Your Fat Phobia is Making You Unhealthy

Let me tell you about the time I threw away a perfectly good avocado.

It was 2018, peak "clean eating" era, and I was standing in my tiny Brooklyn kitchen holding this beautiful, ripe avocado. But I'd already had almonds that day. And olive oil on my salad. In my calorie-tracking app, I was "over" on fats.

So into the trash it went.

Chef's kiss to my past self for that absolutely unhinged behavior.

If you've ever found yourself calculating whether you can "afford" the fat in your salad dressing, or choosing fat-free yogurt because it seems "healthier," this one's for you. Because here's what nobody talks about: our collective fat phobia isn't just silly—it's actively making us less healthy.

The Problem with "Good" and "Bad" Fat Labels

We love a good villain story, don't we? And nutrition "experts" have been more than happy to give us one. First it was all fats (thanks, 80s). Then it was just saturated fats. Now we've got this whole "good fat, bad fat" narrative that sounds reasonable but is actually... kinda missing the point.

Here's the thing that bugs me about this binary thinking: it treats your body like a simple machine where you just input "good" stuff and avoid "bad" stuff. But your body isn't a car where you can just choose premium gas. It's more like... a really sophisticated smartphone that needs different types of energy for different apps.

And just like your phone, when you don't give it what it needs, things start glitching.

What Your Body Actually Does with Fat (Spoiler: It's Complicated)

Okay, let's get nerdy for a hot second. Because understanding what's actually happening in your body makes it way harder to be afraid of fat.

Your Brain is Basically Made of Fat

Wild fact: your brain is almost 60% fat. Not "stores fat" or "uses fat"—is fat. Those omega-3s everyone talks about? They're literally building blocks for your brain tissue.

When I learned this, I had one of those "oh shit" moments. Like, no wonder I felt foggy and weird when I was restricting fats. I was basically putting my brain on a starvation diet.

Your Hormones Need Fat to Exist

This one's huge, especially if you're dealing with irregular periods, low energy, or mood swings. Your sex hormones—estrogen, testosterone, progesterone—are made from cholesterol and fat. Not metaphorically. Literally.

I can't tell you how many clients I've worked with who were struggling with hormone issues while eating virtually no fat. It's like trying to build a house but refusing to use any wood because you heard wood can be bad for houses sometimes.

Fat is Your Body's Uber Driver for Vitamins

Vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat-soluble, which means they need fat to get where they're going. Without fat, you could be eating all the leafy greens in the world and still be deficient in vitamin K.

It's like having Amazon packages delivered to your building but refusing to let the delivery person in. The good stuff is right there, but it can't actually help you.

The Real Villain: Trans Fats (And Honestly, Just Trans Fats)

If we're gonna label any fat as truly "bad," it's trans fats. These are the artificial ones created through hydrogenation—think old-school margarine, certain processed baked goods, fried foods from restaurants that haven't updated their oil in a decade.

These actually are linked to increased heart disease risk and inflammation. But here's the plot twist: most of them have already been removed from the food supply. The FDA banned artificial trans fats in 2018.

So if you're eating mostly whole foods and not living on gas station pastries, you're probably fine on the trans fat front.

Let's Talk About Saturated Fat (Without the Drama)

Saturated fat got villainized hard in the 80s and 90s, and we're still living with the psychological aftermath. But recent research suggests the relationship between saturated fat and heart disease is way more complicated than "saturated fat = instant heart attack."

The current recommendation is to keep saturated fat under about 10% of your daily calories. For most people, that's still room for butter in your coffee, some cheese on your pasta, and the occasional burger without spiraling into health anxiety.

Context matters here. Are you eating saturated fat from avocados, nuts, and the occasional piece of dark chocolate? Or are you getting it primarily from ultra-processed foods? Your body notices the difference, even if the nutrition label doesn't.

The Unsaturated Fat Glow-Up

Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are having their main character moment right now, and honestly, they deserve it. These are your olive oils, avocados, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish.

Research consistently shows these fats can help with:

• Heart health (they actually improve cholesterol ratios)
• Brain function (hello, better focus)
• Inflammation control (less joint pain, better recovery)
• Insulin sensitivity (more stable blood sugar)

But here's what I want you to notice: I said "help with," not "magically cure" or "instantly fix." Because that's not how nutrition works, despite what Instagram would have you believe.

Practical Advice That Won't Make You Spiral

Alright, enough science. Let's talk about what this actually looks like in your real life.

Stop Counting Fat Grams Like They're Carbs in 2003

Seriously. Unless you have a specific medical condition, tracking fat grams is probably creating more stress than benefit. Instead, focus on including a source of fat with most meals because it helps with satiety and nutrient absorption.

Embrace the "Add, Don't Subtract" Approach

Instead of eliminating foods you're scared of, try adding more of the fats that make you feel good. Drizzle olive oil on your vegetables. Add nuts to your yogurt. Put avocado on your toast.

Notice how you feel when you eat these foods. More satisfied? Less likely to raid the pantry an hour later? That's your body saying "thank you."

Cook More, Stress Less

The easiest way to avoid trans fats and excessive processed food? Cook more of your own meals. And I don't mean meal-prepping 47 containers every Sunday. I mean learning how to make 5-7 meals you actually enjoy that include some fat, some protein, some carbs, and some vegetables.

Revolutionary concept, I know.

Real Talk About Fear Foods

If you've been afraid of fat for a while, adding it back can feel scary. Your brain might start doing that thing where it's like "but what if this ONE avocado ruins everything?"

Here's what I tell my clients: your body is incredibly good at adapting. It's not going to freak out because you had nuts and olive oil in the same day. It's actually going to be relieved that you're finally giving it the building blocks it needs.

Start small if you need to. Add a quarter of an avocado to your lunch. Use a teaspoon of olive oil instead of cooking spray. Put a small handful of nuts in your oatmeal.

Pay attention to how you feel—your energy, your mood, your satiety—instead of what the scale says. Because plot twist: adequate fat intake often leads to better appetite regulation and more stable energy, which can actually support a healthy weight.

The Questions Nobody Asks (But Should)

Before you make any food decision based on fear, ask yourself:

• Where did I learn to be afraid of this food?
• Is this fear based on current research or outdated advice?
• How does this food actually make me feel when I eat it?
• Am I avoiding this because it's unhealthy, or because I think I "should"?

These questions have saved me from so many unnecessary food rules over the years.

Your Assignment (If You Choose to Accept It)

For the next week, I want you to try something radical: eat fat without guilt.

Add olive oil to your salad. Eat the egg yolks. Have some nuts as a snack. Put avocado on your sandwich.

And then—this is the important part—notice how you feel. Not just physically, but emotionally too. Are you more satisfied after meals? Less obsessed with food? Sleeping better?

Your body has been waiting for permission to function optimally. Maybe it's time to give it that permission.

The Bottom Line

Fat isn't the enemy. Diet culture messaging that makes you afraid of entire macronutrients? That's the enemy.

Your body needs fat to function. Not just "can tolerate fat" or "won't be harmed by small amounts of fat." Needs fat. For your brain, your hormones, your cell membranes, your vitamin absorption, your satiety signals.

The goal isn't to eat as little fat as possible. The goal is to eat enough fat from varied sources so your body can do its job without you having to micromanage every bite.

And honestly? Once you stop being afraid of fat, eating becomes so much more enjoyable. Food tastes better, you feel more satisfied, and you can finally throw away that calorie-tracking app that's been making you neurotic about almonds.

Your future self—the one who puts olive oil on vegetables without calculating the calories—is going to thank you.

What's your biggest fat fear? Drop a comment and let's talk about it. Because I guarantee whatever food rule you're following, I've probably been there too.