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Calories vs. Carbs

Beckyb1108
Beckyb1108 Posts: 3 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have recently started a low carb diet, and i feel like i am eating too many calories? Are there smarter low carb low cal foods out there or should i just not be so concerned about my calorie count right now?
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Replies

  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    What are your goals? If you are aiming to lose weight then yes, you should be focused on calories first as that is 98% of the equation.
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
    edited April 2015
    Your goal is to lose weight right? I'd worry about calories more than carbs.
  • macgurlnet
    macgurlnet Posts: 1,946 Member
    You need to keep your calories down in order to lose weight. You don't HAVE to go low carb or anything for that to work.

    Are you going over the allotted calories MFP gives you?

    There's a low carb group or two that you may want to join/look through for more advice; here's the link for one: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/7705-low-carb-high-fat-lifestyle

    You'll be better off there as in the general forums the majority of what you'll get for replies are things like "just eat all the things in moderation"; which is also what I usually recommend unless I know there's health concerns :)

    ~Lyssa
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
    Depends on your purpose. If you have medical reasons to watch carbs, then don't ignore your doctor's advice. If trying to lose weight, low carb won't help long term unless you also create a calorie deficit.

    Beckyb1108 wrote: »
    I have recently started a low carb diet, and i feel like i am eating too many calories? Are there smarter low carb low cal foods out there or should i just not be so concerned about my calorie count right now?

  • Cardio4Cupcakes
    Cardio4Cupcakes Posts: 289 Member
    *sigh*

    Many pro low-carb dieters will tell you to pay no attention to calories, just focus on low carbs. Some pro-low carb dieters will tell you you MUST eat a deficit to see a loss. Many anti low-carb dieters will tell you it's not what you eat, it's calories in vs calories out. IIFYM-ers will tell you eat what you want as long as it hits your macros and calorie limit.

    Here's my experience: when starting a low carb diet you will lose at first. Then you will stall. People will suggest lots of things to break the stall (IF, fat fast, egg fast, eat at a deficit, etc)

    Fat is 1 gram per 9 cals (right? i think? someone feel free to correct) so if you're eating more fat, then your calories will be higher. It's just science. If you want my advice, use the keto cal. to find your numbers and go from there. Don't weigh yourself for 2 more weeks. Revisit the issue there and see your how body is working.

  • Cardio4Cupcakes
    Cardio4Cupcakes Posts: 289 Member
    No, I'm not saying anything about being wrong or right. What I said it true though, some low-carb dieters don't eat at a deficit. Some do. That's all I'm saying.
  • JPW1990
    JPW1990 Posts: 2,424 Member
    Cardio4Cupcakes wrote: »
    No, I'm not saying anything about being wrong or right. What I said it true though, some low-carb dieters don't eat at a deficit. Some do. That's all I'm saying.

    There's a difference between eating at a deficit and keeping track of the deficit. Anyone who loses weight is eating at a deficit. It's possible they have circumstances which mean the number looks higher than what you get out of a standard calorie calculator online, but it's still a deficit for their individual body. It's also possible due to IR or other conditions that they can eat more low carb calories and lose, while eating less carb heavy calories they didn't. It's still a deficit. If they ate 400 more low carb calories, they wouldn't lose anymore.

    Also, everyone on every WOE stalls. That's not specific to LC.
  • Cardio4Cupcakes
    Cardio4Cupcakes Posts: 289 Member
    Hey, I'm by no means low carb, just relating what I have read on various low-carb posts, threads and boards.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    Beckyb1108 wrote: »
    I have recently started a low carb diet, and i feel like i am eating too many calories? Are there smarter low carb low cal foods out there or should i just not be so concerned about my calorie count right now?

    Calories first and always if your goal is to lose weight.
    Eat the calories MFP gave you based on your goal. Eat low carb foods that fit in your calorie goal.
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
    edited April 2015
    Cardio4Cupcakes wrote: »
    No, I'm not saying anything about being wrong or right. What I said it true though, some low-carb dieters don't eat at a deficit. Some do. That's all I'm saying.

    What on earth?

    OP, you need to create a deficit.

    I'll share my past experience low carbing. Back when I did it, I read Atkins book. It didn't really stress calorie counting, so I didn't worry about it. I ate carb-conscious foods and was chasing after a state of ketosis.

    Initially, I lost weight. About 20 pounds. And then I stalled and maintained that weight for a while. A long while.

    The problem at that point was that I was simply eating too much to get any lower than that weight. I was still 30 pounds heavier than I wanted to be.

    A bigger problem hit me soon after. I went through some pretty big stressors, then got pregnant, had that baby, and nursed that baby. I low carbed the whole time and well after. The stress continued.

    I gained weight and kept gaining, because at the time, I was an emotional eater who ate to calm stress. I could eat HUGE portions of things like salad and cheese and eggs. Lashings of olive oil. Avocados. Chicken salad. Tuna salad. Egg salad... omg... egg salad. I could really pack that away.

    It's fine to low carb if that way of eating and the food on that plan appeals to you, but it still comes down to calories.

    Low carbing is a choice for losing weight. Watching your calories is a must.

  • Of_Monsters_and_Meat
    Of_Monsters_and_Meat Posts: 1,022 Member
    Calories:
    CalorieDefinition.jpg

    Carbs:
    Devil.gif

    I hope that clears things up.
  • macgurlnet
    macgurlnet Posts: 1,946 Member
    Cardio4Cupcakes wrote: »
    Hey, I'm by no means low carb, just relating what I have read on various low-carb posts, threads and boards.

    Ah, the classic "I read it on the internet so it must be true."

    Love it.

    ~Lyssa
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
    Cardio4Cupcakes wrote: »
    Hey, I'm by no means low carb, just relating what I have read on various low-carb posts, threads and boards.

    If you have no experience with this, why are you talking about it?

    You know what though? There are low carbers who don't count calories. They don't reach their goals.

    As for the keto cal and all of that... where did you pull that from?

  • JPW1990
    JPW1990 Posts: 2,424 Member
    mamapeach910 wrote: »
    Cardio4Cupcakes wrote: »
    Hey, I'm by no means low carb, just relating what I have read on various low-carb posts, threads and boards.

    If you have no experience with this, why are you talking about it?

    You know what though? There are low carbers who don't count calories. They don't reach their goals.

    As for the keto cal and all of that... where did you pull that from?

    I think she means the keto calculator: http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/
  • HeySwoleSister
    HeySwoleSister Posts: 1,938 Member
    Why are you low-carb, OP? Medical issue or food preferences?
  • Lrdoflamancha
    Lrdoflamancha Posts: 1,280 Member
    MrM27 wrote: »
    Cardio4Cupcakes wrote: »
    No, I'm not saying anything about being wrong or right. What I said it true though, some low-carb dieters don't eat at a deficit. Some do. That's all I'm saying.

    And the low carb people that don't eat at a deficit don't lose weight.

    This is true.... I am a Keto low carber.... I eat under 20 grams of carbs per day. So why do I do it? This is a great question... First off please remember these are my results only... YMMV.
    Low carb/high fat crushes my hunger. I can't diet and be hungry... It just doesn't work for me. That being said there really is no other reason for eating this way. But you must understand that for most of us we never come close to hitting our calorie goals ever.... So there is really no reason to count or worry about calories. Is low carb for everyone.... Definately not... It requires much more planning and it really does not work with a grab and go lifestyle.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    mamapeach910 wrote: »
    Cardio4Cupcakes wrote: »
    Hey, I'm by no means low carb, just relating what I have read on various low-carb posts, threads and boards.

    If you have no experience with this, why are you talking about it?

    You know what though? There are low carbers who don't count calories. They don't reach their goals.

    As for the keto cal and all of that... where did you pull that from?

    All she was doing was saying what she had seen other people preach. She wasn't saying one way was right or one way was wrong. She was just talking about the different train of thoughts.

    There are a lot of people who don't count calories who do reach their goal whether they are low carb or not.
  • maillemaker
    maillemaker Posts: 1,253 Member
    Calorie deficits cause weight loss.

    The only reason why low-carb diets sometimes help with weight loss is:

    1) Carbohydrate-based foods are often calorie-dense. If you cut calorie-dense foods from your diet, you may find yourself more easily maintaining a caloric deficit. But not necessarily - you can very easily eat a calorie surplus eating a low-carb diet. Don't think so? Go eat a 16 ounce prime rib. That's 1200 calories with no sides.

    2) Eating protein can help ease feelings of hunger. So this can make it easier to maintain a calorie deficit.

    But there is nothing magical about the carbohydrates that is going to make you lose weight by not eating them. It's the calories. You have to eat a calorie deficit to lose weight. You can do this eating steak or you can do it eating Twinkies.

    Note this has nothing to do with nutrition. Just weight loss.

    So, if you think you are eating too many calories, the only way to know that is to accurately log your food and match your daily caloric intake against what MFP recommends for weight loss or use a caloric calculator like Scooby to determine your TDEE and eat less than that.
  • JPW1990
    JPW1990 Posts: 2,424 Member
    Lrdoflamancha wrote: »
    MrM27 wrote: »
    Cardio4Cupcakes wrote: »
    No, I'm not saying anything about being wrong or right. What I said it true though, some low-carb dieters don't eat at a deficit. Some do. That's all I'm saying.

    And the low carb people that don't eat at a deficit don't lose weight.

    This is true.... I am a Keto low carber.... I eat under 20 grams of carbs per day. So why do I do it? This is a great question... First off please remember these are my results only... YMMV.
    Low carb/high fat crushes my hunger. I can't diet and be hungry... It just doesn't work for me. That being said there really is no other reason for eating this way. But you must understand that for most of us we never come close to hitting our calorie goals ever.... So there is really no reason to count or worry about calories. Is low carb for everyone.... Definately not... It requires much more planning and it really does not work with a grab and go lifestyle.

    Same here. The only time I ever feel hunger is if I go over 50g. I stay lower so if I do decide to have something "over" once in a while, I'll still be in keto. I struggle to get over 1200 far more often than I go over 1700, where I'm supposed to be. Even all the years I was in maintenance, there were days I had to fill in with hot chocolate at the end of the day just to make sure I wasn't going too low.
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
    edited April 2015
    Hornsby wrote: »
    mamapeach910 wrote: »
    Cardio4Cupcakes wrote: »
    Hey, I'm by no means low carb, just relating what I have read on various low-carb posts, threads and boards.

    If you have no experience with this, why are you talking about it?

    You know what though? There are low carbers who don't count calories. They don't reach their goals.

    As for the keto cal and all of that... where did you pull that from?

    All she was doing was saying what she had seen other people preach. She wasn't saying one way was right or one way was wrong. She was just talking about the different train of thoughts.

    There are a lot of people who don't count calories who do reach their goal whether they are low carb or not.

    You are correct, I worded my post poorly.

    People who don't create a deficit don't reach their goals.

    It's possible to not create a deficit if you aren't watching your portions no matter what your macro composition is.

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