Calories. Count or discount?

(Brian Olson) #1

So have been loosing my mind with all the different opinions… Macro confusion calorie confusion. I’m a PhD and love research but come on people so going to the people who live it? Best macro guide and do you count calories?

#2

This is a good place to start :slightly_smiling_face:

(bulkbiker) #3

Carbs below 20g per day eat until satiated. That’s it for the first 2 months…
Once you are there then start to tweak if necessary.

#4

I started out being obsessed with it. But now, no, other than just making sure I don’t have more than 20-30g of carbs, I don’t count. I’ve only been using Carb Manager to log my weight or just to look up macro ratios (like is it enough fat or too many carbs), but this is rare. I just eat. That said, I do sometimes weigh things just to get an idea of servings. Particularly with nuts, though I know 30 g is about a very full handful for me.

#5

I do not count calories.

(Full Metal KETO AF) #6

Caloric intake is complex. It’s more about the calorie source than the actual amount of calories. Calories from carbs spike insulin, calories from fat don’t. In the absence of insulin fat isn’t stored away as easily. So while it’s good to have a caloric deficit to lose weight you don’t want too much of a deficit that it triggers your body’s famine response. That slows your metabolism to a crawl. Lots of good reading threads on the site, use the search and explore the experience of the users. There are some brilliant people here. Best wishes for your keto success. :cowboy_hat_face:

(Brian Olson) #7

Do you still loose weight?

#8

For me, I started keto 11 weeks ago and am down 21 pounds.

(The amazing autoimmune 🦄) #9

I don’t count calories only carbs and I have lost over 80 lbs.

By the way there are huge threads arguing over calorie counting. Just type it into the search box.

(Brian Olson) #10

Awesome input thanks

(Carl Keller) #11

It truly is that simple for me. I believe that understanding and responding appropriately to hunger is the absolute key to healthy weight loss. No macro can tell you when you are satisfied.

All my macros and caloric intake for the past 5 months is stored in cronometer.com but the only thing I ever tried to manipulate was the number of net carbs. My fat and protein macros ranged from 110-160g and 80-175g, respectively. My calories ranged from 1000-2200 but usually stayed around 1500. I lost 40 pounds in 5 months and I have never felt better than I do right now.

(Brian Olson) #12

Thanks everyone

(less is more, more or less) #13

What serendipity. This appeared in my “New Medium Articles” email this morning.

The author is Dr. Jason Fung, always time well spent.

(Brian Olson) #14

Timing is everything… Thank you

(Valerie D Cavigliano) #15

Thank you for that info. I am new to this whole thing. Just reading lots of stories here.

(Valerie D Cavigliano) #16

I am just beginning this journey. What is a cronometer? This is all sounding more complicated than i thought.: Do we seriously need to keep track of How much fat, protein macros,and calories we consume? Can we just be sensible and stay away from bad carbs, eat good fats, and a smaller feeding window???

(Valerie D Cavigliano) #17

Hello, i am inspired by your weight loss. Did you just count carbs?

(less is more, more or less) #18

NO! You don’t! If you follow Dr. Westman’s Page 4, you’ll find the easiest low-carb “diet” you’ve ever taken.

Dr. Westman (I’m a patient of his) monitors thousands of patients who have lost weight, increased health, sent type 2 diabetes into remission, and a host of other goodness without all the smoke and wires. I did all that tracking stuff, but, really, don’t be like me. Dr Westman never approved of my habits.

Tracking is helpful, but not necessary.

(Valerie D Cavigliano) #19

Thank you so much! I will take a look

(The amazing autoimmune 🦄) #20

Yes I only count carbs. Probably 2-3 times a month I track everything I eat to check to see where my macros are. My calories can vary widely. Sometimes as little as 1200 sometimes 3000. Once it was 800 but I wasn’t hungry so I didn’t eat anymore.

The first week or so I tried to track everything but honestly i had been so indoctrinated with fat is bad I had a rough time mentally with the sheer amount of fat calories i was consuming. So I decided not to track

I also knew that for this to become a true lifestyle I couldn’t count. Because the reality is that I won’t for the rest of my life and sometimes you can’t count every calorie. The number your see is truly just an approximation.

Any “diet” where I have to measure and weigh food every time I eat is doomed to failure.

I also think that natural eating will have calorie fluctuations like I see on the days I count.