Badass Foodie Finds the "F Word"

I want to talk about the F-word. Yup, you heard me – THE F-word.

FATS.

As in, delicious, nutritious and good for you fats. Our bodies need them, yet many of us do not get enough.

Why did we let the “f –word” become so taboo, especially among healthy, Badass people? Perhaps it was the low-fat craze of the 1990’s, or the usage of the word “fat” as a descriptor – but we still seem to fear fat in our quest for a Badass body.

By now you’ve probably heard all about how you should be getting a daily dose of “healthy fats” from things like almonds, cold-water fish and avocados. You may even be able to recite the importance of fats in building a healthy body, keeping inflammation down and being a part of a healthy diet. You probably throw an extra serving of salmon or almonds into your menu for good measure.

The problem is – we’re still not getting enough on a daily basis. We may all know that we’re supposed to embrace Fats in all their “F-word” glory – but if so, why are we still so afraid of them?

I’m as guilty as every other calorie-conscious woman (and man) out there.  I KNOW I’m supposed to get sufficient healthy fats, but I am a creature of habit, and I have diligently counted my calories and kept fat in check for years in order to lose weight. Calories in, calories out, right?

Well, it turns out – maybe not.  The more I read and experiment with it myself, the more I become convinced that we - especially diet-conscious women - are deficient in the right types of fat. We have allowed our fear of increasing calories with healthy, delicious fats to sabotage our ability to eat nourishing wholesome foods that actually satisfy our bodies.  Study after study has proven that those who consume a higher level of omega-3 fatty acids on a daily basis are slimmer – while obese individuals are almost always deficient in these type of fats.

So, as part of the“Metabolism Makeover” cleanse that I’ve been doing with Shannon and “the original” Badass Bertsch, I’ve started adding a lot more of the right kinds of fats back into my diet, in addition to cutting out processed carbs and sugars.

Before you go any further in this post, I beg you to read this (short) blog post from a former “Fat-phobe” who works for Mark’s Daily Apple, one of the best health and wellness blogs out there.  She explains how she used fat to drop 20 pounds after  years of struggling and eating the usual diet foods.

As you see, Sara has a common story with a dramatic ending. The weight literally FELL off of her when she started feeding her body what it naturally needed, instead of ridiculous amounts of processed starch, disguised as low-calorie “diet food.”

Also, there are more and more studies showing you have to EAT fat to BURN fat.

Check out this study from the University of Alabama that proves the importance of fat consumption for those who are trying to slim down.  According to these researchers, mice that were fed more fat in the beginning of the day ended up burning more fat cells throughout the day.

So which fats should you choose?  Stick with sources that are high in mono- and polyunsaturated fats as well as those that deliver a healthy punch of omega 3 fatty acids, which aid in reducing inflammation.  There are lots of tasty sources of these lipids, such as: wild salmon, almonds, walnuts, avocados, flaxseed, mackerel, sardines, grass-fed beef, and cage-free eggs.

And me? I’m definitely noticing some positive benefits of eating more omega-3’s – though I’m sure some of those are also coming from my sudden reduction in processed carbs as well. My skin is clearer, with a healthier glow, I have more energy and I don’t get as irritable late in the day.

Though I miss the occasional sweet treat or piece of bread, I have stocked up on salmon burgers, sardines, almond butter and am cooking with real oils now instead of that fake “spray” I’ve been using for eons. I even grilled my first grass-fed steak last weekend as a special treat – and it was awesome! My new favorite snack has become roasted marcona almonds with a few olives and a small piece of good quality cheese.

My relationship with processed, insulin-spiking sugars wasn’t about to end painlessly. And I have no doubt that this will be a nagging relationship that will follow me for life… like that high school boyfriend you just can’t quite get over. 

But adding healthy, wholesome fats and proteins to my diet has made kicking my sweet tooth much easier.  It’s a lot easier to go without a piece of chocolate or some low-fat ice cream at night when you munch on delicious marcona almonds with rosemary or a spoonful of almond butter. (Can you tell I’m developing a little weakness for almonds?)

Stop being afraid of FAT and embrace it! Nourish your body wisely, and you may be surprised at how it rewards you.

Kirsten’s PHAT-ty Protein Bars

In my quest to eat more protein, more healthy fat and no processed carbs, I discovered that I couldn’t eat many of my normal quick grab-and-go snacks at the office or when I was on the run. Those whole wheat crackers, chemically engineered protein bars and artificially sweetened granola bars are off-limits– so I made my own quick snack bar that is high in healthy fat, high in protein and low in carbohydrates.

These protein bars may seem small, but they're extremely dense and they tide you over for awhile. Plus, they’re tasty and completely natural – there’s nothing processed, sugared or fake in these babies.  I make a batch ahead of time and then store them in the freezer so I can grab them on my way out the door.

Ingredients:

Wet Team:

• ¼ cup almond butter
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil
• 1 egg
• 1 egg white
• ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Dry Team:

• 1 oz almond flour (Note: Almond flour can be purchased in most health stores, or just measure out 28 almonds and quickly process in a blender to a fine crumb– voila!)
• 1 oz unsweetened flaked coconut meat (Be SURE you get unsweetened, which can be found in most health food stores)
• ½ cup unprocessed whole wheat bran
• 2 scoops/servings of vanilla protein powder (about 60g)
• 4 packets of Stevia (or Splenda, but I prefer Stevia as its all natural and calorie free)
• 1 Tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
• 1 oz walnuts, chopped
• Optional Topping: 1 oz unsweetened dried fruit; reserved coconut flakes

 Directions:

1. Combine wet ingredients in a large bowl. If using solid coconut oil, allow to come to liquid form in a bath of warm water before measuring.
2. Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then slowly incorporate into the wet ingredients.
3. The mixture will be thick and sticky – feel free to get your (clean!) hands in the bowl and knead. Mix until all is incorporated.
4. Grease a pan of your desired size with a healthy oil and spread mixture in pan evenly.
5. I used a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan to make 12 cube-like squares – though you can experiment with whatever size you wish!
6. Bake at 325 degrees for approximately 15 minutes – but don’t overcook. You want these to be a little gooey in the center and on the tops – if they cook completely they will end up really dry and crumbly. Pull them out early on your first batch just to experiment.
7. Allow to cool, then cut into individual servings.

 

 

 

 

Nutritional profile:

(For one serving, or 1/12 of this recipe. Just cut them into larger bars if you want more!)

• Calories: 112
• Fat: 8g (that’s all healthy fat – 3 grams of polyunsaturated, too!)
• Carbs: 5g
• Fiber: 2g
• Net Carbs: 3g
• Protein: 7g

Coming tomorrow: U + Rubber Band = Badass!