Counting calories and carbs

[MsManners]

Hi guys,

I have been counting my carbs and staying under 20g. But I wondered if people here also counted calories and if there is a number that they try to maintain.
Thanks
Alex

[Barb1965]

I only start counting calories if I stall. The bottom line is it doesn't really matter what you are eating, if you are eating more calories than you are burning you will stall or gain weight. I think unless you are eating very large portions on this woe, the metabolism is so much more efficient that its not necessary to count every calorie unless you run into a problem.

[Kellen]

Hello Alex,

From what I've read, one needs to get at least 1400 calories, and ideally about 10X your body weight in calories, ie: 256lbsX10 = 2500. That's where the fat comes in.. but I mayself have a hard time getting that many calories. I usually come in at between 1600 and 1900 each day. It does seem like when I do get a high amount of calories, like in a pork-tenderloin-boneless-ribs kind of day, lol,(piping hot with a fair amount of fat) that I'll do a little 'whhoosh' and lose a couple.

I do use a online food tracker, so when I enter the foods, most of the numbers are automaticaly produced.

The body works a lot harder when it's having to rely on fat for fuel, instead of glucose and just 'being' is burning more calories now.

A question for yourself: are you counting net carbs or total carbs? The fiber has to be subtracted from the total carb count. I miscalculated for a couple days because I didn't factor this in.

Fat is the key for keeping the calories jacked up. You also might look at how much protein grams you are getting. For your CW, you'd need about 128.. (divide current weight in half, and that's how many grams; same formula for water intake) So it goes down as you lose weight.

I think of it all a a bio-chemical recipe. Hope that helps!

PS: looks like we have roughly the same amount of weight to lose... see you there!

[MsManners]

Hi Kellen, Thanks for the detailed answer.

I have stalled. I lost 11 in induction and have only lost .5 in the last week. BUT my calories are around 1,000, my fat is 53, my carbs are 12, and my protien is 78. So I need to increase the amount of protein and calories and that should kick start me?

Alex

[Kellen]

Good GOD Girl, you need to do some serious eatin' !!! 11 pounds in induction is great actually, and a good sign that you aren't too metabolicaly resistant, I think. Pretty common to run a holding pattern for a bit after 2 week induction... Let's see, I lost 13 in induction, then nothing for a week or so, (then sort-of)another couple, the my period came, scratch anpother week.. then whoosh.. I dropped from pre-period 270/271 to 263 during the 4 days after the period...

...and all week it's been going up and down between 263.0 to 264.2.

HANG in there and eat! Try googling Fitday and fool around with their food tracker... it's pretty neat. There may be others, but that's the one I know about.

[momtomany1]

You don't need more protein, you need more fat. It needs to be closer to 65 percent fat, 30 percent protein, 5 percent carbs. And your overall calories are too low, but adding the fat will help.

You want to be a little below your BMR which I am sure is much higher than 1000!

BMR Calculator

Some folks actually down straight coconut oil to up their fat. I can't bring myself to do that but you can make coconut oil bark, see here.

http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.c...conut-oil.html (coconut oil)

Cook with butter, the real stuff, put mayo on boiled eggs, or on top of bunless burgers, etc....

[MsManners]

AHHHH
I have eatten two egsgs for breakfast, a hamburger patty and cheese for lunch and a steak with salad for dinner....what more can I eat?

Do you add little meat snacks throughout the day?

[MsManners]

Thanks for the link.
So my BMR is 1850 so I should try to get what 1500 calories a day?
Alex

[momtomany1]

Do you like deviled eggs? Great snack. Celery with cream cheese, good way to add in fat. One salad a day is not enough. Eat another salad, or some cooked broccoli or other acceptable vegetable, topped with butter, with your lunch. Or scramble your eggs with mushrooms and red peppers. A half an avocado, if you like them, excellent fat and nutrients!

Most common early mistake for new folks on Atkins.. too little food, too little fat. Don't feel bad, many of us do it.. we are used to 'diets' where we DON'T eat!

1500 is probably an excellent target!

[FLdoodette]

Momtomany1, thanks for the link to the BMR calculator ... I get a measly 1,441.5 :P But, I've been under that all along (plus exercising), so I'll just keep on truckin' A pound or two a week is fine with me. I've been gaining and losing the same 30 pounds throughout my entire midlife crisis ... I'd rather it come off gradually than have it fall off ... and then jump back on!