I'm doing low calorie and didn't even know it

[womanpraised]

Re: I'm doing low calorie and didn't even know it

I will have to find the page reference, but I am sure I read in DANDR2002 that we stop eating when we arent hungry? For me, it means unpacking my book box, but I recall reading that all diets that work, work because calorie output (exercise and basal metaboloism) exceeds calorie intake (eating), but DANDR gives the metabolic advantage via the ratio of fat/carbs/protein and with ketosis suppressing hunger, so instead of constantly fighting to keep the cals down, and then fighting insulin metabolism also, our cals naturally stay down, and we dont have the insulin monkey on our back.

I also wonder, if for many of us, we are not even really able, for a while, beyond ketosis, to recognize what satisfaction really feels like, after so many years of eating past satisfaction, or feeding emotional hungers, or outright binging.

I hate this debate, and it seems to be coming up more and more and more. It just seems to be divisive, when in reality, just like we all live different lives, we are all going to have to find what works best for ourselves.

Just my thoughts.

[not2late]

Re: I'm doing low calorie and didn't even know it

BMR is the "basal metabolic rate". That's the energy your body uses to do the barest minimum of life. In other words, if you were in a coma, the BMR is the amount of calories the doctors would need to feed you in order to keep your body alive.

If you start using more energy, your caloric needs increase. I can't remember the exact figure but something like blinking your eyes uses 1 calorie of energy. So if you are in your coma and you start opening and closing your eyes, 5 times an hour, you'll need an additional 5 calories of food every hour to compensate for the blinking.

As you become a smaller person you generally won't need the same amount of calories you did when you were a larger person. Dr. Atkins knew this and he relied on the appetite suppression of ketosis to train us to eat appropriate food portions.

From my own experience, there are some days when I am hungrier than other days. So on the days I'm hungrier (like yesterday) I eat more. And on the days I'm not as hungry, I don't eat more. I don't follow my calories religously, but I'm pretty sure I eat 100-300 more calories on the "hungrier" days than I do on the not-so-hungry days.

About exercise, you gotta do it. I was a couch potato when I began this diet. I hated exercising and I still hate it now, but I do it. Not only does it help you lose weight and tighten up that flabbiness, it also protects your muscles and bones. The only "benefit" of being overweight is that it helps your bone strength. But as you lose weight, the stress on your bones decrease so your bones weaken. But if you do "
weight-bearing" exercise, like walking, it will prevent your bones from weakening. The other thing exercise does is increase your good cholesterol (the HDL). So if you are on this diet to lose weight and have better cholesterol numbers, you gotta exercise to raise those HDLs.

Don't be afraid of exercise. Exercise can be as simple as walking around the block or walking around a mall. It's as simple as doing push ups, windmills, and jumping jacks. You don't have to exercise at a gym or health club.

Start off slowly and as your strength and endurance increases, you'll be able to do more because you'll have the energy and strength to do more. As the others have said, you'll notice a difference in your body shape: you'll be firmer not saggy.

[cleochatra]

Re: I'm doing low calorie and didn't even know it

Good post, womanpraised! I agree that because of ketosis, many of us are simply not hungry. However, to actively use Atkins as a crash diet as the op seems to be doing is insane and not at all pragmatic.

If a fat girl like me can walk on an incline of 6 for 4 miles and burn nearly 1300 calories doing it, I have a terribly hard time believing someone far thinner than I am could find it impossible to at least fight her own demons and defeatist attitude.

[Brook]

Re: I'm doing low calorie and didn't even know it

I tend to be either the really wordy one or the really blunt one. I'm going to opt for the latter here. LOL I wrote this on my Random Thoughts page and I stand by it so far as the exercise thing goes:

Exercise- A 4 (or is it 8?) letter word? Well, let's look at this for a minute. Increased muscle mass burns more calories at a resting rate. It also looks pretty hot!
Losing weight = look good in clothes.
Losing weight + exercise = Look good nekkid .
Looking like a deflated elephant never sounded all that attractive to me. What about you?

As for the calories - I'm not a huge believer in starvation mode. I believe that our metabolisms slow with extended periods of caloric deprivation and can be a vicious cycle of eat less/burn less - but I do not believe that it ultimately leads to no fat loss. To me it just doesn't make sense. Our bodies do *not* always choose fat over muscle for fuel. When our metabolisms view us as being in crisis, it will choose to store fat (as not2late pointed out) and burn some lean muscle mass for energy. There are a billion studies on it and I'd suggest doing some serious reading if you're interested. It's really interesting stuff!

On the other hand - long, extended periods of caloric deprivation aren't necessary for weight loss. You CAN and WILL lose weight eating more of the right foods and especially if you're exercising like you should be. Will going lower calorie speed up weight loss? Yes. Do I believe that speedy weightloss is necessarily healthy? No. I don't believe that it is for most people.

All that said.....I choose to stay below my BMR in active weight loss phases, but I do not stay under 1300 calories. I'm too active and it screws with my energy and appetite if I do.

Find what works for you and then work it....but get that body in gear. You don't have to enjoy it or like it - but it's one of those things that need to be done. You don't question brushing your teeth, right? Exercise falls into the same category.

Here's a little factiod for ya.

I've read that 85% of people who keep their weight off for a year exercise.

BTW- starting up exercise "as soon as you hit a stall" will not break you out of it. It'll cause lean muscle mass gain and likely a bit of water retention at first, as well. The scale is the least accurate measure of your progress, so if that's what you're looking to use, you're screwing yourself out of not only amazing health benefits and a MUCH better body shape but well deserved pats on the back as well.


Well, so much for the not being wordy thing.

I wish you success!
~Brook

[EnergizeMe]

Re: I'm doing low calorie and didn't even know it

I got a ton of info and everyone generally got me into thinking I should start the exercise sooner rather than later. I certainly don't want brown fat or excess skin or muscle loss. Knowing that my body may be adjusting to starvation mode kinda freaks me out to get me to start eating more. But I found that doing Atkins really affected my appetite since I never want to overeat anymore. Even when I get really hungry from not having eaten all day (busy work day), I would only eat a relatively small portion (compared to before starting Atkins) and still be satisfied.

I'm kinda afraid to excercise because I've done so in the past and then gave up not too long afterwards. It's not that it's hard, it's mainly because I get bored of doing it and don't have the determination, motivation, or discipline to keep it going. I'm one of those pathological proscrastinators that need to prepare myself to do something and then once I'm really prepared it's a piece of cake. Being emotionally ready to start is key for me. Three years ago, I told myself I would quit a 9 year smoking habit. But I gave myself 3 months to make sure I'm ready--after 1 month, something click in my head and I decided to stop and haven't had a single cigarette for 3 years and counting.

I will start some moderate walking and some sit-ups / push-ups but I still don't feel I'm ready to commit to exercise yet. I know it's good for me, it just hasn't yet click in my head yet and I really need that since it pretty much turns on the discipline to overdrive for me.

I'm still not clear on whether to increase my calorie intake or not as I start excercising regularly. I just want to lose weight as fast as I can but have reservations about increasing calories since that might slow me down.

I haven't been thin since I was in grammar school so any weight loss is fantastic. I just want to pick the low hanging fruits for now and take baby steps.

[Zarabelle]

Re: I'm doing low calorie and didn't even know it

Hi

I eat until I am full. Somedays, I don't eat too much (maybe 900 calories) other days, it's probably nearer 1700. I am never hungry and really enjoy my food. I don't count calories at all but am aware of them so don't add fat unecessarily. Saying that, my diet is generally high fat with cheese, cream etc.

It works for me and I don't feel that I will ever have to eat any differently and therefore can't see a problem with my body getting used to this amount of food.

I also exercise (40 mins cardio) at least 3 times a week.

There are definitely two camps in Atkins and I can see both points.

x

[Isabeau]

Re: I'm doing low calorie and didn't even know it

Great discussion!

[cleochatra]

Re: I'm doing low calorie and didn't even know it

I agree, Isabeau! This board is so awesome! And, while we don't all agree regarding calories or whether muscle mass is broken down, we DO agree that exercise is a must!

[imgonnagethin]

Re: I'm doing low calorie and didn't even know it

When I started Atkins I didn't excercise, and the weight flew off - but then I had over 200 pounds to loose!!

I now have around 120 pounds left to go and I've wised up - I look at myself in the mirror and see that the skin is already starting to look a little loose under my arms, also even though I have loads more energy since starting this WOL, i've noticed in the last week that my energy is higher afer i've worked out than it would be otherwise - nice side effect!!

It's really hard for me to excercise - I have a large bulk to move around and haven't done any exercise for as long as I can remember, but I started Atkins to get healthy, and excercise is an integral part of that - so like it or not i've started! I'm hoping that I will get addicted to excercise, which will make it easier, but either way i'll do it!!

Re the calories it's amazing how easy it is to add them in with just a bit more olive oil in your salad or eating the crispy chicken skin when you have roast chicken! Fat is the key here if you want to add calories in as a little goes a long way!

It worries me to hear you say you want to loose weight as fast as possible cause thats really not what this is about, look at your motivations for loosing weight, if feeling slim and sexy is one of them it isn't going to happen on a crash diet without excercise!!

Just my two cents worth!! Good luck

[Elsie150]

Re: I'm doing low calorie and didn't even know it

Very interesting reading!! I love the way the people here can state their opinion and be okay with others stating theirs. The respect shown here is awesome. I enjoy reading about the different opinions as it gives me more to think about before forming my own. Way to go everyone!!

[cleochatra]

Re: I'm doing low calorie and didn't even know it

As a follow-up, here's an article Isabeau just posted in another forum discussing high-protein diets and exercise. It's worth the read!