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** CALORIES PART 2 **
To begin, I am a retired keto dieter. I've seen both sides of the battlefield. I'd lost a significant amount of weight by "lowering my insulin on low-carb and keto diets" for a number of years.
I switched to a high-carb diet. I lost weight and a lot of body fat in July of last year on high-carbs too.
While on keto at around 20g of carbohydrates per day, I managed to gain a significant amount of weight over time.
On the same note, I added a significant amount of fat while eating high-carbs as well within a couple weeks.
What do these have in common? How can these diametrically opposed WoEs each create the same results in either direction? How did I do it?
You guessed it: CALORIES!
Eating keto, by its nature, causes you to fill up fast because fats are very satisfying to your metabolism. You feel less hungry less often. I'd puke before I could eat one more bite of steak and cauliflower drenched in butter with a side of bacon... just too rich. I was averaging around 1700 calories consumed per day. I lost weight.
Enter the discovery of protein shakes... now I could drink my protein while i worked out! Yaay! This also added a couple hundred more calories, but was zero-carb, so all was good for keto. Gradually, my metabolism adapted and I was eating close to 2700 calories. I suddenly stopped working out when I got a desk job, but never stopped eating big. Still in ketosis, I was consuming 2500 calories while sedentary. I got fat.
Up and down over the years - still always obsessed with keeping the carbs under 75g while not caring about calories.
Then I made a few friends on here (shoutouts to my eye-opening homies!)...
When I got serious about gaining muscle mass last year, I cut my calories to about 1200-1600 while holding an active job AND INCREASED MY CARB INTAKE SIGNIFICANTLY. I lost 15lbs in a few weeks!
I kept increasing my caloric intake while my carbs stayed stable. I was fine until I hit 4000 calories per day. I was at that level all of two weeks and my body did a giant 360° and I got fat - FAST.
So you see, it's calories not carbs that was the variable that changed me on either program. Either can lose weight. Either can gain. Some have carb sensitivities and can't touch them, unfortunately. That isn't the case for me.
If you love carbs, don't do keto. If you're not fully engaged with your way of eating, it either won't last or it'll be torture. Pick something you enjoy and don't be afraid to change when you get bored. Just practice portion control and you'll do fine!
Find ANY diet that works for you to achieve your desired results and stick with it while keeping your calories low enough and you will succeed!
No one is better than another; the perfect diet is the pine that's perfect FOR YOU! 👌
View Diet Calendar, 23 January 2019:
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2729 kcal
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Fat: 92.75g | Prot: 150.19g | Carbs: 331.49g.
Breakfast: Winco Foods 1% Lowfat Chocolate Milk, Publix Quick Cooking Oats. Second Breakfast: Fiber One Chewy Bars - Oats & Chocolate, Nature's Best Perfect Zero Carb Isopure Whey Protein Isolate - Mango Peach, Now Sports Carbo Gain, Optimum Nutrition Micronized Creatine Powder, Ocean Spray Diet Cranberry Juice. Elevenses: Wendy's Asiago Ranch Chicken Club, Wendy's Chocolate Frosty (Junior). Dinner: Pan-Seared Duck Breast with Fried Potatoes and Asparagus, Nature's Best Perfect Zero Carb Isopure Whey Protein Isolate - Mango Peach, Ocean Spray Diet Cranberry Juice. Supper: Vitafusion Extra Strength Melatonin Gummies, Dr. Tobias Triple Strength Omega 3 Fish Oil, Vitafusion MultiVites Gummy Vitamins. more...
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2866 kcal
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Exercise:
Grocery Shopping - 15 minutes, Heavy Weight Lifting - 1 hour, Driving - 1 hour and 30 minutes, Resting - 5 hours and 15 minutes, Sleeping - 6 hours, Cooking - 1 hour, Housework - 30 minutes, Watching TV/Computer - 8 hours and 30 minutes. more...
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 Comments
Bread...useless? Naaawwww, lol.
25 Jan 19 by member: -Diablo
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Great post👍
Thanks for sharing
25 Jan 19 by member: gaelicgal
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Not useless, it's cheap and feeds the birds 🐦 Meat is the new bread Diablo hell has frozen over 😂
25 Jan 19 by member: Cb1006
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Fo sho. I'd give it a go..
25 Jan 19 by member: Cb1006
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Hmmm, maybe with the PB warmed up and the jelly cold. Could work on some turkey, I still need some bread though! I'm on that there HFHCHP diet.
25 Jan 19 by member: -Diablo
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Well, don't have to worry about being deprived of anything that way Diablo! And no, pb on turkey is just weird. Use two catfish fillets 😉
25 Jan 19 by member: Vocatus
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I agree that you need a calorie deficit to lose. 1200 calories with high carbs feels very different to me than 1200 calories on keto. I can maintain keto much easier. Everyone is different, pick a diet that works for you and stick with it.
25 Jan 19 by member: moopie321
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The part that I think is important is that all calories are not created equal. Somehow cheetos calories and fresh fruit calories are not the same. Has to do with what else is in the food! I very much believe in calorie deficit but I also think that we have to be mindful of the nutritional value of the food we are eating.
25 Jan 19 by member: 59Carol
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Oh, Great! You would wait until now to tell me that 59Carol!
*Tosses the Cheetos bag out the window*
25 Jan 19 by member: Vocatus
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Fruit would be more filling and have vitamins and fiber. It would affect hunger differently but the calories would be equal where fat loss was concerned given the same amount. The problems lie if those Cheetos make up a majority of your intake getting in the way of good nutrition. If you have the room to spare and you've already gotten your vitamins/fiber and protein, they wouldn't affect you negatively.
25 Jan 19 by member: -Diablo
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I agree the math of the calories are equal and since I love math that isn't said lightly! However there are calories that fuel one's body better. I do know that some cheetos along the way isn't evil however most food choices should be about finding superior fuel for our bodies. If the majority of food choices are nutritionally poor then staying satisfied on a particular level of calories is pretty darn hard!
25 Jan 19 by member: 59Carol
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Most food should be whole and nutritious, can't argue there. In my experience, the fuel is the same though. Carbs fill glycogen stores and I don't believe that your body cares where they come from. I have amazing energy no matter what I eat as long as calories are equal. Satiety is a big deal, we must all find what satisfies us.
25 Jan 19 by member: -Diablo
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I think we mostly agree with each other. I find for myself if I am eating 'empty' calories I just can't get enough so I eat and eat however if I am eating nutrient dense food I find a reasonable portion is enough. So for me calories alone aren't enough to figure out what will 'hold' me until the next time I eat. I am not saying that I don't eat 'empty' calorie foods I am just saying I avoid them as they don't satisfy me in the end as I end up eating too much of them to hit satiety. Also I think you are looking at general energy whereas I am looking at being able to have reasonable portion control. The body is likely not caring where the food is coming from it just accepts what is thrown at it. Good thing the body comes with a brain, eh?
26 Jan 19 by member: 59Carol
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So then you should say satiety and not superior fuel. Also, what's that last line mean? I get my protein, vitamins, and fiber and have things I enjoy while doing. Foods that keep me on track. Pretty smart if you ask me since I think I'm doing pretty darn well, heh.
26 Jan 19 by member: -Diablo
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Of course you are doing well. The last line was that our body will mindlessly process whatever food we feed it and the brain makes decisions about what that food will be. In no way was I suggesting that you do not eat good food. Your success suggests that you are eating well. I also believe in eating well and enjoying my food. I guess since I want to eat within my calorie allotment I am saying some foods make it more likely that I will not overeat. That I cannot judge the food just on its calories. When I was on WW many years ago, I used the point system to eat a variety of empty calorie foods and then was surprised when it was difficult to be successful as I had eaten the correct number of points. I found that when I ate whole foods (not fat free,etc) that I was more successful because I wasn't hungry and the cravings were less. At no point will I say that I was ever a 'saint' who never ate empty calorie food -- of course I did and do. I just try to avoid it most of the time.
26 Jan 19 by member: 59Carol
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Yeah, we have to do what brings success for me it involves using a lot of foods that people would think are forbidden since they don't know better. Moderation rather than avoidance brings success for me. Avoidance causes binges so I spin my wheels so to speak. I don't believe in empty calories just food with less nutrition. It all serves a purpose.
26 Jan 19 by member: -Diablo
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I truly hear both of you as you are doing a lot in the body building arena which is not something I have ever done. The most for me was running half marathons. I would agree with the definition of less nutrition vs empty calories. I tend to binge if I am eating nutrition lite food as I am eating and eating trying to get what I need. A good example for me is fat free yogurt vs full fat yogurt. I find I do much better with the stop button when it is full fat yogurt. True enough on the to each their own.
26 Jan 19 by member: 59Carol
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chrisw77's Weight History
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