Low Carb VS Low Calorie - Help?

LeonorMG
LeonorMG Posts: 93
in Food and Nutrition
Hi everyone! :)
I've been doing low carb for one week now. I do feel better but I am not losing any weight.
The thing is, everyone keeps telling me to count my carbs AND my calories. So what is the difference?
If I also need to count calories, isn't easier to just count calories and forget about the carbs?
I do understand the idea behind low carb - I really do - but again, isn't easier to do just one thing?

My family runs a Low Carb business here in Norway so I do know a lot about it, but every time I hear about calories I keep thinking the same thing.. :(

Thanks for reading this,
Leonor :)
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Replies

  • HardDon
    HardDon Posts: 204
    What''s your height, weight, activity level and bodyfat percentage (if you know it)?
  • LeonorMG
    LeonorMG Posts: 93
    1.68cm
    +/- 70kg (!!!!)
    and I have no idea about my body percentage...
    I am not very active.. :S
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    You lose weight with a calorie deficit, not just because you cut carbs. I did a low carb diet once upon a time and was very not successful because I was still consuming too many calories in general.

    Most people who do cut carbs will lose because carbs tend to be relatively calorie dense...eliminate those foods and voila...calorie deficit. If you're making up those calories with fats and proteins though it completely defeats the purpose.

    Also, a week is nothing. Given that you can easily fluctuate 5 Lbs day to day, weight loss can be difficult to see in such a short period of time.
  • HardDon
    HardDon Posts: 204
    1.68cm
    +/- 70kg (!!!!)
    and I have no idea about my body percentage...
    I am not very active.. :S


    1.60cm?? lol

    You should be consuming 1,400 - 1,500 calories everyday and you will lose weight. Don't worry too much about carbs vs fats, it's mostly personal preference. Just eat healthy whole foods, drink lots of water and you will see great results.

    If you want to increase your calorie goal, you should be more active. Doing cardio will allow you to get away with more calories and still lose weight.
  • LeonorMG
    LeonorMG Posts: 93
    1.68cm
    +/- 70kg (!!!!)
    and I have no idea about my body percentage...
    I am not very active.. :S


    1.60cm?? lol

    You should be consuming 1,400 - 1,500 calories everyday and you will lose weight. Don't worry too much about carbs vs fats, it's mostly personal preference. Just eat healthy whole foods, drink lots of water and you will see great results.

    If you want to increase your calorie goal, you should be more active. Doing cardio will allow you to get away with more calories and still lose weight.


    Not 1.60 but 1.68m... Why are you laughing? I'm feeling really small now....
    :(
    It was a mistake... ;)
  • LeonorMG
    LeonorMG Posts: 93
    @cwolfman13 thank you!!
    It's always good to talk with people who actually have done low carb before! :)
    Do you count carbs now? Or just calories? :)
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
    1.6cm is less than an inch tall. Do you mean meters?
  • jenhaigh1
    jenhaigh1 Posts: 2 Member
    I think you must mean 1.68m? 1.68cm is about as tall as a mouse on four paws :-D
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
    Forget about counting carbs. Make sure you're eating adequate calories but also that you've built in a deficit. Then you'll lose weight.
  • msleanlegs
    msleanlegs Posts: 188 Member
    Try counting calories for a few weeks and see where that takes you. Then if you feel like carbs need to be cut as well, go for it. But in my experience, calories are what count most. I'm losing just fine on a high carb diet.
  • GabyBaby916
    GabyBaby916 Posts: 385 Member
    I sent you a private message. :)
  • jimosaurus42
    jimosaurus42 Posts: 9
    You're deep in low calorie country here :) But I have to concur with the above, you have to have a calorie deficit. It's the first law of thermodynamics.
  • LaurenLouG
    LaurenLouG Posts: 65 Member
    I eat mostly carbs. Around 60% of my diet, and I've lost weight.

    Count your calories, then you'll lose weight.
  • LeonorMG
    LeonorMG Posts: 93
    Hahaha I do mean 1.68m!!
    I'll blame it on my autocorrect (iPhone), hehe
  • harrybananas
    harrybananas Posts: 292 Member
    Only one rule to weight loss. Less calories in versus calories out. Simple concept. Difficult to maintain.

    I eat whatever I am in the mood for as long as I'm in a calorie deficit then the weight will come off. Slowly but surely.
  • LeonorMG
    LeonorMG Posts: 93
    I think you must mean 1.68m? 1.68cm is about as tall as a mouse on four paws :-D

    Haha
    What can I say? April fools day?? Eh eh
  • mztamaraann
    mztamaraann Posts: 35 Member
    Are you all serious? Give the lady a break. 1 meter and 68 cm or 5 feet and 5 inches.

    I find that when I eat healthy within my calorie goals the carbs stay at a healthy level as well. Track your calories, and you will lose the weight. Good luck.
  • LeonorMG
    LeonorMG Posts: 93
    So whether I decide to cut carbs or not, I should think mostly about calories.
    But does it help that I'll cut the carbs? Or should I do do it just because they have a dense amount of calories?
    :)
  • LeonorMG
    LeonorMG Posts: 93
    Are you all serious? Give the lady a break. 1 meter and 68 cm or 5 feet and 5 inches.

    I find that when I eat healthy within my calorie goals the carbs stay at a healthy level as well. Track your calories, and you will lose the weight. Good luck.


    Thank you so much! :)
    1 meter and 68 cm - exactly! That's why! Haha
    I'll try to do that! :)
  • msleanlegs
    msleanlegs Posts: 188 Member
    So whether I decide to cut carbs or not, I should think mostly about calories.
    But does it help that I'll cut the carbs? Or should I do do it just because they have a dense amount of calories?
    :)

    Depends if you like carbs or not. I'm a firm believer in liking your diet no matter whether you're aiming to lose weight or maintain. I like carbs, so a high carb diet works best for me. I tried so many times to limit my carb intake and kept failing (and gaining even more weight!). Now that I've switched to a diet full of foods I enjoy eating, losing weight has been pretty darn effortless so far.
  • kgoodman0108
    kgoodman0108 Posts: 158
    I do both. When I eat plenty of fat and protein, I have a hard time going over on calories. They are much more filling compared to carbs.
  • lvpthemvp
    lvpthemvp Posts: 266 Member
    A week? Is that enough time to wage a difference in lifestyle?
  • fatdcolville
    fatdcolville Posts: 6
    carbs are related to insulin. Consuming lots of carbs will cause the insulin to flow and burn up the food you just ate, quickly. Insulin also put your body in storage mode, fat. Proteins are harder to break down and take longer to disburse and provide a full factor longer. I have done the very low carb diet and lost 1 lb a day and dropped 30 lbs in about 35 days. This is very hard to sustain though and is not a life program. I think a good balance between protein and carbs is a good idea. everyone will need to find their own balance based on their ability to tollerate it. Unfortunatly....all programs require sacrifice. I can talk a good game and have done allot of research....and have found a lot of things that work....but, in the end, I'm a yo yo and go up and down consistently 30 lbs. I've read, that is not good.
  • matthewcorb
    matthewcorb Posts: 32
    Because if you really take it seriously, extra work wouldn't have to bother you. You should actually be glad instead because there is more that you can do to make sure that you lose weight and keep healthy.
  • Warchortle
    Warchortle Posts: 2,197 Member
    This topic doesn't even make sense.
  • fatdcolville
    fatdcolville Posts: 6
    I want to change my default carbs on my daily plan. Does anyone know how to do this?
  • dirtyd89
    dirtyd89 Posts: 170
    It depends what your goals are.

    If your body building you need to eat more calories.

    Example:
    I eat between 1,200-1,300 per day.
    (In order to put on mass I would need to eat 1,500-1,600 calories with most of those extra calories eating protein.)

    If your trying to get lean and toned then eating low calories is good but don't go too low because you don't want to starve yourself that will make it even harder to lose weight.
    (Anything lower then 1,100 is way too low.)

    Also people get it mixed up with Carbohydrates.

    (2) types:

    -Complex:
    ex.) Fruit, Vegetables, Grains, Sweet Potatoes, etc.
    (Limit the fruit as much as possible because it contains lots of sugar that will store as fat. Eat more vegetables. No more then 2 servings of fruit per day. One serving of fruit is plenty.)

    -Simple:
    ex.) White bread, white pasta, white potatoes, etc.

    I'd go with a median between the two.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    It depends what your goals are.

    If your body building you need to eat more calories.

    Example:
    I eat between 1,200-1,300 per day.
    (In order to put on mass I would need to eat 1,500-1,600 calories with most of those extra calories eating protein.)

    If your trying to get lean and toned then eating low calories is good but don't go too low because you don't want to starve yourself that will make it even harder to lose weight.
    (Anything lower then 1,100 is way too low.)

    Also people get it mixed up with Carbohydrates.

    (2) types:

    -Complex:
    ex.) Fruit, Vegetables, Grains, Sweet Potatoes, etc.
    (Limit the fruit as much as possible because it contains lots of sugar that will store as fat. Eat more vegetables. No more then 2 servings of fruit per day. One serving of fruit is plenty.)

    -Simple:
    ex.) White bread, white pasta, white potatoes, etc.

    I'd go with a median between the two.

    Wut?

    You are very small and inactive if you bulk at 1500-1600 calories.

    And your "simple" carbohydrates are actually all complex. Many fruit are not complex (I didn't bother to verify if all were)
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    I want to change my default carbs on my daily plan. Does anyone know how to do this?

    Go to My Home > Goals > Change goals > custom
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    It depends what your goals are.

    If your body building you need to eat more calories.

    Example:
    I eat between 1,200-1,300 per day.
    (In order to put on mass I would need to eat 1,500-1,600 calories with most of those extra calories eating protein.)

    If your trying to get lean and toned then eating low calories is good but don't go too low because you don't want to starve yourself that will make it even harder to lose weight.
    (Anything lower then 1,100 is way too low.)

    Also people get it mixed up with Carbohydrates.

    (2) types:

    -Complex:
    ex.) Fruit, Vegetables, Grains, Sweet Potatoes, etc.
    (Limit the fruit as much as possible because it contains lots of sugar that will store as fat. Eat more vegetables. No more then 2 servings of fruit per day. One serving of fruit is plenty.)

    -Simple:
    ex.) White bread, white pasta, white potatoes, etc.

    I'd go with a median between the two.

    Wut?

    You are very small and inactive if you bulk at 1500-1600 calories.

    And your "simple" carbohydrates are actually all complex. Many fruit are not complex (I didn't bother to verify if all were)

    Maybe he's 1.68 centimeters. Would pretty much have to be to bulk at that calorie level.

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