I have to say, figuring out that calories STILL matter even if you're doing low carb was a good thing for me. At first I was resentful because of the folks that seem to be able to eat anything and still lose on LC. But I've adapted well to cutting back the calories.

The weight is starting to go alot more consistently than it was BCC (before counting calories). I'm getting used to fewer calories, not really hungry all that much even at meal times. Not that lack of hunger ever stopped me from eating.

So far, according to fitday my average weekly weightloss is .7 pounds. I was averaging about half a pound before... sort of. I'd often go a month without losing weight, then lose 3 pounds the next month.

Now if I could just get myself to exercise regularly... I work in the garden until I drop a few days a week, but I could stand more exercise.

2MuchPizza,
I have your cartoon on my bulletin board -it's hilarious! And yes, calories do matter - at least to a middle-aged, diabetic, hypthyroid, post menopausal woman - me!

IMHO calories only matter to the point that you don't over do it. i mean i try not to go over 2200 calories a day but i wouldn't go as far as to put myself down to a weight watchers 1700 calories. if i do go above on calories over time i will gain so i just use it as a general guide line.


jon

This is my 6th day of keeping calories low and staying low carb and already my clothes are pretty baggy. I have also been walking about 4 miles every night. Belly feels a lot flatter too. I think every body is different and whatever works, stick to it

very true! *Jon pats Bella on back*

You're a guy, you just can't understand how sluggish a woman's metabolism can be! And yes, I'm totally jealous.

I said yes but I don't like the choices. I believe carlories matter in weight loss but most certainly - a calorie is not a calorie.

i need to eat more calories, i am just not that hungry. i am at about 1000 a day, should i just eat more fat? its already 60-70 %.

I think you should go with the flow, Lins. If you're like me, your appetite is constantly going up and down. Some days I have to stretch to hit 1200 calories, other days I feel like I could inhale the contents of my fridge. So I think they balance out.

I agree with George. I voted yes, but I would have been happier with a response of, "Calories count, but a calorie is not simply a calorie."

Also, one thing that people always seem to forget is that fat and protein are not just calories to our bodies. They are our building blocks so some of the "calories" we eat in the form of those two macronutrients are never used for energy purposes. That's why when we eat adequate protein and fat, we prevent muscle wastage. When we eat carbs, they are used only for energy or stored as fat. With carbs, calories in/calories out is true, but not with protein and fat. Cutting out fat, which is used to build cell walls and hormones, means that our bodies cannot rebuild, so eating high-carb/low-fat only gives our bodies energy, not the nutrients it really needs.

And yes, lowering calories for me seems to be getting me past my almost-2-year stall. My current goal is to keep my calorie intake somewhere between 1600 and 2000 a day. On low-fat, I would have had to lower my calorie intake much lower to achieve the same results and I would be miserable, have low energy, and eventually get sick like the last time I did Weight Watchers.

I remember when I was a teenager the accepted wisdom was to cut calories to 800 a day.

I'd say - if you do nothing to burn them, they will definitely matter. I do believe in the 'metabolic advantage' but we are meant to move our bodies.

Alina

I found that once I droppped my calories to 1200, I stopped losing and stalled out immediately - I upped my cals back to 1500 and am again losing just fine. I'm relatively close to goal and am doing at least an hour or exercise a day (Cardio/Weights/HIIT) and am losing between 1 and 1.5 pounds a week.
Gives me hope that once at goal I can eat around 1800-2K and not gain as long as I maintain my exercise level.

yep, I have to watch my callories. I have between 1500 and 1800 a day, and if I go below I stall and if I go above I put on, so it's very important to me. It took me 7 weeks of being on induction to figure it out too as my weight was up and down like a yoyo!

......in the end, its come to that !!!

I believe 300 kcal is the theoretical maximum ketone excretion per day the liver can produce. i have no idea what the average keto dieter "wastes" per day but it is between 0 and 300. I think the current research will shed light on whether Atkins truly has a metabolic advantage or if it is merely a great way to control hunger and lose weight. I am not terribly concerned about being in ketosis but focusing on a 500 calorie deficit each day and adding in exercise to bump to 700-800 deficit.