Some fat is essential for good health and your body uses it for energy, vitamin absorption, insulation and other important processes. Because 1 g of fat contains 9 calories, which is more than double the calories per gram of protein and carbohydrates, eating too much fat can lead to weight gain. Reducing your fat intake, and substituting unhealthy fats for heart-healthy fats, can help you lose weight and improve your health.
Weight Loss
Calories, the measurement of energy found in food, are what matters for weight loss, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC. Eating fewer calories than your body uses -- through normal metabolic processes and physical activity -- will lead to weight loss. Eating a low-fat diet can be a successful weight-loss strategy, as long as you are still consuming fewer calories than your body burns.
Fat Intake
To estimate your daily calorie needs, and subsequently your daily fat intake, the University of Maryland Medical Center suggests first determining your level of physical activity. If you are a moderately active male, multiply your current weight by 15. If you are a female who is moderately active, multiply your current weight by 12. This will give you the total number of calories you need each day. Subtracting 500 to 1,000 calories from this number will provide you with the recommended number of calories you should eat each day to lose weight. Multiplying this number by 30 percent -- the fat-intake recommendation -- will determine how many calories from fat you should eat. To determine how many grams of fat this would be, divide this number by 9.
Heart-Healthy Fats
Although all types of fat have 9 calories per gram, not all fats are nutritionally created equal. Filling your fat-calorie needs with heart-healthy fats, including monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, can help you control your cholesterol and protect you from heart disease. The Harvard School of Public Health reports that foods such as nuts, fish, olive oil and avocados are good sources of these heart-healthy fats and should be a regular part of your diet.
Unhealthy Fats
Your intake of saturated fats should account for 10 percent or less of the total calories you consume, according to Medline Plus. Foods with saturated fats include butter, cheese, ice cream, whole milk and fatty cuts of meat. Trans fats, found in many commercially prepared baked goods, processed foods and fried foods, should also be avoided. Saturated and trans fats can raise your cholesterol levels and increase your risk for heart disease. Eating too much of these types of food also increases your risk for weight gain.
Considerations
To more accurately determine the number of fat grams you need each day, it may be beneficial to meet with a registered dietitian who can help you develop an eating plan that meets your specific needs and requirements. Another thing to consider as you limit your fat intake is that not all fat-free or low-fat foods are low in calories. The CDC reports that low-fat foods sometimes have extra sugars, which can increase their calorie content.
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