Counting Calories Vs Counting Carbs

elizabethtripp2011

Hey Everyone! So I was doing “Keto” from March to like August and lost about 30 pounds I fell off the wagon and haven’t really gained any of what I lost back. My husband is doing hardcore Keto but it’s just not for me I love my sweets! I am starting tomorrow back to watching calories and portion control. What is everyone’s opinions on counting calories vs counting carbs? Many thanks!

NorthCascades

Counting carbs is for people with medical issues. Counting calories is for losing weight.

thiosulfate

If counting carbs works for you, that's great, however, it is 100% possible to easily gain weight while staying under a carb limit. On the other hand, it is impossible to gain weight while accurately counting and restricting calories.

WinoGelato

Regardless of whether you are counting and lowering carbs to achieve a particular health goal or because you enjoy the food choices, the weight loss you’ve experienced comes from a calorie deficit you’ve created.

You can continue to eat those foods and keep tracking carbs, or switch to counting calories, or you can lighten up on the carb restriction and keep within a calorie deficit. You should be able to continue the same weight loss pattern as long as you are able to enjoy those sweets in moderation and don’t have a medical reason to restrict them.

sandyskw1967

I keep within a calorie range but also keep track of carbs. If I have too many carbs I overeat,like I'm addicted,the more I have the more I want. I try to stay between 20-35 and my cravings seem much better.

kgirlhart

I have never counted carbs, just calories and I lost ~80 lbs. My opinion is similar to @Northcascades I think that counting carbs is helpful if you have medical issues but if you just want to lose weight then calories are all you need to count.

AnvilHead

To lose weight, you have to be in a calorie deficit. Whether or not you accomplish that via a low-carb diet is up to individual preference.

Put another way: You can easily gain weight (in terms of actual fat gain) while staying under your carb goal. It is physically impossible to gain weight (in terms of actual fat gain) while staying in a calorie deficit.

nvmomketo

I think counting carbs can be most beneficial to those with some medical issues, but it is also preferred by some who experience greater satiety, fewer cravings and easier weight loss, or for those who like the food.

Moderation may be suited to people without a low carb dietary need and those who prefer the food, or find food volume satisfying.

Running2Fit

Counting carbs is great for people who like it.

It makes me miserable and spikes my anxiety. Counting calories has worked well for my weight loss efforts and I can still eat all the foods I enjoy. It’s a much more sustainable way of eating for me.

Lillymoo01

I count carbs .... every single one of the 200+ grams of them I eat and enjoy every day.

One thing I read which has stayed in my mind is, "Even if you don't count calories your body does."

If you can lose weight by being mindful of your carb intake, great. If you lose weight by counting your calories and keeping in a deficit, great. If you lose weight simply by being mindful of how much you eat, great. You do what works best for you and let others do what works best for them. There is no right or wrong way.

indiacaitlin

I count my overall calories and aim to hit a protein and fibre goal within those calories. I don’t count carbs, fats or sugar ☺️works for me and I still get my chocolate, cakes etc when I fancy a treat!

GottaBurnEmAll

I, at one point years ago, gained weight just counting carbs without counting calories because I didn't find eating low carb particularly satiating and I was stress eating too much fatty stuff figuring that it didn't have carbs, so hey!

I had, up until that point lost some weight doing low carb, but was still 20 pounds overweight when I reached a balance of my appetite and that way of eating without specifically trying to reduce my calories. I have to say that I wasn't happy. I wanted to be a regular weight, not 20 pounds overweight.

Moral of the story? No matter how you're eating, calories still matter. There's really no either/or. There's the option to count carbs while counting calories (assuming you decide to count calories) if you find that doing so helps you to achieve appetite control or you just prefer to eat that way or you have a medical condition that calls for it.

lemurcat2

When I was very low carbing I counted calories as well as carbs -- in particular, I counted protein and fat as well as carbs and that meant I was counting calories.

I think for many of us it can be easy to go over calories while low carbing, especially once you get used to the new way of eating and aren't having trouble knowing what to replace the missing calories from carbs with.

Other people do seem to naturally eat less when cutting carbs (this is similar to how I naturally eat less when cooking at home and eating only 3 meals per day, no snacks, just how it works for some people).

IMO, if you don't really want to do keto, no reason to. Count calories and watch your macros and if you find you are hungrier than before experiment with changing your diet some, maybe reduce carbs, make sure you have plenty of fiber and protein, and see if you are someone who finds more fat to be more satisfying.

I don't do keto, but my happy place for maintenance is slightly low carb -- around 40% on average -- and I tend to find a calorie deficit easier when my carbs are around 100-120 g. Other people feel more satisfied and better on a diet that is higher in carbs, it's really personal.

melissafeagins

NorthCascades wrote: »

Counting carbs is for people with medical issues. Counting calories is for losing weight.

This. Currently I am doing both.

DawnOfTheDead_Lift

Counting carbs will probably tangentially result in some weight loss by limiting the macro nutrient that tends to trip people up the most. Some people are still able to overeat fat and protein to counteract this.

Counting calories, when followed correctly, will most assuredly result in weight loss.