Grams of fat per day

[joerey]

Is there a safe amout of fat you should eat per day? I average between 20-25g. But on a couple of occasions its been around 45gs but with a total calorie count of around 1100-12000.
I have heard that i should be eating around 50 grams per day is that true? If so what sort of fats should i be eating. My partner makes salad dressing with balsalmic vinegar and olive oil is that ok or should that be avoided?

[kellost]

Wish I had an answer for you, but I wonder this myself all the time. I try to stick to 1200-1500 calories a day, and I do try to limit fat grams. But I use olive oil in some recipes and I eat nuts for a snack at times, which ups the "good fat" significantly. I think this is okay, but I'm really not sure how much fat is too much of a good thing.

I've had people tell me "a calorie is a calorie is a calorie". In other words, eat within your calorie range and don't worry so much about the fat grams. I'm honestly not sure, but what's worked for me is counting calories and being cautious about fat grams.

[joerey]

Thanks for the reply,
Silly question now but what are good fats and what are bad fats?

[AutumnSky]

When it comes down to it, weight loss comes from a deficit of calories, not a deficit in fat. We should watch our fat levels because fat is calorie-dense, so eating high amounts of fat = eating high amounts of calories. So, as kellost said, worry primarily about eating within your calorie range. However, with that said, some fats are better than others (monosaturated fats), and eating a moderate amount of them have been shown in some studies to help aid weight loss, particularly losing belly fat. So, you want to try to eat mostly this kind of fat.. and avoid things that are high in saturdated and trans fat. Things like nuts, avocados, olive oil, salmon, all contain good, monosaturated fats and are good to eat.. just have to be careful about sticking to portion size!

[mayness]

Your level of fat intake is reasonable.. you're getting 15-20% of your calories from fat, which is fine. You could eat more fats if you wanted to (of course, I'd recommend the healthy fats mentioned above!) but you don't NEED to eat more, in my opinion. If your hair and skin seem healthy, you're probably fine.

[WarMaiden]

I eat around 60 to 70 grams of fat per day, including what comes from my fish oil supplement (about 8 grams). My % range is generally 30 to 35% of my calories coming from fat. Total calories are generally in the 1600 to 1800 range. This works for me. Dietary fat is not my enemy.

Man, reading this thread reminds me that I haven't had an avocado in far, far too long.

[beerab]

It really depends, I eat higher fat because I'm on a low carb diet (south beach) because my insulin resistance issues. I used to eat more carbs and very low fat but didn't lose anything- I had to change up to finally see results

I think you are doing well- remember you do need SOME fat in your diet- so 15-20% is very good

[sweetnlow28]

Originally Posted by AutumnSky

When it comes down to it, weight loss comes from a deficit of calories, not a deficit in fat. We should watch our fat levels because fat is calorie-dense, so eating high amounts of fat = eating high amounts of calories. So, as kellost said, worry primarily about eating within your calorie range. However, with that said, some fats are better than others (monosaturated fats), and eating a moderate amount of them have been shown in some studies to help aid weight loss, particularly losing belly fat. So, you want to try to eat mostly this kind of fat.. and avoid things that are high in saturdated and trans fat. Things like nuts, avocados, olive oil, salmon, all contain good, monosaturated fats and are good to eat.. just have to be careful about sticking to portion size!

I will thank you for this answer even though it wasn't my thread I have been wondering about fat for a long time too and your post makes it more clear. I hope it helps the OP as well