Fish Oil as Your Only Fat Source?

I recently received a blog request from a forum member about the following:

From poster: I was at the gym and I overheard a couple of guys talking about fish oil and fat. One of them was telling the other that he had removed from his diet all Fat foods (almonds, etc) as we was getting his fat needs covered by taking fish oil.  I thought this bizarre... Can you comment?

My response:
The first thing that comes to mind when I think about this guy's decision is that he's going to start sprouting scales and a few fins here and there! 

A bit off topic, but I remember one time when I was very little and loved pickles.  It was Christmas, and I kept eating them in front of my great grandpa.  He eventually told me I was going to turn into a pickle if I ate anymore!  Admitting this shamefully right now, I started to cry out of fear of turning into a pickle.....haha.  All that is beside the point, but still good for a laugh nonetheless.

Sure, this guy won't turn into a fish, but it is still not a good idea to get all of your fats from a single source.  He more than likely read an article on the benefits of fish oil, and has gone off the deep end!  Pun intended.

Multiple fat sources contain multiple types of fats, which have multiple benefits.  You see where I'm going with this?  He is only going to be getting the benefits of fish oil, which are plentiful and great, but if he would broaden his fat source horizons, his body would thank him.

Now, I am not claiming to be a specialist on fats, but I do know enough about them to know that they are a necessity in one's diet.  We've all heard of trans fats, saturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, and monounsaturated fats.  These fats differ in their molecular structure, causing them to affect the body in different ways, based on those structural differences.

Trans fats are a fat that we can do without.  However, saturateds, monos, and polys are fats that we can't do without.  In terms of muscle building, this guy is going to be at a disadvantage by only consuming fish oil, which is not a strong source of saturated fats.  Saturated fats support hormone synthesis, which is essential for proper muscle growth and function of the body.

It is wise to include multiple fat sources in your diet.  I recommend eating walnuts, almonds, natural peanut butter, avocados, olive oil, coconut oil, animal fats such as those found in red meats and fish(particularly salmon), and whole eggs to provide your body with a multitude of healthy and essential fat types.

One thing I do know for sure; if your gym starts to smell a bit fishy, blame Mr. Fish Oil and leave him a bag of almonds on your way out!

Thanks to forum member Wazzu for this topic request!