How Much Fat You Need to Lose Weight and Be Healthy
You already know that, to lose weight and be healthier, you should shed the excess fat that is found throughout your body. But how much fat do you really need to eat, and how much fat do you need to avoid, in order to get to a healthy weight? Keep reading for a few helpful tips that could help you reach your ideal weight more efficiently.
The Types of Fat That Help You Lose Weight and Stay Healthy
Not all fats are created equal. While some are detrimental to your overall health and your weight, there are others that are necessary to health and wellness. And some fats could even support your weight loss efforts. So which fats are the ones that you should stick with?
Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are considered polyunsaturated fats. Aim to make 5-10% of your daily calories come from omega-6 fatty acids. You can get this healthy fat from nuts and vegetable oils, as a couple of examples. Then, make roughly 1% of your calories come from omega-3 fatty acids, which you can get from flaxseeds and fish, as some examples.
In addition to polyunsaturated fats, monounsaturated fats are also beneficial. You can get those fats from nuts, avocados, and olive oil, as a few examples.
How Fat Helps You Lose Weight
The great thing about fat is that it could help you feel more satisfied, as well as more full, when you eat. This could lead to you eating less and losing more weight. On top of that, it could be hard to stick with a diet that is too low in fat, so following a moderate-fat diet that has up to 40% fat from healthy sources, like the fats listed above, may be an easier way to slim down. A great example of a diet that has the right amount of healthy fats is the Mediterranean Diet.
How Much Fat Should You Eat?
If you are following a diet that gives you around 1,500 calories per day, you should aim to get anywhere from 42-58 grams of healthy fats from your meals. If you are eating upwards of 2,000 calories every day, you should aim to get anywhere from 56-78 grams of healthy fat daily.
Now that you know a few of the reasons why you need fat in your diet, and you have a better understanding of which fats to look for and how much of them to consume, you can make your weight loss journey a bit easier on yourself.
