Nutrients are the components in food that your body uses to repair tissue, maintain a disease-free body and to provide enrgy to move, think and, well, simply remain alive! Good news: you can get the nutrients your body needs from the food you eat, with minimal supplementation, in most cases.

All six primary nutrients needed by the body are available from food sources. Their availability varies by food and nutrient in question. These primary nutrients are: proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals and water. All six are required for the body's systems to work well. Repeat: all 6 are needed by your body!

Let's talk about the dietary "bad guy:" FATS! YUK! Did you realize that some fats are actually "good guys?"

Fat is needed in the body for several reasons, including:

1. As a support for brain activity.
2. As a source of energy.
3. To allow the body to use proteins to repair and build many cells.
4. As an insulator and as a cushion for your organs.
5. As a component in the repair of blood vessels and nerve sheaths and linings.

So, fat has a role in optimal health! The key is to get the right fats, in the right amounts in your diet in order to allow needed biological processes to occur, while preventing excess fat from "going to waist" (or hips, thighs, butt or anywhere else!)

Fatty Acids are components of fats, and are split into 2 groups: essential and non-essential. Essential fatty acids, also called EFA's are all over the media these days. They come in twon principle types: Omega 3's and Omega 6's. These fats you need and want in your diet!

Other fats, like saturated fats, have significantly less biological value. These are found in butter, fried foods, many cheeses and in fatty cuts of red meat. They are solids at room temperature, and for many of us, lodge "solidly" in places we'd rather they didn't! As fo hydrogenated fats and trans-fats? Well, let's just treat them like the poisonous enemies they are and leave it at that!

So where do we find the "good guy" fats, Omega 3's and Omega 6's?

Foods that contain thes types of fats include:

• Unprocessed green vegetables, including spinach, kale and dark salad greens
• Fish, especially deep or cold-water fishes like Salmon and Tuna
  
• Poultry
  
• Egg Yolks
  
• Lean meats

Many seeds, nuts and oils such as pure virgin olive oil, canola oil and fish oils (for most of us, Krill oil is a better, "fish-burp" free choice. Here's a great source for Krill Oil: http://allstarsportsacademy.getprograde.com/ICON

As a happy coincidence, many sources of Omega 3 and 6 EFA's are also good sources of protein!

In order to support your efforts to reach your ideal weight and/or body shape:

1. Avoid adding fats to foods, even while cooking, such as butter and margarine
2. Avoid fried foods (duh!)
3. Use low fat or fat free natural cheese instead of high fat cheeses
4. Trim excess fat off of meats before cooking

Getting enough of the right fats in your diet is as important as avoiding the wrong kind. Be sure to include foods high in essential fatty acids and you are likely to both feel and see the results!