calories or carbs?

[amazon1]

I've been putting everything I eat into fitday. Both my calories and carbs have been low most days. But if I'm hungry at the end of the day, can I eat low-carb food even if it makes my calories go over my "burn" rate? In other words, do calories matter (within reason)?

[atkinsgal08]

Re: calories or carbs?

Your "burn" rate probably isn't relevant on Atkins ... it's not taking into consideration the metabolic advantage of Atkins.

Being low on carbs or calories isn't productive with Atkins.

A good rule of thumb is to eat 10-12 times your current body weight in calories ... without being under 1500.

Hope that helps.

[amazon1]

Re: calories or carbs?

You mean being low on calories (not carbs) isn't a good thing in Atkin's? I weigh 136 so 10 or 12 times that is under 1500. I want to eat 2000 calories. Is that OK?

[atkinsgal08]

Re: calories or carbs?

>>You mean being low on calories (not carbs) isn't a good thing in Atkin's?>>

Generally not.

You need fuel to lose!

>>I weigh 136>>

Why do you want to eat 2000 calories?

Is that what you have been eating? Are you doing a lot of exercise?

You really should be on OWL, too ... you'll want to be at pre-maintenance with about 5 pounds to your goal weight ... and you need the time on OWL.

You might want to check your BMR and AMR ...

BMR Formula

Many can eat 250 above their BMR and lose.

If you're very active, you may be able to eat more.

You'll have to find out what works for you!

[amazon1]

Re: calories or carbs?

2000 is too much?

[Georgiana]

Re: calories or carbs?

2000 is too much?

I believe your question was already answered. To quote J.,

You'll have to find out what works for you!

[Elizellen]

Re: calories or carbs?

Many of us don't have to even think of how many calories we are eating on induction!

Eat from the allowed list of foods, eating up to 20 net carbs, most of which are from your vegetables, eat when you are hungry and till no longer hungry, drink your water and exercise and if you find you are losing weight and experiencing the other benefits of Atkins don't worry about calories

[amazon1]

Re: calories or carbs?

Yesterday I ate 1877 calories. I was just really hungry at night and I can't get past going to bed hungry. It makes me feel very deprived. I got on the scale this morning and I was 2 pounds lighter than yesterday so I don't feel that bad.

[atkinsgal08]

Re: calories or carbs?

You shouldn't go to bed hungry!

Atkins isn't about being deprived.

So what about being on OWL?

[amazon1]

Re: calories or carbs?

What would OWL do for me? I would just up my carbs? I think if I'm eating 1800 calories and start upping my carbs I'm really not going to go anywhere. At about 15 net carbs per day, I've been losing about 1/3 of a pound a week according to fitday. Not great.

[atkinsgal08]

Re: calories or carbs?

>>What would OWL do for me? I>>

Have you read Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution (2002)?

You're supposed to lose most of your weight on OWL, not Induction.

You can't get to maintenance unless you go through OWL!

>>I've been losing about 1/3 of a pound a week according to fitday. Not great.>>

Women lose at the statistical rate of 1/2 to 1 pound per week.

You don't have much to lose, so your rate of loss will be slower than someone who has a lot more to lose.

This isn't a race ... not even with yourself.

And losing anything per week is great ... it's too bad you can't appreciate that!

[amazon1]

Re: calories or carbs?

If I'm only losing 1/3 pound a week - with ups and downs of course, on about 15 carbs a day, and I start raising my carbs, how will I even know when I've stopped losing weight. And I have the book.

[atkinsgal08]

Re: calories or carbs?

>>how will I even know when I've stopped losing weight.>>

You know when stop losing. Of course, sometimes one runs into a stall ... which is natural ... and one has to keep persevering.

I'm glad you have the book ... that doesn't tell me if you've read it though!

So you should know then, that staying on Induction too long isn't what Dr. Atkins write about.

If you stay on Induction, how will you get to maintenance?

How will you know what foods affect you if you don't try them?

[Elizellen]

Re: calories or carbs?

If I'm only losing 1/3 pound a week - with ups and downs of course, on about 15 carbs a day, and I start raising my carbs, how will I even know when I've stopped losing weight.

If you have got to the stage where you are down to losing fractions of a pound a week when you start OWL you will need to use the 'blood sugar symptoms' test to see if any new foods are affecting you adversely.

The problem of not knowing whether you are still losing (that people near their goal weight have on OWL) is one reason we always try to get them to move to OWL earlier in their Atkins journey. It is much easier to tell if your loss stops when youstill have tens of pounds to shed,