week 4: november 22 - 28

the skinny on the fat

this week's goal is to lose the fat, or as much so in our food as recommended. fat, the red headed step child of nutrition components, gets the worst wrap....but often wrongfully so. we have all heard of good fats, the mono saturated or poly unsaturated flavors, like those found in nuts, avocado, and olive oil to name a few. these fats are deemed good because they assist in nutrient absorption, nerve transmission, maintaining cell membrane integrity, as well as speeding the metabolism. these fats are known to lower bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol.

the bad fat is saturated fat found in animal products (meat, dairy, eggs, seafood) and things like palm oil and coconut oil. with a reputation for raising cholesterol levels and pants sizes, these fats are shady friends to trust. within the limits, like moderation, their benefits can out way their cons....but in excess, they quickly turn on you leaving you feeling empty and betrayed.

trans fats....the schoolyard bully, should be avoided at all costs. road kill would offer more nutrition than anything containing trans fat. trans fat is yet another man made substance used to increase shelf life and food production capabilities. commercially packaged foods as well as commercially fried foods often contain trans fat as well as foods like microwave popcorn. i repeat....do not give this guy your lunch money, cuz even if you do...he'll still beat you up.

things to do......read labels and look for breakdown of fat, avoid items that are high in saturated fat, and gift all your items with trans fat to that skinny bitch at the office you've never really liked anyway. use little oil in your cooking, olive oil and flaxseed oil, are lower fat options to substitute if need be. for dairy, (milk, yogurt and such), opt for 2% rather than whole milk or cream. get your meats lean, or cut around the fatty cuts, and opt out of the fattier dark meat, thighs and legs, and go for the breasts.

things not to do......buy things that are nonfat as a rule. don't get me wrong, some things naturally nonfat are great. it is the things that are made non-fat chemically or through a greater series of processing that i'm not a fan. for instance, nonfat milk is said to have less vitamins and nutrients because of the over processing. that's why 2% seems like an even trade.

the number crunching....how much is too much.

so...the general rule to nutrition, for athletes, is 40/40/20. 40% carbs, 40% protein, 20% fats. so based on a 2000 calorie diet, 20% is 400. since fat weighs in at 9 calories per gram, that puts us at about 44 grams of fat per day. broken down between 6 meals that puts us at 7 grams per meal. YIKEs!

just to give you an idea....i eat at least 2500 calories a day, and my breakfast probably weighs in at 15 grams of fat, so according to that rule between my nut intake, avocado obsession and olive oil 'butter fix' my fat intake is way over. so this week will be eye-opening for me as well. im not an advocate of calorie counting because i think it can make people crazy resulting in counter productivity, but reading labels and keeping track to educate ourselves is different.

so in keeping your fat grams to 44 for 2000 calorie diet and 55 for a 2500 calorie diet will put you at between 6 and 9 fat grams per meal if you eat 6 times a day. just like weight watchers....you can save your points and have meals weigh in higher than others, but a general rule of thumb will be a good guideline when eyeing labels.

what does this mean??? this means eating out is tough, because you have no idea what kinda oil they use or whether their items contain trans fat. visiting only trusted sites this week might be wise. same goes for your work potluck or the holiday bake sale....not knowing how the item was prepared is trouble. Ask! i know, you don't want to appear "high maintenance", but this week it's worth it;)

so thanksgiving day will be a day off of fat gram counting, but remaining mindful throughout the day and avoiding the 6 food comas might be wise. that's all im saying;)

we are doing our turkey burn spin / yoga at 9am on thanksgiving day....spread the word.

questions and comments are always welcome. im sure we will have plenty given the love / hate relationship with fat.

see some of you in the morning. remember, bring your sheets if you're weighing in!