Which has worked better for you? Watching Calories/fat or Keto

I could lose small amounts of weight (~10lbs) by just cutting back on calories but I I could not maintain lweight loss through moderation. I just got too hungry.

I have lost 30-40lbs twice in my life. The first time I followed (sort of) Tosca Reno's Eat Clean Diet and did P90x. I ate whole foods that I could recognize as an organism: veggies, meat, seafood, eggs, fruit. I ate no flours or sugars. I even tended to mostly skip natural sugars like honey because those tend to go best on processed carbs. It was moderate to higher protein diet and ended up being low to moderate carb. I did not count any calories or macros and lost 0-8 pounds in a week, with most weeeks being 1-2 lbs.

Once I got to maintenance I allowed myself some baked goods again. Then some sugars came back. I had a severe injury and had to stop all exercise. I gained my weight back within a couple of years.

A couple of years ago I went very low carb, ketogenic, with primal types of food. It was mainly to I lost 40 lbs within about 5 months. I lost 2-3 lbs per week while counting calories (1500 kcal). Weight came off fairly easily but I still needed to count calories most of the time to lose if I included nuts or cheese in my diet. During maintenance I did not count calories. I maintain very easily though if I keep carbs below 20g. If I let carbs creep up it usually means I will be overeating or getting into refined carbs - not good for weight maintenace or for my insulin resistance.

I have maintained a 30lb loss with ease but the last 10 lbs tend to fluctate up and down over a few months -due to health issues or carb and calorie creep.

LCHF primal whole foods tends to be the healthiest and best way for me to eat. I'll continue it for the foreseeable future.

Calorie counting is the first and only diet plan I've tried. My physical activity has always exceeded by caloric intake and I never had an issue with weight management. Since using MFP I have been able to drill down to key data points and meet and/or exceed my fitness goals.

WinoGelato wrote: »

kimjschroeder wrote: »

Sorry, I should have noted that besides the calories in vs calories out, what worked? I always look at calories, but is there anything else that helped increase your loss?

You shouldn't be focusing on how to increase your loss. You should be focused on finding an appropriate calorie deficit to achieve your weight loss goal, logging accurately to ensure you really are eating at that calorie target, exercising to improve overall fitness - and then finding a way of eating that you enjoy that enables you to adhere to that calorie target until you reach your goals and then transition into maintenance.

The best diet is the one you can stick with - for many of us that means a focus on foods that provide nutrition, satiety, and enjoyment within the context of the right number of calories for our weight management goals.

This. So much this.

Actually, what's helping me stick to weight loss (so over time an increased loss) has been not demonizing foods I like. I check the calories, decide whether I want them, and log them if I do. No guilt, no anxiety, no worries about going off the rails, since I fit them into my day alongside more nutrient-dense fare. So I'm much more relaxed this time out.

Which is kinda good when you're a stress-eater...

I eat keto because it makes me feel good and I have ZERO gas issues. I intermittent fast to keep a healthy calorie deficit and remove cravings/thinking about food all day. I lift weights to feel good about my self and get stronger and I do mild cardio kickboxing once in a while with the family to mix things up and motivate each other. For supplements all I take is a men's multivitamin and fish oil. Sometimes I have a zero carb protein shake to bump my protein up if I'm off my mark by too much on the macros for the day. I cook most all my own food from fresh ingredients and I LOVE to make all my food super spicy. The only food I weigh and measure before consumption is mayonnaise, all others I use my fist to measure portions if using bulk meat and just package label info for all others. Feel free to add me and my diary is always open to the public

I lost my first thirty pounds by logging all my food and keeping at a deficit. I also started moderate exercise but that was more for morale than anything else. I promised myself I'd be kind and never starve myself.

Phase 2 was a medically supervised VLCD diet for ten days to shrink my liver. Miserable. Lost ten pounds.

Phase 3 was bariatric surgery. Liquid diet followed and significantly reduced calories for months. My goal reversed to make sure I was getting enough calories in. It was tough. Another forty pounds gone.

Never followed Keto or any other special diet. I watch my fat but I am much happier when I get enough. I also like high bulk high fiber foods.

Lillith32 wrote: »

Both. Keto keeps the craving and hunger away, and calorie restriction is what makes you slim down, so if you're thinking keto, you have to do both.

But not for everyone. Keep in mind that people are different and feel satisfied with different kinds of food. A keto diet might also be very expensive in some countries, while in others, getting fresh veggies and fruits will be very expensive and difficult.

jdlobb wrote: »

Meaningless to watch fat. Watch calories, carbs and protein. Get the minimum recommended amount of protein or better, as little carbs as you can, and fill in the rest with healthy, tasty, satiating fat.

Except fat isn't satiating for everyone. I do much better on a high carb diet, because carbs are very satiating for me. Protein comes in at a distant second and fat does absolutely nothing for me.

Macros have different satiety levels for different people.