If you are overweight or obese then this may be caused by eating a diet that is high in saturated fats. Saturated fats are derived mostly from animals. Most people consume it through eating large amounts of red meat, dairy products, buns, cakes, fast food and processed food.
The bottom line is too much saturated fats are bad for your health as they can raise your cholesterol levels which can increase your risk of heart disease and a whole number of different health problems. Fat weighs in at nine calories per gram compared to carbohydrates and protein that are only 4 calories per gram.
Therefore, eating large amounts of fat can pile on the pounds. This is further compounded by the fact that many people are leading increasingly sedentary lifestyles with very little exercise. Most people work in offices sitting in front of a computer all day. They all so take little to no exercise. This means the calories that they eat do not get used up as energy and the fat stays in the body and lines the thighs and arteries.
If you eat too much saturated fat there are a number of ways that you can reduce and still enjoy the taste. Although most fat is hidden you can make a difference by trimming off what you can see as follows:
Meat:
Most meat contains a lot of fat therefore, if you see any fat trim it off. For example, chicken skin contains a lot of fat so remove that.
Processed Food:
Particularly processed meats can contain up 75% of calories from saturated fat. Therefore, put either one slice on your bread or use a leaner meat such as chicken that has not been fried.
Dairy products:
Particularly if they are derived from cow’s milk such as cream, cheese, and ice cream. If you like dairy products then choose the low fat options. For example, rather than full fat milk use semi or fully skimmed. There are milk substitutes that you may consider like rice or soya milk.
Vegetable Oil:
Avoid oils that contain hydrogenated vegetable fats. These are also referred to as trans fat which are very bad for you. However, they are used in a lot of processed foods such as cakes cookies and pastries.
Processed foods:
These contain high levels of saturated fat and salt which are not good for your heart. Cut down on these and eat those that have low levels of fat and sodium. Always read the label.
If you have a health condition or food allergy seek the advice of a doctor before doing any new form of exercise.