Calories in/Calories out vs. low carb
katandwaves
Posts: 67 Member
Everyone around me tells me that ultra low carb is the way to go. I'd love to hear success stories of people who counted calories - enjoying the foods you love in moderation. I need to get past this mindset that I'm doing it wrong and won't see results if I eat cereal, sandwiches, etc.
Thanks!
Katrina
Thanks!
Katrina
5
Replies
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78 pounds and counting. It is really simple. If you eat fewer calories than you burn, your body will use it's fat stores to make up the difference.18
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No judgement on diet itself, but these are questions to ask for any type of diet you consider - sub out "low-carb" for the type of diet [ie; no fat, vegetarian, juice, etc].
Will you be supplementing low-carb with calorie counting? If not, would you accidentally eat more low-carb options of foods you love, in effect accidentally removing your caloric deficit entirely? What will you do when you hit your goal weight, continue with low carb, or go back to normal?
But overall, the most important question... Would it be sustainable for you?17 -
I've lost 50 pounds, improved every health marker my doctor uses, and I've been in maintenance for several years now. I've never tracked a single carb. Weight loss, weight maintenance and weight gain comes down to calories, calories and yes-calories
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Well, whether you choose to do ultra low carb or flexible dieting (eating foods in moderation) or any other specific plan, it is the calorie deficit that results in weight loss.
For me personally, I'm on Team Moderation. In fact, my approach to this was to add things to my diet, rather than cutting things out. More vegetables, more protein, more whole grains, more exercise. In doing that, and focusing only on cutting calories, I found I could accommodate my favorite things as treats and not dietary staples. I have wine and something sweet pretty much every day, pizza or Mexican with my family maybe once a week. More indulgent foods only in limited quantities or on less frequent occasions.
I lost >30 lbs this way and am successfully maintaining. If you can't see yourself adopting a LC diet forever, I don't think it is a good short term choice for you to lose the weight.24 -
I was caught up in the idea that carbs were the enemy for years. I had success losing weight at Keto levels of low carb, but I just couldn't keep it up long term. After that, "low carb" just didn't work for me and I was gaining again.
Last spring, I decided to rethink things and decided to eat everything I liked, but in reasonable amounts-- figure out how many calories I actually need and within that number enjoy myself! To my astonishment it works-- I'm older, short, and I'm shrinking (in a good way) Pounds are coming off-- I started in March at 184 and today I'm 160 and still losing. It works, truly--put your numbers in here, be honest and *consistant* with your logging and you will do well:) 27 -
WinoGelato wrote: »Well, whether you choose to do ultra low carb or flexible dieting (eating foods in moderation) or any other specific plan, it is the calorie deficit that results in weight loss.
For me personally, I'm on Team Moderation. In fact, my approach to this was to add things to my diet, rather than cutting things out. More vegetables, more protein, more whole grains, more exercise. In doing that, and focusing only on cutting calories, I found I could accommodate my favorite things as treats and not dietary staples. I have wine and something sweet pretty much every day, pizza or Mexican with my family maybe once a week. More indulgent foods only in limited quantities or on less frequent occasions.
I lost >30 lbs this way and am successfully maintaining. If you can't see yourself adopting a LC diet forever, I don't think it is a good short term choice for you to lose the weight.
Preach!~ For me, I've discovered massive amounts of fruit that I love [all of which just went out of season, time to find new fruit]. I've even rediscovered something we thought me to be allergic to for over a decade now. No more reactions, I've been stuffing my face with pineapple every chance I get. Great snack.
I've found the things I considered before [Little Debbie cakes] nowhere near as sweet as actual, fresh fruit.9 -
I didn't exclude anything from my diet to lose weight - just cut my weekly calorie allowance.
Tended to take more care over keeping protein high when dieting but I also eat in a pretty high carb style as I exercise a lot and also just plain enjoy carbs.
Transition to maintenance at goal weight was a breeze as I simply ate more.4 -
If ultra low carb suits you and your goals, go for it. If it doesn't suit you but everyone around you is telling you to do it, stand somewhere else.8
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I'm doing Low Carb, Medium Protein, High Fat - which is basically Keto Clarity if you want to read the book. I've been following this about a month and am down 12 lbs (weigh in is tomorrow). I no longer get hungry and rarely get food cravings. I've found ways to substitute things like bread, pasta, etc. My carb count is 20g per day. Protein recommendation is 2.2g per kg of weight. Fat needs to be higher than your protein. Fat is what keeps you from being hungry.
It changes your body from sugar burning to fat burning once you get into ketosis, which only takes a few days. NUTRITIONAL Ketosis. You have to monitor your protein as well. Too much protein can lead to gains as it releases hormones that will kick you back into sugar burning rather than fat burning.
Everyone has their own plan that works for them. The trick is finding that whether it's vegan, paleo, low carb, etc. Calories matter for all of them I think. More calories in than needed and you gain.8 -
I eat all things I enjoy, lose weight wonderfully counting calories and still being able to eat Oreos.
btw I did do the LCHF, not for me in the least. I have found a carb range that makes me FEEL the best and train the way I do.. it is personal preference.4 -
I've lost 40 lbs while consuming at least one can of Dr Pepper a day. In the beginning, it was 2-3. I've recently weaned down to a half can because my focus is now on health, not scale weight.8
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@katandwaves
I lost 19 pounds by eating my favorite food, in moderation. Learning how to eat in moderation took me a long time.
I am on Maintenance now. I still use MFP to count calories. My focus now is reduce body fat
I concur with other posters. You have to find a nutrition way that is sustainable for the long term.
I could not do low carb. That is me.
Good luck in your healthy journey4 -
Hi Kat, I lost about 10 pounds before starting mfp journey, without trying any diet, I think I just reduced some of the stress in my life In the two months I've been using mfp consistently logging my food every day without missing a single morsel that I ate (5 crescent rolls, 2 pieces of dark chocolate covered almonds, that cappuccino on the go, logged), I've lost about 14 pounds. I've eaten everything I wanted to eat and stayed within mfp calorie limits. The big eye opener was learning the body cues for hunger and the range of responses to food from satiety to fullness to stuffed. There's so much "noise" about losing weight, it is remarkably simple. The foods you like best may not always be filling. I love chocolate cake but it's not filling. I eat it when I have the calories and it fits in my sugar allowance. I've found that a crepe with chocolate in it (plus berries plus peanut butter) is so filling. I eat enough crepes that I am not missing chocolate cake. In short eat whatever you like to eat that fits in your calorie goals. If you seek to get the protein, fiber and fat that your body hungers for you will likely be fine without counting carbs. 7
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First, all diets are calories in/calories out. CICO isn't a diet. It's a fact of life that applies to all.
That being said, I started at 257lbs and am now 180ish at around 6-7%. And I can guarantee you I didn't cut carbs to get there.16 -
The best diet is the one you can stick with. Eating anything within your calorie goal works for most but others like t or need to reduce the intake of one macronutrient.7
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CICO is the underlying principal behind all diets. No matter what style of eating you choose, if you want to lose weight, calories in must be lower than calories out. Full stop.
I prefer low carb for a couple reasons - first of all, I find the foods very filling and satiating so I end up spontaneously reducing intake without trying, and maintenance is effortless (I just eat when I'm hungry no stop when I'm full; LC allows me to trust my hunger cues in a way I never could on a more standard diet). Second, it made my eczema disappear. I'm not sure what the culprit was but it's a nice ancillary bonus. Third, I don't have to count or log anything anymore. After a few weeks of logging and getting a sense of the carb content of various foods, I gained confidence and didn't need to track anymore. I find that very liberating. All that said, the reason I lost 50 lbs and kept it off for three years is because my CI was less than my CO. You have to find what you like (oh, and for what it's worth I never went "ultra" low carb, or keto; I eat between 50-80 g of carbs per day). Whatever you do you have to be able to do it long term. I could see myself passing on the bread and pasta the rest of my life a lot easier than I could see myself weighing and measuring and counting every calorie the rest of my life. For me it was a pretty easy choice, especially once I got past the initial "OMG what can I eat" phase.
Now I'm working on a slow bulk, and ironically enough I've found I need to add carbs in otherwise I won't eat enough calories
. Bananas, rice, potatoes, and milk have found their way back into my diet. At least on training days . Up two lbs in the past four weeks... It seems to be going well 5 -
Skip low carb- counting calories is all you need. What you actually need to focus on is getting enough PROTEIN. Then fill in the rest of your calories with carbs or fats in whatever proportion you want. Eating low carb is actually counterproductive to weight loss in the long term because it causes a reduction in weight loss hormones and slows the metabolism. People just do it as a way to cut calories but if you track all your calories it's not necessary.
I wouldn't go high carb though, because eating a lot of carbs increases appetite and will make sticking to your calories more difficult.
Just eat what you want in correct portions & proportions and make sure you get enough protein (this is important for maintaining muscle and prioritizing fat loss)
Also FYI calorie counting is the only diet that has ever really worked for me- and instead of having to give up foods I love I get to eat whatever I want. You may want to make some switches- like I gave up sweets and muffins & cookies but now I let myself have protein bars and protein cookies and chocolate protein shakes- I still get to satisfy my seeet tooth but I get to fulfill my protein needs at the same time and these types of treats generally have less sugar and sometimes more fiber & vitamins than my old treat foods.2 -
courtneyfabulous wrote: »Skip low carb- counting calories is all you need. What you actually need to focus on is getting enough PROTEIN. Then fill in the rest of your calories with carbs or fats in whatever proportion you want. Eating low carb is actually counterproductive to weight loss in the long term because it causes a reduction in weight loss hormones and slows the metabolism. People just do it as a way to cut calories but if you track all your calories it's not necessary.
I wouldn't go high carb though, because eating a lot of carbs increases appetite and will make sticking to your calories more difficult.
Just eat what you want in correct portions & proportions and make sure you get enough protein (this is important for maintaining muscle and prioritizing fat loss)
Also FYI calorie counting is the only diet that has ever really worked for me- and instead of having to give up foods I love I get to eat whatever I want. You may want to make some switches- like I gave up sweets and muffins & cookies but now I let myself have protein bars and protein cookies and chocolate protein shakes- I still get to satisfy my seeet tooth but I get to fulfill my protein needs at the same time and these types of treats generally have less sugar and sometimes more fiber & vitamins than my old treat foods.
Bolded - citation?
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tlflag1620 wrote: »courtneyfabulous wrote: »Skip low carb- counting calories is all you need. What you actually need to focus on is getting enough PROTEIN. Then fill in the rest of your calories with carbs or fats in whatever proportion you want. Eating low carb is actually counterproductive to weight loss in the long term because it causes a reduction in weight loss hormones and slows the metabolism. People just do it as a way to cut calories but if you track all your calories it's not necessary.
I wouldn't go high carb though, because eating a lot of carbs increases appetite and will make sticking to your calories more difficult.
Just eat what you want in correct portions & proportions and make sure you get enough protein (this is important for maintaining muscle and prioritizing fat loss)
Also FYI calorie counting is the only diet that has ever really worked for me- and instead of having to give up foods I love I get to eat whatever I want. You may want to make some switches- like I gave up sweets and muffins & cookies but now I let myself have protein bars and protein cookies and chocolate protein shakes- I still get to satisfy my seeet tooth but I get to fulfill my protein needs at the same time and these types of treats generally have less sugar and sometimes more fiber & vitamins than my old treat foods.
Bolded - citation?
I was going to ask the same thing.7 -
Personally, I eat in a way that makes compliance easier.
For ME that means eliminating most refined carbs because they just make me feel more hungry, even hangry. For ME refined carbs beget refined carbs.
I eat a crap ton of vegetables, so I'm not really low carb.
I eat lean proteins, so I'm not really high fat.
I just try to eat with my body rather than against it, and aim for nutrient dense foods that keep me full. I lost eating this way. I've maintained for many years eating this way.
Dunno.
Do what works for you, whatever that is, because as others have said: it comes down to compliance.8 -
I lose (substantial amounts of) weight equally well purely counting calories v. low carb.
I am currently restricted to low carb because of diabetes. It is not my preferred diet, but if I want to avoid rotting my body from the inside out (as my doctor describes the effect of diabetes), it's what I'm stuck with. I've lost 74 lbs on it (also counting calories). The rate at which I lost the 74 pounds is no different from the rate at which I have lost weight in the past when I was purely counting calories.
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I've lost a little over 30 lbs without giving my carb intake much thought. Fat is what I tend to overeat most so that's the macro I keep a closer eye on. But mostly I just focus on activity level and total calories.2
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I lost 65 pounds and I never paid attention to my carbs. I am Team Moderation all the way. I do try to hit my protien goal, but other than that I only pay attention to calories. I am now at maintenance and it is working well for me. If you want to go low carb and that works for you then that is certainly one way to reduce your calories. But if you can't sustain that long term (I know I could not) then you will eventually gain back any weight lost. I did low fat years ago and lost weight. I actually ate tons of carbs when I was doing low fat. But a restrictive diet was not sustainable for me. I felt hungry and deprived. I spent a lot of time thinking about what I could not eat. Now that I just count calories I do not feel deprived and I only feel hungry when I should feel hungry. I enjoy eating more, because I only eat things I like and I don't waste calories on stuff that I don't like. I found that after a few weeks I started to know what foods kept me full longer and then those were the foods I wanted. I still eat sweets daily and there is nothing that I cannot eat. But a lot of the time when I look at the calorie count of something I will decide against it. If you want to go low carb then do it, but if you don't and there is no medical reason to go low carb then don't do it just because others say you should. You just do you and don't worry about what others are doing. If you stick to your calorie goal then you will lose weight whether you do low carb, low fat, moderation, etc. all of that is personal preference.5
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I have had good luck with low carb eating in the past and found that I wasn't hungry all the time with the higher protein and fat. After a week or so, my sugar cravings pretty much went away. It made for very simple cooking, which I like. OTOH, I did have a hard time with the monotony of the diet. Meat and veg is as simple as it gets, but I found I craved fruit and milk and baked potatoes. I got extremely tired of eggs. I also found myself eating food that I knew wasn't healthy but was allowed on the diet, like hotdogs. In the long run, it wasn't sustainable for me, because I just couldn't stand the limits. I also learned that going back to the diet a couple of years later, my results were not as quick and easy. First time on Adkins, I lost 14 lbs in 2 weeks. Second time I lost 5.
So this time around I'm not doing super low carb, but I will try to include a lot of protein (because it's filling) and complex carbs and eliminate as much as possible sugars and simple carbs (pasta especially). I know that if I can stick to the calorie limits, I will lose weight.
Most of us know why we're overweight. We make choices every day that we know contribute to the problem: the donut at coffee hour, the ice cream or cookie after dinner, the beer during a ball game, the restaurant meals that we know are too large, the second helpings so there won't be leftovers, etc. Some things are easy to eliminate, some harder. The hardest part is not allowing calorie creep - where the cup of cereal becomes a cup and a half, when I put cream in my coffee instead of milk, when I cut a large slice of cheese instead of a small one, etc. You also want to make smart choices. Although ultimately it's about calories in vs. calories out, the source of calories does matter. A cookie will not keep you as full as a bowl of vegetable soup. Whole grain bread is better for you than white bread. Foods with a lot of sugar leave you craving more. Choosing simple foods over highly processed foods is usually more satisfying in the end. It also makes it easier to keep track of what we're eating.4 -
courtneyfabulous wrote: »Skip low carb- counting calories is all you need. What you actually need to focus on is getting enough PROTEIN. Then fill in the rest of your calories with carbs or fats in whatever proportion you want. Eating low carb is actually counterproductive to weight loss in the long term because it causes a reduction in weight loss hormones and slows the metabolism. People just do it as a way to cut calories but if you track all your calories it's not necessary.
I wouldn't go high carb though, because eating a lot of carbs increases appetite and will make sticking to your calories more difficult.
Just eat what you want in correct portions & proportions and make sure you get enough protein (this is important for maintaining muscle and prioritizing fat loss)
There is a lot wrong with this post..
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I wasn't implying that I wanted to do low carb. I know that's not sustainable for me. I was more interested in peoples' successes with CICO. I'm team Moderation, I suppose. Thanks for the replies!0
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I have done both and I prefer counting calories. Low carb is a quick fix, but I feel like counting calories teaches me the lifelong skills to manage food with all the options on the table. I've done the South Beach Diet before with minimal success, but the lists of can and can't eat foods gets hard to sustain and manage. I like counting because I feel like I know exactly what I'm getting and when I've reached the limit of what I can have. As long as I manage to that calorie number each day, I know I'll see results. I can do it eating anything I want to eat. Now, I have a small calorie target (only 1250), so naturally my diet is a lot of natural/clean foods. But, I do eat fast food and eat out a bit in general and have so far been really successful with it. It's a lot of planning, but I feel like the first time in my life that if I put the work in to manage my calories, I will see (and am seeing!) results on the scale.1
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WinoGelato wrote: »Well, whether you choose to do ultra low carb or flexible dieting (eating foods in moderation) or any other specific plan, it is the calorie deficit that results in weight loss.
For me personally, I'm on Team Moderation. In fact, my approach to this was to add things to my diet, rather than cutting things out. More vegetables, more protein, more whole grains, more exercise. In doing that, and focusing only on cutting calories, I found I could accommodate my favorite things as treats and not dietary staples. I have wine and something sweet pretty much every day, pizza or Mexican with my family maybe once a week. More indulgent foods only in limited quantities or on less frequent occasions.
I lost >30 lbs this way and am successfully maintaining. If you can't see yourself adopting a LC diet forever, I don't think it is a good short term choice for you to lose the weight.
Preach!~ For me, I've discovered massive amounts of fruit that I love [all of which just went out of season, time to find new fruit]. I've even rediscovered something we thought me to be allergic to for over a decade now. No more reactions, I've been stuffing my face with pineapple every chance I get. Great snack.
I've found the things I considered before [Little Debbie cakes] nowhere near as sweet as actual, fresh fruit.
I'm a fruit lover too. As I down to the last few vanity pounds, I found fruit more filling than cookies, so I switched over to fruit for snacking.
This isn't to say that I still don't have cookies. And I'll likely have them when I'm maintaining. It's just that fruit gives me more bang for my buck right now. I miss summer fruit season badly, though. Especially cherries.
Anyway, OP, the important thing about whatever way you choose to eat is that it's always going to come down to calories. The foods you eat matter in terms of how filling they are to you. Some people find low carb keeps them so full and free from hunger, they don't mind the restriction of it. For others, that isn't the case. I don't particularly find that way of eating to be filling, I need starch and fiber with my protein to feel full, and I didn't want to live a life without things like cookies, ice cream, and Snickers bars. So I went with moderation and calorie counting have lost 92 pounds so far.
No matter what foods you eat, you'll have to achieve a calorie deficit to lose weight. That's the bottom line.
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katandwaves wrote: »Everyone around me tells me that ultra low carb is the way to go. I'd love to hear success stories of people who counted calories - enjoying the foods you love in moderation. I need to get past this mindset that I'm doing it wrong and won't see results if I eat cereal, sandwiches, etc.
Thanks!
Katrina
CICO is just the math...it's not a "diet"...it's just the math and is applicable to any and all diets. Low carb is just one of many ways to put you into a deficit (meaning your CI<CO). Calorie counting isn't CICO...calorie counting is calorie counting and another one of many ways to help you achieve a calorie deficit.
I lost about 20 Lbs just watching what I ate and exercising on the regular and another 20 Lbs counting calories. I'm personally not a fan of elimination diets in general.1 -
Low carb has been great for me in terms of satiety (feeling full) and lowering cravings. HOWEVER, I would never attempt it without also counting calories! At the end of the day, a calorie deficit is absolutely all you need to lose weight.4
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