The Importance of Mental Activity #TheStubbornFatFix

If you don’t already take part in a hobby, think about starting one. Activities such as painting, dancing, singing, and knitting help boost your sense of self, which can go a long way toward helping you stick with a new way of eating. They also keep you busy, which is important when losing weight. Boredom often leads to only one thing: thoughts about foods you wish you didn’t find tempting.

If You Need Salty Snacks #TheStubbornFatFix

“No one can eat just one” is such an apt slogan for a potato chip. Once a week, you may have a single 1-ounce serving of any trans fats-free snack, such as pretzels or baked potato chips. (Check the list of ingredients to make sure the word hydrogenated does not appear. Packaged foods can claim they have zero trans fat even if they have up to 0.5 gram per serving.) Always consume salty snacks with a little fat to slow digestion and help you stay in control. Have them with 1 to 2 tablespoons of peanut or almond butter, avocado, ricotta cheese, or hummus.

The Dangers of Trans Fat #TheStubbornFatFix

Trans fatty acids are created when manufacturers partially hydrogenate vegetable oils, whipping the fats with hydrogen to make them solid at room temperature. These fats were invented in a lab a century ago to provide a cheap alternative to butter. At the time, it may have seemed like a good idea, but maybe the joke is on us. The consumption of hydrogenated trans fat from vegetable oils (found in margarine, baked goods, fried foods, and most processed foods) jumped 400 percent during the 1900s. Trans fat carries a number of health risks, including infertility and ovulation problems, heart disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity.

Don’t believe everything you read #TheStubbornFatFix

We’ve seen news stories that claim chocolate pudding pops have “less fat than you think” and avocados have “more fat than you need”. Avocados are a fruit that grow in nature and have been eaten by humans for thousands of years. They contain a number of health-promoting antioxidants, plus heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, fiber, vitamin K, potassium, folate, vitamin C, and copper. Pudding pops are a relatively recent invention made from refined sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, or both. They contain calories and little to no nutrition. Why on earth would it be better for you to eat a pudding pop than an avocado, an egg, or a handful of olives?