Calories still matter, even on a low-carb plan

[cleochatra]

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

Truedat. But science also dictates that in the end it's calories in versus calories out.

This is a fabulous discussion. I really appreciate all the feedback. I think we all essentially agree...albeit for different reasons.

[Jellybean1984]

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

I loved reading this post!Im day 16 here and I know I am eatting to satisfy me but I would like to have a look at how much over....so I can work on fixing it.
My question is how many cal. should one get in a day I am 297 want to lose alot of weight lol. but right now small goal of a big number..
Anyone know...or where i can find it.

[wannabethintoo]

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

there own body would Wannabe. the hunam biody has fat censors rihgt as the food leaves the stomach and enters the small intestine. when those sensors are activated they immediately notify the brain WARNING HIGH FAT FOOD COMEING OUT!!!!! and the brain in turn generates a signal to the stomach SHUT UP!!!! and the stomach opening to the small intestines does just that. it closes back up for more tummy churning and only that small amount of high fat food was released for use as enegy along wiht any carbs and protein that got out. SO you get a nibble to keep your blood sugar stable and then you get another and another. As long as you listen to your hunger you would not be hungry and you would be not eating for a long time. When it was time to eat again you would be at the 6 hr more and need to follow the rules and have just a bit of carb fat/protein and go from there.

If you remove the food triggers from your enviornment TV ads food out in plain view, etc. you will see you can go till an alarm rings to tell you 6hrs have passed and you need to eat again.

There really is science behind why Atkins works

That's true 2big but I think this idea of "only eating when you're hungry" is something many people have to re-learn and it takes time. I'm thinking that mabye this is why some people have trouble losing (especially those just starting Atkins). They haven't grasped the concept of just eating when you're hungry and end up eating too much. And if they're not keeping track of the 65,30,5 rule then they might be over-eating fat.

[cleochatra]

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

Hey {{{Jenler}}}}! Do you happen to know how many calories per day you're eating right now? Do you already use fitday.com?

This is generally how I figure these things out.

Still, there's an equation I use that I'm going to go and find for you. In the mean time, I'd love it if you'd show me about what you're eating on any given day in calories so that I can help you determine a general guideline by which you can continue to lose weight while being conscience of the overall picture of caloric expenditures.

i'll be back in a few minutes.

[not2late]

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

Re: my fat intake....

I've learned enough about my body to recognize its "you've eaten too much fat" signal. If I eat too much fat, I get the same queasy-I-feel-like-vomitting sensation I used to get when I ate something that was too sweet for me in my pre-Atkins days.

[wannabethintoo]

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

Re: my fat intake....

I've learned enough about my body to recognize its "you've eaten too much fat" signal. If I eat too much fat, I get the same queasy-I-feel-like-vomitting sensation I used to get when I ate something that was too sweet for me in my pre-Atkins days.

The problem is that the people who are just starting the 2 week induction may just think that the feeling is part of the induction flu.

[cleochatra]

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

Firstly, here's the site I recommend most to people who want to keep track of their changing caloric needs (I recommend you reconfigure every 5-10 pounds since your needs change).

http://www.dallasdietitian.com/resources/calcalc.htm

The reason I like this site is that it takes more into account than mere weight. It looks at lifestyle and other parameters as well.

As for actual weight loss once you've looked at the numbers,

Basically, we know a pound typically = 3500 calories.

We know our BMR = since you calculated it at the site I provided.

With these two numbers in mind, we can now look for specific information.

If, for example, you'd like to lose all your weight in 250 days.

You currently weigh 266 and in 250 days you want to weigh 160.

1.) 266- 160 = 106 pounds to lose

2) You need to lose a total of 106 pounds X 3500 calories total = 371000calories total

3) Number of calories to lose per day. 371000 divided by 250 = 1484 calories to lose per day.

4) Your current BMR dictates you eat 266 X 11, or 2926 calories per day to maintain your current weight.

5) Now subtract calories to lose from your BMR: 2926 - 1484 = eat 1442 calories per day to lose the weight.

Granted, remember that as you lose weight, your BMR will change, and so the number of calories you have to eat will change. About ever 20 pounds, I want you to rework the formula using your updated numbers. This will be more consistant.

Also, keep in mind that things such as PMS, and stalls due to whooshies are prevalent on Atkins, so, from time to time, the weight loss won't be 100% consistant, but it will be close.

More importantly, on Atkins we burn fat at a higher rate because our bodeis have to work harder to use protein and fat for fuel than carbs.

Finally, exercise is of the utmost importance. I exercise everyday. If you exercise at least 5 times a week, at say, 300 calories per time, you are burnbing an excess of 1500 calories per week, which, added to your already lower caloric intake, will result in even higher weight loss, or, minimall,y more consistant weight loss.

You can change the constants, such as number of days to lose the weight, and other variables. Just refigure for those constants to achieve new results.

I hope this helps!

Jamie

PS. another option I can help you with if you choose is your showing your current caloric intake versus what you should typically take in and I can help figure your numbers for probable loss (stalls, etc, taken into consideration for various reasons).

Just let me know if you need any further assistance. I know this method has worked for quite a few of us here.

[wannabethintoo]

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

And I don't know what is so wrong with the concept of counting carbs AND counting calories. It's not the same as low cal diets because you have the fats that keep you satisfied longer.

[cleochatra]

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

And I don't know what is so wrong with the concept of counting carbs AND counting calories. It's not the same as low cal diets because you have the fats that keep you satisfied longer.

I concur.

[wannabethintoo]

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

It's not the same as low cal diets because you have the fats that keep you satisfied longer.

And that's the key to why this WOE is so successfull.

[2big4mysize]

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

Cleo you are caught up in the word calories.

say food X had 1/9th of the total amount of cals you need for the day based on your metabolism and your activities. 65% of them fats and 30% of them proteins and 5% of them carbs.

You walk up and have a plate full of that food in front of you. You start to eat listening to your body at 2-3 pieces you realize you are no longer hunger. you stop and walk a way. did you say okay 2-3 9ths of my cals were eatten? no you say I have satisfied my hunger and I don't need any more food period! it is in your stomach, your appetite is satisfied and you go about your business.

Becuase it is high fat low carbs you will get the opening closing of the stomach for several hours and thus your blood sugar is stable and you are not hungry ( unless you have foolishly left food triggers laying around that make you believe you want food when you are not hungry and you talk yourself into eating cause you want it justifying it as hunger since you haven't eatten since breakfast and you will faint if you don't get food)

Eventually you will experience the decline in blood sugar cause you used all that up or the 6 hr rule kicks in.

So you sit down to eat again and again you listen to your hunger if you were huhgry and STOP when your hunger is full. now if you eat like somebody id going to steal it and stuff 50hundred pieces in your mouth swallow half chewed and don't allow your body toi give you feed back they yes you could over eat your Atkins easily but that is where that whole lesson Dr Atkins taught us and homework he gave us about eating 1/2 and walking away back day one of induction comes in cause if you have been practicing what Dr A said you know you are not going to need 50hundred pieces and will have a sensible serving on your plate ( Ie you have seen it take 2-3 portions 2-3 niths of your total cals for you calorie counters) to satisfy your hunger so you start eating and if you get satisfied hunger wise before you get then all eatten you stop if not you keep going till you do. If you are hungry still then you get another portrion and if not you walk away.

It is that easy.

If you ere counting cals had alotted 2.5 9ths of your cals for that meal and it took 2,55 to satisfy your hunger then you are still hungry and still needing food but told by outside control ( that would be calorie counting) STOP no more for you. resentment builds up
body says I need it
Calorie count says tough you reached your limit and I will give you more later.
Body but I need it NOW
calorie caount I said NO!! you need a time out!
Body you don't understand I need more cals now! I will have to not make all the stuff we need to function at optimal levels
calorie control too bad I SIAD NO
Brain oy all this argueing. I will fix that.Llet me prescribe something that makes this go away. Let me check the brain reactions to foods in my memory banks. Ah yes there is the onme that calms me. CHOCOLATE I will prescribe choclate. that should calm this arguing down.

okay now cholcoate cravings signals are going out all beacuse you didn't allow your body hunger to be satisdied.

Unless you do the eact same thing every day you will not need the same caloric intake every day. As you lose body fat you will burn less cals doing the exact same thing ( 9 cala a pound ofr ladies more for guys) but if you are on a lockstep cal counting plan if you picked your cals you will not be adjusting your food intake to meet the needs of the smaller you and will over eat because of external control NOT hunger control.

Some days you will be hungrier then others and eat more. I can 3000-4000 day days and others are under 1000 cause I just wasn't very hungry.

Many folk who are habitual dieters have lost the ability to listen and need to practice hard listening more then just one day doing the hiomework. It took me weeks to get the triggering of hunger and not a time on the clock or commercial or even 1/2 time of a game as when to eat but eventually with Atkins appetite suppression going on I was able to regain control of muy eating. Megs tool lonnger but finally got it. I can tell you folk are shocked when they discover it cause you wil see posts saying 2BIG I thought you were full of it, but I just ate food to nurish my body and stopped even though thewre was pleanty left cause I wasn't hungry. those posts make me very happy cause I know that person will be a life long goalie. the calorie counters well we see them yoyoing Atkins all the time.

If you take the time to listen to your body your body will count the cals for you.

[Jellybean1984]

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

well last week I have been bouncing around with weight.
So I recorded my cals from fitday starting
JAn 21 - 1843
22 - 1692
23 - 2086
24 - 2443
25 - 1223
26 - 1515
27 - 1780
28 - 1049
29 - 1285
30 - 1411
Feb 1 - 1243
2 - 1876
3 - 1855
4 - 1922

Okay actually LOOKING at this helps I didnt even look at it.. Feb 2nd I lost Feb 3 - stayed
4th gained .4. is this due to cals?
I am going to check out the site my average cal intake is 1779 i think i deleted it ops hehe but it is around there...

what the site said:

Based on the following information:
Height 5' 10" Weight 297 lbs. Age 21 years Gender Female Activity Moderate You need approximately 3484 calories to maintain your current weight.


If your goal is to lose weight, subtract 500 calories from the value. If your goal is to gain weight, add 500 calories to this value. Keep in mind that calorie needs can vary +/- 20% depending on your personal metabolism. If you want to find out how to maximize your metabolism, visit a registered dietitian.


**This says I need to up my cals which I am not willing to do.

[Jellybean1984]

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

the thing is if I ate when I was hungry I would eat once a day...

[cleochatra]

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

2big-- there has to be some Socratic dialogue. Calorie counting is everyone's lowest common denominator in America for weight loss. And for good reason. Low-carbing just keeps a body from being hungry. It isn't a license to lick the jar of mayonnaise clean, however. *lol*

Jenler-- Right. Listening to your body might mean taking in 600 calories per day. even someone who has had weight loss surgery takes in an average of 900 calories per day. I could go into the discussion about 'starvation mode' but it might be a little too controversial to go into here.

There are various reasons for stalls, and depending on how long you've been stalled it could be due to caloric expenditure. If you want to lose a pound per week, you could elect to either exercise 500 more calories per day, or choose to eat 500 less... and if you have trouble getting in the full number of calories you do a day (I have trouble honestly getting over 900 per day-1200), you will take off more weight than if you are arbitrarily trying to feed your BMR.

Listening to the body alone could mean you eat less than a weight loss surgery patient post op! Some days I was eating only 600 calories per day. That's not always a positive, but it's not necessarily a negative either.

[Jellybean1984]

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

Okay sounds good I will play around with it...there is no way I am eatting what that chart says though *laugh*

This will be a good guide cause some days I feel like I have overstepped the part.
I will play and see thanks for your help