Let's talk calories. . . .

[ldyj]

Does anyone track calories? If you've been successful on Atkins, did you count calories as you were losing? Do you count calories now that you're on maintenance? If you do (did) count calories, how did you determine how many you should have a day? I did a search and didn't find anything on this subject, but I'm sure that as soon as I post it a dozen threads will come up!

[msanjelpie]

According to this calculator:

Calorie Calculator - Daily Caloric Needs

I should be under 1750 calories per day... I usually always am... the info is right there on fitday, so I track it the same as carbs...

Basically if there are two foods to choose from, that are the same carb count etc... I'll pick the one with less calories as long as I think it will fill me up so that I don't get hungry again right away...

[neutronnorman]

I do track calories. I don't know, I keep my calories at about 2300 daily but on the weekends I gone up to 5,360 calories or so. It all depends on your caloric expenditure, I suppose. I burn over 1000 calories per day usually from strength training. If I feel week, up goes my calories until I feel strong again.

[IrishIrish]

Since early Atkins (I started in January, 2004) I tracked my food intake and exercise using FitDay.com. That along with tracking my weight loss gave me a good indication of what worked for me. While I'm not religious about tracking my food and exercise on Fitday.com, I always track things when I change a routine or add a food. It just helps me understand how my body works, expecially as I age (Yes! ... I'm aging!), go through medication changes, monitor weight loss, measurements.

Having said all that, Fitday.com can be a great tool, but it can be time consuming. Use it the way you want to to see your food intake and your exercise to get an idea of what you are consuming and if you are losing to satisfy your goals.

[JulieB]

I track calories, partly for planning, partly because I've played mind-games with myself about food for so long, that I don't trust myself to know physical hunger from "I want" emotional hunger.

I plan my meals a week at a time - this is what works for me and my schedule. I find that 1) I like my calories evenly split between 3 daily meals 2) I know how many calories to plan for each meal so that I don't keep adding more food (bacause I'm scared I might starve to death lol). So I plan based on calories/carbs/rules, make shopping list based on the plan. Cook & pack lunches, etc based on the plan and am rarely surprised that I made too much food (and now have to throw it out), or didn't bring enough for lunch & am hungry at work in the afternoon.

Having said that, if I am hungry (truly hungry) after I've eaten my planned food for the day, I eat something else legal. If I cook too much, or pack a lunch that's too big, I stop eating when I am no longer hungry. Some days I need more than others.

[Emre Yigit]

Yes, I count calories, carbs, fat, everything I can.

I use Calorie Counter Database - Free Online Diet Program which is, I think, better than fitday in some respects (though worse in others - i.e. body measurements can't be tracked.)

It's baffling.

[ldyj]

Thanks, everyone, for your input. There didn't seem to be much interest in talking about counting calories, I don't know if it means not too many people do, or that maybe they should????

Anyway, I'm going to post another question about carbs and calories and you'll see where I'm going with this. And, yes, I use SparksPeople and track everything, too!!

[SugarFreeSheila]

No way - not since Atkins. Before Atkins when I was 5 dress sizes bigger and getting nowhere, it was all about calories. So glad those days are over. I mind my carbohydrates and that's it.

[ldyj]

Thanks, Sheila! I've been logging my foods onto SparksPeople so I do see the calories I consume. I keep my carbs between 20-25, drink my water, exercise (although some days not enough) and stay in ketosis. But I've been at the same weight for about 10 days now and wanted to be sure it wasn't because of my calorie consumption. Guess my body just likes it here. . . .