weight management: which fats to eat, what are the good fats, high fat

Protein and fats are more filling than carbohydrates (not to say we don’t need carbs – we 100% do, and they are good for us!) – which is why I personally think that a diet higher in high quality fats and protein is helpful for weight management.

Fats are found in many types of foods – both in animal forms and vegetable-based forms.

Historically, there has been a lot of negative discussion about fat found in animal products, but here is a great article debunking those myths.

Here is a good list and what 1 “normal” serving of different fats includes. By “normal”, I mean the amount one could add to a meal or snack. If there’s a meal or snack on my site that you don’t like, please feel free to switch it out for one of these!

1 “NORMAL” SERVING = ~100-200 CALORIES

Oils

Full fat (e.g. not fat-free) salad dressing: 1-2 Tbsp
Olives: depends on the jar and type – check what you have! It may be an overwhelm of olives since they’re fairly low calorie, so you may want to combine different fats to get up to 100-200 calories if you choose olives.
Oils: 1-2 Tbsp

“Fruits”

With our botanists’ caps on, these are technically fruits, but with our chefs’ hats on, these are fats!

Olives: depends on the jar and type – check what you have! It may be an overwhelm of olives since they’re fairly low calorie, so you may want to combine different fats to get up to 100-200 calories if you choose olives.
Avocados: 1/2-1 medium; 1 mini
Guacamole: 1-2 single serving packets; 1/4-1/3 cup

Nuts, Nut Butters & Seeds

Tree nuts (almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, chestnuts, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pistachios, pine nuts, walnuts, etc.) and peanuts: 1/8-1/4 cup
Any nut butter (including peanut butter): 1-2 Tbsp
Seeds: 2-3 Tbsp

Animal Based

Uncured bacon: 3-4 pieces; 1/4-1/3 cup bacon bits
85% lean ground beef: 2oz – typically red meat contains more fat than poultry or pork. Therefore, it can sometimes be counted as a “fat”!
Uncured salami: 1-2oz

Dairy-Based

Whole or 2% Yogurt: 6-8 ounces or 3/4 to 1 cup or 1 single-serving container
Full-fat Cheese: 1-2 string cheeses; 1-2 slices of cheese; 1/4-1/3 cup shredded or crumbled cheese
Whole or 2% Milk: 1 cup
2% or full fat Cottage Cheese: 1/2-1 cup