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This is confusing. Once you understand the basics and can use a little common sense, it will become clear. Every person is different, and we all have different needs. But having said that, there are a lot of similarities. After all, we all have one head, two arms, ten fingers, etc. When it comes to how much fat we should eat, there is one distinction we need to consider. Men and women are born with certain universal differences. Women can make babies and men cannot. To be able to make babies, women have a different hormonal system. A woman's hormonal system is supported primarily by the fats she eats. Women are born with about 20% more body fat than men - and men are born with about 20% more muscle. The Nine Day Relationship Makeover is unique in that it takes into account these fundamental differences between men and women. Many other diets, which ignore gender differences, work better for men and not as well for women.
In the last twenty years we (society, media, educators, etc) mistakenly concluded that fat was bad and that fat made us fatter. Certainly too much fat can make us fatter but so can too much of anything. As the population became fatter and fatter, we more desperately attempted to take fat out of the diet. There are many problems with this, but it is particularly a problem for women. Women require more fat than men, and when they don't get it not only do they get fatter but also they become depressed, which can cause them to eat even more, to numb their depression. We thank Barry Sears and his Zone Diet Book, which was the first to inform millions that it is possible to lose weight and eat lots of fat. Barry recommends 30% of calories in a meal be from fat. Research showed that people could effectively lose weight with this regimen.
Even before this, Atkins had proven that people could eat lots of fat and protein and lose weight as long as they ingested fewer carbs. This is often quite true. Ann Louise Gittleman, in her book The Fat Flush Diet, also provides scientific evidence and research to prove that some fats help burn fat while others cause weight gain. She even recommends a diet with 40% of the calories coming from good fat. Omega three fats which come from salmon, cod, tuna or ground flax seed or flax oil are used by the body to produce brain chemicals and cannot be stored as fat.
To understand good fats, let's first explore what bad fats are. The worst fats for both men and women are hydrogenated fats. These fats do not assist the body in producing brain chemicals and they actually inhibit the process of utilizing good fats. In the Schwarzbein Principle, Dr. Schwarzbein explains the exact scientific terms based on extensive research that our whole fear of fat is unfounded. She also explains that our fear of cholesterol is unfounded. The body requires cholesterol to be healthy. Certainly there is something in our body called bad cholesterol. Eating fat, however, does not produce this bad cholesterol. It is produced when we eat too much sugar. When we eat too much sugar our liver converts this excess sugar into harmful "bad cholesterol." The easiest way to reduce bad cholesterol is to cut back on refined sugars and processed foods. The drug commercials that suggest, "sometimes diet and exercise are not enough to lower cholesterol" are in my opinion absurd. So, our understanding has gradually evolved to accept that there are good fats and bad fats and there are good amounts of fat as well as bad amounts of fat.
The Nine Day Relationship Makeover embraces these findings by emphasizing the existence of good fats, bad fats, and explaining the appropriate amounts to consume, which depends on one's gender. If you are from Mars you need fewer good fats and more protein, and if you are from Venus you need more good fats and less protein. As a general guideline, men need 30% of calories from protein, 20% from fat and 50% from healthy carbs that are as close to their natural state as possible. Women need 20% from protein, 30% from fat and 50% from unprocessed carbs. These guidelines are particularly important for breakfast because that is when the body produces the most brain chemicals. From this perspective it explains why we have heard from many women who became depressed while following the Atkins diet. Too much protein for a woman inhibits the production of serotonin in the brain. This depression is even more likely to occur in women who are not very athletic. A man on the Atkins diet can easily become tired and run down if he eats too much fat. Too much fat increases serotonin in men and makes them tired. Fatty foods cause the body to produce serotonin, which is why Thanksgiving dinner leaves men tired and lethargic, but women are busy talking and cleaning up. The key for men is eating lean meats.
The best thing about Atkins is that it assists individuals, male or female, in cutting back simple carbohydrates, such as sugar and processed foods. We recommend 50% carbs, specifically carbs like whole grains, vegetables and fruits. It is absurd to think we shouldn't eat these carbs. People have eaten them for centuries. The French are said to be among the healthiest people in the world and they eat plenty of carbs. The South Beach Diet has surpassed the Atkins diet in popularity because it is more open to a healthy amount of carbs.
When it comes to oils, virgin olive oil is the best, and the best oil for cooking is non-hydrogenated coconut oil. Butter can also be very healthy and has been used for centuries. If you are a calorie counter, keep your fat calories down to 20% for men and 30% for women. If you don't count calories, just focus on the right foods but make sure to get the optimal balance in your morning shake. With the right brain support, your body will guide you to the right amount by your hunger and taste. When your brain chemicals are balanced, you are more likely to automatically desire the right proportions for you and your type. Keep in mind though that women require more omega three to assist them in producing serotonin. Men's brains are more efficient in producing serotonin and need less.
A couple of tablespoons of ground or spouted flax seed is the equivalent in omega three fatty acids to that found in a meal of salmon.
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