Being overweight and lethargic, after giving birth to my children, has always been a problem for me. I could not seem to lose the baby weight no matter how hard I tried. Seventy six pounds is not that much weight gain during pregnancy is it? They said I should be eating for two…no? Well I ate to my hearts content…three times. After all was said and done, this woman (me) was 26 years old 5’8 and 246 pounds. And that is just the start of my quest for health, love and wealth…more on that later. Today I want to write about FAT and what it really is. I hear that not all fats are bad for you, just some. So here it goes: THE FAT FACTS!

Fats are a subgroup of nutrients called lipids, which is a chemical name for a group of compounds that includes fats, oils and cholesterol. A lipid is refered as fat if it remains solid at room temperature and an oil if it is liquid at room temperature. Fats and oils come from plants and animals…but only cholesterol comes from animal products (milk, cheese, eggs).

Cholesterol is a white sticky substance that is found in every cell of our bodies. It actually is a building block for hormones, vitamin D, cell membranes and helps digest fat into energy. So what is so wrong with cholesterol? Well, it has two sides: Good Cholesterol (HDL) is a lipoprotein that travels throughout our body cleaning out our cells and vacuming up dying cells and free radicals. Bad Cholesterol (LDL) is a lipoprotein that we have a lot of in our bodies (70%). The reason that it’s bad is, that they stick to our arteries, possibly creating strokes, blockages and heart attacks. Many factors determine our cholesterol: Genetics, smoking, age, physical activity…But how much BAD cholesterol is in your system is because of excess…FAT.

We have three types of FAT: polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and SATURATED. The first two are cool, the last one is the killer. Saturated fats (lard, butter, fatty meats) those types of fats are very bad for you, all processed foods have a lot of this saturated fat shit in them to have a longer shelf life. I will tell you what asses the food industry are later on. But, in the mean time they add hydrogen to good fats and that turns good fats into bad fats called TRANS-FATTY ACIDS, which not only makes us fat, but it can kill you by raising the darn cholesterol levels. Mine was 320. Unsaturated fats like olive oil, canola oil, fish oils help to lower bad cholesterol…good stuff. So now that we know how bad fat is for us…WHY DO WE CRAVE IT SO MUCH?

We crave fat because other than the fact that it tastes good, we are biologically programmed to love it. There I said it, we love fat! It tastes great, keeps me energized and we humans have survived by storing it in our bodies. But eating fat does not make me fat, eating more than I need makes me fat. Not being active makes me fat. Oh heck, I LOOK at doughnuts and I get fat. About four years ago I went to a doctor specializing in bariatrics (Dr Brunner), she has put me on a diet/vitamin/activity plan. I am doing much better and people do ask me what I have done to lose and keep the weight off. I will share all with you, if you can do the same and share your personal quest with me. How does that sound?

Hi, Robin Here:

When going to the doctor’s there are a few things one does not want to hear.  For instance, “we will just have to slice that off” is one of them and “Uh oh! There is a lump,” is another. For me, I heard the latter about two years ago during what I thought was just a routine check-up with my new doctor. My life, as I knew it, changed with those simple words. After the finding of the lump, I was handed the “The Thryoid Book”, arranged to meet with an endocrinologist and subjected to an ultrasound exam on my thyroid.  Despite what the experts were saying, I couldn’t calm my fears that there was a foreign growth. I met with the endocrinologist who showed me the results of the ultrasound and express her concern with how big the lump was and gave me my options – either “waiting and seeing” or having surgery to remove the lump and spending the rest of my life on thyroid medication.  Before I made the decision of having surgery, I wanted a second opinion and was referred to another endocrinologist who told me the same thing as the first. At least now I had to doctors who verified what I was happening.  The lump was apparently growing at an alarming rate but my blood work was coming out normal (small blessing there). I was then referred to have a fine needle biopsy – which never sounds when a doctor refers that because that just screams “we think it is cancer!” despite the doctor’s cries of “well, we think it just a benign goiter, but we want to make sure EVERYTHING is okay!”

My biopsy was scheduled a month later and a very good friend went with me as they injected the biggest needle I have ever seen in my life into my lump. A few days later, I received the good news that the lump was benign and for anyone who has ever had a “cancer” scare, you understand the joy and relief this news brings. However, this relief was brief because six months later bam! there is was, the goiter had grown at a surprising rate and was getting dangerously close to my vocal chords and closing my throat and my doctors feared that there was a rare form of cancer in the goiter. I saw a surgical specialist and when I asked him how and why this was happening, I was asked where I live and apparently growing up in southeast Pennsylvania on well water and living about 60 miles between two nuclear power plants plays a role. Yikes!

After a lot of debate and consultation, I had the thyroidectomy on my right thyroid. It was an extremely tough decision to make because each time you have surgery and lose a bit of you; you have to deal with the consequences. For me, it is dealing with the occasional hormonal change and increase or decrease in energy and the dependency on the thyroid hormone medicine.  I have to constantly monitor and have blood tests done every six months to check my thyroid hormone levels.

The take away message from this incident is pay attention to our bodies, get regular check-ups, get a second opinion if the first one does not agree with you or if you need clarification, and most importantly, take care of ourselves.  We only have one body and it’s our responsibility to take care of it.

Being overweight and lethargic, after giving birth to my children, has always been a problem for me. I could not seem to lose the baby weight no matter how hard I tried. Seventy six pounds is not that much weight gain during pregnancy is it? They said I should be eating for two…no? Well I ate to my hearts content…three times. After all was said and done, this woman (me) was 26 years old 5’8 and 246 pounds. And that is just the start of my quest for health, love and wealth…more on that later. Today I want to write about FAT and what it really is. I hear that not all fats are bad for you, just some. So here it goes: THE FAT FACTS!

Fats are a subgroup of nutrients called lipids, which is a chemical name for a group of compounds that includes fats, oils and cholesterol. A lipid is refered as fat if it remains solid at room temperature and an oil if it is liquid at room temperature. Fats and oils come from plants and animals…but only cholesterol comes from animal products (milk, cheese, eggs).

Cholesterol is a white sticky substance that is found in every cell of our bodies. It actually is a building block for hormones, vitamin D, cell membranes and helps digest fat into energy. So what is so wrong with cholesterol? Well, it has two sides: Good Cholesterol (HDL) is a lipoprotein that travels throughout our body cleaning out our cells and vacuming up dying cells and free radicals. Bad Cholesterol (LDL) is a lipoprotein that we have a lot of in our bodies (70%). The reason that it’s bad is, that they stick to our arteries, possibly creating strokes, blockages and heart attacks. Many factors determine our cholesterol: Genetics, smoking, age, physical activity…But how much BAD cholesterol is in your system is because of excess…FAT.

We have three types of FAT: polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and SATURATED. The first two are cool, the last one is the killer. Saturated fats (lard, butter, fatty meats) those types of fats are very bad for you, all processed foods have a lot of this saturated fat shit in them to have a longer shelf life. I will tell you what asses the food industry are later on. But, in the mean time they add hydrogen to good fats and that turns good fats into bad fats called TRANS-FATTY ACIDS, which not only makes us fat, but it can kill you by raising the darn cholesterol levels. Mine was 320. Unsaturated fats like olive oil, canola oil, fish oils help to lower bad cholesterol…good stuff. So now that we know how bad fat is for us…WHY DO WE CRAVE IT SO MUCH?

We crave fat because other than the fact that it tastes good, we are biologically programmed to love it. There I said it, we love fat! It tastes great, keeps me energized and we humans have survived by storing it in our bodies. But eating fat does not make me fat, eating more than I need makes me fat. Not being active makes me fat. Oh heck, I LOOK at doughnuts and I get fat. About four years ago I went to a doctor specializing in bariatrics (Dr Brunner), she has put me on a diet/vitamin/activity plan. I am doing much better and people do ask me what I have done to lose and keep the weight off. I will share all with you, if you can do the same and share your personal quest with me. How does that sound?

The food that is involved in the Mediterranean diet hasn’t changed much over the past several generations, which makes it possible for us to study its true effects on the people following this diet. Throughout the generations, people from this region are healthier and live longer, with their diet as a main factor in their astounding health. Now, the secrets that have been common knowledge for centuries in the Mediterranean are becoming famous in the Western world.

So, what does the Mediterranean diet consist of? While there are many variations of this diet, the basic concept is simple. Anyone following this diet cuts back on meat, perhaps one or two servings per week is sufficient. Also, they keep masses of fruits and vegetables. Olive oil is also a main component. No one is exactly certain which of the ingredients in the diet is vital; perhaps they are all necessary to provide the desired effect.

Olive oil is used over butter or other forms of oil in the Mediterranean diet, whether cooking or seasoning. We know that olive oil is one of the healthiest fats that man ingests and it contains crucial antioxidants, as well as useful vitamins. However, it is not the only healthy food included in the diet.

Fresh vegetables, especially tomatoes, are also main features of the diet and are all quite good for you. They contain valuable vitamins and minerals as well as antioxidants. It is suspected that a large amount of vegetables and fresh fruits consumed by the Mediterranean people plays a big part in their health and longevity. This is quite easily duplicated by anyone wishing to follow the diet anywhere in the world.

While meat is not a major part of the Mediterranean diet, fish is. Oily fish contains Omega-3 fats, which are important for brain development as well as disease resistance. These fats are only found in a few select foods, with fish being the most abundant source. Omega-3 fats have been linked to the prevention of heart disease and may be one of the reasons that people following a diet of this sort tend not to suffer from heart problems.

The final candidate in the health booster category is wine. While excessive consumption is not recommended, wine (particularly red) in moderation is very good for the heart. It is also a main part of the Mediterranean diet and probably plays a part in the long lifespan of those who eat this diet.

The Mediterranean diet is not some amazing new fad. It has been around for hundreds of years. It is based on a culture and location rather than scientific studies. Only now are we beginning to realize the incredible potential of this amazing diet, which combines all the right foods to create the secret to healthy living. If you have difficulty cooking healthy for yourself, there is a company that can help. It’s a proven strategy that has worked for thousands of others.

A Moment on the Lips Doesn’t Always Mean Forever on Your Hips! Let’s face it, baked goods are delicious! And vitamins are good for us. But as much as we like to indulge our sweet tooth, we don’t want the extra calories. After all, we are familiar with the saying, “A moment on the lips is forever on the hips.” Or is it? Is it possible to live in a delightful world where there are vitamin-fortified, low calorie baked goods that are great tasting, which really exist? Can you see it? Can you imagine this wonderful place where one can have that moment on the lips but have it end up on your hips? Is it possible? Well, thanks to Vitalicious.com, this delectable moment can occur.

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So, the next time you are craving a scrumptious snack that satisfies your sweet tooth without increasing your waist line, check out the variety of “vitamin-fortified, delicious, better-for-you baked goods,” offered at Vitalicious. Healthy, All-Natural Muffins and Brownies…Visit Vitalicious.com Today!

Disclaimer: The entire content of this site/articles are based on our opinions. The information on this site is not meant to replace a relationship with a qualified health care professional, and is not intended for medical advice. We encourage you to make your own health care decisions based on good research and with a respected health care provider.