Start shedding the pounds with a low fat diet plan that's right for you.

A low fat diet plan is always important in anyone's journey to lose weight. The intent of a low fat diet is to decrease the number of calories a person is consuming from fat.

Fat is one of three nutrient types which provide fuel for our bodies. The other two being carbohydrates and proteins. A single gram of fat has 9 calories. This is more than twice the calories found in a single gram of carbohydrate or protein, which only have 4 calories.

When you look at the calorie content, it’s easy to see why it is so important to limit the amount of fat we consume each day.

A low fat diet plan can also help to lower your cholesterol levels. Cholesterol is important part of each cell in you body, but high levels increase your risk of heart disease.

So, how much fat should a person eat in their diet? We are told that no more than 25% of our caloric intake should come from fat. So if you require 2000 calories per day, no more than 500 of your calories should come from fat. This is about 56 grams of fat per day.

You should also know that not all fat is created equal.

Saturated fat is the kind that should really be avoided. This fat tends to increase cholesterol levels. These are the fats that are solid at room temperature including butter, lard, shortening and some types of margarine. Hydrogenated and transfats are similar to saturated fats.

Monounsaturated fats, found in olives, peanuts, nuts and seeds do not raise your cholesterol if you eat them in moderation. You should include some of these in your diet each day.

Polyunsaturated fats are found in oils. Sunflower, sesame and other plant oils contain this type of fat.

Omega-3 fats are found in certain types of high fat fish like tuna and salmon. These fats actually help protect against heart disease as well as aiding in brain and nervous system functions.

If a low fat diet plan should be in your future, I recommend looking into the Low-Fat Meal Plan offered by eDiets.

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