Low Fat Diet

That was a smart way to start, by logging what you were eating.

How much fat do you eat? There's a wide range of fat percentages that can be healthy, and some find eating more fat makes them more satisfied/fuller. Personally, I don't, and cutting fat was part of how I cut calories, although I don't eat a low fat diet at all.

Anyway, the easiest thing to do is look at where you are getting your fat -- that's one way logging is helpful. If it's largely from meat, switch some meals to leaner cuts or options (no need to always go for the leanest, though). If it's oil or butter, consider that you can probably use a lot less and still get the benefits for cooking or in dressings (this was something I did). If you use full fat dairy experiment with lower fat, if you use lots of cheese, consider using less and trying other ways (like herbs and spices or stronger tasting cheeses like feta) to add flavor. Stuff like that.

Restaurant meals can be a big culprit too, of course, and snack foods -- I personally cut back on snacking in general and am pickier about what I get from restaurants.

A healthy fat range appears to be somewhere between 10 and 85%, with most people around here being close to 30% (my estimation).

IMO, fat is usually good for people except when paired with a bunch of sugar - that is not the most healthy food combination for me.

Fruit? Berries are full of fibre and I love their taste so pack a small container of them.

woodsltw wrote: »

I entered in MFP for a solid week what I NORMALLY do without any dieting or exercise. I've been reviewing my reports in MFP and the thing that stands out most is that I need to cut back on the fat in my diet. What are some strategies you use to cut the fat?

What percentage are you aiming for? That might help us give you suggestions.

I too found fats to be my biggest challenge. I don't eat a lot of dairy but when I do I make it nonfat or lowfat. I was already eating lean meats as I have an aversion to meat fat.

But mostly I just don't add as much fat as I'd like when cooking. If olive oil were calorie free I'd have all my food swimming in it. Unfortunately it's not.

I do still snack on nuts. I will not give those up.

I eat lower fat (reflux)....no meal is loaded with fat. Limit gravies (or use a fat separator to make low fat gravy). Choose broth based soups, not creamy ones. Applesauce can be substituted for oil in many baked goods. Lower fat dressings taste much better than fat free ones....just learn to limit the amount you use.