Count Calories or watch Macros?

ncrissey460

Ok so I have been at a standstill with the scale for a couple weeks and im just wandering if I need to be reducing my calories because I have been going over quite frequently to get my fat in or should I concentrate on my macros being better? I do drink a heavy amount of alcohol on Thursdays and Saturdays but I've always been able to still lose every week on other diets if I restricted my calories. I also switched my alcohol to less carbs and sugar free mixers. Not drinking is not a solution for me. Any "nice" feedback would be appreciated.

rachel0923

Sounds like you also need to think about calories. Consuming the right things is good, but you also need to be burning more than you consume. Obviously eating 4000 calories of high-fat isn't going to result in weight-loss.

kirkor

You don't need to add extra fat calories to hit a perfect ratio --- keep your net carbs down, eat enough protein (0.6-1.0g/lb LBM), and add fat as needed for satiety.

ncrissey460

Thanks guys. Weather is suppose to be 48 tomorrow so im looking forward to getting out with the pooch and taking a big long walk. Def gonna start making sure I stay under my calories during the week

DAM5412

I completely understand your reluctance to reduce your alcohol intake, however it looks like those are the days which you really go over on your calorie allotment. The LCHF woe is a huge adjustment for people, and I personally struggle with the impact it has on my socializing (as, like most, 'social' usually means alcohol). SO, yes, first focus on keeping your macros on point, but then also you have to manage your calorie intake. If you are going over your calories 2x a week by up to 1000 calories each time, then you are going to stay stalled. Perhaps if you just cut back to one outing per week for a few weeks and see if that helps get you out of your stall? I know it's not ideal, and I know it's not easy, but if you are serious about your weight loss, I am guessing you will try many different things.

Good luck!

Fat4Fuel2

Maybe try following the IIFYM within keto? This means sticking to your calories and macros. You want a tbs of peanut butter today? Less veggies at dinner. etc. Also, would you be willing to decrease your consumption of alcohol? For example, 2 diet tonic vodkas per a night? Not only does the alcohol add calories, but it affects blood sugar and slows down the metabolism because it must be processed before anything else in your body.

sljohnson1207

Both. Depending on how close you are to goal, you may need to tighten up your weighing and logging of foods/drinks as well, if you are not already approx. 99% perfect on that. Also, if you've lost more than 10 lbs, I say you may need to recalculate your needs.

Alcohol stops fat burning. That is clear. So, when your liver is busy handling alcohol it is not burning fat. Depending on how alcohol affects YOUR blood sugar (it drops it in some folks, and raises it in others), it could also be spiking your insulin and making you store extra fat.

If you are going over on calories by a lot on those drinking days, you may want to allot for it somewhere else..like dropping your goal on non-drinking days so you have a weekly deficit goal instead of daily deficit goal.

Say you normally budget 1500 cals every day (10,500 per week), but two days a week you are going way over. Just budget them differently. So, on Th and Sat you get 1800 cals and on M, T, W, F, Sun, you get 1380 for a total of 10,500.

This is okay if it's how you want to do your diet. Many folks lose just fine on LCHF with a bit of alcohol thrown in there. Just realize you may not see the same pace of loss as would be expected if you chose not to drink at all.

kirkor

Martin Berkhan's tips on how to incorporate alcohol:
http://www.leangains.com/2010/07/truth-about-alcohol-fat-loss-and-muscle.html

sljohnson1207 wrote: »

If you are going over on calories by a lot on those drinking days, you may want to allot for it somewhere else..like dropping your goal on non-drinking days so you have a weekly deficit goal instead of daily deficit goal.

Say you normally budget 1500 cals every day (10,500 per week), but two days a week you are going way over. Just budget them differently. So, on Th and Sat you get 1800 cals and on M, T, W, F, Sun, you get 1380 for a total of 10,500.

Great idea!

ncrissey460

Thanks everyone for your input. I am planning on adjusting my calories this week and focusing on staying under on those days that im not drinking. I have no problem not drinking through the week but when I do drink. I do it to get drunk. That's what I am. a binge drinker and I know it. I actually cut myself back to two days a week now. Slowly working into 1 night a week but haven't been very successful with that.

niecey61

Seems like losing weight may not be your only issue. . . .

sljohnson1207

ncrissey460 wrote: »

Thanks everyone for your input. I am planning on adjusting my calories this week and focusing on staying under on those days that im not drinking. I have no problem not drinking through the week but when I do drink. I do it to get drunk. That's what I am. a binge drinker and I know it. I actually cut myself back to two days a week now. Slowly working into 1 night a week but haven't been very successful with that.

I do hope that you achieve all of your goals, ncrissey460.