Macro-Nutrients are not the Enemy, You are! Part 3… FAT!
Hey there, readers! Rob here, about to drop this last little piece of knowledge on you all regarding our favorite subject… nutrition! It’s definitely that time of year and its safe to assume my time has been put towards the initial gym insanity since I have yet to post this last tasty bit of my 3 blog series about macro nutrients. So enough of the blabbering on… we are in that time of year where the immediate is far more appreciated than the long hull, so while you all dig away at your cardio… let’s talk about FAT!
To the nutrition beginner, Fat is a very scary word. Fat is most of the time associated with weight gain, obesity, poor health, and unhealthy eating; but that is where the majority of stigmas are very wrong! Fats are essential parts of the body’s chemical functions as well as structural composition. Lipids (aka fats) act as a way to absorb essential nutrients, provide energy as a source of stored energy, as well as maintaining proper bodily composition and function.
Food is nutrition… at least most of it is. There are some things out there that aren’t exactly nutrient dense or healthy and I’m sure you can think of a handful without me even blurting out names. These nutrients however have to be absorbed into the body by some means. A good amount of nutrients are water soluble and for most very easy to ingest. There are a few, however, that are not. These nutrients are Fat soluble, and can only be absorbed through the intestine via lipid absorption. These Vitamins include A, D, E and K; as well as various other minerals.
Body composition consists of many different lipid barriers and structures. The most important of which are the membranes to your body’s cells! From there, your body’s fat deposit orientation is important as well. The human body uses fat stores to help protect and cushion organs, control body temperature, and provide a means of storage for the body’s energy reserves. We’ll get to the energy reserve part in a second, but when it comes down to day-to-day activity it is very important we maintain a healthy bodily environment. Imagine your organs jumping around with no support! That just sounds flat out painful!
Lastly, and most likely the most important of fat’s functions in the body is its storage. We might think any fat storage is bad news. No one wants “stored fat”, but here’s the problem with preventing storage by means of diet or pharmaceuticals… You’re causing your body to start wasting away muscle in order to maintain its energy levels! This is a huge problem, especially for a fit individual. Lack of muscle tissue diminishes the body’s metabolism due to lack of functional tissue using energy. The body uses stored fats for energy through oxidization (we talked a bit about that in the Carbohydrate portion of this post), and without proper reserves when the body begins to look for other means of energy, the human body reaches for proteins and fats as an extra boost. Without sufficient fat reserves, the body has to switch to its other sole source, your muscle tissue!
Despite its stigmas, fat is not particularly the enemy. With proper eating habits and portion control, those worries that eating a dozen chicken wings is going to make you gain 20lbs is out the window. Is it healthy? Probably not… Will it be the end of the world? Not at all… Remember, Fat is nutrition just as much as protein and carbohydrate. The key is keeping everything in a proper balance to accomplish your goals!
