Dietary Fats

I'm at 2 1/2 years post-op, and I am noticing my skin is very dry.  I am wondering about adding dietary fats back into my foods.  I usually use n/f milk, and I am changing to 1% milk for my morning shakes. I am going to be adding an oil/balsamic vinegar  dressing to my routine, as well as avocados to my salads. I'm going to be using a serving of cashews as an evening snack. How much dietary fat should I be using?  What is a safe amount  to have so that I won't be stressing about regaining? I work out 3X weekly for an hour a day, and my job calls for me to be on my feet 8 hours/day so I think my activity levels will allow for the increase. Any pros or cons to my thinking?? Thanks for your help.

We NEVER recommend a fat free diet. If some one told you to eliminate fat from your diet, you got some BAD advice. Fat is an ESSENTIAL part of your diet. Your body can't function without it. However, you want to be eating HEALTHY fat. For example: olive oil, avocado, canola oil, nuts, seeds .... in order to give you a fat grams number to shoot for, I'd have to do a full nutrition assessment on you. So, if you want the perfect amount for YOU and YOUR body, I think you need to see a registered dietitian to determine your caloric, fat, protein & carb needs. However, I can tell you, it should be a minimum of 25 grams per day. If there is a dietitian working with your surgeon, it may be in your best interest to make and appointment to see him or her for an assessment. If you don't have one working with your surgeon, then you can try to find one in your area or ask your primary care doctor who he/she refers his/her patients to. Or, you can try an on-line service or do your own on-line search for a dietitian in your area. OH also has a "find a dietitian" link. Good luck!