Eating high-fat foods can be crucial for your fitness goals.
Yet every time I bring this up to a new client, I’m met with apprehension until I lay down the facts and show them the results.
In my over ten years of successfully helping people with their fitness goals, I’ve noticed time and again that increasing a client’s intake of the right kind of fat allows them to thrive and lose weight in the process.
So, based on my observation, results, and research, I’m going to explain how increasing your fat intake can help you burn fat.
Quick Summary
- Eating the right fats can help you lose weight by increasing your satiety levels and boosting your metabolism.
- A healthy fat diet includes high levels of monounsaturated (omega-9) and polyunsaturated fats (omega-3), moderate levels of saturated fat, and little to no trans fats.
- Some popular high-fat, low-carb diets include the keto diet and Atkins diet.
How Does Eating Fat Help You Lose Body Fat?
Eating fat can help you lose body fat by increasing your feeling of fullness and boosting your metabolism. While this is true for most fats, it doesn’t apply to trans fats.
Let’s go into some more detail.
Increased Satiety
A fat-rich diet promotes satiety, making it easy to reduce your daily food and caloric intake.
Studies show that a diet rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) supports fasting and satiety within seven days [1].
Another 2017 study found that a diet high in fat and fiber promotes better satiety than a high-carb and low-fat diet [2].
Alongside protein sources, eating fat-rich meals will keep you fuller longer [3].
Increased Metabolism
A 2008 study showed that MCTs (medium chain triglycerides) — a type of saturated fat — found in coconut and palm oil could increase your rate of metabolism [4].
The same study explains that, unlike LCTs (long-chain triglycerides), MCTs go straight to the liver once absorbed and get converted into energy more efficiently.
So they are less likely to end up as stored fat.
The Stigma Behind Fat
Before we get into what fats you should eat for weight loss, it’s important to understand the stigma behind fat.
The American Heart Association states that dietary fats are important for your health [5]. So, why the stigma?
Firstly, it has to do with the fact that most people still believe in the 1992 USDA food pyramid.
This pyramid ranks your macros in the following order:
- Carbs as the most consumed
- Proteins in the middle
- Fats as the least consumed
However, more research shows that a much healthier pyramid should rank the macros in this order: protein-fats-carbs [6].
Secondly, not all fats are the same. There are healthy fats and unhealthy fats.
The weight loss and health benefits of consuming dietary fat mostly come from eating healthy fats. And these are the fats that most weight loss diets recommend you consume.
So, let’s take a better look at which fats you need to avoid and which ones you need to eat for weight loss.
What You Should Avoid
When it comes to unhealthy fats, the ones you need to keep away from are trans fats.
They’re known to raise bad cholesterol levels, lower good cholesterol levels, and increase your risk of developing heart diseases, diabetes, and stroke [7].
Here's a list of foods rich in trans fats so you know what to avoid:
- Commercial baked goods
- Frozen pizza
- Stick margarine
- Non-dairy creamer
- Microwave popcorn
- Fried foods like french fries, fried chicken, and donuts
- Shortening
- Most processed junk foods
What To Eat
A high-fat diet should be rich in healthy fats like polyunsaturated, monounsaturated, and saturated fat. Let’s look at why these are beneficial to your weight loss.
Polyunsaturated Fats
Polyunsaturated fat, commonly known as omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, is found in foods like nuts, fatty fish, and vegetable oils.
Adding a healthy amount of polyunsaturated fats to your diet will help you stay full, thereby avoiding any extra calories from food cravings [8].
However, you should definitely keep in mind that omega-3s are far healthier than omega-6s, which should be consumed conservatively [9]. In other words, prioritize fatty fish over vegetable oils.
Monounsaturated Fats
These are healthy fats found in avocados, nuts, seeds, and extra virgin olive oil.
Monounsaturated fats are considered healthy because they lower bad cholesterol levels (which can reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke) and provide nutrients to develop and maintain your body's cells [10].
Saturated Fat
Saturated fat is somewhere in between good and bad.
It’s hard to decide whether they’re good for you because there are many studies on both sides of the coin.
While some studies say that consuming saturated fat increases your risk of heart disease, others say that there’s no link at all [11] [12].
Our recommendation would be to stick with healthy sources of saturated fat such as lean pork, full-fat dairy, and eggs.
You might also consider reducing or replacing some foods high in saturated fats (like cheese and palm oil) with healthy polyunsaturated fat sources.
“Countless studies show that if you replace saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat, you do get a reduction in heart disease risk,”
- Dr. Alice Lichtenstein, Professor of Nutrition Science
Which High-Fat Diet Works Best?
The high-fat diet that works best is the ketogenic diet.
While there are many high-fat and low-carb diets to choose from, we highly recommend the keto diet because it has the highest success rate among our clients.
Keep in mind that losing weight efficiently with this diet requires that you consume mono and polyunsaturated fats. Saturated fats are fine in moderation.
While the initial weight loss is due to losing water weight, the ketogenic diet is great in the long run because it rewires your body to burn stored fat more.
If you plan on going on the ketogenic diet, you can increase this level of fat burning even further with the help of natural fat burners.
These supplements are specifically designed to help you burn fat faster, increase metabolism, and boost energy levels.
FAQs
What Are the Benefits of Consuming Fat?
The benefits of consuming fat are reduced blood sugar, better mineral and vitamin absorption, hormone production, protection of the brain and tissues, and managing inflammation.
How Many Calories Do Fats Contain?
Every gram of fat contains around nine calories. This applies to both healthy and unhealthy fats.
How Much Fat Should I Eat Per Day To Lose Weight?
You should eat about 25–35% of your daily caloric intake worth of fat to lose weight. Most of your diet should be protein-heavy.
Will Overeating Healthy Fat Lead To Weight Gain?
Yes, overeating healthy fat can lead to weight gain. Like any other macro, fats contain calories. If you eat more calories than you burn, you gain weight.
Eat Fat To Burn Fat
Consuming more fat for greater fat loss might be a good way to lose weight, but it doesn’t hurt to take extra help.
To help you burn fat and achieve your fitness goals faster, I recommend consuming natural fat burners:
We’ve tested these supplements personally and found that they go along with any diet. They can help you burn extra fat, increase your energy levels, control your appetite, and increase your metabolism, so you lose weight faster.
References:
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0899900717300588
- https://www.fasebj.org/doi/abs/10.1096/fasebj.31.1_supplement.433.6
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0268005X1630340X
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2874190/
- https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/fats/dietary-fats
- https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/rebuilding-the-food-pyramid/
- https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/fats/trans-fat
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK53550/
- https://openheart.bmj.com/content/5/2/e000946
- https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/fats/monounsaturated-fats
- https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/press-releases/saturated-fats-increased-heart-disease-risk/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34717669/
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