YOUR FATS

The Good, The Bad, And the Ugly Fats

We’ve been brainwashed. Deep in our hearts and minds we’ve completely bought into the conventional wisdom that “fat” – any fat – is bad. Certainly, when fat is packed around our mid-section, that couldn’t be more true. And when the food we eat is loaded with it, that’s not really a good thing. But the issue of dietary fat is complicated by the fact that there are good fats and even essential fats. All fats deliver nine calories per gram (compared to four from a gram of protein or carbohydrate), which means they pack twice the potential to be stored in the body – not good. But now we know that saturated fats have a significantly higher likelihood than monounsaturated fats to cling to the walls of our coronary arteries. And there is something called Omega-3 oils, which are among the so-called essential fats that actually improve and maintain the health of our hearts and promote a strong metabolism through the prevention of inflammation. So if you still think that health and fitness is as simply as counting calories, think again. Pick and choose your fats for a longer, healthier life and a better metabolism.

Less Really Can Be More…
Fitness is a journey, and a healthy, fast metabolism is the vehicle for it. People seeking to elevate their metabolism are often highly motivated, and in an ironic twist of biochemical fate, that’s precisely what can create a roadblock along the way. Because with all the many things we can do to jack our metabolism and super-charge our diet and fitness regimen, the temptation to succumb to a more is better philosophy is always whispering to us. We rationalize that if eating fewer calories is good, then we’ll go the extra mile and really skimp on food. Or that if a half hour on the treadmill is good, then three hours is better. Unfortunately, our bodies haven’t signed up for all the pop-culture fitness programs out there. There are limits and specific parameters when it comes to changing your metabolism, and if you don’t know them you risk compromising your progress. For example, it’s actually better to eat five or six smaller, healthy meals than it is to eat the traditional three meals a day, no matter how healthy they are. Be sure to match your level of knowledge with your level of commitment. You’ll get to your goal quicker, and without the pain and sacrifice you might expect.

Of Role Models and Gym Rats…
If you’re new to fitness, and if going to the gym is part of your overall approach to improving your metabolism (it should be), then it’s easy to look around and see all sorts of people who look like they belong there doing all sorts of things wrong. In fact, sometimes the most experienced gym rats wearing the coolest workout gear and lugging around a gallon jug of water (which looks really, really cool) are the worst role models to emulate. That’s why studying proper technique, and even using a personal trainer to help you understand it, is critical to your progress. In the context of fitness and metabolism management, the process of weight lifting isn’t about strength and personal records as much as it is about biochemistry. Your goal shouldn’t be to bench press more than the next person, or even more than you did last week, but rather, to stimulate the muscle in a precise fashion for the purpose of generating a biochemical response. It takes study and knowledge, and frankly you don’t often see it done perfectly in most gyms. So as you commit to reaching your goals, commit to being the one person in the gym that does it the right way, which conveniently is also the most effective.