calories??

[Elsie150]

Hello!
I will starting Atkins when I return from holidays and after I get my blood work done...so in about 2 weeks. In the meantime I am reading DANDR and lots of posts here.

My question is do calories have anything to do with this at all?? In any stage?
I was punching in what I thought a typical day might consist of and my calories only came to 1415 cal Fat 108g(70%) carb 16g(3%) Protein 95g(27%)

My menu looked like this
Breakfast
2 extra large eggs, fried
1/2 T. Olive oil
2 sl. bacon

Lunch
2 c lettuce
1 chicken leg and thigh
3 T ceasar dressing

Snack
1 oz cheese
10 almonds

Dinner
6 oz ground beef
1 c broccolli

I am 41 female, 5 feet tall, CW 238

I am wondering if the calories are too low for the weight I am at and that it will throw my body into starvation mode and I mess myself up before I even start. Also if I eat at that low of a calorie intake when I am smaller that I will be eating hardly anything later. If I need more calories....how/what do I add?

Thank you for all your help.

Elsie150

[Elsie150]

Re: calories??

Whoops...no nuts on induction...so adjusted amounts are..1345 cal Fat 102g(70%) carb 14g(2%) Protein 92g(28%)
Sorry about that...thought it might be a good snack....and will be...in OWL.

[Brook]

Re: calories??

Hi Elsie! Can I just say that I *love* seeing people be proactive and asking questions that let us know they've been doing their homework?! GOOD FOR YOU!! And Welcome to ADBB

On Atkins we don't count calories, but calories absolutely do count. It's a tricky thing to explain, but I'll give it a shot.

You'll more than likely find that you eat quite a bit more than your sample induction menu for the first 2-5 days; until your body kicks into ketosis. It's a time when a lot of us tend to really almost obsess about the food we're eating and when you take the carby junk out you feel it! The trick is to eat until your satisfied, not full, not stuffed, but satisfied. There's absolutely no reason whatsoever during induction (or any other phase for that matter) for you to be hungry. If you're hungry- EAT!!

Once ketosis kicks in, you'll likely spend a few days with what we commonly call "Induction Flu". You may be tired, some nausea may rear it's ugly head and the thought of food may be too much for you to think about. LOL Headaches may be an issue, etc - but it'll all pass. I promise you

In other words, to start with, don't worry about your calories. Eat until you're satisfied, eat plenty of good fats, try to stay between 15-20 grams total of net carb (minus fiber only) and you'll do famously. If you'd like your menus critiqued as you go, post away - and don't be shy. The only silly question is a question that's not asked!

Breakfast
2 extra large eggs, fried
1/2 T. Olive oil
2 sl. bacon

Looks great.

Lunch
2 c lettuce - How about 1.5 cups of romaine with a bit of tomato, cucumber and mushroom. You can do all that and stay well under your total of 20 net grams
1 chicken leg and thigh
3 T ceasar dressing

Snack
1 oz cheese
10 almonds <-- You saw these are a no-no, but how about a deviled egg?

Dinner
6 oz ground beef
1 c broccolli <-- Throw some cheese on that!

It looks like you've got a really good grasp of what's up! Well done!

~Brook

[2big4mysize]

Re: calories??

yep listen to your body and learn to feed your hunger. Eat only enough to satisfy your hunger and stop even if you got room in your belly, carbs in your budget or food on your plate. your body if you listen to it will tell you when it needs more food and when it doesn't. Starvation mode takes weeks of eating below your bodies needs not one day.

HAppy low carbing

[Elsie150]

Re: calories??

Thanks for the info Brook and 2Big! So making the subsitutions Brook suggested brings me up to 1628 cal Fat 126g(71%) carb 20g(3%) Protein 104g(26%)

So that brings up the cals a bit. I know that would be my limit for the carbs. So if I was still hungry I would only eat meat/fat after that...right? HMMM...actually there is 7g of fiber in that but it would still have to be just meat/fat as I would have had the 3 cups of greens.Also do I not worry about trying to balance out at 65% fat/5% carb/ 30% protein during induction? More cheese? Do I at other levels of the plan? Or is it just a guide line and just to make sure that my fat intake is quite a bit more that the protein percentage?

I am really trying to get this all straight as I would like to do a clean induction!

BTW....both of your stats are truly inspiring...I am so excited to get started and almost wish we were not going away on holidays...LOL!

Thanks for all your help.

[Moochiecat]

Re: calories??

Remember that a salad is much more than just 2 cups of lettuce, so make sure you get a mixture of veggies in your salad. Your body will welcome the added fiber and the various nutrients that each veggie gives you.

[2big4mysize]

Re: calories??

actually on induction you want to stress the fats and proteins very close to that ratio you may be a bit higher cause your carbs are lower.

one thing you may have missed in your DANDR is that it takes more energy to turn your Atkins food to fuel then it does the USAD high carb food plan foods. your body will use 1500 cals of UDSA food plan diet to lose the same amount of weight as you would getting 1875 cals on the Atkins induction plan which is why Dr Atkins tells us not ot count cals and just eat to satisfy our hunger

[Elsie150]

Re: calories??

Thanks 2Big and MoochieCat. Okay I am following you so far. Now I went to fitday and added 2 more eggs (that is 4 and seems like a lot) and changed the 1 oz of cheese to 3 and took some lettuce out and added some Tomato and Cucumber but it still makes the carbs look like this:
Carbs:22 62 3% Fiber:7 0 0%
so even though it says 22 carbs I know I deduct the fiber which would bring it down to 15 g. So even though I would be at 2 cups salad and 1 cup veg at supper...which is my limit...because the carbs are lower than 20 can I add say another cup of vegies at dinner? To get my carbs up to 20?

Thank you!

[Moochiecat]

Re: calories??

4 eggs a day isn't a lot, don't worry.

You don't have to hit 20 carbs for the day...most of us average between 10 and 20 during Induction. Some people say they feel better when their carbs are closer to 20, but you don't have to worry about absolutely having 20 per day. You're doing fine!

It's the percentages that you want to keep an eye on....have you read this sticky?
http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5235

If you're following the Rules of Induction and eating properly off the Acceptable Foods list, you'll be pretty much where you need to be.

Stay within your three cups of veggies a day until the first two weeks are up, and then you can consider going to the first rung of OWL which allows you 5 carbs more of veggies. Again, a reminder to switch up the veggies you eat...get some dark leafy greens in there as well as some peppers, radishes, celery...you name it!

[Elsie150]

Re: calories??

Thanks MoochieCat...yes I had already read that and have a fitday account and knew about the percentages....LOL...that is why I am getting hung up on the numbers. Do I need to worry about it during induction or just make sure that I am only eating off the induction list and not worry about the numbers until I get to OWL? Hmmm..I am thinking I need to worry about it so I know what my level is when I start adding.
So if I was averaging 15 during induction then I would go up to 20 for 2 weeks after that...sort of would put me in the extended induction forum then and not OWL, right?

Thanks for letting me know that 4 eggs a day is not too much. I know there are limits to some of the food.

Thanks again...I know I am being a pest...but I really do want to do this right and succeed at it. I am sick and tired of being sick and tired...if you know what I mean.

[Moochiecat]

Re: calories??

So if I was averaging 15 during induction then I would go up to 20 for 2 weeks after that...sort of would put me in the extended induction forum then and not OWL, right?

You're getting a little too hung up on the numbers at this early stage, my friend!
You'd be in OWL, because you'll be taking in more than the three cups of veggies required in Induction. You still may find that your carbs don't go over 20, but bear in mind that as you go up the rungs, your carbs will increase, and that's fine, but don't force yourself to eat just because you haven't reached 20 or 25 carbs. Eat until satisfied following the Rules and eating properly from the Acceptable Foods list and relax!
Dr. Atkins knew what he was doing with his plan, we just need to trust it and follow it correctly.



Having said that, it is still important to know what your numbers are. The goal is that in Maintenance you will have found your critical carb level (CCL) where you stop losing and then you can pick and choose what you eat in your day and know where your limit is. So keep paying attention, but remember that each and every day doesn't have to be exact and perfectly balanced.

Thanks for letting me know that 4 eggs a day is not too much. I know there are limits to some of the food.

I haven't found this in DANDR, but it seems the general concensus is that five eggs a day is the number to go by. It makes sense to me to not over-eat anything because we need the nutrients from a variety of foods, right?

Thanks again...I know I am being a pest...but I really do want to do this right and succeed at it. I am sick and tired of being sick and tired...if you know what I mean.

You certainly aren't being a pest, your questions are well thought out and you just want to do your best, so no worries.
Do your thing, keep an eye on the numbers, enjoy the food, eat when you're hungry, stop when you're satisfied, drink that water, and trust in the program.

[Elsie150]

Re: calories??

Thanks MoochieCat! BTW...we are same age and height...so was really inspiring to see your pics. I tried to click on your My Progress but it says that the file is inaccessible.

Thanks again everyone.

[Moochiecat]

Re: calories??

Hey, I hadn't noticed the age and height in your signature! Right on...shorties unite!!
Thanks for letting me know that my link wasn't working! I updated it and it should work now. If you can drop me a line either here or in a pm and let me know if it is, I'd appreciate it.

Re: weight loss...wait until you have lost around 40 pounds or so and watch the reactions of people's faces when you tell them that...it's amazing...lol

[Elsie150]

Re: calories??

Hey MoochieCat!
Your link is working. Great inspiration! Hey if you were in Science World at the end of June maybe you saw my DH and kids there?? LOL! I had to stay home and handfeed our baby parrots.

RE:weight loss. I can hardly wait! This weight has been holding me back from way too many things so am really looking forward to the energy and doing things with my kids!!

found a link in one of the many posts I was reading here http://users3.ev1.net/~fontlady/index.html
and lots of yummy recipes complete with menus and pictures.