All nutrition plans whether intended to aid mass gain or fat loss, should contain quality fats. Fats have become a bit of a ‘hot potato’ in the world of bodybuilding, health and fitness with the media singling fat out as the ‘bad guy.’ Unfortunately as a result many people avoid fat like the plague which is a huge mistake. Read on to learn more about why fats are so essential and which ones you need and which ones you don’t.

            Anybody who believes fat as a collective term is bad for them and that it inhibits progress couldn’t be more wrong if they tried. In fact our bodies need enough fat for a number of different functions such as supplying vital organs such as the heart with adequate amounts of energy. Furthermore, research has shown fat helps keep you sane and mentally focused. So you can see straight away that fat is absolutely necessary as part of any nutrition plan.

            However, from a bodybuilders point of view why is fat so important? Well certain fats do in fact help you shed body fat, how crazy is that?! This is because when ingested with a meal such as cod fillet and brown rice, a quality fat source such as flaxseed oil delays the rate at which the calories of the meal are digested. As a result less energy is wasted and stored as body fat which means you are able to remain lean. From a bodybuilders point of view what certain fats also do is act as a great energy supply, especially when your carbohydrates are on the low side. Furthermore fats, saturated fats in particular can help retain as well as elevate your natural testosterone levels. Finally, fats in the form of fish oils in particular help protect your joints when lifting very heavy weight. There is a brief and basic outlook on the benefits of having fat in your diet.

            Now you know why you need fat, you must learn which fat you need and how much? Firstly, a standard bodybuilding diet will see you get 20% of your calories from fat intake! As a rough guide every gram of fat equals approximately 9 calories. Your best sources of fats come from Flaxseed oil, Udos oil, cod liver oil and almonds. This is because they are all low in saturated fat, which is essentially the fat you don’t want much of at all. However, you do want some saturated fat especially in the morning and after training. Therefore you should look to add some eggs to your meal and another great choice is extra lean minced beef and steak. This is because saturated fat elevates your testosterone levels.

            There is a very basic insight to the reasons why fat is necessary and which sources are the most desirable. For sure, in the next coming weeks KagedMuscle will cover various fats in much more detail.

‘Knowledge is power’ Team KagedMuscle