The Science of Obesity: Fats & Cholesterol
For years we heard that a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet would keep us healthy and help us lose weight. And many of us jumped on the bandwagon, eliminating fat and high-cholesterol foods from our diets. Well, unfortunately, we were doing it all wrong. Instead of eliminating fat completely, we should have been eliminating the "bad fats," the fats associated with obesity and heart disease and eating the "good fats," the fats that actually help improve blood cholesterol levels. Before we examine the good fats and bad fats, let's talk about cholesterol. Cholesterol - It's been ingrained into our brains that cholesterol causes heart disease and that we should limit our intake of foods that contain it, but dietary cholesterol is different than blood cholesterol. Cholesterol comes from two places-first, from food such as meat, eggs, and seafood, and second, from our body. Our liver makes this waxy substance and links it to carrier proteins called lipoproteins. These lipoproteins dissolve the cholesterol in blood and carry it to all parts of your body. Our body needs cholesterol to help form cell membranes, some hormones, and Vitamin D. You may have heard of "good" and "bad" cholesterol. Well, high-density lipoproteins (HDL) carry cholesterol from the blood to the liver. The liver processes the cholesterol for elimination from the body. If there's HDL in the blood, then less cholesterol will be deposited in the coronary arteries. That's why it's called "good" cholesterol. Low-density lipoproteins (LDL), carry cholesterol from the liver to the rest of the body. When there is too much in the body, it is deposited in the coronary arteries. This is not good. A build-up of cholesterol in our arteries could prevent blood from getting to parts of our heart. That means that our heart won't get the oxygen and nutrients it needs, which could result in heart attack, stroke, or sudden death. So, if your LDL is higher than your HDL, you're at a greater risk for developing heart disease. It may come as a surprise, but recent studies have shown that the amount of cholesterol in our food is not strongly linked to our blood cholesterol levels. It's the types of fats you eat that affect your blood cholesterol levels. Bad Fats - There are two fats that you should limit your intake of-saturated and trans fats. Saturated Fats - Saturated fats are mostly animal fats. You find them in meat, whole-milk products, poultry skin, and egg yolks. Coconut oil also has a high amount of saturated fat. Saturated fats raise both the good and bad blood cholesterol. Trans Fats - Trans fats are produced through hydrogenation-heating oils in the presence of oxygen. Many products contain trans fats because the fats help them maintain a longer shelf life. Margarine also contains a high amount of trans fats. Trans fats are especially dangerous because they lower the good cholesterol, HDL and raise the bad cholesterol, LDL. Unfortunately, most products do not tell you how much trans fat it contains, but you can find out if it's in a product by looking at the ingredient list. If the ingredients contain hydrogenated or partially-hydrogenated oils, then it contains trans fats. Fortunately in 2006, manufacturers will be required to list the amount of trans fat in their products on the nutrition labels, so it will be easier for you to find. Good Fats - Some fats actually improve cholesterol levels. Polyunsaturated Fats - Polyunsaturated fats are found in sunflower, corn, and soybean oils. These oils contain Omega-6, an essential fatty acid. However, most people get enough Omega-6 in their diet and instead need more Omega-3. Omega-3 is a fatty acid found in fish and walnuts. Monounsaturated Fats - Monounsaturated fats are found in canola, peanut, and olive oils. Both types of unsaturated fats decrease the bad cholesterol, LDL and increase the good cholesterol, HDL. Now, just because the unsaturated fats improve your blood cholesterol levels, you don't have the go-ahead to eat all of the olive oil, butter and nuts you want. Fat of any kind does contain calories, and if you're trying to lose weight, eat fat in moderation, and stay away from saturated fats. Arnel Ricafranca
Fitness Expert/Personal trainer
Founder of Fitness VIP
Online personal fitness trainer
http://www.fitness-vip.com If you would like additional support and coaching along the way - I strongly suggest you take a peak at my online "member's only" site at http://www.fitnessgenerator.com/fitness-vip - as what we have for you there can definitely help you make progress fast. Sign up for my fitness newsletter and receive my five special reports ($50 value). SPECIAL REPORT #1:
6 Keys To Getting Maximum Results In Minimum Time With Your Home Exercise Equipment SPECIAL REPORT #2:
The 8 Keys to Golf Fitness Success SPECIAL REPORT #3:
How to Build The Perfect Athlete For Any Sport: The 6 Secrets of Successful Sport-Specific Conditioning SPECIAL REPORT #4:
Solving the Supplement Mystery: Is There A Magic Pill Out There For You? SPECIAL REPORT #5:
16 Tips For Looking And Feeling Better Than You Have In Years: Get it now at http://www.fitness-vip.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Yoga for Parkinson’sPacket Online, NJ - 13 hours ago”It’s strengthening, energizing and calming,” instructor Carolyn Stephens says of yoga’s benefits. Ms. Stephens will lead the “Yoga for Parkinson’s” class ... |
The Gossip Girls |
Halle Berry: Yoga SexyThe Gossip Girls - 7 hours agoContinuing to work on her post-baby body, Halle Berry was spotted out for a trip to the yoga studio in Los Angeles on Friday (October 10). ... |
Kids yoga classesYourHub.com, CO - 11 hours agoEdgewater Parks & Recreation is now offering kids' yoga classes! Yoga for kids emphasizes movement and play. We keep it simple. More than learning the poses ... |
Wii Fit yoga mat spotted in Targetgamesdog.co.uk, UK - 15 hours agoIf you enjoy the yoga element of Wii Fit, this Wii Fit Yoga Mat has been spied out in the States. Target is selling the mat for $30 (£17), but from what we ... |
New class combines yoga and hip-hopCalgary Herald, Canada - Oct 9, 2008I am not a yoga guy, but it didn't matter. I was old enough to be the father of everyone in the room, but that didn't matter. And my faltering attempts at ... |
Yoga - Google News
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Weight Loss - Sustained Success through Simple Steps
Weight Loss - Basic Lessons for Sustained SuccessWeight loss is a goal for many people today, but cutting through all the hype and getting quality information can be difficult. This article will give you information on your metabolism, nutrition, and exercise that you can use to evaluate weight loss programs that you may be considering, or to create your own.
3 Guilt Free Fat Burning Food After Dinner Snacks
Want an after dinner snack? Jealously watching your family consume full-fat ice-cream, biscuits and cakes as you're reading this, and feeling left out? Then try these delicious alternatives, designed not to limit your calorie intake, but to be satisfying, providing nutrient-rich and low energy dense food.Fat Burning Snack Idea No.
How Music Can Help You Burn More Fat
Browsing one of the Russian websites I have recently found a little article claiming that music can affect our health both improving and worsening it. That sounded very interesting and I decided to research how can music actually affect our well-being.
4 Great Diet Tips
Here are 4 diet tips we all need reminded of from time to time.Diet Tip 1: Never eat standing up.
Smarter Eating
Dieting doesn't have to be a chore. Actually, you can eat what you like and still cut the pounds.
Savoring Moments Through Mindful Eating
We all eat. But how mindful are we of every bite we take?Your mother always told you to slow down and taste your food.
Eat Fat to Burn Fat
For about 50 years now, Americans have been eating low fat (some no fat) diets and the funny thing is we have gotten progressively fatter and less healthy. Who ever said low fat diets were healthy, and more importantly, why does eating less fat mean you'll be less fat?In attempt to keep this easy to understand, as most of what you read and hear is complicated, confusing, and contradictory, I'm going to be direct, to the point, and explain things in a way that most people can understand.
Diet Scams : How to Avoid Getting Ripped Off
Have you ever received those tempting ads that seem to arrive regularly in the post - seductive brochures describing diet pills, patches and potions promising miracles? They show you "proof". They have the endorsements by medical and scientific "experts".
Running from the Fat Monster after Gastric Bypass
Many patients of gastric bypass report feeling fearful of succeeding at weight loss after a lifetime of failed diet attempts. In most cases, the fear of success subsides as a patient reaches goal weight and becomes comfortable in their new body.
Surviving Glycemic Diets (Ketogenic, Low-Carb or Atkins):
1.The first step to living a Glycemic Diet Lifestyle is knowing what you can have, and have lots of.
How To Be A Big Fat Loser In 2005
Now that the temptations of the Holiday season have passed it is time to stop feeling like a big fat loser and become one by losing all the fat you gained. And I am here to tell you how to do it in seven easy to follow steps.
Weight Loss : Keep It Simple
An increasing trend over the last few years has been for diet books to make things complex.I expect it's because each one vies with the other to come out with some brand new theory or other about why we gain weight and why their diet plan is the only one to help us lose it.
Dieting: A Few Dieting Pitfalls To Avoid
When we gain more weight than is good for us, we're forced to start dieting.It is easier to gain weight than to lose it.
Weight Loss Tips for a Swimsuit Body
Spring is here and swimsuit weather is just around the corner. If you're like many of us, you start panicking about all the weight you need to lose to fit into your favorite swimwear.
Lose Weight the Healthy Way
It's definitely no fun to lose weight -- put it back on, lose weight, put it back on, and so on. Just as you learn the rules of a new diet, you find yourself trying to get around them.
Dieting? Mental Activity is as Important as Physical
Activity means both mental and physical activity.Mental activity is similar to physical activity.
Lose Body Fat by Choosing the Right Diet Plan For You
If you are overweight and searching for the diet program or weight loss product that will be the best suit your individual needs and help you lose the weight as fast as possible, you may be confused considering the numerous diet programs and free diet plans available to you online. When choosing a weight reduction plan, it's important to consider several factors.
BMI: Between Meal Intrigue Hits the Highway
If you've been pursuing a lighter, healthier version of yourself, it's likely that you've heard of BMI, as in "Body Mass Index." BMI is a guide by which we can measure where we "are" right now and gauge our improvement over time.
No Fuss Weight-Loss
To lose weight and keep it off you need an easy to follow no fuss plan. You need a plan that is simple and sensible.
The Most Effective Fat Burning And Muscle Building Workout That Takes Just 13 Minutes
Most people who want to burn off some excess pounds and tighten and tone their bodies simply don't have 2 hours each day to spend in the gym performing the bodybuilding style workouts that most "fitness experts" recommend.Plus, these workouts consist of exercises and techniques that do not exercise the body in the way it is normally used so they end up building a somewhat unusable strength.
|
