Three behaviours that will help you lose fat

The focus of nutrition is more often on what behaviours you should not be doing rather than what you should actually do. Here are three behaviours which can help you lose fat.

Obviously when discussing more or less it must be relative to your own current diet. The info below refers to the average diet consumed:

1) Eat more saturated fat – The world of fat is divided into two camps, one which says saturated fat is bad. It will cause you to be overweight, out of shape, get clogged arteries and have a heart attack. This stance is taken by the government, doctors, most experts and the media alike.

There is another side of the argument that says mother nature provides fat sources in saturated fat form, e.g. breast milk, fat in animals, coconut, palm oils. There is also the correlation data which shows how saturated fat intake is on the decline yet obesity is going through the roof. People in this camp also point to the many flawed studies between cause and effect.

I am firmly sat in this second category. I believe fats help us get into shape. Nothing I have seen in the real world of helping people get results over the last 11 years suggests anything different. However, the only thing that counts is YOUR results. A lack of saturated fat in your diet will inhibit your progress. Without it, your hunger and cravings will increase and nutrient levels will decrease. This will inhibit overall functioning. Your body fat and health levels are directly related to overall functioning.

2) Eating Vegetables – The old saying of five fruit and vegetables servings a day still rumbles on. In my opinion it should be 5 vegetables servings. While fruit can be great for some people but not so much for others. Most people get most of their 5 portions from fruit while consuming much less vegetables. Increase veg intake and notice how your body improves. Do ensure you still meet your ideal fuel mix if you are increasing vegetables to avoid hunger and cravings etc. There has to be a sensible balance between vegetables and eating enough carbs. Especially for athletes..

3) Eating enough protein – Most people do not consume enough protein these days. A lack of protein increases hunger, reduces energy production as well as decreasing overall efficiency of the body. You can increase protein by adding meat and fish to the diet. If you are a vegetarian you can do this through combining proteins, e.g. eating a meal with grains and legumes, nuts and grains etc within the meal. If you do not consume enough protein in a meal then some of the problems can be off-set by increasing the amount of fat in the meal instead. See point one above!