Ideal Fat Intake Calculator
Find your ideal fat intake amount with this calculator. Just enter your age, height, diet goals, and physical activity level.
How to calculate your ideal fat intake
Your daily fat allowance is a percentage of your total daily calorie needs. The first step in determining daily fat intake is to calculate your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE). This is based on your basal metabolic rate (BMR) multiplied by your activity factor.
The TDEE is an estimate of your total daily caloric intake, which is made up of protein, fat, and carbohydrates. The amount of each macronutrient you eat will depend on the following.
- Current weight
- Activity level
- Fitness goals
Recommended ideal fat intake
The amount of fat you consume daily depends on whether you’re trying to lose weight, maintain your current weight, or gain muscle. Counting macros is an effective way to help with weight loss.
Determining the amount of fat you should eat each day is based on your calorie requirements for safe weight loss. One way to do this is to calculate how many calories you should eat to maintain your current weight and then subtract 500 calories from this.
Calorie deficit and fat intake
A slight calorie deficit will result in safe weight loss if you’re consistent. It should lead to a reduction in body fat. Be aware that this also depends on other factors, like gender, age, genetics, and the fitness you do.
Daily fat consumption
Your daily fat intake should provide essential fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins, as well as contribute energy for weight control. In general, this will range from 20-35%. This is a wide range, so you should determine your percentage based on your unique goals and situation.
This table is a helpful guideline for calculating the proportions of macros you’ll need based on your goals.
| Goal | Proteins | Carbs | Fats |
| General Fitness | 10 – 15% | 44 – 55% | 25 – 35% |
| Medium-High Intensity Fitness | 20 – 30% | 55 – 65% | 30% |
| Weight Loss/Fat Burn | 25 – 30% | 45 – 50% | 20 – 25% |
“Healthy” ideal fat intake
Knowing the percentage of daily fat intake is important. But not all fats are created equal. The type of fat that you consume is vital. The quality of the fats is just as important as the quantity.
Healthy fats
There are fats considered to be “healthy.” Foods containing the following are healthy fats.
- Omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)
- Docosahexaenoic acid (DLA)
- α-linolenic acid (ALA)
Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. The American Heart Association Dietary Guidelines recommends eating at least two servings of fish per week (particularly fatty fish). Also include the following vegetable oils.
- Soybean
- Canola
- Walnut
- Flaxseed
Foods such as walnuts, flaxseeds are high in α-linolenic acid in a healthy diet for the general population.
Unhealthy fats
There are also “unhealthy fats” that contribute to obesity, heart disease, high cholesterol, and other chronic diseases. Try to avoid consuming large amounts of saturated fats. Saturated fats should be limited to less than 10% of total calorie intake. Foods high in saturated fat include these foods.
- Butter
- Certain oils
- Creams
- Fatty beef
- Lamb
- Dairy products made with whole milk
- Many fast foods
- Processed foods
Research has found that cutting saturated fat and replacing it with polyunsaturated vegetable oil can reduce cardiovascular disease by about 30%.
Fat Recommendation for Keto Diet
The ketogenic diet is a popular diet trend that people use to lose weight. It is a high-fat diet where 60-75% of your daily calorie intake comes from fat.
For more information about the keto diet and fat intake, read The Complete Keto Diet Guide.
The idea behind the keto diet is to change your body’s fuel supply from carbohydrates to fat. This lowers your insulin levels which decreases fat storage and intensifies fat burning.
