FATS – NOT ALL ARE CREATED EQUAL (And not all are bad for you!)

What is fat?
Fat is a nutrient found in many of the foods we eat. Of all other nutrients, it has the highest amount of energy. Fat is most commonly found in foods such as dairy products, oils/butter, and sweets such as chocolate. Fat is an essential nutrient, which means that a minimal amount is needed in the diet!

What does fat do?
Everyone needs to include some fat in their diet to be healthy! Fat has many benefits, when consumed in the proper amounts. Besides providing energy, fat also helps to insulate the body, provide cushioning which protects many vital organs, aid in the body’s absorption of certain vitamins, and much more! However, too much of the wrong kind of fat can cause complications with cholesterol levels, blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and even some forms of cancer.

Types of Fat
Not all fat is bad for you, especially when consumed in the proper amounts. It is important to know which fats you should include in your diet, and which ones you should avoid:

• Monounsaturated Fat: This type of fat is found in foods such as olives, avocados, olive oil, vegetable oil, peanuts, and many other sources. Monounsaturated fats can help to lower your cholesterol, and does not cause “bad” cholesterol to increase. About 10% of your daily calories should consist of monounsaturated fats. This means if you eat 2,000 calories per day, only 200 of them should come from monounsaturated fats.
• Polyunsaturated Fats: This type of fat is found in oils that are made from fish, safflower, sunflower, corn and cottonseed. Polyunsaturated fat can help to lower total cholesterol, but has also been shown to lower “good” cholesterol as well. Polyunsaturated fats should make up no more than 10% of your daily calories. This means if you eat 1,500 calories per day, only 150 of them should come from polyunsaturated fat sources.
• Saturated Fat: This type of fat should be consumed minimally. Everyday food sources of saturated fats include meat fats, shortenings, and high fat dairy products (such as whole milk, butter and cheeses). Saturated fats should only make up 10% of your daily calories. This means if you eat 1,800 calories per day, only 180 should be from saturated fats.
• Trans Fat: This type of fat should be avoided. It is most commonly found in trace amounts inside of foods such as processed and baked goods, as well as margarine sticks. It can have a negative impact on the body by increasing “bad” cholesterol while lowering “good” cholesterol. Less than 1% of daily calories should be trans-fat. This means if you eat 2,000 calories per day, at the most you should have 20 calories from trans-fat.

What does this mean for your diet?
Fat needs to play a part in everyone’s diet, even if it is a small role. Fat should be used sparingly, and should come from monounsaturated and polyunsaturated sources. A diet that consists of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products and lean meats is key, and can be very healthy for your heart!

Mary Gallagher, Rochester Institute of Technology Dietetics Student

Theresa’s Take – Take 9 | “Stuck”

Have you ever found yourself stuck? Webster Dictionary defines stuck as “baffled, stumped, to remain in a place, situation or environment, glued, blocked, jammed, to hold fast, and unable to proceed”.

Truth be told, I have been stuck a time or two – stuck in bad relationships, stuck in unsatisfying jobs, stuck financially, and stuck with fitness. However, I must admit that 99% of the time when I’ve found myself stuck, it was because of poor decision-making on my part. Just like the day I got my truck stuck in a snow bank. I had just taken the 2011 Polar Bear Plunge for Special Olympics, and became impatient after waiting almost an hour in a parking lot traffic jam. I got the bright idea that I would drive over a large snow bank to bypass all the traffic. As pictured below, the snow bank proved to be brighter and bigger than me.

Your probably wondering why I’m smiling in this picture. It’s because I’m never stuck for long! You don’t have to be either. Within 10 minutes, a group of kind souls hitched my truck to theirs and pulled me back to a straight way. We had a good laugh, and they promised to display this mishap on YouTube.

Are you stuck with your fitness goals? Is that last five pounds holding fast to your glutes? Are the first 50 pounds blocking the vision of a thinner you? Do you have so many fat rolls, you can’t see your toes? Did you eat the whole pack of Oreos again? Have you done 10,000 sit ups, and still don’t have a 6-pack? Do avoid the word exercise? If you are unable to proceed, jammed on your fitness journey, let the YMCA be your hitch to better health and wellness. Group exercise classes and/or joint personal training sessions offer the support and encouragement you may need from others in a similar jam, to help you move forward.

Ladies, Gents and Janet Jackson Wannabes, getting stuck is an occurrence, staying stuck is a choice. Call (585) 546-5500 or visit www.rochesterymca.org to find a Y near you.