Questions about KETO/Low Carb "diets"

sunnshhiine

I'm on day 1 of my "low carb"/KETO meal plan. I've always been a calorie-counter, so this low carb thing is completely new to me. My goal is to lose 30 pounds initially, and then another 20-30 pounds after that. I'm currently 5'3" and 180 lbs (female).

My goal is to eat no more than 30 carbs per day, but I'm not going to beat myself up if I eat 35 (you know what I mean?) -- I'm trying to give myself some grace this time around.

So here are my questions --

1) is 30 carbs (or less) per day a good goal?
2) should I be concerned about calorie counts? (ie. my meals and 1 snack today are adding up to almost 1800 calories (!!!!) -- this is mind-blowing to me.
3) is walking a good form of exercise for beginners on this KETO/low carb journey?

Anything else I should know or keep in mind while I start this journey?

Wish me luck! I hope you have the best day ever!

Panini911

Keto/low carb is a way of eating. people maintain and gain on it.

some people may not need to track calories on keto as they are naturally eating at a deficit based on feeling fuller on this way of eating but you DO still need to eat in a calorie deficit for weight loss. Keto is not magic, track your calories to ensure you are in a calorie deficit .

walking is a great exercise regarldess of how you plan to eat.

again you only lose weight when eating in a calorie deficit. track your calories regardless of how you chose to eat.

cwolfman13

sunnshhiine wrote: »

I'm on day 1 of my "low carb"/KETO meal plan. I've always been a calorie-counter, so this low carb thing is completely new to me. My goal is to lose 30 pounds initially, and then another 20-30 pounds after that. I'm currently 5'3" and 180 lbs (female).

My goal is to eat no more than 30 carbs per day, but I'm not going to beat myself up if I eat 35 (you know what I mean?) -- I'm trying to give myself some grace this time around.

So here are my questions --

1) is 30 carbs (or less) per day a good goal?
2) should I be concerned about calorie counts? (ie. my meals and 1 snack today are adding up to almost 1800 calories (!!!!) -- this is mind-blowing to me.
3) is walking a good form of exercise for beginners on this KETO/low carb journey?

Anything else I should know or keep in mind while I start this journey?

Wish me luck! I hope you have the best day ever!

Calories matter...keto isn't some kind of magic where you can over consume calories and still lose weight. Keto works just like any other diet...calorie deficit. For some people, keto results in a calorie deficit because the loads of fat help keep them full. For others, this isn't the case and it can be easy to consume too many calories because fats are very calorie dense.

NovusDies

sunnshhiine wrote: »

I'm on day 1 of my "low carb"/KETO meal plan. I've always been a calorie-counter, so this low carb thing is completely new to me. My goal is to lose 30 pounds initially, and then another 20-30 pounds after that. I'm currently 5'3" and 180 lbs (female).

My goal is to eat no more than 30 carbs per day, but I'm not going to beat myself up if I eat 35 (you know what I mean?) -- I'm trying to give myself some grace this time around.

So here are my questions --

1) is 30 carbs (or less) per day a good goal?
2) should I be concerned about calorie counts? (ie. my meals and 1 snack today are adding up to almost 1800 calories (!!!!) -- this is mind-blowing to me.
3) is walking a good form of exercise for beginners on this KETO/low carb journey?

Anything else I should know or keep in mind while I start this journey?

Wish me luck! I hope you have the best day ever!

1) There is no set "good goal" for you. 30 grams of carbs might be unnecessarily low for what you need. Most of the more believable benefits of eating low carb I achieve at 125ish carbs per day which I call eating "moderate carb." I suggest experimenting so you only do what you absolutely need to do. This assumes there is any benefit to you at all which may not be the case. Some people find low carb to be worse.

2) You should keep an eye on your calories. A calorie deficit is absolutely required for weight loss. Eating low carb is only a tool.

3) Walking is a great form of exercise if you enjoy doing it.

kimny72

sunnshhiine wrote: »

I'm on day 1 of my "low carb"/KETO meal plan. I've always been a calorie-counter, so this low carb thing is completely new to me. My goal is to lose 30 pounds initially, and then another 20-30 pounds after that. I'm currently 5'3" and 180 lbs (female).

My goal is to eat no more than 30 carbs per day, but I'm not going to beat myself up if I eat 35 (you know what I mean?) -- I'm trying to give myself some grace this time around.

So here are my questions --

1) is 30 carbs (or less) per day a good goal?
2) should I be concerned about calorie counts? (ie. my meals and 1 snack today are adding up to almost 1800 calories (!!!!) -- this is mind-blowing to me.
3) is walking a good form of exercise for beginners on this KETO/low carb journey?

Anything else I should know or keep in mind while I start this journey?

Wish me luck! I hope you have the best day ever!

1) 30g is as good as any other carb goal. It's a question of figuring out which level works best for you, or if you even need to worry about it at all. I believe most people consider "low carb" anything under 100g (though some go as high as 150), while keto is usually under 50g, or even less if you are using net carbs I think?

2) Calories are what determines weight loss. Macro levels can make it easier/harder for you to hit your calorie goal. If 1800 calories is not a calorie deficit for you, you will not lose weight, regardless of what food you eat. Some people don't need to count calories to stay in a deficit if they eat low carb, but the calories still count.

3) Exercise needs don't really change based on what you are eating. Walking is a great beginner exercise for anyone.

Just to reiterate... A calorie deficit causes weight loss. Low carb or keto can make it easier for you to hit your deficit without feeling hungry or triggering over-eating (assuming you are one of the people who finds fats filling and/or carbs triggering). Be patient with yourself and learn as you go. Good luck!

ultra_violets

It really depends on you and what works for you. I started at 5'0 and 237.5 pounds. I'm now 199.5 pounds. I generally aim for 1200 calories a day. Sometimes I'm a little over or under. I try to keep my carbs at about 20. That works for me. Judging by your height and weight and goals you can probably lose weight comfortably with more. Calorie counting never worked for me either and I've tried everything. I didn't think any diet could break my food addiction, but keto really works for me. I checked with my doctor first (and so should you) and then I tried to learn all I could about it before I started. YouTube is GREAT for keto. There's a lot of good information and positivity there and a very vibrant community that's constantly coming up with new recipes. I rely a lot on Dr. Ken Berry's channel for solid medical advice about keto. He's a practicing M.D. with a whole series of videos which can answer almost any question you may have. I can only speak for myself but I love this lifestyle and it's been a miracle for me. I don't get cravings, I never go hungry and never feel deprived. Good luck!

TavistockToad

Yes you need to worry about calories. You lose weight through a calorie deficit.

WholeFoods4Lyfe

The Keto gurus will tell you that you need to be under 25g net carbs per day in order to achieve Ketosis, but the truth is that Keto is not a one size fits all diet. it's one of those things that you can play around with once you become fat adapted.

Also, Keto in and of itself will not make you lose weight. There are articles out there talking about being able to eat slightly more total calories and still lose over just calorie restriction alone, but I'm not sure at this point if there are any studies to back this up. I will tell you that for myself in my own n=1 study, I find this to be true. What Keto does do for a lot of people is help with appetite control because fat is more satiating than protein and carbs, so by default, you tend to eat less because you are fuller longer. I would still recommend counting your calories in the beginning until you figure out what is going to work best for you. I struggle some days to get 1000 calories and other days I'm ravaging and eat 2000, it all balances out to a deficit though.

As for exercise, do whatever works for you. I personally prefer walking, it's easy to just get up and go and no special equipment required other than a good pair of sneakers.

WinoGelato

Why are you starting a low carb/keto plan - what are your goals and what are your expectations?

As others have said, it's a perfectly fine approach but has no inherent benefits for weight loss above any other way of eating that puts you at a consistent calorie deficit.

MikePTY

Regarding number 2: Your body may trick you the first few weeks. Even if you are eating at maintenance or a surplus, you may lose a good amount of weight on the scale. That is because when you cut out carbs from your diet, your body retains less water. So it's normal for people who go low carb to lose a lot of water weight in the first few weeks. This is where the claims for "rapid weight loss" and "eat as much as you want" comes from. But that's not the same thing as fat loss. You are only going to lose fat, which is what you really want to be losing, if you are at a deficit. Because if you just lose water weight, that's call gonna come back whenever you reintroduce carbs later down the line.

kshama2001

@sunnshhiine when you put your stats into MFP and tell it you want to lose a pound a week, how many calories per day does it tell you to eat?

If less than 1800, then yes, you should adjust what you plan to eat today, unless you are planning on making up the difference via calories you earn from walking.