I have to at least keep an EYE on my calories, but that's my own stupid fault; I screwed up my metabolism by basically starving myself for a while. From what I understand, a healthy person should only have to count carbs. Good luck!
I would agree that I have to control for calories in addition to carbs most likely because I have royally screwed up my metabolism and hunger signals with decades of crash dieting. I wouldn't recommend calorie counting on top of carb counting unless you find you have to (I think it's best to make your plan as easy to follow as possible. and only add further rules and restrictions if you have to the KISS philosophy. Keep it Simple, Silly).
Right now I'm counting calories in a very relaxed manner, in addition to counting the carbs. The only reason I'm counting calories is that I find myself not eating enough and I'm afraid my body will go into starvation mode.
I didn't realize how little I was eating until the other day when I got busy doing yardwork and completely forgot to eat. (Which has never happened before, it was day 13 of induction, btw) That's not an experience I want to repeat. My blood preassure dropped really low, but my heart rate was elevated due to all the exercise. I forced myself to eat something, but I still wasn't hungry. I have no appetite at all since I started induction on 10/20. So just to be safe, I'm counting calories for a while too, but in a very general sense, like to make sure I'm getting 1200 calories a day.
Now that I am heading back down the diet track again. I only used to worry about counting carbs, not calories. My carbohydrate limits seem to vary differently depending on what part of the cycle I am on.
My carb count shifts from: 35 for two weeks, next two weeks 55, then two weeks at 75 before shifting back to 35. This is a formula that I worked out with my doctor that has worked best for me. I know that it sounds crazy, but it helped me before to stay motivated on my diet.
I lost 75 lbs, back in 2001 and I am slowly gaining it all back. So I have to start all over again. I should have never strayed from the original plan. So, I am shifting my gears back into the swing of things.
I wish you luck.
Last edited by LadybirdnFalcon; 12-29-2008 at 10:41 AM.
Reason: typo
I don't count calories because I did that for several years and it did not help with weight loss. Now I just count carbs which I like because I don't have to google how many calories it is in everything. But if it works for you then keep up the great work
Last edited by 19Deltawifey; 12-30-2008 at 12:17 PM.
I count my calories and I use FitDay to enter all of my groceries' nutrition facts so that i get 1800 cals 60g fat/day while maintaining 50% of the calories from carbs, 25%-30% from fat, and 25-30% from protein, as recommended. I only started doing it this way because of my alli plan, but it seems to be working and I have never felt better!
Carb and Calorie Counting?
