Eating Fat: The Holy-Grail for Sparking Energy and Raw
Athletic Power

By Shane Ellison, M.Sc.
HealthFX © 2006
www.health-fx.net

Eating fat in general does not make you fat. Eating
unhealthy fat does. Knowing the difference between the
types of fat will ensure that you do not suffer from
deficiencies in fat soluble vitamins such as A, D, E and
K. The consequence can be obesity, low energy, poor
concentration, unsightly skin complexion and depression.
Clinical manifestations include insulin resistance, type
II diabetes, heart disease and even cancer.

Healthy fat is essential for proper growth, development,
athletic performance and maintenance of good health.
It provides your body with vital energy without causing
you to gain weight. In sharp contrast to carbohydrates
and sugar, healthy fat tells your body to burn fat and
makes you feel fuller quicker! These positive attributes
of fat are often overlooked. But they are real.

Most important, consuming healthy fat does not cause a
spike in the fat storing hormone known as insulin.
Instead, it keeps insulin levels low (or controlled)
relative to sugar and carbohydrate (carb) consumption.
When insulin is controlled, the body is better equipped
to take part in fat burning courtesy of "thermogenesis."

Thermogenesis is the conversion of fat to heat and
physical energy (lipolysis). The best athletes in the
world have mastered thermogenesis - either through diet,
supplementation, or both.

Thermogenesis is a powerful effect for athletes who
consume healthy fat rather than gobs of sugar (sucrose,
fructose, high-fructose corn syrup), artificial flavors
and carbs. Sparking it (either by diet or supplementation)
is the Holy-Grail for eliciting lean muscle mass, energy
and raw athletic power. Let me clarify this very important
point.

When thermogenesis is active, the body can utilize fat
as a substrate for heat production as well as ATP
production. ATP is the chief energy and strength producing
molecule within the body. The more you have, the better
you perform.

A single fat molecule can produce a whopping 129 molecules
of ATP. In contrast, if thermogenesis is not being activated
the body is forced to utilize an inferior source of ATP
production - carbohydrates. A single carbohydrate molecule
produces a paltry 38 molecules of ATP! Do the math.

The difference between fat and carbohydrates as fuel
substrates is the difference between athletic excellence
and mediocrity. It's the difference between sustained energy and "bonking." Promoters of sports gels and sugar fortified
energy bars and drinks ignore this basic biochemistry - or
don't understand it.

In sum, healthy fat doesn't make you fat, it satisfies and
energizes. Healthy fats can be obtained from coconut oil
(in tea or used for cooking), cod-liver oil (contains omega-3
fats known as EPA and DHA with the added value of
vitamin D), olive oil, avocados (omega-9), eggs (raw,
scrambled, hard-boiled, whatever), fish, nuts, seeds,
chicken and grass fed beef.

Unhealthy fats make you fat, sick and weak. These are the
much talked-about trans fats. Trans fats are the top
contributors to obesity and the medical complications that
follow. They have given fat in general a bad name.
Habitual consumption of trans fats leads not only to
obesity but also heart disease and type II diabetes.

Foreign to the human body, trans fat consumption obstructs
proper metabolism and thermogenesis. Specifically, trans
fat invades cell membranes. Once incorporated into the
membrane, cells become brittle and unresponsive to insulin
and glucose. Blood levels of insulin and glucose skyrocket.
Instead of being renewed by food, cells are resistant to
essential nutrients. Obesity, malnutrition and pre-mature
aging set in. This is the underlying cause of the impending
health crisis that looms over an estimated 90 million
Americans - insulin resistance. It is also the cause of
weakened athletic ability.

Trans fats are made when food manufacturers increase the shelf life and stability of their foods. The process is known as "hydrogenation." To discover if a food contains trans fat look at the ingredient list on the food label. They are listed as; "shortening," "partially hydrogenated vegetable oil" or "hydrogenated vegetable oil." Ingredients are listed in descending order of predominance on a food label. Smaller amounts are present when the ingredient is close to the end of the list.

If you eat fast food or anything out of a "box" beware! You are mainly consuming trans fats! Other bad fats are found in vegetable oils such as corn oil (due to high content of carcinogenic omega-6 fatty acids).

Adhere to this basic nutrition and watch your energy and athletic ability soar.

About the Author: Shane holds a Master's degree in organic chemistry. He is an internationally recognized authority on therapeutic nutrition and author of Health Myths Exposed and The Hidden Truth about Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs. He is founder of HealthFX Nutrition (www.health-fx.net) and co-founder of www.the-drip.net, a healthy sports drink for elite endurance athletes. Get 6-months of his FREE Life-Saving Health Briefs at www.healthmyths.net.