I moved from WWPP over to calorie counting. WW mandates 2 tsp. daily of healthy oil. My oil of preference is EVOO and I generally have 1 tsp. or 2 on my lunch salad. However, 2 nights this week I had a carb shortage in my day (imagine that--I had a BREAD choice left) and decided to eat a nice slice with some oil with spices and make it a dipping oil. So, I had 4 teaspoons of oil--is that too much in a day do you think?

There are basically no "rules" to calorie counting other than that you count (and probably limit) calories - and not even everyone has the same rules about how to count. So there's no guideline on oil (or any other food) and any answer you'll get is personal opinion.

I would have eaten vegetables sauteed in olive oil (I use 1 tbsp so similar to what you had) instead of the dipped bread.

I'm curious where you're getting your guidelines about food groups to eat if you've left WW - are you doing WW just on your own?

TY for the answer. No, not following WWPP, but some of the guidelines seem smart to me.

I'm basically hitting all of the food groups, non-starchy veg is a focus, at least 1 fruit if not 2, 2 servings of milk product (non-fat yogurt, skim milk, light cheeses), lean meats/fish or beans, and 1 or 2 starch/bread whether it is actual bread, or pasta, potatoes, rice, cereal, etc. I'm just trying to eat in what I think is a well-rounded way.

Since the oil is calorie dense, I was just wondering if anyone draws the line at a specific amount. Of course, I use it to saute too and any other ways imaginable, but OMG, the dipping oil is just so delicious! Ya think it has more to do with the bread than the oil?

Yum, I love crusty bread dipped in some freshly peppered olive oil.

I don't follow any rules for oils. Well, actually no rules for anything other than stay under my calories & incorporate fruits and veggies into my daily diet.

Technically, you can eat as much oil as you like, as long as you stay within your calorie allowance. Of course, since fat is far more calorie-dense, you'll find you run out of real food faster if you're using up too many calories on oil. You could also run into other problems, potentially. I'm really careful with fats, because I have gallstones and eating too much fat at once can trigger a gallstone attack.

Dipping bread in oil is very tasty but it's probably not the best move for a dieter. How about drizzling a little oil over the bread instead? I do this with rice cakes sometimes. If you like balsamic vinegar, you could play with that as well, and at least you could dip the bread into that quite happily. I'm planning to go to an Italian restaurant soon so I'm glad you brought this up, you've got me thinking about how to approach the fabulous bread they always bring at the start of the meal. (I will have to forego the fabulous fried courgettes this time, alas.)

I also find that I only need quarter of a teaspoon of oil to make a stir-fry for one person, and similar proportions if I'm cooking for more than one. It still tastes good, it doesn't stick to the pan if there's good non-stick, and if I'm cooking in a stainless steel pan (i.e. making a soup or curry rather than stir-frying something), I can always add a little water/broth/juice from the can of tomatoes I intend to put in later, if there are any issues with food beginning to stick.

I do the kind of cooking where I don't need to worry about not getting any oil in my diet. Breakfast doesn't involve added oil, but lunch is soup (made with a bit of oil) and/or salad (dressed with a drizzle of oil), and supper involves stir-frying or sautéing veg in a bit of oil. I also take echium oil (good veggie alternative to fish oil) and starflower/borage oil supplements for medical reasons. When I'm cooking, I use extra-virgin olive oil for most things, and sunflower oil if I'm cooking something far eastern where olive oil would taste wrong. I get about 19% of my calories from fat.

There are no rules. But it is a good idea to get a healthy amount of each macronutrient (carbs, protein, healthy fats) each day. And to learn what those amounts are.

I personally have a hard time getting enough healthy fat in my diet as a calorie counter who likes to eat a large volume of food. The way I see it, I could have 1tbsp of olive oil for 120 calories, or I could have a significantly larger amount of food for the same amount of calories. Having a little bit of olive oil doesn't change the taste of food enough for me to want to spend the calories on it.

So I really need to force myself to get it in my diet. Usually with nuts, avocado, fish, etc.

I have eaten avocado only once since July, and I make a really good guacamole. Maybe I'll have to revisit that. The only reason I can think I'm finding the dipping oil so delicious (enough to crave it) is that I probably need the fat, or maybe my body is just missing the fat? That makes sense.

I do like the notion that with calorie counting, it really does boil down to the calories. After all, every weight loss diet boils down to reducing your calories anyhow, regardless of the gimmick. Although I like the approach of eating foods across the board and trying to limit sugary or deep fried crap while still being mindful of the calorie content.

Yes, at 120 calories in that tablespoon, plus 80 for bread, it probably isn't worth having the oil, unless I think about it like I would a brownie or something like that. Come to think of it, perhaps some guacamole and a serving of multi grain chips would be even more satisfying than the dipping oil and bread!

Thanks again all for the responses. I'm learning a lot here on 3FC.

I allow myself 4 tablespoons of "fats" per day which includes oil and butter. I don't think good oil and fats are unhealthy though, so I don't limit fat too much. My cholesterol is fine and my good cholesterol is super high, if that makes me seem less crazy.

A calorie counting site might help you out, or googling "calorie distribution"... or something like that. Most people keep it around 25-30% fat in their diet. In the end though, you can decide how much you eat and of what. Something to note is that for fruit generally 2-3 servings is best and for veggies 3-6 servings. I find that when I eat this way, I typically get more than enough fiber too!
Some days I don't get enough fat, other days I get way too much! HA!
Nuts are lovely sources, so is quac, and so is EVOO as a dipping oil for bread (YUM!).
Where I get my fat from generally depends on what else I need for the day. If I need protein too then I pick a higher fat dairy, some nuts or PB on a slice of toast (if I need carbs too).

What's your quac recipe? I bet it would be tasty with Kashi's TLC pita chips! YUMMY!!!

tdiprinces, for the guac: if you find its not thoroughly ripe, put the avocado in a chopper or blender (although its hard to get out of the blender). For each 1 avocado I use 1/4 of each of these ingredients: chopped tomato, chopped onion (red or sweet), chopped cilantro. Per each avocado, 1 clove of garlic, pulverized--just chop it to oblivion or pass it through a garlic press. 1 fresh lime, juiced, for each avocado. Salt, pepper and a pinch of red pepper flakes. It really is delicious! My daughter says best she ever had.

We also like pineapple salsa. Chop up and add equal parts of fresh pineapple, onion (red or vidalia), cilantro, red pepper. Juice of 1 or 2 limes. Salt, pepper, red pepper flakes. Never ever add oil to this because it makes it taste "off". This salsa is wonderful with grilled chicken--very refreshing. It also mixes nicely into rice as a side dish for anything off the grill.

I like to cook things in coconut oil. It has the same calories as but EVOO but I personally think its richer. It's also great for your skin and hair. Actually, my mom first got it because we were told by our vet that a tbs a day will help with our dog's shedding problem. Haven't been consistent giving it to the dog to know if it actually works or not.