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

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Replies

  • roserly
    roserly Posts: 21 Member
    Calorie counting and keto. Keto is for my stomach problems though, calorie counting is for my weight loss. Both are working for me
  • belleflop
    belleflop Posts: 154 Member
    edited August 2017
    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
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    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.
  • VeronicaA76
    VeronicaA76 Posts: 1,116 Member
    Eating fewer calories than I use is the only thing that's work for me long term. As far as "diets" are concerned, most fail long term simply because they aren't designed to be forever. Now if a specific diet is also what you need for an underlying medical condition (diabetes, Celiac disease, food allergies), that's absolutely best as you're treating a disease.

    Eat less, move more. Simple and effective.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,986 Member
    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.
  • OliveGirl128
    OliveGirl128 Posts: 801 Member
    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?

    I've only lost the extra weight one time, so I don't have anything to compare that experience-but I did an IF protocol, along with restricting my calorie intake, and that worked really well for me. It also made the transition from the weight loss phase to maintenance fairly easy, and I'm now a few years into successfully maintaining the loss. Throughout maintenance I've done different IF protocols on and off, and use it when I feel that my calories are getting a bit too 'loosey goosey' lol. IF is a tool that helps me with my calorie adherence, and I'll most likely use it in some form at times, for the rest of my life, (along with being mindful of my calorie intake).
  • OliveGirl128
    OliveGirl128 Posts: 801 Member
    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.
  • kgirlhart
    kgirlhart Posts: 5,188 Member
    Counting calories has been the only "easy" and permanent way for me to lose weight and keep it off. I did lose weight in the 90's by going low fat. It was miserable and once I stopped watching my fat intake so carefully I gained it all back plus a lot. And after that I had a hard time dieting at all because I remembered being so miserable on a restrictive diet that I was not willing to change my habits for a long time. Now I eat what I want and as long as I stay at my calorie goal then my weight stays where I want it. I have never and will never try Keto. I do not want to make my way of eating that complicated and restrictive. I don't pay attention to carbs at all and have had no issues losing or maintaining my weight.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    sijomial 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?

    Finding an eating style that gelled with my strengths and weaknesses

    So much this.

    And then being consistent. IMO, too often people try to maximize their rate of loss and then have blow out days or weeks or burn out. Better to be less aggressive but more consistent. (I lost 95 lbs in 13 months that way, and more importantly felt really good and enjoyed myself the whole time.)
  • michellej62147
    michellej62147 Posts: 1 Member
    I have just begun Keto, but I do know that if you are doing Keto the right way, you are also counting calories. I am significantly overweight and have a lot to lose, as well as a mean addiction to sugar. For me, Keto is slowly weaning me off of that. Even on day 3, I'm not craving any sugary or high-carb foods. Do I think I'll eat this way forever? Probably not. I'm using it to get me started and to get the sugar addiction out of my system. Once I've got a good bit of the weight off, I plan to start adding in more carbs (healthy ones) slowly until I figure out why my body can handle.

    I know everyone says Calorie In, Calorie Out, but for those of us who struggle with weight, it's not that simple. I know the theory is simple, but the practice is not.
  • jdlobb
    jdlobb Posts: 1,232 Member
    Do people really do keto without counting calories? isn't part of keto calorie counting?
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    Watching calories worked for me (35 lbs lost, 1.5 yrs maintaining). I increased my fiber intake to help me full longer but I didn't limit anything from my diet that I wasn't already limiting before deciding to lose weight. But, I was already limiting junk foods and foods high in saturated fat or sugar.
  • GemstoneofHeart
    GemstoneofHeart Posts: 865 Member
    Caloric deficit is the only way. However you decide to do it is up to you.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited August 2017
    jdlobb wrote: »
    Do people really do keto without counting calories? isn't part of keto calorie counting?

    A lot of people find they naturally cut calories enough to lose if they just focus on cutting carbs. I think this probably works more often when the person has a lot to lose.

    I did keto for a while and counted just because I had to log to know my carbs anyway, but I eat a lot of vegetables so had to watch it to keep it under 60 g (total, I was under 35 net) even cutting out everything that really contributes carbs except non starchy vegetables, nuts, and a little dairy.
  • kgirlhart
    kgirlhart Posts: 5,188 Member
    edited August 2017
    diannethegeek wrote: »
    michellej62147 wrote: »
    I have just begun Keto, but I do know that if you are doing Keto the right way, you are also counting calories. I am significantly overweight and have a lot to lose, as well as a mean addiction to sugar. For me, Keto is slowly weaning me off of that. Even on day 3, I'm not craving any sugary or high-carb foods. Do I think I'll eat this way forever? Probably not. I'm using it to get me started and to get the sugar addiction out of my system. Once I've got a good bit of the weight off, I plan to start adding in more carbs (healthy ones) slowly until I figure out why my body can handle.

    I know everyone says Calorie In, Calorie Out, but for those of us who struggle with weight, it's not that simple. I know the theory is simple, but the practice is not.

    I don't know why this misunderstanding persists that those of us who don't find keto useful for ourselves don't also or haven't struggled with our weight. I've been overweight most of my life and in the obese category most of my adult life. Keto wasn't a good fit for me and calorie counting was. Why on Earth would anyone assume that means I've never struggled through all of this? It just blows my mind. Is this what they're saying on keto-only sites?

    I couldn't agree more @diannethegeek .

    @michellej62147 I have struggled with my weight most of my adult life. I do not find restrictive diets including keto to be helpful at all for long term weight loss. In my experience if you are not planning to eat that way forever, you are going to eventually gain the weight back. For many of us who struggle with our weight calorie counting is simple. I realize that in the same way that going low carb would never be easy for me in practice, for some people counting calories is not easy in practice. But it is simple and it does help people who struggle with their weight. I don't know why that comment went all over me today, but it did. Not everyone who struggles with their weight benefits from keto. And to say that if CICO is easy for someone that they have never struggled with their weight really just belittles those of us who have had success with counting calories.
  • OliveGirl128
    OliveGirl128 Posts: 801 Member
    michellej62147 wrote: »
    I have just begun Keto, but I do know that if you are doing Keto the right way, you are also counting calories. I am significantly overweight and have a lot to lose, as well as a mean addiction to sugar. For me, Keto is slowly weaning me off of that. Even on day 3, I'm not craving any sugary or high-carb foods. Do I think I'll eat this way forever? Probably not. I'm using it to get me started and to get the sugar addiction out of my system. Once I've got a good bit of the weight off, I plan to start adding in more carbs (healthy ones) slowly until I figure out why my body can handle.

    I know everyone says Calorie In, Calorie Out, but for those of us who struggle with weight, it's not that simple. I know the theory is simple, but the practice is not.

    I used to be overweight and yes, it was as simple as learning how CICO worked and then applying it.

    Nothing wrong with doing keto if that helps you hit your calorie targets, but it's a bit odd that you're assuming that focusing on CICO doesn't work for others who have struggled with their weight.
  • kpk54
    kpk54 Posts: 4,474 Member
    I lost my excess 60 pounds four years ago and have been maintaing since. My thing was counting calories and not eating the stuff I tend to over eat (aka sweets) so it was on the higher end if low carb.

    Last year I trialed Medically Therapeutic Keto for a full 52 weeks. I did get satiated pretty easily which pleased me but I definitely still counted calories. Portions were very small compared to how I previously ate since both carbs and protein were low in that specific protocol. Besides, I had to be specific with gram ratios and they're part of calories. Calories are always visible on MFP (at least the free version).

    I still eat lower carb and higher fat than I understand the Standard American Diet to be but not to intentional keto levels. Still maintaining. Still counting calories. Still enjoying reading what works for everyone.
  • Polo265
    Polo265 Posts: 287 Member
    edited August 2017
    I do not eat Keto, but I eat low carb because I am prediabetic. I try to keep my carbs under 75 grams, but sometimes I go over. I don't think it's helping me to lose any more weight because I'm not truly keto, so bottom line is I'm counting calories. However, restricting my carbs has helped me to not crave them. I went through several months of craving carbs (toast, crackers, chips, etc.). I would even get up in the middle of the night to consume carbs (toast and peanut butter, crackers, chips), so I could get back to sleep. Now that I'm watching what I eat, and in the process watching my blood sugar, those carb cravings have substantially decreased.
  • vjd317
    vjd317 Posts: 9 Member
    edited August 2017
    Eating less calories than you burn. Plain and simple. However each person chooses to eat in order to achieve a calorie deficit is preference. I prefer not to restrict any food groups for adherence purposes.
    After that, get enough protein to maintain muscle mass - so you lose fat, not just weight.

    And lastly, and probably where many dieters fail (me included many times) - consistency.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    All I did was keep my calories in check...over time my diet evolved to be more nutritious. I always keep my fat at healthy levels as it is a required nutrient for general health...same for protein. I don't low carb per sei when I diet, but carbs are my flex, so I tend to be lower carb losing weight than in maintenance...usually around 150ish grams per day.
  • IsabeausRose
    IsabeausRose Posts: 129 Member
    I eat as healthy as I can but still include the foods I can't live without. I have a treat meal once a month. I weigh and measure everything and count calories and I have lost 44 pounds with 27 to go!
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