How many Calories?

[Cajunboy47]

I have been LC dieting almost a month now. I probably started at around 2200 daily calories, then reduced it to 2000 daily calories and I am now lowering it to 1850 daily calories. I am on a high fat/low carb diet and expected a slow weight loss and it is slower than expected, so thus the reason for calorie reduction.

I am curious and would like to know about how many calories other diabetics are eating on their low carb diet. I understand that our body weight and our goals cause each of us to be consuming more or less than another, but just generally, I would like to know.

[Charran]

Calories are a funny thing. Many people say that calories don't matter, some say they do. Of course your weight and sex will make a difference in just how many you can consume. Also, depending on whether you exercise or not will make a difference. I'm in abit of a stall at present, so I plugged my calorie intake into Fitday last week for a couple of days and find I"m running between 1400-1600 a day. On this amount, I'm not losing..now whether it is the calorie amount that is causing me to not lose or something else, I have no clue. There are also those who believe that it's not how many calories you eat, but where those calories are coming from...ie..from fat, from protein, from carbs, etc. The whole thing remains a mystery to me but if anyone ever figures it out, I'd love to know!

[Cajunboy47]

posted by Charran

The whole thing remains a mystery to me but if anyone ever figures it out, I'd love to know!

I know if you LC, you can eat more calories without gaining weight, but it seems logical that there is a threshold at some point in the increase that could cause weight gain. It also seems logical that even when LC dieting, a reduction in total calories would equate to weight loss.

Now, I have come to believe that starvation dieting will not work and can be harmful. Finding that just right amount of total calories to attain a goal is elusive for sure.

There are only 3 things we can all do with out weight; gain, lose or maintain. I mastered how to gain weight, so, I guess step 2 would be to master weight loss, then try to figure out step 3 (maintain)...... A never ending battle, I am certain....

Cajunboy47

[MizKitty]

I was not successful at multiple past attempts at LCing when I did not watch the calories. I think that's what has kept me resistant to any more dieting these last few years... the idea of having to watch the carbs AND the calories sounded like too much punishment.
But my diabetes got out of control and my health was deteriorating, so I had to go back to LCing. Just to keep myself from feeling too sorry for myself and to get started, I originally set my calorie goal at 1700 - 2100. And I was losing on that at first, but the weight loss slowed down dramatically after those first couple woosh weeks.
But (miraculously, for me) the curbed hunger and appetite suppression I'd always heard about but never experienced in any of my past LCing attempts, kicked in, and I haven't had any trouble bringing the calories down even lower. I'm keeping them between 1200 - 1600 most of the time now, and losing at a good rate.
If you had told me before I started that I would have to do both, eat LC and keep my calories down in the 1500 range, I think I would have been too angry and resentful to even get started.
So I guess this is another area in which everyone's mileage will vary. I envy the people who say they can eat all the LC foods they want regardless of calories, but I'm not one of them.
But as long as I don't cheat and really don't eat the carbs, (that's also what's different this time), I find restricting the calories to not be so hard as I thought it would be.

[dina1957]

I know if you LC, you can eat more calories without gaining weight, but it seems logical that there is a threshold at some point in the increase that could cause weight gain.
I am puzzled with it too.If I adhere to 20-30 g cabrs a day, inorder to make up for RDA, eat enough protein, maintain 70-80% fat ration, I would be somewhere around 1900 calories.
So, consider that I am in not too deep ketosis on 30 g carbs, this amount is enough for my body to maintain, so I don't lose. Once the intiail adaption period on very low cabr plan is over and initial weight loss occured due to glucogen loss; the mechanism is swtched from sugar burning to fat burning, it is getting harder to lose weihgt. I suspect that T2 who are very IR and have more insulin than non-diabetics on a regular diet, still have more insulin even on low carb diet inhibiting weight loss.
I do belive that the same rule applies to LC diet: your weight x 10 = basic calories for weight loss, + your activity level.
I don't belive that calories do not matter even on a lc diet, and many came to conclusion that the only way to keep losing weight, is to cut calories as you go.

[Cajunboy47]

MizKitty:

Thanks! Your words hit home for me. Sounds like you've been there and done that. I am walking right behind you, but with more confidence now, knowing that I am not walking alone........

[Cajunboy47]

posted by dina1957

I suspect that T2 who are very IR and have more insulin than non-diabetics on a regular diet, still have more insulin even on low carb diet inhibiting weight loss.

Your suspicion, if correct would perfectly explain my slow weight loss. Assuming you're correct, how do you hypotesize we can reduce our insulin levels? I predict you will say exercise as I can't envision another way. But, I am open to any type of guess based on experience. I am concluding that many of our experiences are more valuable than I first thought.... Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this..... You've helped me think and understand better about the affects of diabetes on this old tired body.....

Cajunboy47

[MizKitty]

how do you hypotesize we can reduce our insulin levels?

I actually inject insulin, along with glucophage and actos. I think time will help. As we stop putting the strain on our pancreas to deal with all the carbs, our metabolisms will slowly start to heal. How much, is going to be another individual thing, yours might heal more than mine. But we didn't get this way overnight, and we're not going to heal overnight!

[Cajunboy47]

MizKitty:

we're not going to heal overnight!

well said! I guess you're telling us to not give up so easily as it takes time to heal. Thanks, I will remember that for sure when my next discouragement comes along.

[dina1957]

Your suspicion, if correct would perfectly explain my slow weight loss. Assuming you're correct, how do you hypotesize we can reduce our insulin levels? I predict you will say exercise as I can't envision another way. But, I am open to any type of guess based on experience. I am concluding that many of our experiences are more valuable than I first thought.... Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this..... You've helped me think and understand better about the affects of diabetes on this old tired body.....

Cajunboy47
I wish I knew it myself, but exercise definetely helps with IR, supposedly weight training is the best. BUT streneous exercises increases both appetite and BGs, and for me it takes food(which equals insulin) to bring it down.
After 4 years of being Dx, I have realized how complex this condition is, and how hard it is to lose/maintain weight and control blood sugar at a narrow range.
I have seen ppl having great success with Byetta and Symlin, they slow down digestion, and aid in weight loss on any diet. I still think that eating less on any diet is hepfull with both: Bgs control and weight loss.
HTH

[AuntJoyce]

To lose weight in addition to low carb, I had to watch my protein portion sizes. I used Protein Power Lifeplan to figure out how much protein I should eat. It came out to about 6oz per meal. I had been eating much more than that. So once I stayed close to that, I lost 20 pounds. My calories are between 1400 and 1600.

Speaking of lowering and managing insulin, I eat just 3 meals a day with no snacking. I even did the intermittent fast for a week and I can see how skipping a meal can help reduce insulin levels.

[eddiemcm]

Simple math but no person seems to know the exact equation. You take in a certain number of calories.Your
body uses some of it.Your body disposes of some of it.
The rest remains and contributes to weight gain if you
take too much of the wrong thing in.Many variables exist:
1. Burning efficiency of what was taken in
2. Metabolic rate of the individual
3. Amount of energy expended by the individual
I guess we all have to experiment a bit and get in touch
with how our bodies work.
Incidentally,I have seen a few fat French women!
A Dallas cowboy fan in Houston
Eddie

[Cajunboy47]

Simple math but no person seems to know the exact equation. You take in a certain number of calories.Your
body uses some of it.Your body disposes of some of it.
The rest remains and contributes to weight gain if you
take too much of the wrong thing in.Many variables exist:
1. Burning efficiency of what was taken in
2. Metabolic rate of the individual
3. Amount of energy expended by the individual
I guess we all have to experiment a bit and get in touch
with how our bodies work.
Incidentally,I have seen a few fat French women!
A Dallas cowboy fan in Houston
Eddie

Thanks for the math lesson. Let's see if I have the formula straight:

Energy Intake (EI) -- Energy Output (EO) -- Metabolic Rate (MR) -- Burning Efficiency of Energy Intake (BI) -- Energy Expension of Individual (EE) -- Weight Status (WS)

EI x MR - (BI */. EE) - EO = WS

I agree, many variables exist. :) Incidentally, I've seen many fat french (cajun) women, many short ones too..... :) I think the words "fat" and "cajun" might be synonymous or interchangeable.........:))

[dina1957]

I think the words "fat" and "cajun" might be synonymous or interchangeable.........:))
I believe that "french women do not get fat" applies to french women living in FRANCE;).

[eddiemcm]

"I believe that "french women do not get fat" applies to french women living in FRANCE"
Saw several fat madamesilles in Paris couple of years ago.
I agree French ladies are gererally quite beautiful.
Speaking completely for myself with no disrespect
for French women intended or implied:
GIVE ME AN AMERICAN BABE ANY DAY OF THE WEEK!
Dallas Cowboy fan in Houston
Eddie

[Cajunboy47]

dina1957
I believe that "french women do not get fat" applies to french women living in FRANCE.

Maybe we need to start a campaign for all of our Louisiana Cajun French women, notifying them that not living in france could be hazardous to their waist line.... :) Anyone who is having a problem sticking to a low carb diet, just be glad you don't live in southwest Louisiana's Cajun Country. We have festivals for everything, life is celebrated with Carb rich foods. Maybe we should start a LowCarbFest to bring some sanity to our dietary habits. :)

[dina1957]

"I believe that "french women do not get fat" applies to french women living in FRANCE"
Saw several fat madamesilles in Paris couple of years ago.
I agree French ladies are gererally quite beautiful.
Speaking completely for myself with no disrespect
for French women intended or implied:
GIVE ME AN AMERICAN BABE ANY DAY OF THE WEEK!
Dallas Cowboy fan in Houston
Eddie
It is not about beauty, I was referring to french life style in general, not just the french diet per se. There are overweight ppl in France too, and as the fast food migrates, the number will go up and up.

[Cajunboy47]

[QUOTE]It is not about beauty, I was referring to french life style in general, not just the french diet per se. There are overweight ppl in France too, and as the fast food migrates, the number will go up and up.[QUOTE]

True, our fast food habits are catching on more and more around the world, but I read that our population would be decreasing instead of increasing if it were not for migration to the USA. Perhaps, we should post signs at our borders: Warning, moving to the USA can be hazardous to your waist line and your health. :)

Seriously, your comment serves to remind me that I need to stay out of all restaurants, especially fast food types. I ate out a lot this past week, stayed true to LC eating, but did not lose a pound. The upside is, I didn't gain. Before LC dieting, having been on the road for a week and eating out so much, I would have had an extra 3 to 5 pounds to contend with, so I survived inspite of not having weight loss this week.

Cajunboy47