Fat
I have been a biohacker for 10 years. I started out with Bulletproof coffee which means MCT oil and butter. That was so helpful for me in getting well, getting my brain back to working as it should. But after a while and I was well, fat did not fill me up.
I am a volume eater. When I was getting well, I didn’t really care how much I ate because there were periods of time nothing would stay down. So when my body accepted food, I ate. Meat, chicken, veg with carb refeeds of sweet potatoes now and then. Beef and sweet potatoes were about all my body really liked, but I could toss in broccoli often. Lots of butter, though. . .I ate lots of butter.
Now fast forward a few years and the migraines in the rear view mirror and I discovered I needed less fat and more protein and THAT, my friends, was a golden ticket for me. While I was working out, lifting heavy and doing all the things, I realized that higher protein with moderate fat worked better. But, I still noticed my volume eating would come back and I would eat too much energy (that is a nice way to say I ate too much)
What is a volume eater? Well, I asked AI to define it for me and here is what it said:
“A “volume eater” is a term often used to describe someone who consumes large quantities of food in one sitting or over a short period of time. (Think OMAD – one meal a day after intermittent fasting all day)
In some contexts, “volume eater” can also refer to individuals who focus on eating large amounts of low-calorie, high-volume foods such as fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins as a strategy for managing hunger and controlling caloric intake while still feeling satisfied.” (This is how so many of us lived during our fat free lives for a few decades)
That pretty much explains it. I would add cauliflower rice to my meals to fill up my stomach so I would feel that STRETCH and then I would stop eating. It didn’t matter if I felt full or not, but the stretch would tell me that was enough. Apples do that for me, too. But when eating a higher fat diet, the nuts and higher fat foods also meant a LOT of extra calories. Even with lean meats, I was still getting in way too much energy. So it was a constant juggle trying to get all of it dialed.
Let me just stop to say that if you are still getting well and using dense nutrition to do that, don’t be thinking about the energy side of this equation right now. The focus is on getting nutrient dense food so your body can do its thing and heal. Yes, you may gain a few pounds, but it is better to get well THEN focus on body composition. It is so much easier to do body composition when you’re well and feeling amazing! Plus, a lot of times the weight comes off easier when your body has healed. Not joking. Bodies cling onto their fat stores like it is clinging onto life because, in our bodies senses, you are stressed, your body is not functioning right so it is storing reserves to save your life. Getting well, having the processes and hormones function like they are supposed to, your detox pathways open (like pooping properly and sweating now and then), low inflammation. . .all the things, then your body is like “YAY! We can let go of all this extra stuff now. We don’t need it anymore.”
Now back to my fat discovery – but first, let’s recap: I was eating a high fat ketogenic diet with a weekly refeed of carbs in the form of sweet potatoes. The fat was mostly coming from butter and MCT oil. Then I switched to a higher protein, lower fat diet which worked for a few years and that was all while I was building muscle and getting back into shape. The third iteration was adding in ultra low carb veg like cauliflower rice to give me that full feeling and I could eat a lot of that. A full pound of lean hamburger, 2 cups of cauliflower rice and then fat-free yogurt with protein powder mixed in was a normal meal for me. This caused me to start putting on weight as my appetite was high.
I kept hearing how I needed to be higher fat, but every time I’d try that, I got fatter. That isn’t supposed to happen. Why did it? Because I was adding in fat calories, still feeling hungry so still eating the same amount. Not good. But one day I had an extra fatty hunk of meat. When I took it out of the oven I cut off some of the fat and started nibbling on it. Low and behold, I felt satiated in a way I haven’t in years. I stopped eating and only had about ¼ of my normal food amount. That was odd and felt amazing. I tried it again and again, and each time it worked. Butter and MCT did not do that for me, but actual beef fat did. Isn’t that interesting?
Let’s look at the nutrition in beef fat:
- Vitamins: Beef fat is rich in vitamins A, D, E, and K and all are important for immune health, vision, and bone health.
- Minerals: Beef fat contains trace amounts of minerals such as iron, zinc, selenium, and phosphorus. These minerals are essential for overall health and play roles in functions such as oxygen transport, immune function, and bone health.
- Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA): CLA is a type of fatty acid and helps improve body composition, reduced inflammation, and enhanced immune function. NOTE: Grass-fed beef tends to have higher levels of CLA compared to grain-fed beef.
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids: NOTE: Grass-fed beef may have slightly higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids compared to grain-fed beef.
- Saturated Fats: Beef fat is predominantly composed of saturated fats, including stearic acid, palmitic acid, and myristic acid. Please NOTE: studies suggest that diets rich in stearic acid may promote fat burning and weight loss, possibly due to its unique metabolic effects and its ability to increase satiety.
I guess that’s really all I wanted to say. Now excuse me while I go get dressed to head to my local butcher for more beef fat trimmings.
