So you've decided to try to achieve a healthier lifestyle. Congratulations! One way you can do that is by lowering the fat in your diet.

The typical American should consume less than 30% of their total calories from fat. Less than 10% should be saturated fat. Saturated fat comes from primarily animal sources. Check the labels when buying food and check for the percentage of fat and saturated fat. One rule of thumb is to make sure each food item you purchase has less than 30% fat and less than 10% saturated fat.

What are the benefits of eating a low-fat diet? People who consume diets low in fat, consume less calories. Therefore, their risk of weight gain also decreases. Also your risk of cancer and heart disease also decreases. Low saturated fat intake equals lower cholesterol level.

What can you do to lower the amount of fat in your diet? You can do many things. Here is a list of suggestions:

* When cooking ground beef for meat loaf, etc. Rinse off the meat and remove the grease from the pan then proceed with cooking. The rinses off the excess fat without affecting the taste.

* Buy lean or extra lean meats and poultry without skin. These products have at least 33% less fat than normal.

* Eat more grains. Be eating more grains you automatically decrease the amount of fat in your diet.

* Check food labels. As stated previously, check the labels for the amount and type of fat in it.

* If you choose to eat something high in fat, balance it with something low in fat. Add vegetables instead of French fries with you hamburger.

* Eat more beans. They are a good source of protein and fiber. This can fill you up without the excess fat.

Fat is not a terrible thing. We just tend to overconsume it in this country. Just like everything else, moderation is key. Too much of a good thing can be bad for you.