There’s a disturbing study floating around the interwebs these days:
“A review of 33 trials involving 73,589 men, women and children in America, Europe and New Zealand found that choosing low-fat foods helped people lose around 3.5 pounds, slim their waist-lines and cut bad cholesterol – all without dieting.” (Source)
Choosing low-fat foods helped people lose weight.
“Carolyn Summerbell of Durham University, who co-led the research, said the trick to slimming down and staying that way was to find a way to eat what you can stick to for life. Cutting down on fat will help, she said, adding that this meant opting for low-fat yoghurt, skimmed milk and reducing intake of butter, cheese and fatty snacks like crisps and cakes.” (Source)
The trick to slimming down and staying that way was to find a way to eat what you can stick to for life.
Agreed.
Diets don’t work. In order to change your body, you have to take the time to experiment and find a way of eating that works for you. A way of eating that you can easily (and happily) keep up for the rest of your life.
Opting for low-fat yogurt, skimmed milk and reducing intake of butter, cheese and fatty snacks.
Partially agreed.
Reducing your intake of foods like crackers and cakes in favor of whole foods will most definitely help you lose weight and keep it off. Whole foods like vegetables, fruits, and animal proteins always win over processed foods like cookies and cakes. Whole foods have actual nutrition as opposed to empty, sugary calories.
Weight loss aside, choosing low-fat yogurt and skimmed milk is probably one of the worst things you can do for your health.
Low-fat foods like yogurt and skim milk are not real food.
When the natural dairy fat is removed from things like yogurt and milk, other ingredients are added to maintain flavor and texture. These other ingredients are most often extra sugars and artificial fillers.
“Many low-fat food items contain high levels of processed salt and refined carbohydrates, which are added to low-fat foods to make up for the loss in taste and flavor that results from the artificial removal of fats. Both of these additives are linked to numerous health problems, including obesity and heart disease. (Source)
Why would you take the fat out? Our bodies need fat to run efficiently. Not only is fat is your optimum source of fuel, it adds to a food’s satisfaction factor and helps you absorb nutrients.
When you eat low-fat foods, you end up eating more sugar and artificial ingredients than you would if you stuck to their full-fat counterparts. Increasing sugar in your diet affects your insulin response and your ability to burn fat.
Relying on these low-fat, nutrient poor foods will leave you hungry, dissatisfied and ultimately malnourished.
Diets too low in fat can lead to all kinds of complications. Depression, cancer and even heart disease (source).
Including some high fat, nutrient dense foods in your routine is one of the best things you can do for your body and your weight loss goals. They will not only fill you up better—they’ll nourish you better than low-fat foods ever could.
Here are 5 High-fat foods you should be eating to lose weight:
Grass-fed butter. Butter is a great source of Omega 3 fatty acids, fat soluble vitamins (A,D,E K2) and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). CLA has been shown by some studies to reduce the risk of cancer. Fat soluble vitamins are important to almost every part of your body from your skin and bones to your hormones. So enjoy a little grass-fed butter on your veggies or in your coffee.
Avocado. Avocados are packed with monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), which have been shown to lower “bad” cholesterol, may increase “good” cholesterol and improve heart health. They’re also a great plant source of vitamin E and have “wide-ranging” anti-inflammatory properties (Source)
Egg Yolks. I always cringe when a client tells me they had one egg and three egg whites for breakfast. The yolks are where the nutrition is! Egg yolks are jam-packed with carotenoids and essential fatty acids. Eggs are basically nutritionally incomplete without their yolks.
Grass-fed Red Meat. Don’t be afraid of red meat! Grass-fed red meat actually has less fat than meat from grain-fed cows– it might not technically be a high-fat food, but it’s one of those foods that conventional wisdom says to stay away from. Meat from grass-fed or pastured animals has some really great nutrients in it. Including “two to four times more omega-3 fatty acids than meat from grain- fed animals”. (Source) Grass-fed meats are also a great source of CLA and fat soluble vitamins.
Coconut. Coconut is a magical fruit. It has to power to do everything from reduce inflammation to relieve Crohn’s symptoms to support healthy skin. Throw some unsweetened coconut flakes into your trail mix, or eat a spoonful of coconut butter to reap the benefits of this tropical fruit.
High fat, nutrient dense foods are integral to a balanced diet.
Eating these foods will allow your body to truly thrive. Yes, they’re higher in calories than low-fat crackers and Light n’Fit yogurt, but they are nutritionally superior.
It’s your choice: rely on low-calorie, low-fat processed foods like yogurt and skim milk and be hungrier and less nourished, or eat some high-fat, nutrient dense foods and feel satisfied and nourished.
Do you include high-fat, nutrient dense foods in your daily food routine? Feel free to tell me your favorites in the comments below.
I’m trying to change the way I eat. I’m a horrible eater – so addicted to sugar – and my waistline proves it. I have a love/hate relationship with food, as most women do, and dieting never works for me. I’m fed up with the extra weight (about 20 – 25 lbs) and feeling horrible, so after doing a little reading, I’m trying a low-carb diet – but not a “diet” in the traditional sense. I mean I’m trying to change my eating habits permanently. It’s tough starting during the Christmas season, but I had to do it because I can’t afford to gain another 5 lbs. In less than two weeks I’ve lost 5 lbs., and it’s definitely more satisfying and easier to keep up than the low fat/low calorie route. The toughest part is that my life is so busy that I don’t have time for cooking and lots of food preparation, and there aren’t nearly as many low-carb convenience food options than there are for low calorie/fat, that’s for sure.
Great article, thanks for posting!
Thanks for sharing, Heather. I agree– the holidays are a tough time to change the way you eat– most people aren’t eating foods they usual eat during the time between Thanksgiving and New Years. I like to call this “deviating from your usual food routine.”
You’re off to a great start by looking at this low carb “diet” as a lifestyle change– that’s the biggest thing. Making small, manageable changes that you can easily stick with for a lifetime.
Let me know if you have any questions!
I’ve lost over 150 pounds by changing my lifestyle. I live a low carb high fat (LCHF) lifestyle. I’m now 58 years old and have been keeping the weight off going on 3 years now. You should read the book “Wheat Belly” by Dr. William Davis, and checkout the dietdoctor.com web site.
If I can do it, anyone can do it.
That’s AWESOME, Paleo Man! I’ve read and love Wheat Belly– everyone should read this book! Thanks so much for sharing!
I lost 25 pounds between August 2011 and January 2012 by cutting out carbs and jogging 2 miles a day 3x a week. My usual diet consisted of breakfast: fresh fruit, coffee with cream and two fried eggs and two slices of lean ham. Lunch: a hunk of cheddar cheese and an apple. More coffee with cream in the afternoon and maybe another piece of fruit and a few raw nuts. Dinner was some chicken or beef or fish with greens sauteed in butter and olive oil, and a glass of red wine. This food kept from feeling hungry and was delicious and satisfying. Since then I have lost an additional ten pounds continuing to eat a low carb diet and plenty of nutrient dense high fats foods. I agree that grass-fed meats are best if you can get them; our farmers’ market has a number of vendors/farmers who sell grass fed chicken and beef and humanely-raised pork.
That’s great, Peg! Thanks for sharing.
After baby #2, I kept the last 10 pounds on for nearly two years. After transitioning to a high fat, whole food diet, the weight came off with no effort whatsoever. Now, after baby #3, I have 15 extra pounds to deal with, but I’m a lot less stressed about it this time.
It’s wonderful that you’re not stressed! It sounds like you’re confident that you have the tools and knowledge to deal with those extra 15 pounds! Thanks for sharing, Wendy!
amen! I think it’s so interesting how people would rather fill their body with unsatisfying processed fake foods, rather than just eating a whole diet with real ingredients to feel healthy. Unprocessed real foods are so much more delicious, more filling, and have so many less hidden health consequences so we don’t overeat and have enough energy throughout the day. Just as we cannot pronounce the names of the chemicals in some dieting foods, our body treats those chemicals as something it cannot digest. Wake up!
Yes! We’re on the same page, L
You mentioned to add grass fed butter in coffee. Was this a mistake? Did you mean grass fed cream? Is there such a thing? Great information by the way and I enjoyed your article.
Hi Stacey! I actually did mean grass-fed butter in your coffee…It sounds crazy, but it’s really tasty and a great way to get some of those important fat soluble vitamins. Some people call it “Bulletproof” coffee– here’s the original article through which I discovered it: http://www.bulletproofexec.com/how-to-make-your-coffee-bulletproof-and-your-morning-too/