EAT FAT, FIBER, AND PROTEIN

When you balance your hormones, you can lose weight naturally. Hormone fluctuation is the reason why many women find it difficult to lose weight as they get older. Many women notice weight gain during perimenopause or menopause even when they are eating healthy and exercising. This is not a medical issue, but rather a nutritional one.

One of the ways we can help to balance our hormones is to eat fat, fiber, and protein together at every meal. This will give you energy, make you feel fuller longer, and yes; burn fat. It is important to eat within thirty minutes of waking up. Then be sure to eat after two hours, but within than four. This gives your body enough time to clear out what you have eaten, but long enough to sustain your hormone levels before eating again.

eat fat

Now I know the low-fat movement has gotten everyone convinced that fat is bad. But if everyone is eating low-fat this and low-fat that, then why is America getting fatter? The reason is that when our population stopped eating fat, we replaced it with simple carbohydrates and sugar. Think about it; if the fat is reduced or removed from sour cream, yogurt, cheese, etc., then what is left?…a tasteless product that food manufacturers now need to add lots of sugar and salt to in order to make it taste good. It is the sugar that makes us fat. It is the sugar that causes blood sugar spikes that lead to obesity, diabetes, and other auto-immune diseases.

Healthy fat is vital to our brain, kidneys, and lungs. It reduces inflammation in the body which is the root of all autoimmune disease. It pads and protects our internal organs. In addition, fat helps us produce hormones, absorb certain vitamins, and protect our nervous system. Most of all, fat speeds up our metabolism to promote weight loss.

The Best Fats

• Avocados
• Coconut oil
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Ghee
• Sesame oil
• Avocado oil
• Almonds
• Macadamia nuts
• Walnuts
• Pumpkin seeds
• Hemp seeds and oil
• Flax seeds and oil
• Chia seeds and oil

Fats to Avoid

There are some fats that you want to avoid since they are highly processed and contain trans fat which causes inflammation in the body.

• Vegetable oil (vegetables don’t have oil)
• Corn oil
• Soybean oil
• Cottonseed oil
• Safflower oil
• Margarine
• Hydrogenated anything!
• Deep fried foods

Eat Fiber

How is fiber so important when we don’t even digest it? Without fiber, we can not digest our food or eliminate it. If you are not pooping at least once a day, you are not eating enough fiber. Fiber also helps make us feel full. Most importantly, it slows down our digestion, allowing our bodies to absorb all of the wonderful nutrients our bodies need.

Fiber also helps our body get rid of excess hormones, cholesterol, and toxins. Studies have shown that fiber can prevent diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. So eat the colors of the rainbow because the nutrients in fruits and vegetables contain minerals and antioxidants that balance your blood sugar, give you energy, and boost your immune system. And just like good fats, fiber reduces inflammation in the body.

High Fiber Foods

• Split peas
• Lentils
• Beans
• Artichokes
• Broccoli
• Brussel sprouts
• Raspberries
• Blackberries
• Avocados
• Pears
• Oatmeal
• Green leafy vegetables

Tip: An easy way to add more fiber to a meal is to add flaxseeds, hemp seeds, or chia seeds to a smoothie or in your oatmeal. Grated carrots or spinach can be snuck into a sauce and even baked goods! Shhhh….

Check out my Red Lentil Soup Recipe. It’s loaded with fiber.

Eat Protein

Protein helps to stabilize blood sugar and curb those sugar cravings! When combined with good fat and fiber, we feel satisfied and are less likely to overeat. If you are looking to lose weight, eat a quality protein at every meal or snack because it increases your metabolism.

Additionally, protein is essential for our bodies in order to produce hormones, antibodies, and enzymes. It is the protein in our skin and bones that keep us upright. It also provides energy and is the main building blocks of the tissues of our bodies. Proteins are made up of smaller units called amino acids and eight of them are considered essential and must be present in our diet for optimum health.

Quality Protein

• Pastured beef
• Pastured eggs
• Pastured poultry
• Seafood
• Beans and legumes
• Nuts
• Seeds
• Sea Vegetables
• Greens leafy vegetables
• Non-GMO fermented soy

How to Balance Your Hormones to Lose Weight Naturally

If you include Fat, Fiber, and Protein in every meal and snack, it will help you not only keep the weight off, but it will also allow your body to regulate your hormones, and balance your blood sugar. So instead of just an apple for a snack in the afternoon, have it with a tablespoon of almond butter. Add some greens to your smoothie with a handful of nuts and a tablespoon of coconut oil. You will be satisfied throughout the day and those cravings will simply disappear!

If you have any questions or would like help in losing weight, comment below or email me!

“Fiber.” The Nutrition Source. Harvard TH Chan, 12 Apr. 2016. Web. 10 Feb. 2017.
Haas, Elson M., and Buck Levin. Staying Healthy with Nutrition: The
Complete Guide to Diet and Nutritional Medicine. Berkeley:Celestial Arts,
2006. Print.
Siri-Tarino, Patty W., Qi Sun, and Frank B Hu. “Patty W Siri-Tarino.” Meta-analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies Evaluating the Association of Saturated Fat with Cardiovascular Disease. ACJN Online, 13 Jan. 2010. Web. 10 Feb. 2017.

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Erin Sands

Erin Sands is a Certified Culinary Nutrition Expert whose focus is on using food and nutrition to build health and reverse disease.

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