All {or Most} of the Reasons You NEED Some Fat

Your body needs fat, and the nutrition lesson in the Fit2B Girls course focuses on all the best sources of it. Why? Because we want our young girls to know the truth from an early age: they don’t need to be afraid of fat!

Not only is fat the richest source of energy for longer workouts, yielding 9 kcals per gram compared to carbohydrates which only yield 4 kcals per gram, fat is needed for all of the following:

Your Brain:

Your brain is made of fat, and your nerves are encased in fat which helps them conduct their signals better. Basically, your entire nervous system depends on fat. You’re starving your nerves, mental energy, and creative process if you don’t consume enough healthy fats.

Your Hormonal System:

Many of your hormones are based on fat molecules. Take estriol for example. See that “ol” at the end? Meanwhile, cortisol is often thought of as a “male” hormone, yet both sexes need it as part of the “fight or flight” response. Cortisol rises in men when they’re expecting a baby as a protective response.

For women, according to the American College of Sports Medicine, when your overall body fat drops lower than 8-12% you’ll have a hard time maintaining your female functions and hormone balance. We discuss this in the Fit2B Girls course in the section for young female athletes to raise awareness of how periods are impacted by body composition.

In the 3rd Age Women course I’ve been taking, Michelle Lyons said that oral estrogen is linked to the onset of incontinence where none existed before, whereas applying estrogen cream directly to affected areas has better results.

Your Workout:

Fat is awesome fuel. I already said that but it bears saying again. Carbs offer faster access immediately following digestion, but long term… Fat is where it’s at.

Your {PRIVATE} Anatomy:

Specifically, the most private parts of females are VERY affected by a diet lacking in essential fatty acids. In my home, we buy full-fat yogurts and eat all the nuts and avocados and cheeses, and it’s partly for our privates.

The female labia are primarily fatty tissue that cushions the pubic bone and carry a multitude of nerves. The clitoris is also a very fatty organ that science has shown to actually contain more nerves (which need fat) and reach larger inside than the penis! Check out these MRI images!

During menopause, according to Sue Croft in The Power Year Project via Burrell Education, the urethra loses its fatty folds that assist continence. It becomes stiffer and straighter, offering a clear path that once was more winding and assisting in the prevention of little leaks.

Yes, belly fat can be problematic…

Many people swear off fat entirely or start doing a bunch of crunches, planks, and sit-ups when their bellies bulge, but both of those tummy tactics can make things worse!

The real culprit behind a pudgy paunch is usually one or all of these:

• Food: Something you’re eating might be causing inflammation in your stomach or intestines, like too much sugar or bread. Here’s an article that details the relationship between food and hormones.
• Stress: Your liver stores extra fat nearby itself around your middle so that it’s ready to fuel you when you’re freaking out. If your workouts {or your life} are super strenuous, your liver might hoard fat instead of burning it.
• Diastasis Recti: If your core muscles are weak, sometimes the connective tissue that holds you together around your belly button can thin out and let the two sides of your ab muscles shift apart. When your abs are separated like this, it’s hard for them to hold your organs in place. Click here to check your belly for a diastasis recti.

My Favorite Fat Sources:

I use a lot of grass-fed butter and coconut for cooking and baking. I use olive oil-based mayonnaise for dressings. Like I already said, we eat plenty of avocados and nuts around here — pecans and walnuts are the family faves. We also have chickens, so farm fresh eggs are the order of the day. I’ve added sardines to my salads twice a week too, after going through the 3rd age course.

Your Turn…

How do you get all the essential fatty acids you need? Have you noticed how fat is impacted by your stress? When you lost a lot of weight, did you notice more leaking or a decrease in libido? What do you think is the BEST source of fat?