Many people believe that consuming fat leads to weight gain and fat gain, but this is not strictly true. Weight and fat gain is caused by burning fewer calories than are consumed. Excess calories that do not get burned are stored as fat. So, eliminating fat from the diet is not necessarily a guaranteed path to weight loss or fat loss.
Eliminating fat from the diet is, in fact, an unhealthy choice. Certain fats, called essential fatty acids, found in foods such as fish, are necessary for brain function and overall health. However, most American diets have far too much fat, and the excess calories in the fat that is consumed, especially from unhealthy fat sources, such as most animal products, does lead to weight gain.
Unless directed by a doctor, it is usually not healthy to eliminate fat from the diet. A certain amount of fat in the diet is necessary, and dietary fat provides a feeling of fullness, which may help reduce overall calorie intake. However, the fats consumed should be primarily the healthy essential fatty acids, and they should be used sparingly, in a diet plan that limits overall calorie consumption.