The Misinformation Behind the Fat Acceptance Movement
The fat acceptance movement is not born out of laziness or a lack of effort; it's a natural response to years of misguided dietary advice. Of course people are going to give up and throw their hands in the air after trying so hard to stick to endless diets that are only setting them up to fail. Empathizing with the struggle is the first step towards offering a real solution.
The Struggle of Mainstream Dieting
Many of us can relate to the struggle of trying to shed those extra pounds, sticking to dietary guidelines, advice of your doctor, or the latest fad from an IG post, only to be met with disappointment and frustration. In this scenario, it's easy to give up, believing that genetics doom us to be overweight, and thus the fat acceptance movement has gained traction. But are we fighting a losing battle, or are we simply armed with the wrong information?
The Misleading Mainstream Paradigm
Mainstream dietary advice often revolves around a low-fat, high-carbohydrate approach, with processed foods labeled as "healthy" because they lack fat. Or a diet that is mostly plant-based where red meat and fat are avoided. This advice is fundamentally flawed. The focus on counting calories and restricting dietary fat leads to a diet high in empty calories, low in nutrients, protein, and satiety, and often results in overeating in the long term.
The Nutrient vs. Energy Calorie Concept
The idea that "calories are just calories" is dangerously oversimplified. In reality, we need to think about nutrient calories and energy calories as two entirely different entities. Nutrient calories, derived from proteins, vitamins, minerals, and essential fats, are vital for our overall health. Energy calories, particularly those from refined fats and grains, are the ones contributing to weight gain.
Red Meat, Fat, and Animal Foods: Misunderstood Health Foods
An often vilified part of the diet is red meat, along with other animal-derived fats. Contrary to popular belief, these foods are rich in nutrient calories, providing a high nutrient-to-energy ratio that fuels the body without leading to overeating. They can be a cornerstone of a healthy diet, allowing people to feel full, lose excess fat, and win the battle of hunger.
Empathizing with the Fat Acceptance Movement
The fat acceptance movement emerges from a place of genuine struggle and a misunderstanding of what a healthy diet truly is. I empathize with people who have been burned so many times on the endless diet hamster wheel. I too would give up (and almost did) if I kept failing despite my best efforts.
These diets are doomed from the start. There’s just no way they can produce long term health or an ideal body composition. Even if people manage to restrict calories enough to lose weight, with the standard low-nutrient foods they’re consuming, they’ll mathematically not be getting enough protein or nutrients. This means they’ll probably be losing muscle and not just fat, while also not having proper nutrition for long term health and a robust immune system,
The Fat Acceptance message is not without merit - promoting self-confidence and self-love is undoubtedly positive. However, accepting the notion that being overweight is healthy contradicts well-established scientific literature that clearly ties excess weight with more diseases and shorter life expectancy. We need to accept this reality, and not only encourage people to be happy with themselves in their current body, but encourage them to move towards a healthy version of themselves.
The Solution: Nutrient-Dense Whole Foods with Animal Foods as the Foundation
So what's the real way forward? It's not about restricting calories or eliminating fat; it's about understanding the difference between nutrient calories and energy calories, and “balancing” our diet accordingly. Here's how to do it:
Embrace Animal Foods: Red meat, fat, eggs, seafood, and dairy are not the enemy. They are nutrient-dense and satisfying.
Avoid Empty Calories: Processed foods, refined fats, and added sugars can lead to overeating and are detrimental to long-term health.
Understand Satiety: The goal is not to fight hunger with willpower but to choose foods that naturally satisfy hunger.
This solution lies in embracing a diet focused on nutrient density, with animal foods as the foundation. Such a diet recognizes that not all calories are created equal, and that the key to long-term health and a good body composition is upping nutrient calories while lowering energy calories.
So it’s not exactly “balancing,” it’s improving your ratio. Most people are short on protein and nutrients while eating too much “empty” energy.
By understanding this nuance, we're not just promoting a healthier body but a healthier relationship with food. Humans should be able to enjoy every bite of food they eat (as my pal Mark Sisson often says).
It's time to shift the conversation away from blame and shame and towards empowerment and accurate information. With the right knowledge and approach, we can support both the physical well-being and self-love that everyone deserves, without compromising one for the other. It's not just about loving the body we are in; it's about giving that body the love it truly needs through nutrient-dense whole foods. By embracing this perspective, we can create a healthier society that truly understands and honors the intricate relationship between nutrition, body composition, and overall health.
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Brian