A quick Google search of the phrase “last 5-10 pounds” yields ~ 29 million, 600 thousand results.

It seems that last 5-10 pounds are notoriously tough to lose and a source of frustration for millions of women. Do you cut calories/restrict carbohydrates/exercise excessively/fast intermittently/go hungry/slurp down cabbage soup? All of the above?

There’s been a fair amount of hoo-hah in the nutritional web-o-sphere as of late regarding the “fattening” properties of dietary carbohydrates, what with the rise of the Paleo/Primal movement, French Dukan hype, LCHF (low carb high fat) and the old Atkins Diet Revolution movement reliving another moment of glory. The Scandinavians are certainly on board1, with Swedish and Danish bread producers feeling the toll3.

You may have heard the latest. Yesterday it was reported that a new studyshows a positive correlation between eating red meat and dying an early death. Gasp!!

Fats have become something of a pet topic for me. They’re the macronutrient that everyone loves to hate, unfairly persecuted by myths still perpetuated by the marketing of commercial food products and the diet industry. I suppose I’ve made it a bit of a personal mission to get the word out there about beautifully nourishing, natural fats. But of course, not all fats are created equal. Here’s a brief run down on four main types of fat that we consume.

This one’s not just for the fellas. Ladies, soy will also upset your sexual hormones, contribute to weight gain, bloating, gas, painful, heavy menstrual cycles and throw your mood out of whack. But let me start at the beginning…

Fresh cream. Fresh, raw cream from grass-fed cows.

Heaven.

Contrary to popular belief, cream from pastured organic cows is incredibly nutritious. It’s amazing source of fat-soluble vitamins A (for eye, skin, and adrenal health), D (essential for the absorption of calcium), E (an antioxidant, great for the skin) and K (essential for blood clotting and bone health). Cream fat also contains lots of short- and medium-chain fatty acids (good for energy and fat-burning) as well as conjugated linoleic acid (a potent antioxidant, muscle builder and immunity booster). Remember, the fat component of dairy is where the nutrition is… don’t shy away from it!

This is for those of you who choose nonfat yoghurt, drink skinny lattes, substitute butter with margarine, and deny yourselves the great pleasure of cheese. I used to be one of you. But, around a year and a half ago, I did a complete nutritional 180 and started enjoying delicious full-cream yoghurt, real butter, rich cream, and quality cheese (not to mention lots of egg yolks, fatty cuts of meat, coconut cream, bacon, sausage, lard…). I feel fantastic – healthy, energetic, lean, well nourished, satiated – I’ve never looked back. And I’m now pretty outspoken when it comes to promoting full-fat over skimmed foods (in case you missed it). Here’s why…

“The diet-heart hypothesis has been repeatedly shown to be wrong, and yet, for complicated reasons of pride, profit and prejudice, the hypothesis continues to be exploited by scientists, fund-raising enterprises, food companies and even governmental agencies. The public is being deceived by the greatest health scam of the century.” – George Mann, ScD, MD, Former Co-Director, The Framingham Study