Calories while on Atkins

[Torro]

After 6 weeks on induction I am convinced that caloric intake does matter!

What are your opinons on this?

I have been eating A LOT of mascarpone parfaits lately (whipped cream and mascarpone) and it seems to have had a negative influence on my weight loss. Yet I have been in ketosis constantly. I can see no other explanation for this other than it does matter hom much fat (calories) you eat.

Grateful for input.

[dave318]

It is true! Calories don't count, especially when on induction.
Do try to balance your percentages though. 65% Fat 30% Protein 5% Carbs. Also watch for the amount of cream and cheese you are eating as you will still get carbs from these.

I was eating up to 2500 calories a day no problem and still burning fat, I agree with you 100%.
However, as you progress onto OWL, you will not need to have so many calories. You will be allowed more veggies, leaving you less room for fatty snacks, then add cheeses, then nuts and seeds. These fatty snacks will also fill you up and you won't need to eat so many calories by this time.

But for now, enjoy.

David

[Elizellen]

Re: Calories while on Atkins

I have been eating A LOT of mascarpone parfaits lately (whipped cream and mascarpone) and it seems to have had a negative influence on my weight loss. Yet I have been in ketosis constantly.

Ketosis means you are burning fat - either the fat you are eating or your bodyfat. If you overeat your fat you will gain weight.

Dr A addresses the calories-in/calories-out question at the end of chapter 11 and says that although a lowcarb diet gices us an advantage in burning more calories than a lowfat/highcarb one it doesnt give us 'licence to gorge'.

If you really are eating a 'LOT' of mascarpone (a cheese) you may be going over your daily limit of 3-4 ounces.

Also I am not sure if mascarpone is an induction-friendly cheese as I think it is similar to ricotta which is not but can be added in the dairy rung of OWL.

[ravenfan]

I think that on any diet calories matter. On Atkins though, you are for sure getting more calories than you would on a low-fat high carb diet. The Atkins book says to feel "satisfied", not stuffed, which is the way I try to eat now. It's hard though, because I am loving real cream cheese mixed with splenda. I haven't had it in years and I probably have had too much also.

[not2late]

Re: Calories while on Atkins

After 6 weeks on induction I am convinced that caloric intake does matter!

What are your opinons on this?

I have been eating A LOT of mascarpone parfaits lately (whipped cream and mascarpone) and it seems to have had a negative influence on my weight loss. Yet I have been in ketosis constantly. I can see no other explanation for this other than it does matter hom much fat (calories) you eat.

Grateful for input.

Few things....

Mascarpone cheese is a fresh cheese and is therefore allowed during the Dairy Rung of OWL.

You shouldn't be eating ALOT of anything. Cream and cheese all have limits. Cream is also in the Special Food Category section of the Induction Foods list. Why? Because according to Dr. Atkins, cream and the other foods on that list can cause weight loss problems with some people. Ditto for the cheese, which is why cheese is limited to 3-4 ounces daily during Induction.

As for the ketostix, all they tell you is that fat is being metabolised. It doesn't tell you if that fat is the fat you have eaten or the fat on your body. I came across a transcript with one of the Atkins nutritionists. In it she said this one woman couldn't figure out why she wasn't losing weight, but was in ketosis per the stix. It turns out the woman was eating a 8 or so ounces of butter daily.

So yes, if you gorge yourself and overeat the wrong foods or over the limit of legal foods, you will not lose weight.