Many Triathletes cringe when the word fat comes to mind. They try to avoid them at all cost. This is another common mistake made because not all fats are bad. In addition, as a Triathlete it is almost essential that you get good fats to help increase calories intake and maintain a healthy body.
There are two primary classifications of fats: saturated (bad) and unsaturated (good). The saturated fats are the ones which are accompanied with cholesterol and can lead to you arteries being gunked up. The unsaturated fats are essential to a healthy diet. Within unsaturated fats, there are mono- and polyunsaturated fats. The right blend of polyunsaturated fats are essential for a healthy diet and body.
Omega-6 and omega-3 fats should make up the majority of your polyunsaturated fat intake. The right ratio of these two is 3:1 omega-6 to omega-3. However, many Americans intake too many omega-6 fats which come from vegetable oil and such. To help balance this out, have a fish dinner 3-4 times a week because fish is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids.
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