To lose weight, fat intake should generally be between 20% and 35% of your total daily calories. This typically translates to about 33 to 78 grams of fat per day, depending on your calorie intake and body weight.
- For example, someone weighing 150 lbs (68 kg) should consume about 34 to 68 grams of fat daily to avoid essential fatty acid deficiency while losing fat
- On a standard 2,000-calorie diet, this corresponds to roughly 44 to 78 grams of fat per day
- If you are on a calorie deficit, fat intake should not drop below about 20% of your calories to maintain essential bodily functions and hormone balance
- In grams, this means for a 1,500-calorie diet, fat intake should be at least around 33 grams per day, and for a 1,800-calorie diet, around 40 grams or more
- For low-carb or ketogenic diets, fat intake can be higher-sometimes 50-75% of calories, which may be 100 grams or more per day depending on your calorie needs
In summary, a practical fat intake range for weight loss is approximately 0.5 to 1 gram of fat per kilogram of body weight per day or about 20-35% of your total calories, ensuring you do not go below about 20% of calories from fat to avoid negative health effects
. If you want a quick calculation:
- Determine your daily calorie target.
- Multiply by 0.20 to 0.35 to get calories from fat.
- Divide by 9 (calories per gram of fat) to get grams of fat per day
This approach balances fat intake for satiety, essential fatty acids, and overall health while supporting weight loss.
