How to Avoid Fatty Foods

Consuming foods high in fat can be detrimental to your weight loss efforts and to your overall health. According to kidshealth.org, a gram of fat contains 9 calories---twice as many calories as a carbohydrate or protein gram. Although eating some fat is important to maintain energy, if you have a heart-related issue or if you are simply trying to lose weight, you may seek solutions to help you avoid eating too much fat.

Things You'll Need

• Food scale

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Instructions

• 1

  Check the nutrition label of everything you eat. Verify the total percentage of fat and where each amount comes from. According to the American Heart Association, you should limit the saturated fats you eat to 7 percent and trans fat to 1 percent of daily calories. Avoid foods high in either as they are linked to heart problems. Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats can be helpful to your diet, but consume these in moderation.

• 2

  Select lean meats while grocery shopping. If your meat contains fat, trim the meat on a cutting board with a sharp knife.

• 3

  Prepare your meals at home and measure portions with a food scale to ensure that you know exactly how much you are eating. Broil, bake or grill foods instead of frying them.

• 4

  Substitute foods high in fat with a low-fat or fat-free alternative. Replace whole milk with milk containing a lower percentage of fat and start eating cheese and yogurt made with skim milk. Toss out salad dressings high in fat and choose vinaigrette or a fat-free brand. Instead of junk foods that boast high saturated and trans fat content, opt for fresh fruit and vegetable slices. Cook your foods with cooking spray as opposed to vegetable oils, margarine and butter.