reducing the fat in my diet

One of my goals in December is to reduce the amount of fat in my diet. The kind of fat I choose is also important.

Canada’s Food Guide recommends 30 – 45 mL (2 to 3 Tbsp) per day of unsaturated oils and fats. I can keep track of my servings of fat or I can watch the percentage of calories from fat using the pie-chart in the MyFitPal app. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/

I can also avoid saturated fats and focus on healthy fats. The Dieticians of Canada says unsaturated fats are those in soft margarines, plant-based oils like olive oil, and some salad dressings. Their website lists other sources of unsaturated fat – nuts, seeds, fatty fish like salmon and tuna, and avocado. http://www.dietitians.ca/Your-Health/Nutrition-A-Z/Fat.aspx?categoryID=19

We use olive oil margarine and olive oil as our main sources of added fat. I usually add margarine to foods like potatoes and rice because it tastes so good, so this will be one area where I practice restraint. The main source of ‘bad’ fat in my diet is from fast food. Even a baked potato becomes a caloric/saturated fat nightmare in some fast food choices. We have tried to limit our fast food visits and, when we do go this route, asking for a plain baked potato and a pat of margarine is better than the bacon and cheese laden menu choice.

So some guidelines for me to follow:

continue to use olive oil and olive oil margarine to cook and flavour meals at home
limit the addition of margarine to my dinner plate to 1 tbsp
limit fast food visits to one per week
order a plain baked potato or a salad with a low fat dressing if I choose fast food
add good sources of fat to my diet, from fish, seeds, nuts and avocado – add them to the grocery list
limit the amount of fats from nuts since these are high in calories