Calorie question

Morning all. What are you all taking in calorie-wise?

I'm beginning to wonder if calories DO count in my case. 'They' say that you should eat 10-12x your body weight (lbs) in calories to maintain, and about 500 less than that a day to lose 1lb a week.

I've still lost nothing on aggregate and I'm not losing inches.

I'd be jolly grateful to hear about your calorie deficit if you track such things.

I've never counted calories on Atkins mate, but I think the old adage counts, if you consume more than you burn, you won't lose.

That's what I'm thinking Jim, but I'm not getting the 'full' signal often enough.

I might have to train myself to have more restraint as I'm sure that my average 2600-3000kcal is way too much, although it appears to be ideal for maintenance.

I did okay yesterday so I'll go for it again today and for the rest of the week.

I have to say Steve i was gobsmaked at your calorie intake 3.5k is huge but then you are excerising a lot also.

The book recommends at least 1500kcals and no more than 1800kcals but i guess thats for sedentry ppl.

Maybe try cutting out 1000kcal for one week to see how you get on with 2500kcals?

Gotta be worth a try, what Jim said is correct no matter what diet you are on.

Thanks for your input guys, it's much appreciated!

I think we may have finally found the answer to my problems. As I mentioned before, I've been averaging around 3000kcal on a daily basis, and it's probably a testament to the Atkins diet that I'm even managing to stay at the same weight!

I've been examining why I'm eating so much stuff. I think it's got a lot to do with my head not believing that smaller amounts can fill me up. If I just go with it though, the results are really surprising. I brought a MiM and pate for a mid-morning snack, but when it was 'time' to eat it I found that I wasn't actually hungry. I brought a couple of bockwurst to go with the cauli cheese, but having just eaten the cauli cheese, I'm full and don't need the other food at all.

I'm going to have to learn over the next few weeks to just trust the process and see that I can be just as full on less food.

People have said I exercise a lot, but it's only 40 minutes or so a day. The rest of the day I'm sat on my arse at a desk so I can really best be described as sedentary.

As I write this I'm feeling myself not being at all hungry. I don't NEED any more food. My diary for today is accurate, and I'm on schedule to eat a lot less calories today.

Watch this space!

Sedentary sounds good to me.

I find if i eat something i'm not keen on, i tend to stay 'hungry' even with large portions. If i ate as you said cauli cheese, even a small bit i'd be satisfied. I think eating something you enjoy is the key on any plan.

Also on the calorie thing, i use caloriecounter.com and ensure that activity burn calories are at least 500 more than calories consumed.

I hear you on the hunger thing, Marysu. I've got to let my chemistry (fat satiety) tell me when I'm full instead of waiting until I'm busting. Hard to do after a lifetime!

I use fatsecret for a similar tracker.

I don't count my calories, but I know my 2 shakes have about 170cal each in them, and then it's just my evening meal & sugar free jelly

I eat 300 calories max and I still put on weight. It's annoying. Any suggestions?

Try Atkins mate. What plan are you on, and welcome I see it's your first post.

I'm not on any plan atm. Just eating yogurts, protein shakes and things like blancmange. Think I'll have to give Atkins a try. I am eating some sugary stuff (sweets), which I guess I should eliminate. Do you know if this book would be a good starting reference:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/New-Atkins-You-Ultimate-Shedding/dp/0091935571

Yup, its the latest version of the book. I defo recommend you getting an atkins book!

Hi Steve

Telling my head to behave is one of my big hurdles - and not eating when I'm not hungry! I had drummed into me for years, "finish your plate, think of starving Biafrans", and so on - and it is an odd feeling to think, "oh its dinner time but I'm not hungry, so I'm not going to eat".

Jim and the others are so right - just eat when you feel hungry, no matter time what the clock says, and you don't need to eat everything you've prepared. Some days I'm more hungry than others, so I have stuff ready to snack on, and other days I don't need a snack at all.

I also have a glass of water at every meal and when I'm sipping on it I try and stop eating to see if I'm full. Must be the caveman instinct - eat everything because you don't know when your next meal is going to be

Susie x

ladyfelsham said:

I also have a glass of water at every meal and when I'm sipping on it I try and stop eating to see if I'm full.

Click to expand...

Nail. Head. Hit.

I've been thinking more about this. I've remembered that one of the prime reasons I did Cambridge was that it took food out of the picture for me. There were the sachets and that was it. Now I'm eating again I have to train myself to eat only until I'm full.

Like you say, a childhood spent being told to clear my plate has left its mark. It's quite a subtle impression, but a powerful one! I tried training myself a few years ago on a low fat diet, but I was never satisfied with the amount of food. This low carb method definitely works but I have to learn to recognise the satiety signal.

Yep me too. My alarm that's supposed to go off to say "You're full" must be in for repair lol - the other night I cooked two lamb chops and even though I was full after one, I ate the other one as well!

Why? Because it was there.

The same principle applies to bottles of red wine...

Lol, love the red wine comment!
I just stop now, I even left a Debbie & Andrews chipolata the other day :O
I just have too many extra carbs on the booze

ah yes Susie, I'm the same with a bottle of red wine. LOL.

I have just been in a pub where wine is just over a £5 note for a bottle - guess who had a bottle ? oops

A fiver for a bottle of wine? you must tell me where that is Bren, is it a wetherspoons?