To count calories or not?
LolaDeeDaisy23
Posts: 383 Member
I've read in numerous posts that many people do not count calories when eating keto. I've also heard people only count carbs and not calories...even so much to say that calories don't matter on a keto diet.
Maybe the people who have success with not counting are relatively active? But what about the sedentary people? Do they count calories? Carbs? Stories please!
My question to you: Do you count? How much do you eat on average? And how is your activity level?
Maybe the people who have success with not counting are relatively active? But what about the sedentary people? Do they count calories? Carbs? Stories please!
My question to you: Do you count? How much do you eat on average? And how is your activity level?
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For me counting calories above all else is what got me in this mess, it is far better to keep an eye on carbs and protein grams and my nutrition. Since I track my food I do know my calorie range, but it varies by several hundred calories each day. I don't stress over the calorie numbers or live and die by a number. How I get to what I need will never have the same calories day after day. As long as you are not eating foods that will blow your goals, and you only eat when hungry, counting calories really don't matter.1
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If you're (general) losing weight not counting calories, then you are obviously doing something right. However if weight loss stops, then calories would be the very first thing I'd be looking at.
Personally, I weigh, count and log every calorie I eat.
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I count calories, but mostly worry about my macros. Normal people's calories vary day to day based on hunger/choices.3
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I count calories. I'm a big snacker and am still getting out of the habit of mindlessly munching. Tracking everything that goes in my mouth and setting a "limit" keeps me accountable- regardless of how active I am.2
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Oh and I'm not sedentary. I walk around 10-15kms a day.1
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Christine_72 wrote: »Oh and I'm not sedentary. I walk around 10-15kms a day.
10-15kms? That's a lot. Do you walk dedicatedly for for 2+ hrs?0 -
nicsflyingcircus wrote: »Christine_72 wrote: »Oh and I'm not sedentary. I walk around 10-15kms a day.
10-15kms? That's a lot. Do you walk dedicatedly for for 2+ hrs?
No, I do it in spurts through out the day. Usually around 2000-2500 steps at a time of purposeful walking, then normal doddling around in between.0 -
I don't count anything as for me this is a lifestyle not a diet.
I only counted one day a few weeks back just to check my carb intake for an average day. Now I just make low carb choices.
If one day I do eat something I shouldn't I don't stress, I just start again the next day.
When I lost weight counting calories a couple of years back, the weighing and logging really got on my nerves and took away the pleasure of food. I don't want to go back to that.
I am still losing weight slowly and that's ok with me.2 -
I log EVERYTHING. Sigh..... It does become tedious. I've been trying for a year and only lost a few pounds since I started lchf.
Keep working on it and you'll lose.
It's a life style? Maybe.
I still find my old (fat) life style creeping in all the time.
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I count calories. I'm a big snacker and am still getting out of the habit of mindlessly munching. Tracking everything that goes in my mouth and setting a "limit" keeps me accountable- regardless of how active I am.Christine_72 wrote: »If you're (general) losing weight not counting calories, then you are obviously doing something right. However if weight loss stops, then calories would be the very first thing I'd be looking at.
Personally, I weigh, count and log every calorie I eat.
Two good reasons to keep your eye on your calorie intake: it's another piece of information in your know-thyself toolkit, and it can help you maintain healthy habits.
I'm still slowly trimming and count:
- net carbs (goal = <50),
- protein (~100g),
- calories (base = 1600, adjusted for activity), and
- electrolytes.
Being T2D, I keep close track of BG (if > 120, only HF food or exercise).
I also randomly paint pee-stix, mostly just for sh!ts & g!ggles, but a zappy color reminds me to drink more.0 -
When I started LCHF I religiously counted everything. Now, six months later, I have a good understanding of what I'm eating and don't really need to count. I often still do as it's not particularly difficult b/c I eat mostly the same things. However, I think I may need to get back to counting as when I do not I find there is "calorie creep" in my diet. For example, this week I've been snacking on some peanuts we have in the house. I tell myself they are a good, fairly low carb item but I know I am eating to many.2
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I'm participating in the Ad Lib April challenge, so not logging anything but carbs (and I'm doing it on paper so MFP doesn't tell me my calories, or judge me for that matter
). I don't plan to go back to logging calories. I eat when I'm hungry and don't when I'm not, and it is so freeing not to worry about the nutrition information in every little thing. I'll probably even stop logging carbs eventually, unless I suspect "carb creep" is coming on. I have a general idea of what to eat and what not to eat. One of the biggest/most life-changing things for me about this lifestyle is the idea that we don't really have control of CICO. They are dependent variables, and our bodies will adjust them as it sees fit. (Taubes "We don't get fat because we overeat, we overeat because we're getting fat" made so much sense to me and literally made me cry). Anyway, that' my 2 cents. I'm a SAHM, so lightly active, plus yoga a few times a week, and cardio when I can find the time.
ETA: I have lost about 9 lbs since April 1.1 -
I count every day. Like @RalfLott said, information is power. When I first started, I went as far as to find a local BodPod in my area and get my body fat done so I have a more accurate number to base my calories on (its all based on 148 lbs of lean mass). I dont have hard numbers I stay under, but I do have ranges.
Carbs - 20-30 net
Protien - ~150 (1g per lb of lean body mass)
Fat - Everything else , typically around 100-130
I am fairly active, I have to walk at least 2 miles a day back and forth to the office, plus I take some pretty intense Krav Maga classes 2-3 times a week. On those days, I always try to eat more in the middle of the day. I came in just under 2100 kcal yesterday, but it was sparring day and I definitely needed it. Typically, I fall between 1600-1750 a day, and it works for me, as I am down ~15lbs since the middle of March.
My diary is open if anyone wants to take a look.2 -
Thank you everyone for your replies! It definitely seems the typical CICO isn't as straightforward on keto. I honestly don't know how it works.
I've been experimenting lately and I was eating 1300 for two weeks and lost a few pounds. These past two weeks I've been eating 2100, on average...and *drum roll* I'm the exact same weight lol I haven't gained or lost.
According to calculators, I should be eating 1750 to maintain.
As far as counting goes, I've been counting religiously for 4 years now. It's not hard and it takes a second to log, which is why I do it. And I like to see my personal trends.4 -
I tend to have two loss ranges, too. in the 1300 calorie range (or less range, don't know that I've ever gone below that intentionally), and in the 1800 calorie range, both without exercise adjustments. It seems that the lower range creates losses that also slow my metabolism, strictly due to calorie restriction. The higher range seems to be the body nourishing type of losses, while sometimes slower, are healthier losses for me, @LolaDeeDaisy23 ...1
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daylitemag wrote: »I may need to get back to counting, as when I do not, I find there is "calorie creep" in my diet. For example, this week I've been snacking on some peanuts we have in the house. I tell myself they are a good, fairly low carb item but I know I am eating too many.
Bingo! Perfect term.
The fact that there are people who are immune to "calorie-creep" is one of the wonders of nature. (Almost on par with horse turds being perfect spheres and fat house cats surviving leaps off 120th-story balconies....)
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Since I have to give up carbs or at least a large percentage of carbs. I'll be damn if I'm going to count calories too. But, I have to be very careful to only eat when I'm hungry. I do have problems identifying when I'm hungry. It comes from years of counting calories and avoiding fat.
But I have a very active lifestyle. I run an organic farm and we specialize in mushrooms, eggs and lamb. It's a lot of very physical work. I average over a 1000 calories a day in physical activity, at least that is what MFP tells me. Sometimes my calories, according to MFP, for exercise are higher than my metabolic calories. I do not make a point of eating those exercise calories.4 -
I do count calories because I am fairly sedentary do to arthritis and neuropathy pain in my feet. Still, that being said , the LCHF woe makes it easier to stay within calorie goal because I don't get as hungry (low BG) between meals. I'm not sure if I would call it a Paleo woe but it is pretty basic. I don't use the artificially sweetened stuff at all. 50to80 g carbs seems to be enough. Probably not low enough to be really keto, though.
@cedarsidefarm your farm sounds wonderful! I've done organic gardening for about 50 years. We get such lovely flavorful veggies. We never did get into livestock. Sheep and chickens , wow!1
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