The Skinny on Fat: Good Fats vs. Bad Fats

5.   The Skinny on Fat: Good Fats vs. Bad Fats

In addition to a balanced diet, you will also need to get plenty of exercise. Try to get some amount of physical activity every day, even if it is just a short walk. High intensity, short duration workouts two to three times a week have been proven to be the most effective form of exercise and great for shedding excess poundage. This form of exercise is also known as High Intensity Interval Training (HITT) and Peak Performance.

Fat, fat, fat! Would all our weight loss problems be solved if we just eliminated fat from our diets? Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. We need fats can’t live without them, in fact. Fats are an important part of a healthy diet: They provide essential fatty acids, keep our skin soft, deliver fat soluble vitamins, and are a great source of energizing fuel. But it’s easy to get confused about good fats vs. bad fats, how much fat we should eat, how to avoid artery clogging trans fats, and the role omega-3 fatty acids play in heart health.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 2005 Dietary Guidelines recommend that adults get 20 to 35 percent of their calories from fats. At a minimum, we need at least 10 percent of our calories to come from fat.

The problem is that the typical  diet is higher in fat: Roughly 34 to 40 percent of our calories come from fat. Why? Because they taste so good and are widely available in our food supply. Fats enhance the flavors of foods and give our mouths that wonderful feel that is so satisfying.