LCHF & calorie counting: how do you balance?

ELH77

I tend to do LCHF, but struggle mentally with staying within my calorie range for weight loss. If I don't have parameters, I tend to leap off the wagon, prohibiting my goals. How do you do it?

deannalfisher

maybe your calorie range is too restrictive?

if you are doing higher fat you may need more calories (F being 9cal per g vs C/P that is 4)

livingleanlivingclean

I pre plan meals.... That way I can play around with foods and quantities to fit how I want.

Geocitiesuser

Why do LCHF then? Carbs don't stop fat loss, provide energy, etc. If high fat doesn't satiate why struggle through it? You can eat literally pounds and pounds of fiberous veggies to fill your belly for barely any calories. In fact even if you are doing lchf you should still be eating vegetables.

Alltreesgrow

See Dietdoctor.com restrict carbs for weight loss, and relax your calorie target. Eat 80g each of 5 different veg to fulfill your carb requirement yf day 20 to 25g per day.

LisaEatSleepRun

livingleanlivingclean wrote: »

I pre plan meals.... That way I can play around with foods and quantities to fit how I want.

This for sure! I lost the bulk of my weight (30 kg's) by reducing calories and following LCHF as I was insulin resistant. I have reintroduced a wide variety of carbs to fuel my running and have since lost the last few kg's. I would say planning really is the key. I have always pre-logged my meals and map my weekly meals for the most part. I eat a lot more food (volume) than I did on LCHF for the same calories. Both ways have their advantages depending on your goals. If high fat isn't keeping you full & you have no medical reason to eat this way, maybe eat more carbs. I have found protein to be the key in filling me up the most, so I make sure my meals and snacks have a good amount in them. Finally, as you know, you can't lose weight on any 'diet' if you don't eat at a caloric deficit!

Jaime0411

Hi, I've just started using this app for LCHF and have found it easiest to focus on a limit of grams for each macro, I've based that on Christine Cronau's method, for me that's around 52g carbs, 163g fats, 65g protein, I aim for those rather than the calories. That's what works for me and I'm losing weight. Usually at night, I fill out my food for the next day on the app so I've got a fair idea on what I will eat using those parameters.

amusedmonkey

What part of it is a mental struggle for you? That you can't stay within your calorie range (over or under eating)? That you've heard somewhere that you shouldn't count calories on LCHF and you're finding it mentally hard not to stay within range? That these parameters are hard for you to sustain for mental reasons (like craving higher carb food)? That you are finding it hard to focus on both calories and carbs? A clarification would be really helpful to get more specific answers and advice.

lemurcat12

Yes, why is it a struggle? Are you going over? How low is it, and are you planning meals?

kimny72

OP, it doesn't look like you've been logging consistently, so there's your first step. Start logging everything accurately and consistently for a week. That way you have some data to work with.

As others have asked. are you struggling to eat enough or are you eating too much?

EllaLeahB

I'm on Day 1..