Eat Fat, Get Thin: A Doctor's Nutrition Plan

By Brooke L. Sager

The word “fat” scares us – especially those of us trying to shed a few pounds. Why is that? Because for years, doctors, dietary specials, and even the government have told us that sticking to a low-fat diet will help with losing weight and preventing disease. But according to newer research, eating the right kinds of fats with every meal is actually the key to a leaner, healthier you.

Dr. Mark Hyman, director of the Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Functional Medicine and author of his book Eat Fat, Get Thin (click here to order), has debunked the “fat is bad” myth with both scientific and first-hand research. Hyman, who maintained an active lifestyle and a low-fat vegetarian diet for years, began noticing changes in his body as he aged; no matter how closely he stuck to his seemingly balanced diet, he couldn’t get rid of the excess flab.

Hyman then tried incorporating more fats, not less, into his diet, and saw remarkable results – he lost weight, gained muscle, and felt more energetic than ever. Eating fat made him healthier both physically and mentally. With that, he began recommending to his thousands of patients that they increase their fat consumption. They, too, shrunk their waistlines; some even reversed their Type 2 diabetes.

With Eat Fat, Get Thin, Hyman aims to change America’s conventionally skewed notions on fat intake and help others make better dietary choices. For instance, many people falsely believe the fat found in foods and the fat clinging to your waistline is the same thing, when actually, it’s sugar consumption that tricks your body into storing fat. As Hyman described in an article for the Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Functional Medicine, “most of your fat-cell biology becomes controlled by the quality and type of the food you eat. That explains why we should eat a quality fat, whole-food diet that’s lower in refined carbohydrates, low-glycemic and high in fiber.”

Eating quality fats has also been proven to increase metabolism and decrease the risk of dementia, Type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. These healthy fats can be found in foods like nuts and seeds, coconut oil, olive oil, eggs (the yolks, too!), and fatty fish like sardines or wild salmon. Or, try Hyman’s favorites: avocados and coconut butter!

Brooke Sager is a New York City-based writer who specializes in health, lifestyle, and beauty. To read more of Brooke’s work, visit: brookelsager.com