Are You Fat Adapted?
One of the best books I’ve read on nutrition and the science behind weight loss is Always Hungry by David Ludwig, M.D., Ph.D. Dr. Ludwig, an endocrinologist and professor of nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health, clearly explains why low-fat, low-calorie diets don’t work: When your body is deprived of calories it goes into starvation mode, hunger and cravings increase, and the ultimate result is weight gain. “A more effective approach,” says Ludwig, “is to reprogram your fat cells to lose weight by eating in a way that lowers insulin levels and reduces inflammation.” This makes sense to me: Insulin is the fat storage hormone.
So how do you reprogram fat cells? By eating healthy fats and cutting sugar and starchy carbs. Eating fat does not make you fat. Research shows that highly processed carbs negatively affect metabolism and weight in ways that have nothing to do with their calorie content. Ludwig argues that “overeating doesn’t make us fat. The process of becoming fat makes us overeat.” Curbing calories and avoiding high-fat foods slows metabolism and causes constant hunger.
Our fat cells exist to store energy. Historically this system worked well—in our hunter-gatherer days, the stored energy was released as fatty acids into the bloodstream for use as fuel when there was no food available, or when a wild animal was chasing us. We burned our own fat. Our ancestral diet consisted primarily of protein and fat with very few carbs, and many experts believe this remains the optimal way to eat—it’s the theory behind keto and paleo. When you limit carbs, your body has to burn fat for fuel in order to survive.
You may have heard the term “fat adapted.” It means that your body relies on burning fat for fuel and it can occur only if carbs and sugar are not readily available. Compared to fat, glucose is a shorter-term, more inflammatory, less potent fuel source. Our modern, high-carb, high sugar diet elevates blood sugar which raises insulin levels. High insulin levels promote fat storage.
Reducing hunger and cravings are two big reasons that high-fat diets are so effective for weight loss. Bonus: When you are fat-adapted, sugar cravings disappear. It takes about a month of low-carb eating for your body to shift to fat-burning mode. You’ll be able to tell if you’re fat adapted if you have more energy, fewer cravings, increased mental clarity, and less body fat. Can you skip a meal without feeling famished? Can you work out at a high level before a meal? Those are two clues that your body uses its own stored fat for fuel.
12 Healthy High-Fat Foods
Salmon and other fatty fish
Whole-milk yogurt
Pasture-raised eggs
Coconut and coconut oil
Avocado and avocado oil
Dark chocolate
Extra virgin olive oil and olives
Grass-fed beef
Nuts and nut butter
Flax, chia and pumpkin seeds
Tahini
Cheese