Calories still matter, even on a low-carb plan

[wannabethintoo]

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

I don't see any fighting going on in here.

[Jellybean1984]

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

HEY CLEO!
yeah jas it is he he, but I must say it is SOOOOOOOOO informational, you see the pos and neg of both.
I love this post it changed me for the posstive.

[cleochatra]

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

I concur with wannabe.

I do believe this really ends up being--again-- whether or not people find it is right for them. I think this thread is a benefit, if only because it is another viewpoint of a tool many of us have always used but never really gave much conscious thought to.

It isn't meant to cause disagreement; that it has isn't negative either. I think it is wonderful that there are two sides to this.

Again, we have the One Golden Shot Theory, and two sides to this. That doesn't diminish the theory. It lends another piece of information.

Ratios? Not in DANDR, but a viable tool for those who choose to use it.

Calorie counting? Not a necessary tool, but one which has worked for quite a few people at ADBB.

That's not to say that the people who don't buy into the Golden Shot, or ratios but buy into calories are wrong. It doesn't intimate that people who buy into all three are right. It simply means it's food for thought for anyone who's struggling with weight loss.

Options are good, especially when they help us on this way of eating.

{{{Jasmain}}}

[cleochatra]

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

Was there fighting?

I hope not. I really have worked very hard to keep this topic information, positive and helpful.

And, I might add, so have others on the thread. I am constantly impressed with the positivity of people at ADBB, even when we disagree.

I think threads this long with sides who don't necessarily see eye-to-eye do tend to degenerate into fighting, and that ours hasn't says something very positive.

[Sheshy]

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

I feel some have it "down", they've retrained their bodies and have overcome the bad habits that the overweight often get themselves into. 2big, you've got it down, you feed yourself when you're hungry period, and that's awesome, good for you...I hope I'll get there eventually.

But for me and many others, we still deal with the emotion part of eating - the stuff that has absolutely nothing to do with this WOE or what food we put in our mouth.

The difference here, and if I'm not mistaken it was mentioned (Rick?), some people do not have that control mechanism developed to just not eat...call it the emotional eating.

I, for one, am an emotional eater and I always ate regardless of whether I was hungry or not. So, even now, most days I can sit down and eat the same quantity of food as I did when I first started Atkins, I'm not full, I'm feel content...and so I totally don't trust that feeling or myself to regulate when I should stop eating.

Also, since adding more varieties of foods into my diet, I feel I can't rely completely on my decreasing appetite as much as I used to. So, I'm helping myself out by paying attention to what I eat, carbs especially, ratios and calories too...all of it.

I think the idea of using it as a tool is an excellent idea...especially for those of us that have trouble reducing portions as we reduce our waistlines.

My 2 cents!

[wannabethintoo]

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

Maybe 2big needs to give lessons in "Eating only when hungry 101". Can we get diplomas too? Eh?

[cleochatra]

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

Also, since adding more varieties of foods into my diet, I feel I can't rely completely on my decreasing appetite as much as I used to. So, I'm helping myself out by paying attention to what I eat, carbs especially, ratios and calories too...all of it.

I think the idea of using it as a tool is an excellent idea...especially for those of us that have trouble reducing portions as we reduce our waistlines.

I think that is a key point. For me it is precisely the same. You've said it so marvellously.

[2big4mysize]

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

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

actually cleo you have no idea if you did or didn't under or over eat it so your point just isn't valid.
you will never know if you under or over ate breakfast cause you are counting cals and that is the whole point I've been trying to make. if you needed 1000 cals worth of food for fuekling your body at that point in time they you needed to eat it. if you needed 200 cals at that time you needed to eat it but if you have set cals limits for the meal.

[cleochatra]

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

2big-- I'm sorry you think my point isn't valid. I think it is. I think you have assumed that a person who keeps track of calories doesn't gauge hunger. Again, I could cite the overconsumption of bacon as an example of why it is important to keep track of portions, even while gauging hunger.

As an example, eating two slices of bacon packs far less a punch to the system than doubling that intake. Another option would to be that, instead of snacking on bacon, one might instead look to a hard boiled egg for the lower calorie content with greater satiety.

I know it has meant the difference for me between losing a little weight and losing a lot of weight.

[Sheshy]

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

I think that goes back to trusting the signals from your body. And there lies the problem for most.

And I'd like to discuss the point you made earlier. If I was stalled for 6 weeks (inches and pounds), tracking my food in Fitday ... truly following plan and just stalled ... my appetite and WOE consistent all the way through, this is what I've done....

I go back and review my menus, carbs, calories, ratios. If all was as it should be according to Dr A, then I would think, huh...my body must not need as much as I'm feeding it anymore, and my natural appetite response didn't tell me that.

I need to reduce my portions/calories intake or add additional exercise to get moving again. But, since I work full time and have a family, I don't want to spend more time working out. So, I decide to reduce my portions and track it by paying attention to the weights, measurements, calories... because since I'm a smaller person, I do not need the same intake...

But since my natural appetite regulator isn't working as well as other peoples, I pay attention to my calorie intake too. I always thought it made sense !

[2big4mysize]

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

Sheshy emotional eating isn't hunger feeding and even cal counting will not help that. Strong will and a firm control of mouth opening not to allow food in and understanding why my Brain is prescribing those foods is what helps me know that those foods will not fix the emotions that are causing my Brain to want that food.

Again did you do what Dr Atkins said in your DANDR page 231 to try to learn portion controlfrom your first Atkins meal? or did y'all just go with the during induction cals don't matter and skip that advice?
I see many folk in this topic continually saying they don't know portion control and it takes a long time to learn so did any of you actually take the time to begin on day one of your induction to actually start practicing portion control?

As Dr Atkins says in chapter on eating in the real world it is the high fat to carb ratio (of those high cal atkins kegal foods) that keeps the blood sugar stabel and appetite suppressed.

He also in the premaintnenance and ther maintnenace chapters admonishes us about over eating our phase when we are in a lighter stage of ketosis and lose total appetite suppression

[Sheshy]

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

I agree with the concept 2big...but you hit the nail on the head, you're assuming that everyone has that will and control right away, and that's not true for me. I wish I had the WILL you speak of, if I did maybe I wouldn't have gotten fat to begin with.

But Atkins has changed my world, but I still need a little more visual help than most and a kick in the butt, so the paying attention to all of it, that helps me.

Like I said I hope one day I'll have your willpower, but for now I'm still working on it...a work in progress I guess!

[LC_Dave]

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

I still think, no one had has answered my query.
I mean,

According to the calorie thinking, eating even induction food will make you 100 - 200 pounds overweight.

Have a deep think about it. If you ate induction level for two year without counting calories - would you ever gain an excess of 200 pounds on your body ? And we are talking eating to hunder, not force feeding yourself!

If any newbies are reading this, that don't want to calories, let it be known that you don't have to, if you don't want.
Others have said it is a tool, but it's optional.

[2big4mysize]

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

2big-- I'm sorry you think my point isn't valid. I think it is. I think you have assumed that a person who keeps track of calories doesn't gauge hunger. Again, I could cite the overconsumption of bacon as an example of why it is important to keep track of portions, even while gauging hunger.

As an example, eating two slices of bacon packs far less a punch to the system than doubling that intake. Another option would to be that, instead of snacking on bacon, one might instead look to a hard boiled egg for the lower calorie content with greater satiety.

I know it has meant the difference for me between losing a little weight and losing a lot of weight.

Demonstrate for me how cal counting the meal you are about to eat allows you know you had the right amount of fuel at that time cleo? you keep saying counting cals keeps someone from over eating but how do they know how many total cals their body needed today at that time? fuel consuption on a person is no different then a car. some days you use more cause your body did more other days you need less cause your body did less but if you always eat a predetermined amount based on a number you have picked you are over and enderfeeding it daily.

Every meal should be this testing of hunger. There are days I start to eat get interupted and return but am not hungry. cal counting says I got to eat it Dr Atkins appetite satisfying says nope put it up and that is what I do.


Sheshy actually the first stall buster from Dr Atkins is cutting carbs back 5 net if nothing else has changes in your life style. if that doesn't work then you cut it 5 more.
Many folk don't follow Dr Atkins advice and just make a different more drastic change like you mentioned cutting cals. Since your theoretical atkinner ate less and were not hungry then they were as you pointed out over eating their Atkins and could have realized that by doing as Dr Atkins said in DANDR eat less of the food and see if they are hungry if not then they need to be eating less and keep cutting till they get hungry to learn where they need to be?

remember every meal should be a test so you relearn not just one and okay got it right there that is what I need.

[2big4mysize]

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

Dave I answered you way back before you ask Cal counting doesn't need to be Atkins if you do as Dr Atkins said and learn and then use your hunger as your guide.

Again with the bacon Cleo if for you and hunger it takes 4 slices then have them and since you are an Atkins person some carb should be in there too from your veggies. the fat in those bacon pieces will increase your ketosis appetite suppression and the next meal and you will eat far less then you would with the egg appetite suppresion.

remember too you far exceeded Dr Atkins warnings abiut the number of pounds to lose a day from DANDR too.