Low carb diet calorie goal problem

stargazerscribe
stargazerscribe Posts: 44 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I have done a low carb diet before, with help of sports and nutrition scientists (I volunteered for a weight loss study)but I never logged my calories. I followed the diet plan and just did the exercise they directed me to do. This time I'm logging it, and even though the diet says I should be taking in 1400 a day, I'm only getting about 1000. And my meals are already too much for me to eat! I am keeping a 45% protein, 35% fat, and 20% carb ratio (about 50g of carb a day). To reach my calorie goal and stay within my nutrient guideline, I have to add more lean protein to my diet. But to reach that caloric goal, I would have to eat almost another pound of protein (since I'm avoiding carbs and too much fat!)
I eat mostly turkey and fish, veggies, and some soy milk everyday. I add some turkey bacon in the morning. I avoid sugar entirely.
I know I need to get more than 1000 calories. I'm weak all day because of this. How do I get to this goal without compromising my diet and not having to eat another pound of meat?? It's making me crazy and it's only day 3!!

Replies

  • Panda_Poptarts
    Panda_Poptarts Posts: 971 Member
    If you're eating low carb, by default you need more fat. Fat and carbs are your only efficient energy sources. If you're cutting one you need to up the other. Protein should be a bit more moderate.

    Increasing your fat should easily give you an extra few hundred calories. It tends to be quite calorie dense.
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
    edited June 2016
    Panda_Poptarts wrote: »
    If you're eating low carb, by default you need more fat. Fat and carbs are your only efficient energy sources. If you're cutting one you need to up the other. Protein should be a bit more moderate.

    Increasing your fat should easily give you an extra few hundred calories. It tends to be quite calorie dense.

    Precisely this. Running at a lowered fat intake, at the same time as carb restriction, is a pretty good way to make yourself feel like crap. For reference, I run more like a 10/60/30 c/f/p ratio. Feel a lot better than I used to on higher protein, and I'm not hungry nearly as often, though I can eat more in a single sitting, if I need to.
  • Panda_Poptarts
    Panda_Poptarts Posts: 971 Member
    Food for thought as well, just in case you haven't thoroughly done your research on low carbing. You're going to need to increase your electrolytes be a LOT. Sufficient sodium will help you not feel like crud. You can't get enough by salting your food alone.

    I recommend 3-4 grams of Morton's lite salt in 32 oz of water. I add MIO to cover the sale taste. Some folks do sodium / potassium supplements (pill form) instead.
  • Kobz27
    Kobz27 Posts: 64 Member
    I agree with the comments above. And even if you do get more fats in your diet, if you're full at 1000 calories, your full. Don't stuff your self just because x calorie goal.
  • stargazerscribe
    stargazerscribe Posts: 44 Member
    edited June 2016
    All excellent advice! Thank y'all for replying!

    Panda_Poptarts: didn't know about the sodium part at all. That could very well be one of the reasons I haven't been feeling so great all day, aside from my calorie deficiency. I'll make sure to increase intake of sodium for sure. I work outside part of the time at my job, so that's necessary for sure.

    I was afraid to up my fat intake because I have such a terribly slow metabolism that even one cheat meal once a week used to set me back days, I gain weight so fast. But that is a good idea, as long as I stick to healthy fats to help fill in whatever extra I need.

    I've never heard of such a ratio, Gallowmere1984! But it looks like you may do a lot of weight training, so I'm sure you turn the extra fat intake into muscle without a problem! Kudos! I run or do some sort of aerobics to exercise. It's an idea though, since you're both suggesting it. I'll try to up it tomorrow and see if it helps.

    Kobz27: everyone has always tried to scare me when I cut back my food intake, saying that I'll keep the weight on if I don't eat enough/more. Even though I truly am eating a lot, just more filling vegetables and lean protein. I don't starve myself persay, and I constantly crave other things, but I'm not hungry very often. I guess if my body isn't saying it's hungry (since I do eat when hungry, just healthy things), it won't go into starvation mode, right?
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
    I haven't exercised at all outside of work in about three years, which is when my picture dates from. Been too triffling to bother with a new one.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    @stargazerscribe just remember, eating fat does not make you fat, eating too many calories is the only thing that does that. Stick to the calories mfp has given you :smile:
  • ladipoet
    ladipoet Posts: 4,180 Member
    Macro % ratios re fat / protein / carbs is highly individual and varies greatly from person to person even within LCHF. Mine are: 10%p, 10%c, 80%f. It seems everybody has their own "sweet spot" and you may need to adjust your macro %'s from time to time until you find yours. I also suggest you check out the main low carber faily forum group here in MFP. It's where most of us Ketofiles tend to hang out:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/discussions/394-low-carber-daily-forum-the-lcd-group

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