I am getting mixed messages about calorie deficit in Keto.

Some sources say just eat until full & don't CC & others say the opposite.

So wondering what is the experience of other Keto-ers.

Thanks

You can put on weight in Keto just as you can in any other nutritional plan.

Well, I can (and did) anyway. Without much of a calorie rise too to be honest.

I was usually under 50g carbs a day (usually quite a way under) so if I wasn't Keto I was close.

To be honest the only thing that has kicked me along recently is watching the calories.

This is part of the reason for me recently returning to a more balanced plan, if I'm going to watch the calories I may as well have some more variety. Plus I have a new job and I really don't want to add any dietary choice stress on top of everything.

Having read around the subject (not just the Paleo/Keto/Low Carb-focused stuff which tend to ignore the non-insulin fattening mechanisms) I couldn't really see any metabolic advantage in staying Keto from a fat-burning perspective.

I do see the on-going advantage in keeping the carbs relatively low from a hunger/blood sugar point of view though, so that's my plan ... A kind of anything goes but 'carb aware' thing.

I try and stay below 50 g carb too and 1270 cals,I can't help believing that cals in v cals out are still relevant

Funnily enough in the old Atkins book they pretty much say eat whatever you want, just low carbs and you'll be fine, but the New Atkins book says you have to control calories too. They recommend 1500 to 1700 Cals for women. I work on 1500 Cals which takes into account exercise calories as well, and that's working for me. I feel much better on a low carb diet, less hungry all the time, so will stick to it. As always, that mythical promise that you can eat whatever you want as long as you don't eat the carbs is just too good to be true.

I try and stay below 50 g carb too and 1270 cals,I can't help believing that cals in v cals out are still relevant

Less than 1300! Ouch

I lost over 30 pounds on south beach several years ago but I went back to old habitats (just got lazy with food choices) and high carbs and gained it all back. But I never counted anything while I did it (wish I had now for a reference) just followed the south beach book.

It's been a couple of months since I've counted carbs or calories and I'm still losing weight. It's not that calories don't matter it's that for a lot of people eating a low carb diet is just a naturally satisfying way to eat.

My calories are anywhere between 1,000 - 2,000 a day and my carbs are usually well under 50g although the days I indulge in more fruit than my usual berries they're much higher. I think it's working for me still because I don't eat the low carb diet products (Joseph's bread, Dreamfields pasta etc.) or make all of the low carb recipes for breads, pancakes and that sort of thing.

Meat with the fat and skin on, all the non-starchy vegetables I want, a bowl of berries almost every day and as much fat as I can possibly add to each of my meals. I cook in lard, butter and olive oil and often add more than I really need like why fry my eggs in 1 tablespoon of butter when I can use 2 -- that sort of thing. I use cheese, sour cream and heavy cream a lot too. I eat until I'm absolutely full (sometimes stuffed just because it tastes so good) and then I don't eat again until I'm hungry. So I usually eat 2 high calorie meals a day (500 - 800 calories) and maybe a 300ish calorie snack just because I like to eat at night.

It feels like I eat an absolute ton of food and none of it's deliberately low calorie which is why I think they say that calories don't matter. Eat bacon, eggs and cabbage with a bowl of berries for breakfast and then follow that up with a big steak w/ butter and a nice salad with as much full fat dressing as you like and then maybe a big serving of sour cream and onion dip with veggies for a snack later and it really does seem like calories don't matter. No disgusting 0 calorie frankenfoods, dipping your fork into salad dressing on the side, or putting your fork down between each bite, drinking a glass of water before you eat, going to the gym so you can "afford" to eat more or any of the other weird little tricks people come up with -- just a whole lot of delicious food -- that's probably only about 1,600 calories total for the day even though none of it is diet food and all of it seems pretty indulgent.

Calories do matter but if you eat the right foods you don't even need to think about it, the same with carbs.

I'm cooking a lot of side dishes from here http://yourlighterside.com/your-lighter-side-cookbook/

I'm cooking for four people, most of which aren't low carbing.. but I've gotten more enthusiasm over my cooking than ever. Baked cauliflower, and loaded broccoli were huge hits.. and although I've never liked bell peppers.. I roasted some tonight in the oven and loved those too.

I'm finding that if I watch my calorie count, keeping it in a deficit, along with low carb I lose weight. If I don't watch my calories and just keep my carbs low I maintain my weight. If I don't watch either, I gain. Low carb eating makes me feel physically better all over and keeps my BG levels down.