Calories still matter, even on a low-carb plan

[sadie147]

Re: Calories still matter, even on a low-carb plan

Okay,

Shoudl I be concerned that I am going to baloon back to my old weight because I haven't been monitoring my calories ?

Obviously you don't get to the weight of 473 pounds without some metabolic issue.

I have been eating Atkins and not counting calories. Never counting calories. Eating until satisfied, limiting the snacking between meals (easy at work )

My belief is that if I keep going the way I am I am going to keep losing weight.

But what you are saying is that by doing this, I could be in danger of balooning my weight again, because of calorie creep ?

How much food can I eat ??

A big part of my reaosn for being so big had nothing to do with excessive calories, but rather the decrease in my metabolism from being on diets that lowered calories!

Contrary to a lot of people's assumption us big folks don't consume truck loads of calories!

I'd appreciate an opinion from those who restrict their calories on this.
(Don't worry I've gotten over my middle life criss! LOL)

I agree with wannabe, Dave. If it works for you, then keep do what you are doing.
What those on the calorie watching side are saying, is that this is a tool that some of us need to use.

Don't we all agree that if keeping track of calories is going to keep more people doing Atkins then that's a good thing? That's what this is all about.....try another approach if it's not working for you. Eventually, once you've learnt the concept of eating only when you're hungry....and I believe it takes time to learn this... then you have it made and can drop counting calories.

Yup, I personally use it, for my portion control and choices in snacking. I gained weight over the summer (and in a reinduction after) becuase i wasn't exercising enough, and eating too many legal high fat fooods like bbq'd steaks, burgers etc. I wasn't gorging on these foods, I wasnt' stuffing myself, and I wasn't eating any more of them than I had before. I was taking in more calories than I was burning. I tried reinduction and gained 2/3 more lbs. I did modified OWL and watched my calories, and made some different food choices, using calories as a guide, and I started to lose again. I still go up/down a couple of lbs, but I can look back at my journal, see my calorie/carb counts for the week etc, and I try to adjust. I don't go nuts, staying by a strict 1100 calorie a day menu, but i try swapping out some higher calorie foods some days, like cheese, for lower calorie ones like veggies. My goal? to train myself that i can find a happy medium, some days will be higher cal, some days will be lower, but i want to find that balance. And I used counting calories, along with my carbs..this seems FOR ME to be the best way to tweak my menu. Now that I'm exercising again, I'm learing what I can eat in a day, without a gain, both carbs AND cals. I will eventually no longer need to do this..but for now I find it useful. It's not for everyone, this has been said a few times, but for some of us, it works, and for me is kind of like a security blanket that helps me feel in control.

[Rick]

Re: Calories still matter, even on a low-carb plan

Wanna,
You said it better than I did. And you made the point that I was trying to make.

Thank you.

[cleochatra]

Re: Calories still matter, even on a low-carb plan

I'm like sadie.

Dave, you're doing fine! Good luck to you with whatever you're doing.


Excellent posts wannabe! I agree entirely! Wannabe for President!

Thick rick rocks!

This is a faboo thread. I appreciate the positive feedback and the honest discussion.

In the end what matters is what works for each person.

Still, to discount calorie counting without leaving it as a viable option for many (and it is a viable option for many), is like discounting the ratios outright.

People can use calories or not, ratios or not.

It depends on what works for people as individuals.

[Austlyn]

Re: Calories still matter, even on a low-carb plan

I agree!

[2big4mysize]

Re: Calories still matter, even on a low-carb plan

actually wannabe as I posted I didn't track the cals I journaled the foods I ate. After 5 months of journaling foods I used fitday and it told me I had cut the cals, all I had done was feed my hunger and stop eating. I had no idea how many cals I was eating or not eating.that is doing Atkins without training wheels just as Dave is doing it.

We have folk who are so cal brainwashed they post in 14 day induction about not eating something legal cause it was too high cal. Get them out of the thinking about the cal content andf just focus on the food and they shouldn't need to woryy about cals.

As Sadie posted she stoppeed exercising and didn't adjust her foods downward. Dr Atkins discussed lifestyle changes in chapter 15 when figuring out why folk were not losing. When you decrease your fuel burning you need to decrease your fuel intal. Sadie posted she kept eating the same and got into trouble. Had she been eating at her new lower CCLM she would not have had those issues and needed to count cals cause she would have had a lower hunger factor. Dr Atkins points out about exercise and Carb limits in chapter 14 too.

Wannabe if you chose the higer cal food for that meal your hunger will be suppressed for the next feeding time and you will make up for it. that is how feeding your hunger works. if you have 6 eggs and 1/2 pound of bacon ( about 1000 cals for you cal counters) for breakfast there will be no snacks cause you were not hunger and lunch will be the 6 hr rule small carb snack meal (about 200 cals) afternoon snack may or may not be needed and by dinner you are back to a normal amount of food which should keep you inside your needed for the day energy needs. if you are over for the day your appetite should still be lower at breakfast tomorrow and it will not be a big fueling but a smaller one.

That is what feeding your hunger will do for you. those call counting folk using wannabes explained reasoning abiut using the later meal will make the adjustment at dinner cause they overate breakfast and lunch for their hunger and will not learn about the importance of not eating whwn you are not hungery.

[cleochatra]

Re: Calories still matter, even on a low-carb plan

That is what feeding your hunger will do for you. those call counting folk using wannabes explained reasoning abiut using the later meal will make the adjustment at dinner cause they overate breakfast and lunch for their hunger and will not learn about the importance of not eating whwn you are not hungery

Actually, because of calorie counting we never would have overeaten breakfast to begin with.

[Jellybean1984]

Re: Calories still matter, even on a low-carb plan

Hehe this topic is HOT!
Imma go on a limb here, but I must say I am sooooooooo controlled now. and my ratios have never been more on cause of cal watching. I have melted the lbs off. It really depends on the person but for me, it was what I needed to get me out of still eatting more then I would need to. So as for me, getting me controlled faster it was amazing. I am slow when it comes to figuring out what is a good amount to eat.

All points are correct I am just blind when it comes to meal sizes and what to eat, how much, over eatting, etc. So for me this was a blessing.

[DebbietheHugBug]

Re: Calories still matter, even on a low-carb plan

This could go on and on.....


I think what is being said here is..... during induction, you "shouldn't" have to worry about calories. Everyone doing induction is reprogramming their minds and bodies to think "healthier" and "smaller", naturally lowering the calorie intake of somone who has been out of control or taught bad habits all of their lives.

When I was on induction, I didn't worry about calories. The change in what I was eating and how much made me drop quite a bit of weight the first 2 weeks.

I also think what's being said is.... as you move forward into OWL and you start experiencing "stalls", you need to be more conscious of the calorie intake, as well as portions, along with the energy you're expending (exercise).

When you experience a true "stall", that's when we need to evaluate our WOE and the adjustments our bodies have gone through. Is our weight lower? Yes = start lowering calorie intake and/or portions for our smaller size. If No = evaluate our ratios of fat/protein/carb intake and exercise. AND of course, water intake Some of us have found that by merely upping our water, our bodies flush better and we naturally lower our calories and portions because we feel fuller all the time.

Again, most of us here are having success because we have found what works best for us. Some don't count calories at all, they go soley by their hunger and listen to their body and they exercise alot. Some of us who don't exercise quite as much find that counting calories and drinking more and more water help.

I have also found that if I don't get enough calories, my body won't lose. There is a point where your body will go into starvation mode. I think we are all aware of that.

Anyway, just my continuous 2 carbs worth.

[Jasmain]

Re: Calories still matter, even on a low-carb plan

Actually, if I was a newbie this thread would have confused me so much by now I might have left, not knowing what to do anymore.

[Jellybean1984]

Re: Calories still matter, even on a low-carb plan

Well Said

[Jellybean1984]

Re: Calories still matter, even on a low-carb plan

hehe Jas, I was when I first started lookin at it, that was like page 9 ago or something it is the thread that never ends, yes it goes on and on my friend, do do do...I am hyper and I dont even eat candy..wtf.

[Jasmain]

Re: Calories still matter, even on a low-carb plan

hehe Jas, I was when I first started lookin at it, that was like page 9 ago or something it is the thread that never ends, yes it goes on and on my friend, do do do...I am hyper and I dont even eat candy..wtf.

Luckily, you have a strong stomach then. Debate is fine.. but this could be a scary thread if you end up here while checking things out and see page after page of people trying to make a point... and not really getting anywhere.

[cleochatra]

Re: Calories still matter, even on a low-carb plan

Great post, Debbie! You, too, Jen!

Jasmain, I think it would be helpful because you see all the different ways there are to lose weight on Atkins! It's especially helpful to those who are either losing very sluggishly or who have stalled.

Not everyone agrees with the One Golden Shot theory, either, but it's good to have all those tools and thoughts and ideas in the arsenal for consideration.

I really believe this is a wonderful discussion and I feel so blessed by everyone who has made a contribution.

[Jasmain]

Re: Calories still matter, even on a low-carb plan

As someone who just started reading this, totally from the outside, this looks more like a fight between calorie counters and non-calorie counters. No offense, this is only my opinion. So what does a newbie get out of this? Do you tell them to count calories or not? Do they get conflicting stories or what Dr. Atkins says in the book? Do you give them your opinion or point them to the pages to read?

[wannabethintoo]

Re: Calories still matter, even on a low-carb plan

So what does a newbie get out of this?

They get an extra tool to use if they are having trouble with their weight loss.