So, I had a strategy meeting with a fairly new member on my Body Transformation programme this week.
She was worried about her love of red meat.
Beef
Lamb
Pork
She would eat red meat several times per week.
Plus, some bacon on the weekend.
Fat always trimmed
And – quite often – from her local butcher, too.
She was mainly concerned about saturated fat.
Now, first off.
Can you eat too much saturated fat?
Probably, yes.
I mean, although we now know that saturated fat seems to be pretty neutral in terms of it’s effect on heart disease
The processing and types of foods that come with loads of saturated fats probably aren’t going to be great for you.
Now, at this point of our conversation, we hadn’t mentioned red meat for a good few minutes.
And I started talking about some of the MAIN sources of saturated fats….
Cakes
Pastries
Chocolates
Donuts
Take-away foods
etc. etc.
So, by worrying about red meat…
Are you missing the point?
Particularly if you’re – more often than not – going for leaner cuts?
Now, of course…
Going overkill on the overly processed red meats like salami and Walls Sausages (which are more bread than meat, anyway)
Probably isn’t a good idea.
But here’s the thing.
When you’re eating red meat
you’re also getting:
* A high quality source of protein which keeps you full and stops you craving sugar foods that make you eat more
* More energy from your food because of the Vitamin B that red meat can provide you with so you feel less tired
* A very absorbable form of iron (compared to your iron veggie sources) that can prevent deficiency and the potential side effects, such as tiredness, fatigue and difficulty concentrating.
BUT
When you’re eating pastries, cakes, biscuits, and donuts…
You’re simply getting fat and sugar.
And in particular…trans fats!
Which are often referred to as the ‘phantom’ fat
Associated with every disease going, from diabetes to heart disease
Not to mention having a potential impact on your memory.
What was I talking about, again?
Oh yes, trans fats.
Now, I’m obviously not saying to never eat these foods.
BUT…
I think it’s important that you recognise how:
1) Saturated fat often gets blamed for everything (including the US elections and Brexit)
2) Red meat gets blamed for everything saturated fat gets blamed for
3) Many studies have actually combined saturated fats and trans fats together when investigating which fats are ‘good’ or ‘bad’ (leading some to conclude that they have the same impact on your disease risk and waistline)
So, to conclude:
* Enjoy your red meat…in moderation
* Don’t go crazy on your junk food. But if you stick to the 80 / 20 rule, a mince pie, a curry (my weekly go-to), or some ice cream isn’t going to kill you
* Saturated fats appear to be ‘neutral’ in their effect on your disease risk
* Your oily fish, nuts, and seeds provide your essential fats and you do need SOME from the diet (especially your omega 3 oily fish…)
* Monounsaturated fats, including olive oils and avocados, appear to have countless health benefits, such as reducing your risk of diabetes and heart disease…
PLUS…
They appear to be effective in helping you lose weight and keep it off!
Which is probably why the Mediterranean diet seems to do so well in weight loss and disease risk.
One of the reasons is because it promotes your ‘healthy’ fats, lean meats, fish etc.
But it is also very flexible for you.
Allowing you to alter your food intake to cater for family events
Christmas
Weddings (as one Fit For Life Body Transformation member did this week. Let’s just say an Indian Wedding gives an Italian one a good run for it’s money….)
And all this flexibility means you can stick to it.
and the best diet in the world?
The one YOU can do
Best wishes,
Matt
PS. Of course, there may be times where you really want to push forward with your weight loss. And these times may mean you do things that seem tough.
But having the knowledge to be able to transition BACK to your flexible, sustainable ‘diet’ that you know helps you keep the weight off…
Is why a bespoke nutritional strategy that puts you in charge of the foods you eat trumps any cookie-cutter diet plan
