I am thinking of stopping this diet immediately in fear of gaining an immense amount of weight. My calories have been averaging over 1,500 a day! WTF!? I have never eaten that many calories on a daily basis, and I feel like a man...

Also, I am REALLY worried about my sat. fat intake, which was 22.9 yesterday. (My mom has MS, and they say saturated fat isn't good for it. Genetics would tell me to watch it, as well.) My regular fat intake was like 68! I usually only allow myself 20g total of fat a day and 1,000 calories. I am completely worried I'm going to wake up tomorrow 20 lbs. heavier.

How do you watch calories on such a meaty-fatty-greasy diet?

If you really read the book, you'd know that saturated fat isn't the devil it's cracked up to be.

Get yourself a copy of Good Calories Bad Calories by Gary Taubes and dive into that too.

If you really can't wrap your head around eating this way, then by all means stop.

All I can say is that I wish I knew about low carb when *I* was in my twenties so I wouldn't have spun my wheels for so long eating low fat and high carb.

When I -did- find it, you bet it was tough to eat even ONE fat gram, let alone the 100 I eat a day now.

Anyway, get that book - it's awesome.

Julia

p.s. I eat 1450 cals a day and have been losing beautifully on it! However I weight train and do some steady state cardio too, so my "maintenance calories" are about 1800.

Until you take the time to read the book and understand how the plan works, why it works, and read some RECENT medical studies on the subject, I don't think anything any of us will say will change your mind. You have to educate yourself, and then make your own informed decisions on what you have read and learned.

Low carb is a much healthier way to eat than low fat. I generally eat 1600 cals a day or less, and I've lost over 100lbs. I low fatted myself up to 265lbs. I'll take high fat.

I've read the book before, and I completely get the concept. I also know there are a million other books and research saying similar things, but a million more saying the complete opposite.

I don't think it's smart to ever read something, and trust the author without questioning your own common sense. (Don't drink the Kool-Aid!) Obviously people have lost weight on this diet, but I'm still deciding if it's right for me.

The concept of eating high-protein and fat I understand I will have to wrap my head around, but no matter what the book says, how can 5,000 calories a day be good (whether they're zero carb or not). I am not asking people to "try and persuade me" to eat this way; I just thought I could get some accounts of similar situations and weight ranges.

First, low carb doesn't necessarily mean meaty/fatty/greasy. I add minimal amounts of fat to my food to make them taste good but I don't slather them on just because I can. I also don't eat just because I can. I count carbs (right now I'm keeping them under 9 per day) and I'm trying to watch my protein levels because I've found they affect my BG levels in a negative way.

You're so very close to your goal that you will have to watch your fats and calories in addition to the carbs. I know that at 330 pounds, I lost 70 pounds eating over 2000 calories a day. Now at 223 pounds, that's not happening although I'm still able to lose faster than I will when I'm within 30 pounds or so of goal.

I do know a number of people who are at goal...and have been at goal for years...who still eat the Atkins way. So it does work.

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Based on your other posts, you're already a size 4/6 and you're trying to lose more weight for 'vanity reasons'. You also indicated that you couldn't bring yourself to re-read the book this time.

I think you might need to reassess both your motivations for doing lowcarb, and your motivations for not wanting to understand more about it (so that you are not stuck worrying about calories and fat). It sounds like maybe you just don't want to do this right now.

Elfie-- Thanks for the advice; I thought I was supposed to be adding fat to everything from some of the other posts I've read? How many calories do you eat?

Gwynne- Just because I want to lose weight to look great, my goals aren't as important? I am completely motivated to lose weight any way I can, so I don't understand why you would imply otherwise. In fact, I would LOVE to use this diet as a way of life--if I lose. I get to eat cheese, come on! I am sorry that I haven't accepted Atkins as my "religion", but lets not discount my goals just because they come from vanity.

hmmmmm...where to start?

Well, although you say you have read the book, by some of these statements it's apparent that you may have read the book, but did you really understand it?

First off, Atkins is not high protein and high fat. It is moderate protein and high fat. In addition, nowhere does it say in any book or plan that you can eat 5000 calories a day lose weight for an average sized female regardless of zero carb or not. This is an urban myth. Calories do count.

You're correct. YOU must do your own research and determine if a LC life-style is right for you. As suggested, you may want to take a look at Gary Taubes Good Calories, Bad Calories. Also, you may want to take a look at the research over the past years that does discuss the benefits of a LC lifestyle, and that saturated fat is not the demon child it's been touted to be.

It's all about choice, in the end it is YOUR choice.

I know it doesn't help any, but a LF/SAD is what got me to 185 pounds. I've been LCing on/off for the past 8-9 years. I'm 50 years old. I have excellent lipid panels and health. I'm peri/menopausal. My average calories for losing and maintaining are about 1700-1900 daily. It works for me, but it may not work for you.

Progress not perfection.

Lisa

Lisa--I know that the book doesn't say you can eat 5,000 calories a day. I was completely exaggerating. Yes, I understood the book. Me thinks me did, anyway. :-)

Keep in mind, that there is a ton of recent clinical research and books pointing in the opposite direction. To be honest, I'm not really worried about that as much as gaining weight.

I guess I will just try to cut my cals down, weigh after my 7th day, and decide whether to stop then. In the meantime, I will definitely try not to post anything else.

If you're doing the Optimal diet, yes you would be adding fats. I do Atkins (1972 version) and he was not an advocate (despite what the media said) of slathering on the fats and even said to take a look at the fats if you had a stall.

My calories are ranging from 1100-1500 per day with the difference being whether I have 2 slices of bacon with my breakfast, chicken salad (with the added mayo) for lunch vs rolled up ham or turkey slices.

My carbs right now are below 9 because I went back to induction levels for a week, but normally I stay under 30 and they're all in the form of hidden carbs (like in eggs) and vegie type carbs (broccoli, brussel sprouts, green beans, etc.). I was on the Optimal Diet for a few days and saw amazing results by lowering my protein to 54gm a day so I'm trying to stay close to that level but I don't stress about it. A side benefit of lowering the protein is that the fat levels come down as well...unless you're deliberately adding them in.

My fats are coming in at around 70-100...again depending on whether I have bacon, add mayo to my chicken, etc. I try to be reasonable about things like this. I don't do bacon every day and I try to eat what I consider 'clean' most of the time - grilled meats, minimal added fats (butter in pan, etc.) and reasonable portions. I don't eat just because I can.

If you're not doing so already, I'd recommend tracking what you're eating in something like Fitday.com.

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Stay...

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Elfie-- I am tracking the stuff in My P.L.A.N.; I think it's visible to the public. Anyway, I am going to definitely use your advice about the fat and protein because right now I feel disgusting eating so much. I think I have been getting around 75-something, but I will cut it to 50-something.

I guess I've read so many posts (I'm sure I have ADHD :-) ), that I forget to look at the different plans people are on. Eating cleaner wil definitely be a top priority from now on. Do you do organic meats? They are never available in my hicktown. I'm a Tennessean.

Girls nevah like me!!?? Thank you for your kind words and support.

You're very welcome...that's what we're here for.

I prefer to buy my meat locally from someone who raises the meat in a compassionate manner and without the antibiotics or other hormones they pump through them to fatten them up. You might try talking to some local farmers.

I buy my eggs (when I'm not raising my own chickens) from one of my husband's co-workers (can't beat $1 a dozen). A guy down the road raises beef for specific people and usually someone only wants half the cow so he's able to sell me the other half. Same with chickens and pork although I think next spring I'm going to raise some meat chickens since they're ready in 2-3 months and I already have the chicken tractor (a moveable chicken coop). Plus there's an Amish coop not far from here that will take care of the killing and dressing...not something I'm particularly fond of...for a reasonable price.

What you have to look at is not only the grams of fat, but the percentages (also known as your macros). 50 grams a day could mean a lot or a little, depending on what you're eating.

During induction, your macros should be around 5% of calories from carbs, 60%+ from fat, and then the remaining from protein. You can see this information in My PLAN. I'd target your fat based on the percentage of your daily calories rather than just the number of grams. You'd probably be surprised when you do it this way that it isn't nearly as high or bad as it seems.

Elfie-- I know this sounds unbelievable, but I don't know any farmers to ask. For some reason, I feel like fish is "cleaner", and I have been trying to eat alot of that for years. It's not available in organic, though.


I can't stand the mass production of meat in this country. The hormones and way of treatment were why I chose to eat vegan alot of my life. Even if you aren't an "animal lover" per se, it's so gross to watch the way they are processed. Have you ever seen "Meet your Meat"? The answer is probably not being vegan, but changing the way animals are treated.


Krystak- My percentages are 62% fat; 34%protein; 4%carb.