Low Carb Vs Calorie counting

I decided I want to do a low carb diet.. I eat a lot of food that starchy and sugary. so when I go to log my food, my carb and sugar intake are on the high side. Anyone following a Low Crab High Fat Diet? Any tips would be appreciated.

Replies

  • sebastiansteinmann
    sebastiansteinmann Posts: 56 Member
    There are a couple of dedicated groups for this. Keto and LCD group.

    But, yes a bunch!
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  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    BelloAmore wrote: »
    I decided I want to do a low carb diet.. I eat a lot of food that starchy and sugary. so when I go to log my food, my carb and sugar intake are on the high side. Anyone following a Low Crab High Fat Diet? Any tips would be appreciated.

    Not me, no more. But I have been there, done that. I used low carb for weight loss......and then gained all the weight back. So whatever method you choose.....have a maintenance strategy. Losing weight is just the first step.
  • ritzvin
    ritzvin Posts: 2,860 Member
    Depending on which foods tend to put you over your calories, low carb could mean not having to calorie count to stay in a deficit. (basically- if you normally binge on Debbie cakes, then yes it could work; if you love cheese, not so much).
  • ritzvin
    ritzvin Posts: 2,860 Member
    (success with intuitive eating pretty much flies out the window with calorie-dense food items...so if low carb cuts those out of your diet then you might successfully lost weight without keeping track of calories).
  • Markdolan85
    Markdolan85 Posts: 1 Member
    BelloAmore wrote: »
    I decided I want to do a low carb diet.. I eat a lot of food that starchy and sugary. so when I go to log my food, my carb and sugar intake are on the high side. Anyone following a Low Crab High Fat Diet? Any tips would be appreciated.

    i am on a low carb diet and i usually dont go over 80g of carbs. I am down 5 stone in 5 months and every morning i eat a decent size fruit sald, although, its mainly berries, i use 70g of blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries and 30g of cherrys, i pour over a low fat yogurt, their is hardly any shgar in my salad and fills you up for ages, most berries are low carb and low sugar so stick to berries over likes of apples and bananas or oranges. It will keep you under your target and all th
  • Asher_Ethan
    Asher_Ethan Posts: 2,430 Member
    If you are losing weight on low carb then you are also losing weight on low calories.
    I personally cant do low carb. I get horrible brain fog and my breath gets rancid.
    Counting calories is so much easier and i get to eat pizza and french fries and lose weoght at the same time.
  • BelloAmore
    BelloAmore Posts: 20 Member
    Thanks everyone I think I get it. I was thinking when you do low carb you don't count calories that's why I put the title that way.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    BelloAmore wrote: »
    Thanks everyone I think I get it. I was thinking when you do low carb you don't count calories that's why I put the title that way.

    Being in a calorie deficit is required to lose weight.
    Eating low carb is a way of eating, that some people enjoy, and find helps them to create that calorie deficit.
    Calorie counting is a way of measuring that you are actually in the calorie deficit, regardless of the foods you eat.

    Put another way...
    You can count calories and lose, maintain, or gain weight.
    You can eat low carb and lose, maintain, or gain weight.
    You can do neither, and lose, maintain, or gain weight.

    I think you will find that many of the successful Low Carbers on here still track calories to ensure they are in a deficit and that their results are predictable.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    edited June 2017
    BelloAmore wrote: »
    Thanks everyone I think I get it. I was thinking when you do low carb you don't count calories that's why I put the title that way.

    There are plenty of people who lose weight doing low carb who don't count calories...for many people, cutting carbs and substantially eliminating an entire macro will produce a calorie deficit by default. Counting calories just helps ensure that that is actually the case as if you eat low carb and eat maintenance calories or above, you're not going to lose weight.

    All diets work on the same premise...less calories coming in and more calories going out.

    I personally don't calorie count (at least physically) or do low carb and have no issue maintaining or losing weight as necessary...if I'm losing weight though, I've put myself in a calorie deficit.
  • patajj
    patajj Posts: 2 Member
    I'm about 10 days into lowcarb dieting. I don't count calories. I'm losing weight - about 3lbs so far. It's the first time I've ever dieted and genuinely not felt hunger. I'm suffering a bit from feeling weak a lot of the time but hopefully that will clear itself soon as it's been the only downside for me.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    As others said, LCHF and calorie counting can be combined or separate. Some find their appetite goes down enough that they do not need to count calories while others prefer to count. It's a personal choice.

    Good luck. If you do decide to try LCHF, check out the group linked above. They are a helpful bunch.
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 6,000 Member
    edited June 2017
    BelloAmore wrote: »
    Thanks everyone I think I get it. I was thinking when you do low carb you don't count calories that's why I put the title that way.

    You may or may not have to count calories. Low carb diets tend to diminish hunger which leads to eating less over time so in that sense, you may not have to count calories to succeed. That said, you very much still have to maintain a caloric deficit to lose weight.

    Occasionally, tracking your calories is a good idea to see what an appropriate amount of food feels like...
  • raquele3394
    raquele3394 Posts: 180 Member
    edited June 2017
    It comes down to calories, but I would feel up on veggies. Half of the plate should be veggies(salad, sautéed kale, spinach, and other veggies) a quarter of plate should be protein( whatever fits in the palm of hands) the other quarter should be carbs( I would limit that to 1/2 cup to 3/4 of cup and eat carbs like Ezekiel bread, whole wheat past, brown rice, quinoa, Farro). For snack in between meals ( a fruit with nuts, yogurt with fruit, popcorn(3cups).
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    edited June 2017
    ritzvin wrote: »
    Depending on which foods tend to put you over your calories, low carb could mean not having to calorie count to stay in a deficit. (basically- if you normally binge on Debbie cakes, then yes it could work; if you love cheese, not so much).

    Temporarily. Maybe.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    Azdak wrote: »
    ritzvin wrote: »
    Depending on which foods tend to put you over your calories, low carb could mean not having to calorie count to stay in a deficit. (basically- if you normally binge on Debbie cakes, then yes it could work; if you love cheese, not so much).

    Temporarily. Maybe.

    Why temprarily? Most long term low carbers I know of do not not continue to calorie count. Many never did.

    I counted for about 4 months. Now? I don't bother.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    It comes down to calories, but I would feel up on veggies. Half of the plate should be veggies(salad, sautéed kale, spinach, and other veggies) a quarter of plate should be protein( whatever fits in the palm of hands) the other quarter should be carbs( I would limit that to 1/2 cup to 3/4 of cup and eat carbs like Ezekiel bread, whole wheat past, brown rice, quinoa, Farro). For snack in between meals ( a fruit with nuts, yogurt with fruit, popcorn(3cups).

    who makes up these rules?
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    It comes down to calories, but I would feel up on veggies. Half of the plate should be veggies(salad, sautéed kale, spinach, and other veggies) a quarter of plate should be protein( whatever fits in the palm of hands) the other quarter should be carbs( I would limit that to 1/2 cup to 3/4 of cup and eat carbs like Ezekiel bread, whole wheat past, brown rice, quinoa, Farro). For snack in between meals ( a fruit with nuts, yogurt with fruit, popcorn(3cups).

    who makes up these rules?

    US government.

    MyPlateRecipes-1360947634_280.jpg

    Although the PP substituted more veggies in place of fruits.
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 6,000 Member
    It comes down to calories, but I would feel up on veggies. Half of the plate should be veggies(salad, sautéed kale, spinach, and other veggies) a quarter of plate should be protein( whatever fits in the palm of hands) the other quarter should be carbs( I would limit that to 1/2 cup to 3/4 of cup and eat carbs like Ezekiel bread, whole wheat past, brown rice, quinoa, Farro). For snack in between meals ( a fruit with nuts, yogurt with fruit, popcorn(3cups) so I would eat in a manner that was in line with my goals and preferences and try not to overthink it too much...

    fixed...
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    nvmomketo wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    It comes down to calories, but I would feel up on veggies. Half of the plate should be veggies(salad, sautéed kale, spinach, and other veggies) a quarter of plate should be protein( whatever fits in the palm of hands) the other quarter should be carbs( I would limit that to 1/2 cup to 3/4 of cup and eat carbs like Ezekiel bread, whole wheat past, brown rice, quinoa, Farro). For snack in between meals ( a fruit with nuts, yogurt with fruit, popcorn(3cups).

    who makes up these rules?

    US government.

    MyPlateRecipes-1360947634_280.jpg

    Although the PP substituted more veggies in place of fruits.

    the same ones that told us fats were bad in the 80's???
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
    It comes down to calories, but I would feel up on veggies. Half of the plate should be veggies(salad, sautéed kale, spinach, and other veggies) a quarter of plate should be protein( whatever fits in the palm of hands) the other quarter should be carbs( I would limit that to 1/2 cup to 3/4 of cup and eat carbs like Ezekiel bread, whole wheat past, brown rice, quinoa, Farro). For snack in between meals ( a fruit with nuts, yogurt with fruit, popcorn(3cups).

    Says who?
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    nvmomketo wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    It comes down to calories, but I would feel up on veggies. Half of the plate should be veggies(salad, sautéed kale, spinach, and other veggies) a quarter of plate should be protein( whatever fits in the palm of hands) the other quarter should be carbs( I would limit that to 1/2 cup to 3/4 of cup and eat carbs like Ezekiel bread, whole wheat past, brown rice, quinoa, Farro). For snack in between meals ( a fruit with nuts, yogurt with fruit, popcorn(3cups).

    who makes up these rules?

    US government.

    MyPlateRecipes-1360947634_280.jpg

    Although the PP substituted more veggies in place of fruits.

    the same ones that told us fats were bad in the 80's???

    Yep. The same.

    I do my best to not take government dietary recommendations too seriously.
  • Clody80
    Clody80 Posts: 15 Member
    I have been on calorie restriction with anything goes. Very slow to lose. Now lately on low carb high fat I consume more calories (+200 versus MFP suggested) and seem to lose weight faster. Maybe it's temporary. But I have also done a genetic test which showed I am borderline insulin resistant, so low carb makes sense for me