Do people on low carb diets count their calories?

GiGiBeans · June 2012

I just started atkins a few weeks ago and count calories daily. It's very helpful as far as making sure that not only are my carbs low, but that I am getting enough lean protein and healthy fats in. Interesting, to me at least, on my failed low fat low cal attempts I struggled to stay within calorie goals but now I struggle to eat them all. My carbs are very restricted at this point but tracking them also gives me an idea of which veggies I need to include down the line to get maximum vitamins in.

strawberrie_milk · June 2012

I do. I'm kind of obsessive about tracking macros and calories.

LaJaunaF · June 2012

Your curious way of asking a question was a bit "nasty" or condescending in tone. That is why I reacted the way I did.

Tkwild · June 2012

I stay under about 35g carb per day, and I count calories to make sure I get enough. My natural net calorie intake (after exercise) can be between 300-800 if I don't pay attention, which stops me losing weight.

mstorvik · June 2012

Doesn't it feel GOOD when people ask questions and then people are totally flippin' rude when they answer? As if you are a complete idiot for asking? I mean HOW DARE YOU!? I also like how he refers to your HIPPY friend. WTF!?

Anyway, I do low carb and although Atkins does say you don't have to count calories, it's because if you eat a high fat, moderate protein, low carb diet you will not WANT to overeat your calories. You will feel full.... at least I do... for the most part.

I will say I am eating more calories than I did on my diet where I just counted calories and I am losing weight. That's right: I am eating MORE calories and LOSING weight and I wasn't before. So that jackassery that I just quoted... it goes against what he said. Therefore, it is quit OK to ask such a question since with some low carb people - they eat more calories and lose more weight. (Explanation would take a bit more to write.)

Wonder what crawled into his butt before posting. SHEESH!!!

darlenevile · September 2012

Please folks, stop saying that all calories are the same. That's NOT TRUE. Different kinds of calories do different things for the body, and are stored and burned DIFFERENTLY. The '3500 extra calories = a pound of fat' dieting rule is horribly inaccurate, and here's why:

Carb calories have one purpose in our body: to be used as fuel to move around. They don't get burned up by internal processes like cell repair, immune function, etc., like other calories do. If you don't burn those carb calories by movement within a fairly short amount of time of consumption, they are transported to your liver which carries out the carb-to-fat process, and stores them away. Meaning they become stored fat, kept there to keep us alive in case of a future famine. This is why carbs are so restricted in the most successful diets. They are BAD calories for dieters. Burn them quickly, or accumulate fat.

Protein calories, on the other hand, are used up by our body for many internal processes, including muscle tissue growth and repair. They don't sit around waiting to be burnt off by exercise, and then stored as fat. They are GOOD calories. They also keep your body in a comfortable non-famine state, as your body thinks the abundant supply of protein means we're not in danger of starving any time soon, thus allowing more stored calories to be burnt up.

This is why the whole "calories in must be smaller than calories out" doesn't work. You can cut your 2000 bad calories to 1500 bad calories each day, but your body will not burn up those stored fat calories in reaction. And even more of the carb calories you do eat will be stored as your body gently adjusts to the deficit. I read a good metaphor the other day: if you were given a pay-cut at work, would you keep spending money the same way? No, you would adjust your budget, cut back on unecessary expenses. Your body is smart and reacts the same way. Take out 500 calories, and it will easily cut back on unecessary internal maintenance & slow your metabolism a bit. It won't have to dip into those emergency stored calories at all. It adjusts to make sure you maintain your current weight, which is what your body really wants to do.

This same bodily behavior is why so many people can eat huge amounts of food, way more than their maintenance needs, and still maintain the same weight for years. Before dieting, I ate a staggering 5000-6000 calories a day on average, but stayed at a steady 185 pounds for an entire decade, during which I was pretty sedentary. Maintenance calories for a person of my height & weight is only 2300 a day. If the 3500 calorie rule were true, I should have stored away the extra 3000 calories a day as fat, gaining a monstrous 6 lbs a week, which is 312 lbs a year! But of course I didn't, because my body adjusted to my calorie level by seriously raising my metabolism, keeping me at a steady weight.

On the other hand, this same bad logic also dictates that a person will lose an amazing 52 lbs in a single year just by cutting out 3500 calories a week, regardless of exercise! Does that sound like reality at all? No it doesn't. In fact, a recent study of Weight Watchers clients had a few hundred or so of them eat 500 less calories a day than their normal diet with no other interventions. After a year, the average weight loss was only 11 lbs. Not one lost anywhere near 50 lbs.

I keep seeing people online saying things like, 'you can't argue with physics', and 'the 3500 calorie rule is a mathematical certainty'. Its not. It is bad science that doesn't account for a huge number of variables. You have to eat the RIGHT calories, with lots of protein, and only a small amount of carbs that you can easily burn off each day.

This is extremely long, I know. Its just so frustrating when bad information is spread around to so many people. People whose health is at stake.

cramernh · September 2012

Not everyone follows a calorie count and it is not required to do so in order to be on MFP.

I currently have patients from various areas of medicine from where I am employed who are given very specific medical advise on what they need to focus on given the circumstances surrounding their current medical care.

The calorie rule can differ from one healthcare expert to another based on their scientific data and research. As each study and scientific explanation will differ from one expert to another, just like the effects will differ from person to person because we are all different and present with various health/medical problematic backgrounds. This isnt a one-rule-applies-to-all concept.

The primary function of MFP is to allow all reasonable medically accepted practices of weight loss methods to come here and to utilize MFP in the manner to which best suits them. MFP is also a recognize web resource for patients who are monitoring their intake in regards to eating-related disorders as well, who need to gain weight. MFP also has a large member-base of healthcare providers, personal trainers, lifters, athletes, etc who also use MFP to maintain their fitness levels as well.

Is there any reason why we cant keep things civil?

veganfoodie · December 2012

oh brother... some people are so sensitive. this person's inquiry as to why another dieter is on the site was a valid question and was stated matter-of-factly. i did not interpret as being rude.

LaJaunaF · January 2013

It depends. If you're losing we'll and feel full and satisfied, don't stress about the calories. If you start to plateau, then considering your calorie intake over the past few days/weeks is a good resource. I find that having the freedom to eat satisfying, tasty foods over-rides my obsession with calorie intake.

mstorvik · January 2013

THANK YOU. If I eat 2000 calories with carbs, I bloat up and gain weight. if I eat 2000 calories with low carbs, I gain nothing (maybe some muscle at the gym!) and maintain or lose weight. I've read far too much and know that calories in and out does not apply to everyone. Note: Everyone is different and your level of resistance will determine if calories in and out applies to you.

judychicken · January 2013

Bump

bertabird · January 2013

I'm low carb'n it and I still count my cals. I count my sodium, fat, protein, carbs, fiber (so I can get net carb counts) and cals. It's all related, you know? What goes in is all nutrition and I count it all, even when I screw up! ;o)

dbritt07 · February 2013

"So to circle all the way back to your question; yes of course you. If you eat less carbs, yes you will retain less water, your "fat" loss will progress more smoothly in a visible sense on the scale and in general fluctuations in weight a person goes through just in a day, but it all breaks down to calories in versus calories out."

I wish you were right with those last few words in your last sentence. Maybe that works for some people but it doesn't for me. I have actually tested myself. I ate "healthy carbs" like Flax Oatmeal, apples, some whole grain organic bread, whole wheat pasta, sweet potatoes, during the week etc.. and of course my proteins. All of them measured or weighed to what is supposed to be an exact portion size, btw. I kept it all at or just under a normal caloric count for my age and weight. I have also done this test by cutting these "healthy carbs" almost completely out of my diet and adding instead more nuts, more protein, low carb veggies. In test 1, I would gain weight immediately. Switch to test 2 and I drop weight FAST. So it has to be our glycemic levels that play a large part and therefore I can't buy that a calorie is a calorie anymore. I wish you were right though, I'd be carbo-loading all the time.

snaapz · February 2013

I've manually adjusted my carbs to 120g per day, it is working for me. I don't really count my cals anymore... but I get no where close to going over. (1100 - 1200 per day; male over 200lbs)

sammichPG · February 2013

calories in VS calories out should be your biggest concern, macro ratios are important as well

you could easily gain weight on a full keto diet (almost no carbs) by eating over your TDEE

ashleab37 · February 2013

Seemed like genuine curiosity to me, why be so rude and defensive?

ashleab37 · February 2013

There is no tone in text other than perceived tone.

etoiles_argentees · February 2013

Well, I haven't tried a low carb diet for several years, when I did I stayed at 70 grams or under and lost way too much weight in 4-6 weeks. No counting of calories. I'm already thin and experimented with it just for the experience.

Unknown · February 2013

This content has been removed.

darrensurrey · February 2013

I was low carbing just before joining this site and felt something wasn't working right so decided to use MFP to log my intake. Turns out I was maybe eating 1000 calories a day on average.

I had been told that I may have been eating too much because you can still eat too much even if you are low carbing.

lolagurlx0x0 · February 2013

YES- The reason people go low carb is because if you are not working out or training hard for something they are not as necessary- before I was told I was supposed to be eating only 62 carbs a day- I was at like 250 or 300- Lowering carbs alone is not going to make you lose weight generally. (I say generally because everyones machine runs differently with different fuel.)

neanderthin · February 2013

I count periodically to make sure I'm eating enough.....If I don't do that I lose too much weight, which is not my goal.

lolagurlx0x0 · February 2013

This could turn into an english and composition debate right quick. It was a ridiculous question anyways- As MFP is for tracking THINGS and MFP also has a carb counter. So it is a great tool for both carb and calorie counting. Of which I do both. The composition of his sentence did seem to imply condescension. BUT could have been unintentional or out of ignorance.

Do people on low carb diets count their calories?

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