CALORIE COUNTING ON LCHF

sarahthes · January 2017

I tend to overestimate my calories on LCHF because I find it satiating and I'm bad at eyeballing foods (but insist on eyeballing them anyway). When I actually weigh them, especially the calorie dense stuff, I find I've been way under what in thought I was eating.

LisaEatSleepRun · January 2017

I have been weighing everything I eat and counting calories while on LCHF over past 5 months. Have lost 48 pounds and have 22 pounds to go. While I really love this lifestyle and it suits me very well, I don't think anyone can escape CICO. Good luck with your lifestyle change!

nvmomketo · January 2017

I find I lose faster and easier when I eat a ketogenic diet. The lower the carbs the better.

For months I was losing 2-3 lbs per week. I was eating 1500kcal on average, although my macro and caloric goal was a bit lower and set for only 1 or 1.5 lbs lost per week. When I eat ketogenic, my TDEE is somewhere between 2000 and 3000 kcal according to my loss rate.

I started eating higher carb and about a thousand more calories. I also had some thyroid issues. I gained close to 10lbs over the last 6-12 months.

My n=1 shows me that my CO is slightly higher with ketogenic LCHF diet, and when my health is good. It also lowers my CI by affecting appetite and cravings. Eating more carbs lowers my CO and so does mild hypothyroidism.

So yes, it all comes down to CI<CO but the diet you choose, your health, and how your diet affects your health can alter CI and CO by quite a bit - a few hundred calories per day.

sarahthes wrote: »

I tend to overestimate my calories on LCHF because I find it satiating and I'm bad at eyeballing foods (but insist on eyeballing them anyway). When I actually weigh them, especially the calorie dense stuff, I find I've been way under what in thought I was eating.

I can do this with LCHF friendly foods, especially meats, but not with carbs.... or cheese. Mmmm. Cheese.

cerise_noir · January 2017

midpath wrote: »

Don't let people talk you into CICO, that is simplifying a complicated process so people don't feel guilty about eating their Oreo's and candy bars.

So, don't listen to anyone who has successfully lost weight and are maintaining (and have been for a while)? Why in the world would anyone listen to someone who has been successful? The nerve.

And guess what? I've lost 100lb including chocolate and oreos in my WOE. CICO is calories in calories out or a balance of energy, not 'eat-ALL-the-candy'. Low carb can be a form of CICO, as can IIFYM, or high carb. If you consume more calories than your body needs to maintain its current weight, you'll gain.

Ridiculous.

midpath wrote: »

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/2759564

http://mobile.nytimes.com/blogs/well/2014/05/09/fed-up-asks-are-all-calories-equal/?referer=

https://authoritynutrition.com/6-reasons-why-a-calorie-is-not-a-calorie/

http://www.responsiblefoods.org/a_calorie_is_not_a_calorie

None of these are reputable sources....or studies.

Therealobi1 · January 2017

midpath wrote: »

Studies have shown that LCHF people can eat an extra 300 calories extra a day and be on par with others concerning weight loss and maintenance etc. Don't let people talk you into CICO, that is simplifying a complicated process so people don't feel guilty about eating their Oreo's and candy bars.

I have had extreme success with LCHF, primal blueprint in my case. I went from 280 to 165 and when I started eating carbs again I am went back up to 180 in three months.

Science doesn't prove CICO by a long shot. Like they found that people who eat a handful of nuts (which can be 500 calories or more depending on the nut) on top of a regular diet gained no weight.

Eat right and you'll get where you need to be.

Am too scared to even try this out
Can I eat all the nuts I want and not put on weight

Asher_Ethan · January 2017

GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »

psuLemon wrote: »

stevemunden26 wrote: »

I think tracking your macros is more important than tracking calories on LCHF. LCHF and low-carb in general is easy to screw up. There are a lot of things that have carbs and sugars in that people just don't realise at first. I have known several people lately who have tried LCHF or similar and are not losing weight, and I've found they are consuming something (often drinks or too much fruit or something packaged) and are probably not in keto as a result.

Personally I find it very hard to consume a lot of calories on LCHF. Since I switched to LCHF my daily calory intake is about 30-50% less than previous. I have felt the sense of hunger is much less when you are in keto. You know you are hungry, but it can be too easily ignored. When I was on a regular diet (not in keto) hunger was painful and very unpleasant - you could not ignore it. You could easily eat more and more carbs and sugars, and of course a little time later blood sugars drop and then you just want more. This doesn't happen so savagely on LCHF.

I have reached my target weight on LCHF now and I have the less usual issue of trying to maintain my weight as I continue to lose weight. I believe this is because I am not consuming enough calories (enough fat!). I find it hard to eat enough, I feel like I am stuffing my face when I don't want it. I am experimenting with my macros to see what works best.

In short, I don't personally think you can overeat fat, unless you are also consuming significant sugars and carbs and thus not in keto (over 50-100g per day).

My current macro goals FYI

Carbohydrates 61 g (10 %)
Fat 202 g (75 %)
Protein 91 g (15 %)

I can assure you, it's very possible to over eat on fat. Even while keto or low carb. There are countless threads on this exact issue. Personally, you might struggle to, but others like me who don't get full from fats will would have that issue.

QFT. I gained weight low carbing from stress eating things like egg salad and chicken drumsticks or nuts folded into whipping cream.

Fat does not sate me, and my emotional eating did not have a stop signal.

Sooooooo this. I gained weight clean eating and "paleo" (obviously I was in a surplus but I was told by a million blogs all I had to do was eat clean and I would lose) because I don't have a stop signal when it comes to eating.

ConnieT1030 · January 2017

Therealobi1 wrote: »

Am too scared to even try this out
Can I eat all the nuts I want and not put on weight

No. If someone says it doesn't matter how much you eat of X item, they are living in a fantasy land.
Its easier to get full eating things that have a high satiety factor (for most people) but I assure you, all food has calories, and if you eat too much, you will gain. (It can be very difficult to overeat your calories on things that are very low calorie like vegetables, simply because you'll be too full by volume, but its theoretically possible.)

There are no magic diets, no magic pills, and no magic weight-busting foods. Nuts are actually pretty calorie-dense, but they are a good source of nutrition including protein. If youre not allergic, it's great to add some in to your day. But if you eat them irresponsibly (without paying attention to how many calories they are and making sure they dont put you over your calorie output), you *will* pack on the pounds.

snlhaggerty · January 2017

I thank you all for your advice and suggestions. I have joined the low carber group. Thanks for the link

Shan1a · January 2017

nvmomketo wrote: »

I find I lose faster and easier when I eat a ketogenic diet. The lower the carbs the better.

For months I was losing 2-3 lbs per week. I was eating 1500kcal on average, although my macro and caloric goal was a bit lower and set for only 1 or 1.5 lbs lost per week. When I eat ketogenic, my TDEE is somewhere between 2000 and 3000 kcal according to my loss rate.

I started eating higher carb and about a thousand more calories. I also had some thyroid issues. I gained close to 10lbs over the last 6-12 months.

My n=1 shows me that my CO is slightly higher with ketogenic LCHF diet, and when my health is good. It also lowers my CI by affecting appetite and cravings. Eating more carbs lowers my CO and so does mild hypothyroidism.

So yes, it all comes down to CI<CO but the diet you choose, your health, and how your diet affects your health can alter CI and CO by quite a bit - a few hundred calories per day.

sarahthes wrote: »

I tend to overestimate my calories on LCHF because I find it satiating and I'm bad at eyeballing foods (but insist on eyeballing them anyway). When I actually weigh them, especially the calorie dense stuff, I find I've been way under what in thought I was eating.

I can do this with LCHF friendly foods, especially meats, but not with carbs.... or cheese. Mmmm. Cheese.

snlhaggerty wrote: »

Okay, although I have a significant amount of weight to lose I have been thin in the past. (4 years ago). Gained roughly 70 pounds in 4 years. I have tried losing weight on numerous occasions but obviously I haven't seen it through. The ONLY time I have been thin and I mean only (even when I was a child) was when I followed a very low carb diet. I did not count calories whatsoever. In fact, I would probably eat take out chicken wings once a week, chicken caesar salads (minus the croutons)etc. My point being very high calorie foods with tonnes of fat. The weight did indeed fall off and I was never hungry. Once I got in the swing of it I never craved carbs. I am looking to restart this lifestyle as I am do not even recognize myself in the mirror and I am tired of my feet/back hurting etc. It has gotten out of control and has to stop. I see a lot of posts of LCHF diets only working if you stay within your calorie restriction. I am positive I ate more than my fair share of calories before and lost weight. Is anyone else out there feel calories are not as important to track as are carb intake? I am eager to hear thoughts and opinions please.

trudie_b · January 2017

My husband was convinced that HFLC was the way to go for him, and for a while it seemed to work, he lost maybe 20lbs. Then he stalled. Big time. Months long stall, sometimes even gaining. His problem is what others have noted - LFHC might limit his carbs, but it does not limit his food quantity, and he overeats habitually. When you're overeating things like cream, olive oil, cheese, things that theoretically you don't need to restrict on a HFLC diet, you're eating thousands of calories. He had to figure this out himself, I laid it out for him, but he resisted big time, because he didn't want to feel like his indulgences had to be restricted. Six months down the line, he's realised I'm right. While I continued steadily losing weight, he's danced around the same 10lb for months, and he's still obese. Now he's started counting calories (he still restricts carbs to some extent, because he finds they make him sleepy), and finally his weight is dropping again. Pretty fast actually.

I think that the initial change in diet, from eating whatever you want, to eating only certain foods, will result in some weight loss for most people (and that could be any kind of diet, HFLC, vegan, whatever). But long term, I do believe that CICO makes sense, and is the answer to proper weight control.

(As annoying as tracking calories is!!!!!! I do see the seductiveness of saying you can eat what you want, however much you want, as long as you don't eat X.)

birdtobe · January 2017

I look at LCHF as an effective means of managing CICO, not a substitute for it. I simply find it easier to stay within my calorie limits when I eat low carb because *for me* eating fewer carbs and less sugar keeps me full far longer and keeps me off the blood-sugar rollercoaster. I don't find myself white-knuckling every day, just trying to survive on 1350 calories. I feel full and satisfied.

But I don't demonize carbs. If I really crave a slice of pizza or a cookie or whatever, I will damn well have one. No food is bad if enjoyed in moderation. I just think LCHF is the diet that happens to work for my body. I the trick is finding what works for each of us, without trying to prove who is "right" and who is "wrong." I'm thankful that so many people here have shared what works for them so I can learn more.

Tacklewasher · January 2017

birdtobe wrote: »

I look at LCHF as an effective means of managing CICO, not a substitute for it. I simply find it easier to stay within my calorie limits when I eat low carb because *for me* eating fewer carbs and less sugar keeps me full far longer and keeps me off the blood-sugar rollercoaster. I don't find myself white-knuckling every day, just trying to survive on 1350 calories. I feel full and satisfied.

But I don't demonize carbs. If I really crave a slice of pizza or a cookie or whatever, I will damn well have one. No food is bad if enjoyed in moderation. I just think LCHF is the diet that happens to work for my body. I the trick is finding what works for each of us, without trying to prove who is "right" and who is "wrong." I'm thankful that so many people here have shared what works for them so I can learn more.

Great post

nvmomketo · January 2017

birdtobe wrote: »

I look at LCHF as an effective means of managing CICO, not a substitute for it. I simply find it easier to stay within my calorie limits when I eat low carb because *for me* eating fewer carbs and less sugar keeps me full far longer and keeps me off the blood-sugar rollercoaster. I don't find myself white-knuckling every day, just trying to survive on 1350 calories. I feel full and satisfied.

But I don't demonize carbs. If I really crave a slice of pizza or a cookie or whatever, I will damn well have one. No food is bad if enjoyed in moderation. I just think LCHF is the diet that happens to work for my body. I the trick is finding what works for each of us, without trying to prove who is "right" and who is "wrong." I'm thankful that so many people here have shared what works for them so I can learn more.

Yes. This is a great approach for people doing LCHF who have no medical issues. A smart way to do it.

CALORIE COUNTING ON LCHF

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