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Oct 14, 2008

Counting Calories
Author
Message
SC_Beth
Confessed Member
Joined: 02 Jul 2008
Posts: 144
Station: Greenville, SC
Mon Jul 07, 2008 7: 22 pm    Post subject: Counting Calories
Hi, everyone.
I was just curious if any of you count calories, and if so what do you try to keep your daily calorie intake to?
Obviously, the lower the calories the faster the weight loss. I just don ' t want to get into a situation where I get too hungry and want to go off plan, which is one of my problems. On the other hand, I don ' t want to stuff my frontage, even if it is chicken, to the point my calories are too high.
So, what have you found to be a good middle ground? I realize this will be different for different people depending on weight and activity level, but I ' m just curious.
Thanks,
Beth
Amaranthix
New Member
Joined: 07 Jul 2008
Posts: 8
Locale: Maple Grove, Minnesota
Mon Jul 07, 2008 7: 26 pm    Post subject:
I ' ve never kept track of calories, that ' s probably why Atkins works for me though and other diets I ' ve tried haven ' t. What I ' ve found is that after a while on Atkins the craving for food will diminish, and your calories will go down neatly because you aren ' t eating as much. Don ' t break off of Atkins though wittily because you are hungry. If you are hungry, EAT, this program is set up to allow that.
SC_Beth
Established Member
Joined: 02 Jul 2008
Posts: 144
Latitude: Greenville, SC
Mon Jul 07, 2008 7: 29 pm    Post subject:
Thanks for the input. [ / icon_biggrin. gif]
I ' m looking forward to the day my hunger dies down, or at least takes a vacation! [ / icon_rolleyes. gif]
Beth
Amaranthix
New Member
Joined: 07 Jul 2008
Posts: 8
Setting: Maple Grove, Minnesota
Mon Jul 07, 2008 7: 34 pm    Post subject:
SC_Beth wrote:
Thanks for the input. [ / icon_biggrin. gif]
I ' m looking forward to the day my hunger dies down, or at least takes a vacation! [ / icon_rolleyes. gif]
Beth
I ended up going off of Atkins a few years ago and am just now getting into it again, but one of my fondest memories of the time when I was 3 or so months into Atkins was not feeling the constant need to stuff my front anymore. I ' m not saying this goes away for all people, just trying to give you some hope [ / icon_smile. gif] For sure stick with this at least that long, and hopefully you won ' t be let down.
KypDurron
Senior Member
Joined: 30 Jun 2008
Posts: 427
Stage: Wisconsin
Mon Jul 07, 2008 7: 38 pm    Post subject:
I count my calories religiously in induction.
When I get to maintenance I don ' t even recompense attention omit to be in the ballpark, because exercise and the ketosis keeps it in check. In maintenance I use the gym and ketosis along with a weekly scale check to see if anything is out of whack. If I gain, I check with a keto stick, because it ' s repeatedly muscle unfolding.
Right now im strictly between 1, 100 and 1, 200 calories, but I don ' t recommend that everyone does that, it ' s just what I ' m in clover at right now. That ' s with 18 - 20 carbs per day.
sposluk
New Member
Joined: 07 Jul 2008
Posts: 18
Tue Jul 08, 2008 4: 19 pm    Post subject:
my caloric intake is far too low, but im full, so i dont mind. i have about 600 calories a day.
Tril
Senior Member
Joined: 27 May 2008
Posts: 1325
Situation: ( very ) Northeastern USA
Tue Jul 08, 2008 4: 26 pm    Post subject:
sposluk wrote:
my caloric intake is far too low, but im full, so i dont mind. i have about 600 calories a day.
Well... that would explain one of your other posts fairly well:
" I started Atkins like a week ago, and I ' m so terrifically tired. "
You ' re tired because you ' re not feeding your body enough to meet its basic needs.
KypDurron
Senior Member
Joined: 30 Jun 2008
Posts: 427
Locus: Wisconsin
Tue Jul 08, 2008 4: 39 pm    Post subject:
Dayum dude... I was down to about 800 a day and even I think that ' s low.
You need to find at least another 300 calories a day, and double check your supplements.
I had an almost dangerously low level of potassium. Low levels of potassium leads to things like muscle cramping.
If you have a bit low potassium, your leg cramps. If you have REALLY low potassium, your HEART cramps.
Your heart cramping is bad. Sometimes they call that heart arythmia.... it kinda kills you.
bluehex
Senior Member
Joined: 03 Dec 2003
Posts: 2663
Direction: Warsaw, Poland
Tue Jul 08, 2008 5: 11 pm    Post subject:
sposluk wrote:
my caloric intake is far too low, but im full, so i dont mind. i have about 600 calories a day.
Sposluk, by doing that you have most probably put yourself in the starvation mode; your body is reducing the number of calories it uses for different activities and slows your metabolism down to contract the amount of energy you use. It is a vicious circle, because when you start gaining weight, you ony gain fat; so in organization to lose weight, you have to cut your calories down even lower.
You need to calculate your BMR and eat approximately 100 - 200 calories Greater it. This way, you body will not assume it is being starved and will not resist weightloss.
If you are interested, I have described the mechanism of starvation mode here: http: / / lowcarbsite. com / forum / viewtopic. php? p=111440 - scoll down to a looong post of mine.
Eating at such low calorie levels is plenty unhealthy and will NOT help weightloss. It will stop it very effectively.
KypDurron
Senior Member
Joined: 30 Jun 2008
Posts: 427
Seat: Wisconsin
Tue Jul 08, 2008 5: 50 pm    Post subject:
Well he ' s not going to listen to that argument because he ' s seen success on 600 calories.
Lets instead see what you ' re eating on 600 calories.
There are places we can slip in some extra calories that will not impact you extraordinarily. Speaking as someone who went down to about 800 calories I can tell you that you can ' t just hop off this now. You have to acclivity yourself up at a equitable speed now, because your metabolism is funky now.
What are you eating, and when and how often are you eating it?
karenjs
Senior Member
Joined: 03 Jan 2008
Posts: 544
Station: San Jose
Tue Jul 08, 2008 6: 55 pm    Post subject:
My opinion: anyone taking in only 600 calories per day should be under a doctor ' s direct subjection, preferably in a hospital.
It ' s not necessary to count calories on Atkins. Your body will burn more calories on a low carb diet than on a low fat diet. On Induction, it is especially important to take in enough fat and protein so that your metabolism can make the doorknob - over from burning glucose ( from carbohydrates ) to burning fat ( from your body fat ). It ' s difficult to get enough fat during Induction if you are sticking to a low calorie diet.
People try lots of variations on the Atkins program, but the safest and most effective thing to do is to supervene Dr Atkins ' guidelines. Don ' t try to go low - fat, low - calorie on Atkins. If you induce to do one of these variations, don ' t count on the program to work for you long - term. The research that shows that Atkins is more effective than low - fat, low - calorie diets is based on people following the actual Atkins program, not the variations. So, the more you vary from the Atkins guidelines, the more your results will vary, especially in the long term.
Having said that, I do count my calories along with my carbs and am currently in the Ongoing Weight Loss phase, keeping under 45 carbs, and under 1700 calories. I am concentrating on limiting my carbs though, and oblique the calories in my food journal just as a sanity - check.
KypDurron
Senior Member
Joined: 30 Jun 2008
Posts: 427
Longitude: Wisconsin
Tue Jul 08, 2008 7: 15 pm    Post subject:
When I stepped off I added about 500 calories, then kept that for 2 weeks, watched the scales and keto sticks, then added another 500 calories. Algid at 1800 calories is much better than 600 my man.
At 600 calories if you are not supplementing yourself, you ' re going to end up in some trouble.
http: / / www. atkinsexposed. org / atkins / 65 / Atkins_Killed_Our_Daughter. htm
Now this is sensationalized, and also an example of how NOT to do atkins, but it ' s a not difficult actuality.
Fark around with your potassium and your heart stops. I checked my potassium levels and they were too low, and I fixed it ASAP today. I have a definite affinity to having a beating heart.
Tril
Senior Member
Joined: 27 May 2008
Posts: 1325
Station: ( very ) Northeastern USA
Tue Jul 08, 2008 11: 11 pm    Post subject:
That article is frustrating to read... you have to get almost to the bottom of it before you find out that schoolgirl was nearly 100# overweight it was 100 * out when girl collapsed and died. What about the merchandise we ' ve heard over and over... obesity kills, obesity causes heart disease. So when mademoiselle dies they blame her diet?? Which, if you read closely, you ' ll see that damsel had been on it for EIGHT DAYS after losing 20# and going OFF for two weeks and then back ON Atkins. But it was the diet that killed her... even if the doctor couldn ' t quite make that connection.
" ACCORDING to the local coroner, Jay Dix, Rachel died of arrhythmia, or a sudden irregular heart beat. Yet his autopsy unblocked her to have been in good physical lineup, and neither her heart nor any other of her major organs were in any way abnormal.
In his post - mortem report, Mr Dix noted that Rachel had been following ' a high protein diet ', later published as the Atkins. But he added, somewhat clumsily, that, ' the diet as the cause of death cannot been stated with certainty '. "
Oh... and note that none of her other organs were " in any way abnormal " despite this comment 7 paragraphs before...
" Last week, in a controversial report, a nutritional expert from the Government - funded Medical Research Council described the diet as a major health risk with potentially disastrous consequences for millions, including kidney damage and bone loss. "
Anyone who isn ' t hydrated and is in 100 * heat while 100# overweight would be at risk of heart failure. Her electrolytes were shot. Just like marathon runners drop dead... so did this kid. But it was the diet that killed her. [ / icon_rolleyes. gif]
I hate this kind of journalism. A LOT. [ / icon_evil. gif]
KypDurron
Senior Member
Joined: 30 Jun 2008
Posts: 427
Location: Wisconsin
Wed Jul 09, 2008 2: 39 am    Post subject:
i hate it too but it sounds like she took atkins and perverted it into a starvation diet with shakes.... and that ' s probably what did her in.
bluehex
Senior Member
Joined: 03 Dec 2003
Posts: 2663
Location: Warsaw, Poland
Wed Jul 09, 2008 6: 18 am    Post subject:
KypDurron wrote:
Well he ' s not going to listen to that argument because he ' s seen success on 600 calories.
But that was exactly my point. The " success " will not last, because at this calorie level the body hoards everything it can - sleepiness, fatigue, those are all signs of metabolism slowing down, using as little energy as possible.
A human body cannot survive on 600 calories for prolonged periods of time. It will inevitably end in eating muscle tissue, including heart muscle.
One of the most important points of Atkins Induction is to eat every 4 - 6 hours, because this keeps the metabolism up and does not allow starvation mode to kick in; he also stresses the importance of NOT starving. Warning against hunger is not about your comfort! Starvation diets and the yo - yo effect they result in are among the main reasons why overweight people can ' t lose weight. Their metabolisms are so well adapted to time of starvation that they can reduce energy needs almost to a stall.
As Kyp said, at this point, your metabolism is screwed up and you have to get it up by gradually increasing your calories AND exercise.
And the article is pure bullcrap. Plenty of drama, not a single piece of specific information. " Experts say the diet could... "??? Please. How is THAT scientific. There is not a single credible study to confirm that Atkins is harmful.
This case is very old, I think I remember it from way back when, and although NOW they are claiming she ate balanced meals with vegetables, I seem to remember that in the initial reports, they said she only ate eggs, meat, bacon and cheese, and there was something off with the amounts, too. Not sure, will try to find a link later this evening. There was a whole big debate about it here, some time in 2003 or 2004, I think.
sposluk
New Member
Joined: 07 Jul 2008
Posts: 18
Wed Jul 09, 2008 12: 37 pm    Post subject:
I know 600 is really low, but it ' s like, I just try to eat healthy, and it ended up being really low. It ' s not that I planned it like that.
Here ' s what I eat.
Breakfast:
Coffee w / 1 tsp coffeemate & 4 splenda ( 12 calories 3 carbs )
2 hard boiled egg whites ( 16 cal. 0 carbs )
= 28 cal. 3 carbs.
Lunch:
2 cups romaine lettuce ( 11 cal. 2 carbs )
4 oz ground turkey ( 170 cal. 1 carbs )
2 tbsp. oil & vinegar ( 144 cal. 0 carbs )
= 325 cal. 3 carbs
Dinner:
1 cup spinach ( 61 cal. 3 carbs )
4 oz. ground turkey or 4 oz. chicken breast ( 150 cal. 0 carbs )
= 211 cal. 3 carbs
564 calories in total.
9 carbs in total.
I know I can just eat more chicken or turkey, but I ' ve never been a huge meat eater.
sposluk
New Member
Joined: 07 Jul 2008
Posts: 18
Wed Jul 09, 2008 12: 42 pm    Post subject:
Oh, and not that it makes a huge difference, but I snack on sugar free jello if I get a little urge to eat in between meals... it only adds like 10 / 20 calories.
KypDurron
Senior Member
Joined: 30 Jun 2008
Posts: 427
Location: Wisconsin
Wed Jul 09, 2008 12: 51 pm    Post subject:
It ' s probably time to start ramping it up.
Since you ' re not going to drastically increase your calories no matter what we say, consider adding another 350 calories, and spreading them out throughout the day to attempt to force your metabolism to speed up.
Something like 8Am 10 AM 12PM 2PM 4PM 6PM 8PM with 150 calories per snack.
Or you can have the 10 am and the 2 PM and 6 PM be the sugar free jello snacks.
Slowly over the course of the next month get an additional 500 calories in, or you will regret it. You ' re not going to listen to me, which is unfortunate, because I ' ve already done this before and gotten off of it properly without ballooning. In fact, I ' m doing so right now.
The way YOU did it, you slowed your metabolism down way too much. I ate every 100 to 120 minutes, and ran in the morning and at night as well as a regular weightlifting work out, all activities and eating designed to counterbalance the effect that a low calorie diet would do to my metabolism.
I ' m now up to 1800 calories within 1 month of getting off, no ballooning, and looking to add an additional 500 calories next week on the next phase.
Tril
Senior Member
Joined: 27 May 2008
Posts: 1325
Location: ( very ) Northeastern USA
Wed Jul 09, 2008 12: 57 pm    Post subject:
What ' s up with eating just the egg white?!?
Your b ' fast coffee carb count is off, too... we don ' t have to count the carbs in the coffee ( limited to 2 cups a day ) but the coffeemate has 1. 1 grams per tsp and the Splenda has 1 per packet. Your cup of coffee has 5. 1 grams of carb. You could easily add 200 - 300 calories to your day by eating a real breakfast. Two boiled eggs and an ounce of cheddar would add 270 calories... and 1 carb.
Instead of eating " just more turkey or chicken " how about having some beef? 3 oz of ground chuck has 300 calories.
Use real cream instead of the powered * crap * for 50 calories per tablespoon. Coffeemate isn ' t ok to have anyway.
Throw a couple more ounces of cheese in there and you ' ll get the calories you need without eating more volume.
Your menu leads me to conclude that you haven ' t totally bought into the concept that fat isn ' t the enemy... and that you can ( and should ) lose weight on a more reasonable calorie count. You menu looks like a low calorie low fat menu, not an Atkins menu. You ' re not eating cheese, egg yolk, olives, avocado, butter, mayo, red meat or cream. Why? If you ' re counting calories everyday... why do you do that? To be sure it ' s " not too much "?
sposluk
New Member
Joined: 07 Jul 2008
Posts: 18
Wed Jul 09, 2008 1: 05 pm    Post subject:
My aunt is a nutritionist, and not that she would condone a 600 - cal diet, but she said a lot of people are unsuccessful on Atkins because they don ' t realize just eating low carb isn ' t enough. You have to watch your calories, and too much fat is bad. I have fat from the turkey, olive oil, etc. But you ' re right, I ' m totally afraid of the egg yolks and red meat and mayo. I ' m going to try to slowly work in the cheese.
PS, I was told that splenda is. 5 carbs / packet. That ' s where I got 3.
Tril
Senior Member
Joined: 27 May 2008
Posts: 1325
Location: ( very ) Northeastern USA
Wed Jul 09, 2008 1: 17 pm    Post subject:
Watch this... the whole thing. http: / / webcast. berkeley. edu / event_details. php? webcastid=21216
You ' ll better understand why your aunt the nutritionist believes the things she does. It ' s what she was taught. Sadly, that doesn ' t mean it was based on theories proven true. Pay special attention to the part about how fat got a bad rap...
I don ' t expect to ever change your mind on any of this. But if you ' re not willing to accept the premise behind eating low carb ( that fat isn ' t bad, that it ' s the excess carbs causing health problems in people ) then maybe low carbing ( while also limiting fats ) will do you more harm than good. Certainly eating 600 calories a day will do you more harm than good. What brought you to the decision to try low carb anyway?
sposluk
New Member
Joined: 07 Jul 2008
Posts: 18
Wed Jul 09, 2008 1: 27 pm    Post subject:
The dramatic results don ' t hurt. It ' s relatively easy to follow... I was a vegetarian for 2 years, and it was the most difficult thing I ' ve ever done. However, just cutting out carbs isn ' t that hard for me.
KypDurron
Senior Member
Joined: 30 Jun 2008
Posts: 427
Location: Wisconsin
Wed Jul 09, 2008 1: 32 pm    Post subject:
Your aunt is wrong by the way.
You have to count calories in some sense, but you are capable of eating more calories than a regular diet.
if a person eating atkins burns 2000 cals a day and eats 2000 he will lose weight.
If a person eating regular burns 2000 cals a day and eats 2000 he will stay the same.
Don ' t listen to nutritionists, they don ' t have a fracking clue what they are talking about.
bluehex
Senior Member
Joined: 03 Dec 2003
Posts: 2663
Location: Warsaw, Poland
Wed Jul 09, 2008 3: 27 pm    Post subject:
" watching your calories " isn ' t the same as eating 600 a day! If your aunt is a good nutritionist, she ' d be terrified to hear that. What she said was based on one of very common misconceptions about Atkins - mainstream nutritionists, based on media misrepresentation, believe that people on Atkins gorge themselves on unlimited amounts of fat and meat, sort of assuming we eat fat in the same VOLUME as other people eat potatoes or rice. Which is obviously not the case. The amounts ARE unlimited, but ketosis suppresses the appetite, so you eat less than you used to, anyway.
Watching your calories means you should keep them down to a reasonable level - a good level is 100 - 200 calories ABOVE your BMR.
PS. Coffeemate is made of glucose syrup. Check the ingredients. Very bad choice, it spikes your sugar instantly. Try heavy cream instead, it ' s much healthier and much tastier.

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