Fantastic Fat
Did you know Fat has 6 major roles in the body?
*It provides an energy source
*It helps make and balance hormones
*It forms our cell membranes
*It forms our brain and nervous systems
*It helps transport vitamins that are able to be dissolved in fat (vitamin A, D, E, and K)
*It provides fatty acids that the body can’t make (some forms of Omega-3 and Omega-6)
Some of you may be thinking, “ya, ya, ya, blah, blah, blah, why is this important? Why should this matter to me?”
Well…overall health is determined by the balance of fat consumed; the balance between saturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, and monounsaturated fats (Omega-3 and Omega-6). For example, Omega-3 fats help keep our cells more “fluid” which allows cells to receive messages from the body better, allows muscle cells to become more sensitive to insulin, as well as improve your memory and mood.
“So? What does this mean and what should I do about it?”
To start, work on improving your intake of some “Healthy Fats” like Omega-3’s. Omega-3’s, like fish oil, help with all kinds of awesome things like:
*Decrease the risks for heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers (Super important!)
*Increase metabolic rate (WOO HOO!)
*Help reduce fat mass and increase lean mass (I’m loving the sound of that too!)
*Reduce inflammation in the body (Relief!)
*Reduce pain associated with inflammatory disorders such as arthritis, chronic fatigue…etc (These just keep getting better and better!)
*Improve your mood while decreasing symptoms of depression (Smiles!)
Wow! I never realized how many things healthy fat intake can help with. Amazing! Once learning more about Omega-3’s and how stellar they are, Precision Nutrition gave me some suggestions on what options to incorporate into my healthy eating habits.
· Fish oil, like Barlean’s Omega Swirl, is AMAZING! So incredibly tasty! I have found Lemon Zest and Key Lime and have a difficult time making a decision on which to buy, so I normally buy both and trade back and forth daily. And I just “drink” it right out of my 1 tsp measuring spoon each morning, it’s that YUMMY!
· Flax oil
· Chai seeds
· Flax seeds
· Hemp seeds
· Algae oil
“Seriously, how am I supposed to incorporate those weird things into my healthy eating habits? That’s not very realistic!”
Well…try a few of these quick shake recipes and see what you think! Recipes are from “Gourmet Nutrition: The Cookbook For The Fit Food Lover.”
Raspberry Mocha Shake (post workout)
Instant Coffee 1 tsp *can use decaf if you prefer
Ice cubes 3
Low fat milk 1 cup
Low-fat cottage cheese 1 cup
Raspberries (frozen) 1 cup
Chocolate whey protein 1 scoop or equal to 25g protein
Almonds (blanched) 2 tbsp
Fish oil 1 tsp
Mix instant coffee and 1 tbsp boiling water in a countertop blender. Add ice cubes to chill the coffee. Combine the remaining ingredients. Blend on high until mixture is smooth and creamy. Serves 1 large (589.4 calories) or 2 small (294.7 calories).
Mint Chocolate Shake (anytime)
Water ½ cup
Ice 1 cup
Chocolate whey protein 2 scoops or equal to 50g protein
Low-fat plain yogurt 1 cup
Flaxseed oil 1 tbsp
Semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 tbsp
Steep a mint tea bag in ½ cup of hot water for 5 minutes. Squeeze remaining liquid from teabag and discard. Add 1 cup of ice to the tea. Combine all ingredients in a countertop blender. Blend on high until mixture is smooth and creamy. Serves 1 large (593.0 calories) or 2 small (296.5 calories).
Until next time!
Hayley Jones, BS, CSCS, PN1
208-557-2823 O
208-821-2354 C
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