Nate’s guide to healthy dietary habits (part 1)

Alright, during my time on Sythe, I have seen way too many “guides” about how to get ripped, bigger, stronger, healthier, faster, skinner, etc, very few of which have contained any factual information on the topic of eating habits, and how they relate to being healthy. I am here to set the record straight. I will be discussing the 3 main categories of food types, dissecting each, then wrapping it up by bringing it all together with some generic healthy tips and tricks. (note, this was originally going to be in 1 guide, but in order to avoid an information overload, I am breaking it down into two of them, which I will either finish next month or write up later this one).

Section 1: fats​

Everyone has heard about fats. Fats are easily the most misunderstood food group, as well as the one that has the most false data running around about it. First off, fat, as defined by Wikipedia, is “Fats consist of a wide group of compounds that are generally soluble in organic solvents and largely insoluble in water. Chemically, fats are generally triesters of glycerol and fatty acids. Fats may be either solid or liquid at room temperature, depending on their structure and composition”

Now, I am going to say this loud and bold, because it is going to be mind blowing.

EATING FOODS WITH FAT DOES NOT MAKE YOU FAT.

Didn’t catch it? Please read that sentence again. That is correct, fats do not make you fat. On the contrary, fat is a vital part of a healthy diet when consumed in moderation. Some examples of the benefits eating the right fats can give you:

As you can see, fats are a beneficial, and ESSENTIAL, part of your diet. Another to distinction to make is between dietary fat and body fat. Body fat is what you get when your bodys caloric intake is greater than its output. Dietary fat is the fat found in foods that you consume. Now that we have debunked the myth that eating fat makes you fat, lets discuss the types of dietary fat that exist.

There are two main distinctions between fat groups, saturated and unsaturated. From these categories you have the various types of saturated fats (trans fats, etc) and unsaturated fats (polyunsaturated and monounsaturated). Although the reasoning and explanations behind the differences between the two main groups is well beyond the scope and intent of this guide, let it suffice to say that saturated fats are usually bad for you, and unsaturated fats are good for you. The basics of it is that saturated fats are participants in raising the ratio of good cholesterol to bad cholesterol, while unsaturated fats lower it.

Some of the foods that contain saturated fat (and their counterparts such as trans fat, hydrogenated oils, etc) are very fatty types of red meat cuts, baked goods, cereals, and similar products.
Some foods that contain the good fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) are thing like any kind of nuts (almonds are the best!), seeds, different types of oils (olive/coconut), fish, and my favorite, avocados!

To summarize:

Now go out and eat some healthy fats since you have empowered yourself and overcome the all too common mistake that fatty foods make you fat. Part 2 will be coming next month.

 

This isn't a guide to dietary habits really. Nonetheless, I like it. 7/10.

BTW you better include in part 2 the truth about eating meat.(bad!)

 

haha, well to understand dietary habits, you have to understand food. Fats are the most complicated, and the next part will be about carbs, proteins, and summarized with the healthy "habits". Thanks for the input : )

 

I personally like that you made a guide that isn't about, "how to become strong, how to be ripped". Those guides were flooding this section, as you said, "without containing any factual information".

The layout of the guide is quite well done, but the main problem I see if the font and size of the writing. To me, when I looked at my eyes feel to the side of the page due to the writing being too big. Maybe keeping it the same size and use a much smaller font will do it justice. My favorite is "Franklin Goth Medic", but that's just me.

Now to the content of the guide. As I said before, I like the guide topic, as many people post false information. I defiantly recommend making it one guide, as I find this on itself a bit too short. Adding what each fat does and how and how much of it should work wonders for your guide. Nether-less, I rather you add as much information to this guide than making it 2-3 separate guides, just 'cause I find it easier to read one single guide than thousand even though it's the same amount of writing.

Looking over my PDH notes on "How important nutrition to your health?" gives me a wide range of suggestions on dietary habits. lol


But the one thing I find kinda arrogant is the title. Putting Nate's guide makes it look like you're aloof, making yourself look like you're better than everybody, for whatever reason it is. I know that isn't the case, but to new users who don't know you it does seem like that.

 

Thanks for the advice cos! Ill def look into improving it over the weekend when I get some time with the advice and points you suggested. Thanks : P

 

Not true, fats aren't technically the most complicated. There are substructures of carbohydrates (complex) and proteins (multiprotein complex) which have equally perplexing components.

LOL, Thanks for the enjoyment. Everyone enjoys constructive criticism to a certain extent, but only to a certain extent. The title should stay, merely because it is his guide - there is nothing arrogant about it. Not to mention your improper use of aloof.

 

I always found the concept of fats as the most difficult to grasp, simply because growing up you are taught to relate eating fats with becoming fat. But I definitely agree with you, and I still have yet to determine the level of depth that I will take when I cover those two : P

 

Since English is subjective it is neither right nor wrong. But to me, by putting the title as Nate's guide he is distancing himself from everybody else.

 

Well it is his guide...

He can put whatever he pleases since it was created by him and through his compilation of facts from prior studies.