Stick with dressings that are less than 40 calories per serving. Anything higher than that will have to be accounted for and will not work in your favor, especially if fat loss is your chosen goal. The same rules apply to sauces. With sauces you also have to watch for sugar content. Dressings and sauces can add life to a meal but shouldn’t be used carelessly. Read labels and look at the sugar content. Often the serving size on the bottle is unrealistic to what an average person might use.
For meals in which fats have been allocated, you can choose oil (which can be mixed with vinegar) for your salads. Or you can have a low calorie dressing and allocate your fat elsewhere. Instead of trying to use less of a dressing you know is a bad choice, seek out good, low calorie dressings and use them guilt-free. Experiment with a few brands to see what you like best. Remember, most vinegar has no calories and can be used in combination with spices.
General rule of thumb— minimizes sugary sauces like ketchup and barbecue sauce. Get used to checking for all varieties of sugar in the ingredients list of foods you buy. Try hot sauce, salsa, tomato sauce, and marinades. Some are low in calories and come in reasonable serving sizes. There are lots of low calorie dressings available, just look for them. Get creative!