Eat Fat to Lose Fat

Did you read that correctly? YEP!!!

For a very long time, there have been strong messages and marketing around going fat free, reduce fat, etc.  Most products take the fat out and replace it with sugar or even worse, artificial sweeteners.  Sugar is actually the bad guy for making people fat..  Fat is our fuel and it's pretty important. It’s like trying to drive your car on empty - you feel low energy, can’t think properly and struggle to go anywhere.

Eating Fat Helps You Burn Fat

For many years, even centuries, we were advised to stay away from consuming dietary fat, assuming that all fat in our diet was directly converted into body flab.  We now know that not all dietary fats are alike.  Certain fats are good for you and low fat diets that cut out these good fats can actually reduce your body’s ability to access and use fat for fuel.  We're talking about good fats, not the kind you find at certain fast food establishments.

In addition to helping us burn fat by providing a rich source of energy, fat forms our brains.  The human brain is the fattest organ in the body and may consist of at least 60% fat.  To function optimally, we need to fuel our brain properly, so that makes good fats essential.  I want my brain to run on the highest quality fat not the fat out of an old dingy deep fryer.

When your body is able to function optimally, using fat as fuel and giving our brain strong support – you will feel leaps and bounds better.

Fat also performs so many functions in the body including forming our cell membranes, supporting our nervous system, assisting in making hormones, making our skin beautiful, stabilizing our blood sugar and lubricating our joints.  It also happens to taste delicious!

My top 5 good fats I can’t live without include:

• Avocado
• Chia Seeds
• Cashews
• Coconut
• Eggs

Our bodies need more variety including short, medium and long chain fatty acids.  Variety is the spice of life!

Nutrients to Help with Fat Burning and Energy Production

If you are focusing on fat loss, specific nutrients are important for optimising your energy production.  These nutrients are an individual approach so I can advise you on the best supplements and superfoods and dosage schedule to suit you.  There isn’t a one-size fits all approach.

Kitchen Sink Frittata

Ingredients 

• 4 large flat mushrooms, sliced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 garlic clove, crushed (optional)
• 2 handfuls of greens, washed and sliced thinly (spinach or chard work best)
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• ½ a red capsicum, chopped
• 12 pitted olives, chopped (optional: some people love olives and some people hate them!)
• 4 tablespoons your choice of milk alternative (oat milk, coconut milk or almond milk)
• 8 free-range organic eggs
• 1 teaspoon of ghee or coconut oil
• 2 teaspoons of olive oil
• 2 tomatoes, sliced
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 175C.  Grease an oven pan with a bit of ghee or coconut oil.
2. Heat the mushrooms, garlic, onion, and capsicum with olive oil, ghee, salt and pepper in a large frying pan for a few minutes until the veggies begin to soften.  Remove lid and allow to sauté until tender.  Add the greens and parsley and cook just enough to wilt.  Remove from pan and set aside.
3. Combine the vegetable mix with olives if using and mix well.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and milk alternative with salt and pepper until eggs are aerated.
5. In your greased oven pan, place the vegetable mixture evenly across the base.  Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables to cover.
6. Top with slices of fresh tomatoes.
7. Cooking times will vary, depending on the depth of the tray used - the frittata should be 3 to 6 cm high.  Bake at 175C for 20 to 30 minutes, or until set.
8. Serve with 2 giant handfuls of vegetables or salad per person.

Notes:

I call this the kitchen sink frittata because anything goes.  Swap out the vegetables and add-ins to suit what you have in your fridge, what’s seasonal and/or the vegetables you love.  Just be sure to have a good range of colours.

You can also make these as muffins too, simply adjust the cooking time to 15-20 minutes.

Enjoy!