LDL cholesterol and decreases HDL cholesterol.  As a refresher, LDL is the bad stuff.  Think of the first L as lousy.  HDL is the good stuff.  Think of the H as healthy.  This is the fat that you should avoid like the plague.  Read your food labels and shun any food products that list any trans fat.  In the ingredient list you can also look for the keyword "hydrogenated."  It will indicate a trans fat in the product.  Trans fats can be found in ANY processed food, so check them all.  Food processors like them because they are inexpensive and last a long time.

Saturated Fat is the next bad fat.  It does not need to be avoided, but should be limited.  Saturated fat comes mainly from animals.  It's the marbling in your rib eye, the 7 of your 93/7 ground beef, and what makes your bacon sizzle.  This fat raises LDL levels and increases risk of type 2 diabetes.  Apart from animal products, it is also found in coconut oil, peanut oil, and palm kernel oil

Saturated fats and trans fats are usually solid at room temperature(with the exception of the oils listed).  Use this rule of thumb to help you identify a fat on the fly if you're not sure what type it is.  Solid fats are typically bad fats and should be avoided or limited.

Now, when you read that food label, you might see that total fat is listed at 5 grams, trans fat at .5 grams, and saturated at 3 grams.  3 grams + .5 grams = 3.5 grams.  So if total fat is listed at 5 grams, where are the missing 1.5 grams?  It's there, but in my opinion this is a shortfall of the food labeling system.  Of course, I understand there are space limits on food packaging so some things will have to be left off.

The missing fat is a combination of our two healthier fats, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated.

Monounsaturated fat is found in nuts, avocados, canola oil and olive oil.  It helps to lower LDL and increase HDL cholesterols.  So here we finally have a fat that actually can help you with your cholesterol.  But these fats still have 9 calories per gram, so we should be careful not to go overboard with them.

Polyunsaturated fat is found in fatty fish like salmon, vegetable oil and corn oil, walnuts, and sunflower seeds.  This fat also improves blood cholesterol levels, and includes the group of Omega 3 fatty acids.  Omega 3s are proving themselves to be very beneficial to your heart.

These two fats are usually found in a liquid form at room temperature.  As a rule then, at room temperature, liquid fats are typically healthy, solid fats are typically not.

In my daughters' school, they have a system of teaching nutrition by dividing foods in to "go" foods, "slow" foods, and "no" foods.  Using this method, I would break the fats down like this:  Trans fat is a no food, saturated fat is a slow food, and mono and poly unsaturated fats are go foods.

Take some time while shopping and make sure that your food products have the fats you need, and avoid the fats you don't.  A diet that is low in fats will be lower in calories.  It will also be healthier for your heart as long as you are careful to choose which fats you eat as part of your necessary macronutrient.

Nothing Can Stop Me Now!

Last week I met a new hero.  I've met several such people over the last few months.  A 55 year old woman in swim class having the courage to finally learn how to swim.  A blind man who ran without fear, who I had the honor of running with for about 11 miles of the LaPorte by the Bay Half Marathon.  Another lady in swim class who is facing her fear of deep water and learning to tread water.  These are people who never know that there are times I think of them for inspiration and courage.  Now I have one more.  Her name is Pattie Nehring, and I met her a week ago at one of Al Garza's bootcamps.  She has a story that I hope you will keep with you and let inspire you in whatever challenge you are facing.  Here is her story in her words…




"I am honored that you would want to share my story with others..it is the ultimate gift to pay this forward...I too was inspired by you and your story and will enjoy reading your upcoming blogs...I really feel our paths are similar in the fact that while we both did different things to get ourselves healthy, neither of just took it for granted and simply followed along...we both took the lead in our own lives, and fully vested ourselves. We took the time to read and educate ourselves well, so we understood what got us where we were, what it would take to get us out, and what would keep us from going back there...I knew that in order for me to do this only one more time in my life, I needed to become an expert. 

Let me back up just a hair and tell you what led me here. I have been thru many "diets", all of which worked for a week or two only to come back with a few more fat friends to add to my body. I was a skinny, athletic girl growing up. I participated in any sport with roller skating being my all time favorite pass time. I never had an issue with my weight. Then along comes come 30 years old and things started to change..I screwed up my metabolism with every fad I tried. I found myself approaching fifty an extremely obese woman who was unhappy, unhealthy, and miserable inside and out. I was angry and I treated everyone around me with that anger. It wasn't until one evening things took a turn with me. You may find this funny, but I was watching the Biggest Loser while eating a bowl of Ice Cream crying over the stories I was hearing and thinking they are so fat. I actually felt sorry for THEM (as if I wasn't dealing with an issue myself). Then something hit me and I cried saying, I'm fat, they are fat...what do we do? My hubby (who has been my rock and biggest encourager), says just do something about it...you have to do it.

I have 2 young boys, I could not walk up a flight of stairs without being out of breath...
I came accross an awesome program that taught me how to eat, what a healthy plate should look like, how to watch my carb, sodium, and sugars..the weight came off fast which kept me excited and motivated and I had an incrdible support team in my family, friends, and co-workers who I enlisted to help me to get healthy. I asked everyone to be my spotter and to keep me honest. After a serious Gallbladder surgery that turned Into pancreatitis, and a resulting fatty liver .....something had to change and it did. I started my journey in January 2010. I stuck to the eating outline and weighed and measured everything. I kept a food diary (which I feel is so very important). In a little over a year, I have lost 118 pounds...which is about what my 2 kids weight combined! I feel amazing and I continue to educate myself and learn what I can....keeping my head in this health game…

I ran my first 5K on Thanksgiving day. What better day to celebrate then on the day that gives thanks...the only difference is that future holidays would not involve crazy amounts of unhealthy foods and overeating. I followed up 2010 with 2 more 5k runs before the year ended. It's 2011 now and I am on my third Boot Camp, and just completed my first ever 3.2 mile run with 11 obstacles in the mud called Warrior Dash. Life is amazing, but I remain humble and keep learning. God has done an amazing work in my life. Here is the kicker, and one that many never thought they would see coming with me...karate.
I fought my family for years about karate. I have 2 Blackbelts and a soon to be Blackbelt in my house, yet I never thought it was something I could do. It is amazing what happens to your thought process. I went from I can't do anything, all the way to nothing can stop me now....all in 1 amazing year...
I started that journey to Blackbelt. I have a long road to travel, but I knew it was my next step. I am getting my purple belt this week. I am looking forward to learning more and finding more of me in the process.

You can follow my blog too

My Be Slim Journey

I have been busy lately helping others find their success, but will be posting and bring things up to date very soon. See, I have become a health coach to pay it forward and teach others about the program that has helped me. It has truly saved my life. But I also know that nothing works until you are ready for it. It is 90% mental in my opinion. I learned that no matter how huge the mountain, it can be done. Surrounding yourself with the positive and avoiding the negative is key to your succttyess. Seek support, be accountable..be teachable.. Never say never..do it all..let nothing stand in your way.

Here is my info sight
Get Slim 4 Good

My favorite read is
Dr. A's Habits of Health  and companion book...

I also have a Facebook page:
Get Slim 4 Good

And a group:
Get Slim Buddies Group"


I heard Pattie share this story in boot camp, and I've read this testimony several times.  The part that gives me goosebumps each time is the line, "I went from I can't do anything, all the way to nothing can stop me now…all in 1 amazing year."  "Nothing can stop me" is my new mantra!


If you have anyone who needs a lift, you might think of sharing this story with them.  118 pounds and still going.  Anything is possible.  Remember there's treasure at the finish line.