The most important step on your weight loss journey is understanding the different effects sugars and fats have on weight gain.

Once you find the right balance between the two, you'll notice your energy levels spiking and your fat melting away.

Weight Gain From Sugar

Sugar is the real culprit when it comes to gaining weight. When your sugar intake is too high, your body fails to produce an adequate amount of insulin to break it down. As a result, the body stores the sugar in fat cells.

Natural sugars are healthy for your body, while artificial sugars are not. To beat sugar-related weight gain, it's best to avoid foods with processed sugars.

Weight Gain From Fats

The secret to understanding how fats affect weight gain is knowing the different types of fats and what they can do to your health.

1. Unsaturated

Unsaturated fats include monounsaturated and polyunsaturated, and they are liquid at room temperature. These types of fats are the ones you want to consume. They can improve cholesterol levels, ease inflammation, improve brain and muscle function and more.

Polyunsaturated fats include omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. These are dietary essentials, but our bodies don't produce them. Instead, eating foods such as salmon, herring, walnuts, and flaxseeds can help you get enough of this important nutrient.

Monounsaturated fats are in foods such as avocados, olive oil, almonds, and pumpkin seeds.

2. Saturated

Saturated fat is one to limit in your diet as much as possible. It is solid at room temperature, so it is known as a "solid fat." Cheese, butter, bacon, fast food dishes and a variety of processed foods often contain large amounts of saturated fat.

A diet high in this type of fat puts you at higher risk of heart disease and other health problems.

Trans fats are extremely unhealthy. They can cause inflammation, lead to clogged arteries and more, but they are also very common in a variety of fried foods, fast foods, and baked goods.

Trans fats are made by adding hydrogen to liquid vegetable oil to make it more solid. You can find them on food labels listed as "hydrogenated" or "partially hydrogenated."

How to Avoid Weight Gain From Sugar and Fats

The answer to this question is simple: Eat whole foods. Good sugars and fats can be found in the following foods:

• Nuts and seeds
• Whole grains
• Fruits and vegetables
• Eggs
• Fish
• Beans

The key to losing weight lies in staying away from processed foods. Your body converts all processed carbs, including those found in wheat bread, straight into sugar. When your blood sugar increases, it causes a spike in insulin that drives the body's fuel into the fat cells. When this happens, you become more hungry, have more cravings and are more prone to overeating. Aside from eating healthy, there are also ideal times to eat each meal of the day.

At Forklift & Palate, we're passionate about fueling your body with the right balance of healthy fats and natural sugars. Check out our menus today and browse our wide variety of healthy options.