I’m 55 years young, 5′1″, 113 lb. What’s my recommended daily intake of fat and what would that be an equivalent of – approximately?
Thanks for giving me your information, the amount of energy or calories you need, as well the amount of fat also depends on how active you are.
Using a common equation called the Harris Benedict Equation and assuming you have are lightly active your total energy needs are at approximately 1600 calories. Fat can make up from 20% to 35% of our total energy intake. For you, that would equate to approximately 40-60grams of fat per day.
I’ve answered this question with some hesitation as I don’t encourage counting fat grams or calories but wanted to put things into perspective. The average person can have approximately 65 grams of fat per day, we need it to help absorb fat soluble vitamins, provide antioxidants like omega-3 fats as well as provide a dense source of energy.
In terms of what this looks like, Canada’s Food Guide recommends limiting added fat to 2-3 tablespoons per day. If you are following Canada’s Food Guide, the rest of your fat intake will come from protein rich foods, dairy products and grains. See the link from Health Canada on What type and amount of fat do I need?