Hi, I'm new and I'm not sure if I'm putting this in the right place. I have a question about realistic goals for fat intake.
I have been writing down every single crumb that goes into my mouth for almost 3 weeks and I've realized that the single biggest issue I have with food is my fat intake. I love fatty foods - chocolate, bread with butter, etc. And I get way too much fat in an average day.
I'd like to set a limit for myself as to a maximum number of fat grams I'll eat per day. But I have no idea what a reasonable goal for fat intake would be. I was typically eating 80 grams of fat a day when I started writing this all down! that's way, way too much and it's a real eye opener to see it in black and white that way. I'm definitely being much more careful about the foods I eat now, but I still feel like I'm eating too much fat (about 40 grams per day). I just don't know what a realistic goal is - I know that you need to eat SOME fat, but I don't know what counts as "some" and what counts as "way too much". I'm 6 feet tall and trying to lose 75 pounds. Can anyone point me in the direction of some guidelines as far as fat intake limits for a low fat diet?
Counting fat grams is kind of an 80s thing to do ...
A more helpful way to think about fat intake is as a percentage of your total calorie intake. It's calories that will make the difference in weight loss; how much of that intake is comprised of fat has health implications, but not necessarily weight loss implications. You don't say if you are shooting for a certain number of calories per day or not, but let's say you're going to eat 1700 calories per day (a reasonable amount given your weight which will support metabolism). Different people with different philosophies about carb/protein/fat ratios would advocate different numbers, but let's say you're going to hit the middle ground and divide your calories into 50% carb, 25% protein, and 25% fat. So, 425 calories per day would come from ALL fat sources, which would come out to about 47g fat. Someone eating 1500 calories per day, but following the same ratios, would be eating 375 per day from fat, or 42g.
You can easily track these percentages on the FitDay web site -- just enter what you eat, and the program will calculate all the numbers for you.
Using Fitday to track my food eating, and looking back over it just now, it appears that over the past 28 days I've averaged eating 40 grams of fat a day, which comes to 19% of my calories from fat.
I am more into going into a low calorie lifestyle rather than cutting out fat per se. It really is the calories that count, I believe, rather than where those calories come from. Of course, since a gram of fat is more calorie dense then a gram of protien or carbs, then yeah, they eat quite a bit into the ol' calorie budget.
I really recomend you try fitday. I resisted entering my foods at first, it just seemed anal beyound words to me. But it really did help open my eyes as to what my actual food choices were doing for my progress. And entering the foods isn't hard. It's a bit tedious at first, but gets easier as you enter more and more custom foods. I don't enter all the micronutrients, just fat, fiber, carbs, protien, and also calcium and iron. It really doesn't take long at all.
I have an account at fitday and haven't been using it as much as I should. I've got 2 young kids and it's just so much easier to jot it down on a piece of paper. But I'll try to use Fitday more often, if it's actually pretty helpful.
I have been counting calories and trying to stay between 1500 and 1700 per day. I just want to keep track of fat in addition to calories, because I know that my sweet tooth and preference for fatty foods is my biggest hurdle to overcome right now.
I count fat grams and watch my calories, I'm not the best with figuring out percentages in my head (I'm away from the computer, and fitday most of the day). 30-40 grams of fat a day is what I aim for, so it sounds like you are right on track!
www.room42.com has an excellent calculator which will tell you how much fat you can eat in a day to lose weight.
Also, loving rich foods and dieting don't have to be mutually exclusive things. There are a lot of low-fat, fat free alternatives out there which give you the flavors you crave without the guilt. What are some of the thing you like the most? I might be able to direct you to some things I've already tried which don't seem a sacrifice to me.
Thanks Swimgirl. I appreciate your input I stink at percentages too. Math is NOT my strong suit!
Solus, thanks for the link. I'll check it out as soon as I post. My biggest downfalls are chocolate (especially dark) and ice cream. I've discovered Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches which are wonderful. I really like those and they're great when I just can't do without an "ice cream fix."
There have been recent articles saying that chocolate is actually a good source of antioxidents (only dark, unfortunately) and that it's okay to have a little bit of it, as long as you don't overeat. Moderation is the key.
My favorite way to get my antioxidents is dipping my strawberries in it!
Gray_eyed_girl, recent research has shown that moderate fat diets may be better in the long run for some people than low fat or high fat diets. You might consider 25% up to 35% fat, while tracking total calories. I read about a study last year that showed that you could lose weight at the same rate by consuming 35% fat as well as 25% fat, as long as the total calories were the same. However, those that chose 35% fat were more likely to stick to their diets long enough to reach their goals, and to keep the weight off later. This has been in the health news a few times over the last year, and it's been very interesting.
Generally speaking, it may not be the percentage of fat in your diet that affects your rate of weight loss, but the total calories you consume. By cutting back on fatty foods, you usually reduce the number of calories you consume, so that's the theory behind low fat diets. But if you count calories first, then you should consider the percentage of fat as a way of making sure that you eat a balanced diet. For example, if your fat intake is too high, you might be missing out on nutrient dense foods such as fruits and vegetables. Some fat is good, and it's also necessary to help our bodies function properly. You should also make sure the fat you choose is the right kind. Eliminate saturated fats, and make sure you avoid trans-fats like the plague But some fats, like olive oil and fish oil, are good for our hearts, brains, skin, etc.
I used to be afraid of fat. I followed extreme diets like Ornish. Though I do think Dr. Ornish's plan is necessary for some people that have heart disease, and even I tried it because I have heart disease. It was extremely difficult to stick to, and isn't suitable for everyone. Over the years, I learned that fat isn't the enemy. It's the kind of fat we choose that makes the difference in our health, but it's the overall calories in vs calories out that makes the difference in our weight.
Regarding chocolate look for the bags of Dove Dark chocolate in the small bite size pieces. Store them in the freezer, lol, unless you have willpower of steel! Chocolate is indeed good for us, but not any old chocolate will work. It must be at least 70% cocoa solids (dark chocolate) and it must be made from cocoa that still contains the flavoniods. Most of the chocolate in America is processed in a way that removes the flavoniods. Dove Dark, however, uses Cocoapro, which is the type that is good for us. Here's a good article on it from WebMD http://my.webmd.com/content/article/88/99702.htm
That was really interesting, Suzanne. Thanks for sharing that! I was thinking I should lighten up on myself if my fat gets up to 35% (almost completely unsaturated) -- you might just have clinched that for me with that information!
LOL, Sexy acura, you are so funny! Do you avoid sugar all together? Everything is fine in moderation. If you eat two pounds of chocolate...there is no excuse for that. However, if you eat 5 pieces of Dove candies, but manage to work it into your diet without going over your caloric intake limit, you are fine. I'd be a sad person if I didnt get to eat some chocolate.
Last edited by Universityprincess; 08-02-2005 at 05:59 PM.
Suzanne, thanks for the information about dark chocolate. Whenever I buy some chocolate next, I'll look for the Dove brand. I usually do Hershey's but I love Dove chocolate too. I just looked over the last 2 weeks of my Fitday entries and I've stayed consistently between 25 and 30% fat every day. I haven't been focusing on fat at all lately, to be honest. I've been keeping my calories below 1600 and eating more fat-free items, and that seems to be working just fine at keeping me at a good level of fat in my diet. I appreciate the info!
I completely agree with Universityprincess about all things in moderation. I'm not going to avoid chocolate - or sugar - entirely, because I'd be miserable. I just keep my intake reasonable and make sure it fits into my diet. It's worked for 38 pounds so far. I would have quit long ago if I wasn't "allowed" to have chocolate or other sweets sometimes.
Realistic goals for fat intake?
that's way, way too much and it's a real eye opener to see it in black and white that way. 
I stink at percentages too. Math is NOT my strong suit!
look for the bags of Dove Dark chocolate in the small bite size pieces. Store them in the freezer, lol, unless you have willpower of steel! Chocolate is indeed good for us, but not any old chocolate will work. It must be at least 70% cocoa solids (dark chocolate) and it must be made from cocoa that still contains the flavoniods. Most of the chocolate in America is processed in a way that removes the flavoniods. Dove Dark, however, uses Cocoapro, which is the type that is good for us. Here's a good article on it from WebMD 
