Should calories matter if you go into ketosis during a low-carb diet?

[CreamPuff]

I didn't know where else to post this and couldn't find anything related to this question. So here it is.

I know ketosis results from drastically reducing your carb intake but does it matter how many calories you consume? If your food intake has the appropriate amount of fat, protein and carb percentage to induce ketosis, does it matter how little or how much you eat in terms of calories?

[CreamPuff]

Re: Should calories matter if you go into ketosis during a low-carb diet?

I should explain why I'm asking this. I strongly suspect my caloric intake would be SIGNIFICANTLY lower when I start Atkins. The protein and the fat fills me up dramatically, unlike eating just carbs. I think I might not even go higher than 500-600 calories. I don't have an eating disorder, trust me. Can anyone relate to that?

With all the talk going around everywhere about how you should consume at least 1200 calories or you'll go into 'starvation mode', etc etc etc, I was wondering: Do I really need to up my intake despite not feeling hungry? Or is this alright?

[tkdhabidah]

Re: Should calories matter if you go into ketosis during a low-carb diet?

Hey,

I am sure someone will chime in here soon, but I never look at calories. I do however make sure that I eat every four hours give or take and never ever ever ever EVER go 6 waking hours without eating. Also, I make sure to get all of my veggies in and my servings of fat and protein. I know after a bit, it almost is hard to eat, because I don't feel starving as often, but I always keep easy snacks handy to pop in my mouth for a snack if I haven't eaten in a bit.

Good Luck Cream Puff!

Hugs,
Kristi

[DMAX2007]

Re: Should calories matter if you go into ketosis during a low-carb diet?

tkdhabidah has the right idea for the MENTALITY of the diet, but the actual truth is calories in < calories out = lose weight. The is forever true to any diet that you want to be sucessful with. what makes atkins so awesome is that you feel fuller longer with a lesser amount of calories, so you end up eating less that your BMR.

[DMAX2007]

Re: Should calories matter if you go into ketosis during a low-carb diet?

oops forgot your second part... 1200 calories is actually pretty small, but you would have to check your BMR (do a search on google and use a BMR calculator). For example, my BMR plus exercise is 3000 calories so if I were to eat 1200 calories I would expect more muscle loss that a 50 year old woman with the same habits. Your proof is gonna be in the sugar free pudding so-to- speak. go ahead and eat until you're SATISFIED and watch your clothes fit better. if this happens, you know you're in the right spot.

[not2late]

Re: Should calories matter if you go into ketosis during a low-carb diet?

From DANDR 2002, Chapter 11 Frequently Asked Questions section:

I'm used to counting calories. How many am I allowed during Induction?
There is no need to count calories. The Atkins nutritional Approach counts grams of carbohydrates instead of calories. At the beginning of Induction you are allowed 20 grams of carbohydrates, gradually adding them in 5-gram increments as you progress from On-Going Weight Loss Phase to Pre-Maintanence, and finally to Lifetime Maintenance phase of Atkins.

Although there is no need to count calories, they do matter. Gaining weight results from taking in more calories than you expend through exercise, thermogenesis (the body's own heat production) and other ,etabolic functions. Research has shown that on a controlled carbohydrate program, more calories are burned than in a low-fat/high carb diet, so there is a certain metabolic advantage to the controlled carb approach. But understand that this does not give you a license to gorge.

The research Dr. Atkins referenced shows that the metabolic advantage is a few hundred extra calories. So again, it doesn't give you a license to eat 5 steaks, 10 hamburger patties, etc.

You only eat the amount that satisfies your hunger. As Dr. Atkins wrote in Chapter 11

I encourage you to eat until you are satisfied. Just don't confuse being satisfied with being stuffed.

[CreamPuff]

Re: Should calories matter if you go into ketosis during a low-carb diet?

Those are sound advices. Thanks

[I_Luv_Pugs]

Re: Should calories matter if you go into ketosis during a low-carb diet?

I do count calories because of my former experiences on Atkins. As you said happens to you ,CreamPuff, I'd feel very full and actually skip meals because I didn't feel hungry, but I would start to feel weak. Upon calorie counting I'd be consuming around 900 calories a day (not enough!) and eventually give into carbs, gain weight, ect, ect.

I use FitDay.com to keep track of my carbs and calories so I get enough calories each day and stay in my current carb limit and fat/carb/protien ratios. Also, I do only eat unitl I feel satisfied which may mean, on some days, more meals but smaller ones throughout the day.

Hope this helps.

[CreamPuff]

Re: Should calories matter if you go into ketosis during a low-carb diet?

I_Luv_Pugs, I guess it's so hard for me to accept the fact that I can eat until I'm full (reasonably and still wary of calories) and still lose weight. I just cannot get past that fact, you know?

Funny how when you're eating junk (simple carbs) you just end up overeating and when you're eating healthy, you don't feel like stuffing your face with it.

[I_Luv_Pugs]

Re: Should calories matter if you go into ketosis during a low-carb diet?

Hey CreamPuff, I know what you are saying. Let me tell you this, though. I've met my goal once before on Atkins, strayed from OWL and now I'm back again. Look at my ticker, 9 pounds down in 3 weeks, and I don't have that much to lose so it can be harder.

My husband has lost a pound a day lately and he is 11 pounds from his goal. And he cheats a bit! (men and their extra muscle mass!)

Neither one of us is hungry but we don't get sick to our stomaches full, either, and have great energy. Go figure.

[julirama723]

Re: Should calories matter if you go into ketosis during a low-carb diet?

If you don't eat enough calories, your metabolism slows down to conserve what fuel it's getting--that's what starvation mode is all about.

I thought I was doing an OK job because I was consistently eating at or slightly over my BMR which is about 1773 calories, BUT I exercise 6 days a week and usually burn 600-700 calories a workout. When I double-checked the formula, my BMR+activity level put me at almost 3000 calories. So now I have to work at eating more calories. This doesn't mean neccessarily eating MORE food, but eating CALORIE-DENSE food.

Weight loss will slow or stop if you put your body in starvation mode. So, like the others have said, if you're not a big eater, eat many small meals or snacks, and make sure that you are keeping your metabolism burning! It's always a good idea to keep an eye on calories. This doesn't mean you MUST eat 1400 calories each and everyday! Listen to your body. On hungry days, you'll be likely to eat more. On not-hungry days, you'll eat less. A day here and there of low calories is not going to be detrimental. Just make sure that generally you are eating around your BMR.

[not2late]

Re: Should calories matter if you go into ketosis during a low-carb diet?

Calorie dense foods are fats. Atkins is a high fat diet, not a high protein diet. One tablespoon of olive oil contains 100 calories. Therefore by tossing your vegetables in a tablespoon of olive oil, you increase the caloric value of that side dish by 100 calories. You aren’t eating a greater volume of food, but you are eating a greater number of calories. Similarly one ounce of cheese is roughly 100 calories. One ounce of cheese is a 1 inch cube of the stuff. Again, it’s not a large volume of food, but it’s calorie-dense.

Fat helps to promote satiety because it takes longer to digest than proteins or carbs. That’s why many of us who have eaten ‘low fat’ over the years were hungry all the time. I remember when I was a low fat vegetarian, I would eat 1 cup of oatmeal in the morning or a slice of bread with fruit jam on it and within 2 hours, I was hungry. Now if I eat an ounce of cheese, a few slices of cucumber and a hardboiled egg, I can last well past 4 hours without feeling hungry. It’s due to the fat content of the cheese and the egg.

Also, our bodies are too smart to allow us to starve. I have never counted calories on my Atkins. I just learned to listen to my body and eat only that amount of food that satisfies my hunger. That amount changes meal to meal, day to day, and is largely dependent on my level of physical activity. There are some meals where I feel ‘stuffed’ after eating 1 chicken leg and 1 cup of sauteed green beans. And there are meals when I have to eat three slices of turkey, an ounce or two of cheese and more veggies in order to satisfy my hunger. Unless you do the same amount of activity (exercise and your day-to-day living activity) every day, your caloric needs change daily.

I’ve also noticed as I’ve gotten smaller, I don’t require as much food as I did when I weighed 240 pounds. So get into the habit of listening to your body’s needs. It will save you a lot of grief later in your Atkins.