How much Fat to be consumed daily? *~~~

To improve overall health: No more than 30% of total calories from fat.

Overweight with low risk of heart disease: No more than 30% of total calories from fat.

Family history of heart disease, or have risk factors: No more than 20% of total calories from fat.

You have heart disease: discuss with your Doctor. No more than 10% of total calories from fat.

Fat Calculations
Suppose you want to get 20% of your calories form fat, and your targeted calorie intake is 2000 calories per day.

First calculate fat calories.
20% of 2000 = 2000x0.20 = 400 fat calories
Calculate Fat to be consumed.
Remember that 1g of fat gives you 9 calories.
Therefore, 400 fat calories = 400/9 = 44.45 g fat

It means that if your total targeted calorie intake is 2000 calories, and you want to eat 20% of calories from fat, you should eat 44.45 g of total fat per day.

How can I avoid too much fat in my diet?

Use skim or fatfree varieties of all dairy products (milk, yogurt, cheese, butter, cream, ice cream)

Avoid all oils. If a recipe needs some oil/butter/Ghee, use olive or canola oil in small quanty. Make a habbit of brushing or spraying the oil in the pan instead of pouring.

Use nonsticking utensils for cooking.

First heat the utensil, then add (preferably spray) oil. A heated pan spreads the oil better.

Substitute baking, barbecue or grill for frying, if possible.

Look the labels on the food products carefully. Look for labels of lowfat or reduced fat.

Don't be carried away by the words 'No Cholesterol' on labels. Majority of vegetable products are cholesterol free. It is the fat content of the item which matters.

Avoid conventional fast foods. Salads, sandwiches, fresh fruits are best fast foods.

When you go to a hotel, give instructions to add only very small quantities of oils for cooking.

Eat only when you feel hungry.

Avoid eating while watching TV. You eat a lot and you don't know while watching TV.

What determines your weight?

What you weigh is the result of several factors:

~how much and what kinds of food you eat
~whether your lifestyle includes regular physical activity
~your genetic make-up
~your age
~hormonal and neurological regulators

Successful weight loss and weight management should address all of these factors and you should ignore products and "fad" diets that promise quick and easy results. All these diets do is give you misleading expectations. Furthermore, these diets result in short term weight loss and may actually be a danger to your health. Low-calories diets are also a problem - with these it is difficult to get enough of certain nutrients, such as folic acid, magnesium and zinc. And they promote temporary loss of fluids rather than permanent loss of fat. Cutting calories to fewer than 1200 (if you're a woman) or 1400 (if you're a man) usually doesn't allow enough food for you to be satisfied in the long-term and if a "diet" can't be followed over a long-term period it won't result in permanent weight loss. I think the key is taking things one day at a time. It's tough for me sometimes too, but when I follow my own rule, I sleep just as good if not better than when I stuffed myself.

How to do it! *~~~

Setting the right goals is an important first step. Be realistic in setting the goal weight - aim for 10 percent.

Make a commitment - lose weight because you want to, not to please someone else. You must be internally motivated to lose weight because it's what you want to do.

Check with your doctor. Make sure that your health status allows for increasing your physical activity.

Follow a calorie-reduced, but healthy, balanced diet. Eat a variety of foods to keep your diet interesting and exciting.

Eat regular meals - never miss a meal. Skipping meals causes the body's metabolic rate to slow down as a means of conserving energy. Also, by eating regularly, you prevent excessive eating binges as a result of low blood sugar levels. I have a banana and a vitamin first thing. One day a week, I have eggs and a couple of slices of bacon. Not the entire package.

Limit fats and oils. It is much easier to avoid visible fat sources such as oil, butter and margarine than those fat sources that are hidden and therefore not always recognised as fat. These include full cream dairy products, fried foods, processed meats and pastries. A good idea is to substitute hard, yellow cheeses like gouda or cheddar with low fat cheeses like mozzarella, ricotta and cottage cheese. Eat only small portions of meat, chicken, fish and cheese as these foods are rich sources of fat. A good dieting tool is to cut off all visible fat from meat and remove chicken skin before cooking.

Be sure to include at least five servings a day of fruits and vegetables.

Grill, steam or bake food rather than frying. Vegetables should be steamed or boiled with no or little added sugar, cream or margarine. Judicious use of herbs and spices is encouraged, instead of always using fat or sugar for flavour. Use non-stick frying pans and non-stick sprays (like Spray 'n Cook) rather than oil or margarine.

Increase fibre intake. Foods high in fibre include wholewheat breads, cereals, fresh fruit and vegetables. Fibre-rich foods add bulk to the diet and have a greater effect on satiety (fullness) than their low-fibre counterparts. In addition, fibre-rich foods generally require longer chewing times, thus forcing one to eat slower and helping to prevent overeating. Lastly, fibre-rich foods are also usually low in calories. When increasing fibre intake, it is important to simultaneously increase fluid intake.

Drink six to eight glasses of water per day.

Remember that alcohol does contain calories and therefore should be used in moderation. Only weigh yourself once a week. More frequent weighings can lead to disappointment and an unhealthy obsession with weight. Make time in your day for some form of physical activity. Exercise sensibly by starting out slowly. Start by taking the stairs at work, walking up or down an escalator, parking at the far end of a lot instead of cruising around for the closest spot. Gradually start to increase this - walking is an excellent form of physical activity that almost everyone can do. Other examples are swimming, cycling and dancing. Decide, too, if you like to exercise alone or with someone. Often, a friend helps you stick to your schedule. Reward success, but not with food. Examples include a movie or CD or some free time for yourself or some new clothes.

Change your life *~~~

Accept that healthful weight loss is slow and steady. Scientific studies have proven that the most effective weight-loss programme balances a healthful eating plan with regular physical activity. It's not enough to eat healthful foods and exercise for a few weeks or even several months. You have to incorporate these behaviours into your life. Make a healthier lifestyle - not the number of kilograms - your primary motivation.