Figuring Your Fat Allowance And Sodium Intake

The first step is to determine the maximum amount of total fat and saturated fat that
you can eat every day- and still keep your blood cholesterol at a safe level.
To discover this, you must first know how many calories you need to maintain
your ideal weight.
Here's an easy way to find the approximate number of calories you'll need.
It is simply a guide. People who are more active, need more calories.
Children and pregnant and lactating women also have special caloric needs.
Ask your Doctor to guide you.
Start by finding your ideal weight in the table below :

DESIRABLE BODY WEIGHT RANGES
HEIGHT AND WEIGHT WITHOUT SHOES

For women 18-25 years-old, subtract one pound for each year under 25.

To find your calorie needs, multiply your ideal weight by 15 if you're moderately
active or 20 if you are very active. From that total, subtract the following numbers
according to your age:

Example:
You are a 45 yr-old male whose desirable weight is 145 pounds, and who is
moderately active.
Take 145 pounds and multiply by 15, to get 2,175 calories; then subtract 200,
totaling 1,975 calories.
After you figure how many calories you need daily, you can determine the maximum amount
of fat that should be in your diet. The American Heart Association recommends total fat
intake to be less than 30 % of your total calories. try to keep saturated fatty acids to less
than 10% of total calories.
To find out how  many grams of fat you can allow yourself, take your :
daily calories and multiply by .30.
That will give you the maximum daily calories you can have from fat.
Now divide that number by 9 ( 1 gram of fat has 9 calories) it will give you the number
of total grams of fat you can have each day.
Do the same with saturated fatty acids.  Multiply your total calories by .10, then
divide that number by 9.
The table below shows the maximum grams of total fat and saturated fatty acids
for a variety of calorie levels.
Remember that your total fat intake includes saturated,
monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat.

Suggested Daily Fat Intake

Always check food labels to see how many grams of fat are in one serving
of the product. Keep track of the number of grams of total fat and saturated
fatty acids you eat every day. Check this guideline. If not adjust your eating habits.
Also remember to limit your daily  sodium intake to 3,000 mg or less.
When buying products that are canned, frozen or prepared, select those without
salt when possible.