Doesn't Counting Calories Count?
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The work in progress looks fantastic Goat and I *love* the diagram.0
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Im glad to know that its normal to lose your hunger at first, hopefully it comes back in a few days. I try to reach my protein at least, I usually cant get in all that fat though. I find my eating habits are changing too. Id rather eat small snacks at like 2 hour intervals all day than eat an enormous plate of food all at once. I dont like that 'stuffed' feeling anymore that I use to want after every meal. Ive always been a slow eater so I wonder if now that the insulin is gone Im maybe getting that full signal before Ive had a chance to eat as much as I usually would.0
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GrannyMayOz wrote: »The work in progress looks fantastic Goat and I *love* the diagram.
Thanks. I plan on putting in a few more of the common plans and their default stances on not counting. Then I'm going to have a couple things on why you can afford to not count. Why it works and why you will almost certainly still be eating a deficit, just not one you personally plan. Plus a "I tried it and it's not working" section to curtail some common issues (mostly sugar alcohols, too many carbs for your body, dairy--huge issues for some, etc.).0 -
Im glad to know that its normal to lose your hunger at first, hopefully it comes back in a few days. I try to reach my protein at least, I usually cant get in all that fat though. I find my eating habits are changing too. Id rather eat small snacks at like 2 hour intervals all day than eat an enormous plate of food all at once. I dont like that 'stuffed' feeling anymore that I use to want after every meal. Ive always been a slow eater so I wonder if now that the insulin is gone Im maybe getting that full signal before Ive had a chance to eat as much as I usually would.
You're doing it exactly right. Getting protein in is most important, then fat. As long as you are hitting or close to your protein goal and getting at least 35 g fat/day you should be ok short term. It is very normal to lose your appetite. It will come back, eventually, but probably not to the ravenous hunger level it was before, if you were carb addicted like I was. My hunger signals now are more like a gentle nudge than "MUST EAT NOW" like I got before. On the other hand, I have to be careful not to give into head hunger (cravings) when I am not physically hungry now. That wasn't an issue at all during my first year or so of low carbing. I just wasn't as interested in food. That changed for a while, but now I am retraining my brain and getting back on track.0 -
Thank you, OP, for the link to this lecture! I love this guy.0
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@Fitgoat are there any quotes from female low carvers who say counting calories doesn't matter?0
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Hi Goat, thanks for that. It's helped me understand a lot more. The body is a complicated beast.
I haven't been counting anything this month and it's liberating. Not to measure, weigh and record has all lead to not focusing on or obsessing over food. I just don't think about it as often and that in itself is totally worth it. I'm finding that for perhaps the first time ever I'm listening for hunger cues and fullness cues.
I wasn't worrying about calories right from the start. You CANNOT give a generic number for a body based on height, weight and activity alone. Every body works differently. We all know someone who eats as much as they like and never gains weight.
I've discovered that I'm sensitive to carbs. If I keep them very low, I'm not continually hungry, not thinking about food all day long and don't eat until I'm physically uncomfortably. Hence, I don't need to track my calories because I'm not overeating. I'm also able to gauge the approximate values of foods. I know which foods are high carb so I avoid them. High calorie foods tend to be high carb foods so that also helps to keep calories in check.
I'm 15 kgs lighter. In almost 6 months. This works.0 -
Thanks for the post and the video. I think it's been helpful, and addresses my frustration both with adjusting to low/zero carb and getting over the calorie restricting mania. Having read the literature, it seems clear that calories don't matter. But, boy, is that a leap of faith to take.
I"m going to do my best next month. 0 -
totaloblivia wrote: »@Fitgoat are there any quotes from female low carvers who say counting calories doesn't matter?I've discovered that I'm sensitive to carbs. If I keep them very low, I'm not continually hungry, not thinking about food all day long and don't eat until I'm physically uncomfortably. Hence, I don't need to track my calories because I'm not overeating. I'm also able to gauge the approximate values of foods. I know which foods are high carb so I avoid them. High calorie foods tend to be high carb foods so that also helps to keep calories in check.
I'm 15 kgs lighter. In almost 6 months. This works.
There's one right there.
But, there are plenty of others. Why do you think being a woman would make it not work? Sure, women tend to lose slower and have more fluctuations, but many of them are just as capable of losing weight without consciously restricting by calorie count.0 -
Hi Goat, thanks for that. It's helped me understand a lot more. The body is a complicated beast.
I haven't been counting anything this month and it's liberating. Not to measure, weigh and record has all lead to not focusing on or obsessing over food. I just don't think about it as often and that in itself is totally worth it. I'm finding that for perhaps the first time ever I'm listening for hunger cues and fullness cues.
I wasn't worrying about calories right from the start. You CANNOT give a generic number for a body based on height, weight and activity alone. Every body works differently. We all know someone who eats as much as they like and never gains weight.
I've discovered that I'm sensitive to carbs. If I keep them very low, I'm not continually hungry, not thinking about food all day long and don't eat until I'm physically uncomfortably. Hence, I don't need to track my calories because I'm not overeating. I'm also able to gauge the approximate values of foods. I know which foods are high carb so I avoid them. High calorie foods tend to be high carb foods so that also helps to keep calories in check.
I'm 15 kgs lighter. In almost 6 months. This works.
Yay Sajyana! My inspiration. That's where I want to be too.
I didn't count anything this month, but I didn't lose any weight either. BUT I'm thinking it's because of cheese and chocolate. So. I've decided, that although I won't continue (likely) forever, I'm going to do the Meatless May challenge, just to sort of reboot and cut out the carbs and see if I feel a difference. I'd rather go zero carb than have to count again. Leads me to so much obsessing!0 -
If I eat to satisfy hunger, it seems to be around maintenance for me. That is no good right now seeing as I am morbidly obese (pretty close to the next class down of obesity now though).
Also struggling with binge and over eating urges does not help.0 -
totaloblivia wrote: »@Fitgoat are there any quotes from female low carvers who say counting calories doesn't matter?
*waves*
While I have gotten back into the habit of tracking, I don't actually count. I track more to reinforce the fact that my hunger signals are actually where they should be, and to ensure my macros are in the ballpark of where they should be...and to be able to throw my diary in the face of the next doctor that implies that I'm just not trying hard enough/doing it wrong when I try to tell them my PCOS is acting up again and hindering my efforts to lose weight. (I'm not bitter at all...:)) I also recently got a Fitbit, so it's fun to see how my intake lines up with what Fitbit says it my output. I have actually gotten to the point where I don't really need to track, but I like the data.
What I've found from it is that I will often go in cycles. I'll go several days where my intake is lower than my calculated output. Usually, it's only by a couple hundred calories (and since my goal is 1800, only consuming 1500-1600 isn't that big of a deal), though on some higher-activity days, it may be as much as 1,000 short. Then, I'll have a sort of "hollow" day (as in "hollow leg") and eat....and eat....and eat. Like the lower side, I'm usually only a couple hundred calories over, but sometimes it will be close to 1,000 calories over. However, it all balances out over the course of a week or two, and I'm at my overall goal deficit. It's not uncommon for a high activity day to be followed by a hollow day, too.0 -
This scares me immensely. Recently diagnosed with pre-diabetes and confused about what to do here. There is so much information out there that I'm not sure what to believe. But I know it's going to be immensely hard for me to stay within calorie range AND count carbs. For today, I just counted carbs and I'm over my target for every macro. So frustrated0
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How are you over on carbs, if you were counting/restricting them?0
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This is my first day actually counting carbs or calories. I had no idea that freaking broccoli had so many carbs, or onions, tomato, fruits... stuff I thought was low carb and good for me. So basically I can only eat what? Fat? Ugh.0
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It depends on your carb goal. But, fruit is usually out. It's hard to fit even the low-carb berries in a plan. Onions are also high carb for vegetables, tomatoes too. Broccoli isn't too bad, but it all adds up.
What do you eat? Meat, cheese, eggs, leafy green stuff.0 -
I think you would do a lot better if instead of trying to modify your diet right now you just log everything you eat for two weeks. That will give you some an idea of where your carbs are coming from and what foods you like are more low carb friendly than others.
This is a process you can ease into; you don't have to have it all figured out on day one.
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Honestly, I do and do not track my calories. I dont weigh my food, I just guess. Unless it is something That already comes weighed out for me, then I know the exact weight of things, or the exact counts. I mainly keep track to make sure I am eating enough, because sometimes I dont because Im just not hungry. And now I keep track of my carbs. Today I am at 3 carbs, and I think after dinner I'll be up to maybe 5 or 6. I try not to stress about calories unless im not eating enough. Too stressful.0
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I keep devilled eggs or hard boiled eggs inthe fridge for just this type of occasion. The protein and the fat (mayo) hold off the hunger. Usually just one or two halves are needed.
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