How I Lost 25 Lbs. in 8 Weeks
Fats: The good, the bad and the very bad
By Joe Sarnicola
This is an article about fats. Not fat, as in getting fat, although I was steadily expanding in that direction, but the different types of fats.
Once I understood that concept and applied my knowledge to how and what I ate, over the course of about eight weeks, I lost 25 pounds, mostly around my waist. And I have kept it off.
It seemed every time I weighed myself, the number kept going up. I didn’t need a scale to tell me I was getting heavier; all I had to do was look down at my stomach and see the bulging out to the front and on both sides. I knew I had to do something. But I didn’t know what.
I tried a couple different diets in the past, but I never really had any positive results. I was either hungry all the time, which affected my mood or I just did not enjoy the meals I was expected to eat. And a little online research told me that is one of the reasons most diets either don’t work or they don’t work for very long. I wanted to lose weight for the sake of my health, but I didn’t know where to look for answers.
Well, the answer came when I was looking through the cook book section of a local thrift store, which often also has dieting books in their collections. I saw a book that had a blurb on the cover that said, “A flat belly is about food and attitude.” So I bought it.
I learned that in order to lose weight I had to change my mind set and change the way I think about food. And I learned about the three main types of fats: unsaturated, saturated and trans. Oh and one other thing: there are good (healthy) fats and bad (unhealthy) fats. We need fat to survive. So those diets that recommend low fat everything can actually be harmful because they force the body to retain a certain amount of unhealthy fats and they deprive the body of healthy fats.
Back to the types of fats. Saturated fat is one of the unhealthy fats. It becomes solid at room temperature, such as that in red meat or butter. An excess of this fat can raise the LDL (bad cholesterol), raise blood pressure and lead to weight gain. Fried foods, baked goods, dairy products and junk foods all contain levels of saturated fat and 1 gram of fat contains nine calories. Doctors recommend consuming no more than 20 grams of saturated fat in a day. I try for much less.
Trans fat is made when manufacturers add hydrogen to oils. This prolongs the shelf life of the food, but trans fat raises bad cholesterol, lowers good cholesterol and contributes to a wide range of health problems. Try to avoid any trans fats.
Now for the good news. Unsaturated fat — and there are two main types, mono- and poly-; the main difference between the two has to do with the carbon in their molecular structure. Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) can contribute to lower cholesterol, lower rates of heart disease and reduced inflammation. These healthy fats can be found in many oils, such as olive, flaxseed and peanut. Other sources are olives, nuts and seeds and avocados.
The key to knowing what is in the food you eat: Read the food labels.
There is another type of fat that is not part of our diet. It is called visceral fat. This fat doesn’t show up on your waist. It builds up around your heart, liver and other internal organs. As you eliminate the unhealthy fats in your body and add healthy fats, this dangerous fat melts away as well.
By following the plan laid out in the book I found — “The Flat Belly Diet,” by Liz Viccariello — I reduced the saturated fat I was eating and introduced more healthy fats. Of course, I also had to apply what the author called the “mind-body connection.” I was more aware of what I was eating and I was eating to improve my health. As I saw the pounds fall away week after week, I felt better physically and mentally. I didn’t just eat empty calories and I didn’t eat out of boredom. I ate with intention — and I enjoyed that.
Even though it did mean giving up certain foods I had been eating, I realized they were not good for my health. For example, several doughnuts a week (2-5 grams of saturated fat each), two fast food cheeseburgers every Monday (10 grams each). See how that can add up?
It has been more than a year since I changed my eating habits. I never refer to this as a diet. It is a change of attitude about food and about myself. I also exercise moderately several times a week, but it’s nothing strenuous and I try to drink plenty of water every day.
The author of book that inspired me has published another helpful book, “The Digest Diet.” Other books, including “The Belly Fat Diet,” by John Chatham, and “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Belly Fat Weight Loss,” by Laire Wheeler and Diane Welland, are very helpful as well.
It takes some research and a bit of determination and discipline, but the health benefits of losing weight are worth it.
You won’t be hungry all the time, you will look better and feel better, and other people will notice.
Joe Sarnicola of Auburn writes regularly for 55 PLUS and In Good Health. He is a certified spiritual life coach and yoga instructor and the co-writer of a monthly self-help column in the Auburn Citizen called “The Possible You.” He tries to practice what he preaches by exercising regularly and eating healthy foods.