Calorie counting is pretty understandable its the Fat grams that confuses me.

Lets say you are somoene that is staying around 1,200 to 1,400 calorie intake which counting the calorie is easy. What confuses me is how much does the Fat Gram intake matters? I can very easily count up to 1,200 to 1,400 calories on meals but some meals may run 11 grams fat, 8 grams fat, 22 grams fat. How much do these fat grams interfere with your calorie counting and make it hard to lose weight?

I use Fitday.com and that tracks fat grams along with calories but 30% cals from fat is about 46 grams, that is based on 1400 cals. i eat like you between 1200 and 1400 cals so that translates to 30-45 grams of fat to stay within a low fat diet. that is between 20-30 % fat. Does that make sence? If you have not tryed it Fit day is easy after you do a little work to get going. I have been using it for ovver a year and really like it. You can add costom foods right from the lables on the pacage.

-L

I think people try to count fat grams for two reasons: a) eating a high fat diet can have associated health risks with it; and, b) fat has a relatively high amount of calories when compared to carbs or proteins.

Your body needs a certain amount of fat, though. I believe there are some fat soluble vitamins, and other stuff that I'd maybe understand if I'd paid more attention in health class in high school. Also, fat has a way of satisfying hunger more than strictly carbs and proteins. You know the saying about how you eat a Chinese meal and you're hungry again an hour later? Chinese meals are typically high in carbs, medium in proteins, and low in fats. You just don't get the same amount of meal satisfaction from it.

Dig out the calculator, and here's a fat formula to show you a range of fat grams for low fat eating recommendations:

20% of your fat from calories: Multiple the calories you're eating times 0.20. Then divide THAT number by 9.

30% of your fat from calories: Multiple the calories you're eating times 0.30. Then divide THAT number by 9.

I really wouldn't recommend an ultra low fat diet to anyone unless they were talking to a doctor or dietician or something about it. By ultra low fat, I mean under 10% of your calories from fat. It's tempting to cut them, though, because you can ostensibly eat more, and there's all sorts of 'low fat' products on the market. Of course, they tend to compensate by being high in sugar, so if it's not one thing it's another...

Well, that help some. But, I wonder what level I really should take Fat Gram seriously? You see, I only would count calories, Look back of a box, can, wrapper, what ever and just count up my calories.

I went shopping with a friend one day that is fanatic about knowing your fat grams and in her book, rather it is a box meal, in a wrapper, what you buy off the street, what you make should not go over 4 or 6 fat grams. While she is worried about fat grams and I am just looking at calories, she looked at one of the meals I bought oneday at the store which had 330 calories in it with 12 fat grams and GASP! "Oh I hope you don't eat very many of them".

So I guess you could say I haven't been paying attention to fat grams period.

Since she is GASPING! I was wondering how important the fat grams really are?

I knew at one point of my diet last year I stalled. No more weight was coming off of me. I lost about 30lb and stalled. So I quit the diet for 5 months gain only 10 lb of it back and started back on my diet again and am losing once again. So I am wondering maybe because I wasn't paying attention to my fat grams and just counting calories affected it , besides with my friend GASPING, as if maybe I'm fixen to kiss death or something

FF,
If you find you are not eatting enough food to be full you may find it is because you are eating too much fat. Fat packs 9 cals per gram vs. 4 for a carb or protein. That said if you are loosing and doing well then don't sweat it. Good luck.
-L