Afraid of the calories!
krichard08
Posts: 62 Member
So I am now on day 3 of Keto life. I have been counting calories for the last god knows how long, and have been sticking to a 1200 calorie diet. Now with KETO i cant seem to go anywhere near that. For instance, tonight my ratios and percentages of fats, protein and carbs are all good but my calories are at 1700 for the day and I know that I will need a snack before the evening is through. Is this going to backfire on me and pack on the lbs?? Help!! Please bring the reassurance! 
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Replies
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Hi KR,
I looked at your diary and it looks good to me. You'll just have to see how it goes. The keto diet surprises many people. It has its ups and downs especially when you stall or then the next week you lose 3-4 lbs. No matter WHAT happens on your weight loss, it is a healthier diet than carb eating.
I have a hard time keeping my calories (and carbs) in line when I eat three meals a day. That's what I have been doing this week. I am purposely NOT weighing myself, because I fret over it too much. When I weigh in, and if I am not happy, I will go back to eating two meals a day and start my intermediate water fasting again.
Since I am a recovering carboholic, its hard for me to keep my carbs under 25g's a day. I don't think I have done it at all this last week. I can easily keep it under 50g, which I think, will be my "maintenance" diet, because I don't think I am losing (or gaining) anything, but then again I may be surprised.... LOL! We'll see....
Stay tuned,
I hope this helps,
Dan the Man from Michigan
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If I were you, I wouldn't count calories at all at least for 2 weeks. You'll get way too stressed trying to hit your macros and stay within a certain number. When ketosis kicks in good, you won't be hungry and you'll be like me, struggling to get enough calories most days.0
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Thank you for the replies and for the advice! I will definitely take it to heart and will try not to fret! :)DittoDan, I too am a carboholic and additionally a sometimes binge eater! Two cookies isn't enough for me. I need half the row of cookies in the package at least. UGH!! Strawmama, I thought I had read on a blog somewhere that calorie counting and tweaking came into play after awhile but couldn't remember the blog or where I found it so wasn't sure if I was confused or making it up in my head! lol Thanks again! I0
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krichard08 wrote: »So I am now on day 3 of Keto life.
I will second the advice to ignore calories for the first week or two. For many its a pretty drastic change to switch from getting your energy from carbs to getting it from fat and your body may respond by being REALLY HUNGRY a lot of the time. Just get yourself into ketosis, and get used to things, and I promise that will go away, or will at least subside to a lower level of general hunger than you are used to experiencing on a carb heavy diet. Most people on keto report being less hungry on less food most of the time, once you get adjusted. This is one of the biggest reasons so many find success on it, not having to fight willpower all the time, because you're simply just not all that hungry once you've eaten the proper amount of food. But 3 days in, you're not there yet
As for the calories themselves:
http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/
Plug in your numbers there, put in 20g or 25g carbs, what does it suggest for your calorie total/macros?0 -
krichard08 wrote: »So I am now on day 3 of Keto life.
I will second the advice to ignore calories for the first week or two. For many its a pretty drastic change to switch from getting your energy from carbs to getting it from fat and your body may respond by being REALLY HUNGRY a lot of the time. Just get yourself into ketosis, and get used to things, and I promise that will go away, or will at least subside to a lower level of general hunger than you are used to experiencing on a carb heavy diet. Most people on keto report being less hungry on less food most of the time, once you get adjusted. This is one of the biggest reasons so many find success on it, not having to fight willpower all the time, because you're simply just not all that hungry once you've eaten the proper amount of food. But 3 days in, you're not there yet
As for the calories themselves:
http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/
Plug in your numbers there, put in 20g or 25g carbs, what does it suggest for your calorie total/macros?
This exactly.
OP, Count carbs and work on increasing fat and keeping protein around your goal exclusively for 2 weeks. Then worry about calories. No need to flood yourself all at once.
Your cravings WILL decrease soon and so will your hunger level. Be patient (I know that's hard.) Give yourself time to adjust to the new routine. It will become your new normal and get easier soon.
I second the recommendation on that calculator. It's the one I use. I've lost 76lb over nearly 8mo doing Keto. Former raging carboholic. I don't even want that stuff much any more and cravings are only occasional and are weak.
KCKO. Keep Calm and Keto On. 0 -
Awesome! Thanks radiii and baconslave. I have used this site also for the calculator and with 25g carbs, 90 protein and 136 fat it came out to 1680 calories. I am trying to ignore the calories for now somewhat without going hog wild! P.S. 76lbs in 8 months!!! That's friggen awesome!!!!! 0
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I used to be a carboholic and binge eat a lot. I started at 275 so I have been eating around 1895 calories a day for the past 39 days and just adjusted that down to 1837, but recently, like in the past week, I've noticed that I feel pretty fully satisfied usually with around 1500. I have lost 24 lbs so far. I don't know what weight you're starting at, but I just used a 20% deficit from maintenance calories and hit my macros just about every day and it's worked for me so far. I used http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/ to figure it out, and I have my macros set at 5c/20p/75f percentages.0
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The first few weeks, I was hungry! I stuck with my macros and didn't worry about calories. I ate a lot. Now I have the opposite problem. I have to pay attention to calories to make sure I'm eating enough. Never hungry.0
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Awesome!! thanks for the encouraging words! Well, i ORIGINALLY started at 215 lbs. Lost 40 lbs by counting calories but not restricting carbs at all but gained 17 lb. back over the Fall and beginning of Winter because I THOUGHT i was too busy to bother anymore with my daughters busy activities. I have decided that I am just as important as the kids after school activities and no more excuses. The KETO diet appealed to me and I really want it to work. So I am going to give it my all, along with my usual workout routine (as soon as I feel a little less sleepy from carb withdrawal! lol) Right now I am at 194 lb. and am 5'3". A bit of work to do! 0
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From everything I've seen and read it takes about 4 weeks to get fat adapted to the point where you can hit your usual workout performance. I just recently started doing some moderate exercise, but then again I didn't have any workout performance really to begin with at the point I started keto. You will love it! So proud of you for making your health a top priority!0
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I am having the same problem with calories as Imanes. I have a hard time getting even close to what I am supposed to be eating. I worked it up several times then find myself slipping back. Tonight I added the cream cheese but have not eaten it yet. I do not want it but felt needed the fat. I never dreamed it would be an effort to eat enough. LOL not eating enough calories might be why I am losing so slowly too. I think I shrunk my stomach eating the SAD way and half starving myself and still gaining weight because I was eating the wrong thing. Sigh0
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If it's true that HighCarbs Drive Insulin,
Fat Storage and Hunger, does it
follow that LowCarbs Stop Insulin,
Fat Storage and Hunger..?
That we are no longer Hungry becuz
BodyFat is relieving Fat Starvation...
and needs less outside Foods to
be satisfied..?
It's possible when the body has
a sudden decrease in Hunger that
it's at a Reset Point, adjusting to
having a 24hr supply of BodyFat
as fuel...yes?
Should we continue to eat if
we are no longer Hungry..?
Which way makes us feel better,
Eat Always or Eat Only When Hungry?0
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