Oh man never have I heard something more INSANE in my life.

Look, the science is simple:

Eat more calories than maintenance level = Weight Gain Occurs

Eat maintenance calories = No Change

Eat less calories than maintenance level = Weight Loss Occurs

ALWAYS WATCH YOUR CALORIES.

The majority of people on here have read wayyy too many whack books and are missing the fundamentals of FAT loss.

You eat less calories than maintenance, you lose weight. Plain and simple. If you overeat, you're going nowhere - regardless of what dieting plan you use.

That doctor needs to get his head checked.

ok...

that is what he says. I personally have not tried Dr Groves WOE... so can't speak from experience. I have no idea if its a "whack" book or not BUT can speak from experience about Atkins...

I know when I started the Atkins WOE... I ONLY counted carbs. Not once did I count calories. Is it different at a low level of carbs? I lost 88 lbs by keeping my carbs at 20 grams a day. I know I consumed lots of calories when I was on induction (a very lengthy induction)

I am just eating "clean" right now. I eat moderate low carb and do monitor calorie intake somewhat. I listen to my body and lift weights. I eat when I am hungry and stop when I am satisfied. I do not journal anything right now. Maybe I will later but am enjoying not monitoring everything I put in my mouth. I am doing quite well... I have lost 5 more lbs since eating a semi low carb diet.

For me... weight lifting is the best thing that I started doing. I know many people do not exercise and do well. I have seen a big transformation in the way I look. Diet is a huge part but lifting is what topped it off! (for me anyway)

I will admit, I never count calories when I low carb either. If I am particularly hungry, I eat more (low carb). But I do try to eat plenty of protein which naturally contains way less calories than does fat. Perhaps I get full before too many calories are consumed. I can't imagine consuming 2000-3000 calories per day. Scary.

I think you may be on the wrong forum if you count calories. A while back there was controversy about someone named Kim who pushed low carb and low calorie, low fat. A lot of people ended up getting very sick because they followed her plan to loose weight. I for one refuse to count calories and am loosing just fine and feel great!

Just to add my two cents... I've never been able to lose weight with counting calories. I would tend to choose higher carb options and I have blood sugar issues.

Low carb has always been more filling and satisfying for me, than simply counting carbs. I think carb cycling is the best because I'm constant filling and depleting my glycogen stores, which just stokes my fat burning furnace.

A

And that is the biggest advantage of a low carb diet for a lot of people. High fat foods keep you feeling full, and thus you naturally over the course of time consume less calories.

I could sit down and eat 1,500 calories worth of meat and be stuffed. Or I could sit down and eat 1,500 calories of potato chips and 30 minutes later be ready to snack on something else.

I don't think he is on the wrong forum, especially as this paticular board is "semi-low carb".

There are quite a few of us on here that worry about calories as well as carbs. I started low carbing about 6 or 7 years ago and it definitely saved my life. But as MANY people discovered, the lower your weight got the less effective it becomes if you continue to ignore total calories in.

Everybody's body is different and sometimes people don't always take that in to consideration. The reason that calories in/out matter IMO, is that 90% of the people on this board won't live the rest of their life eating less than 50 carbs per day. Why? Because in the end, it takes a LOT of effort and self discipline. Personally, I have worked to find the balance in my life where I can eat healthy, be healthy and finally reach my goal weight. I believe I have found that balance. Once you truly find that balance, there is no worry about going "off plan".....because you are no longer on a plan, you are simply eating a healthy sustainable way.

Basically, I make my decisions on what to eat based on what I learned by low carbing but my carb level on a typical day probably equals 90 to 100. So things like breads, biscuits, and potatoes are not staples in my diet.

Well said! I could have written this myself!

Update on carb cycling...

I stayed essentially the same weight this week as last, but lost another 2.25 inches overall, for a total of 19.5 inches since Jan 10th or so. I tried on some of my favorite summer clothes and they are soooo much more comfy, and that feels great. Trying not to be obsessed with the scale....

I'm trying to get carb cycling to work for bicycle group riding on sat/sun, once a week 24-36 hour carb up period. Hard the look at the scale and see the weight jump, but it seems to recover in a couple days.

Joel 381: Seems like you are doing well though...40 pounds gone! Good for you!

Thanks I'm trying,

I have experimented with the TKD/CKD a little more and it is not really suited to the bike riding, IMO. At least the TKD type of thing of having carbs right before a ride, would get an energy crash 20-30 minutes into the ride get dropped from the pack and recover shortly after doing a solo ride. Had to make sure to carb up 90-120 minutes before hand, just as I had read before. Without adding carbs I need to ride with the slower groups which isn't all that bad, rather be able to stay with the mid-paced riders.

While trying to get this carb level thing worked out, I have been testing for ketones twice a day. Its amazing that even having 200g carbs last night and another 285g this morning split before and after bike ride, I still am spilling ketones in the afternoon without eating much fat at all in that period. Becoming a real fat burner. The weight was up 2# in the morning, but thats expected, but I was down 26# since March8.

Good luck with your progress.

interesting thread, thought id jump in and say hi, as i am a carb cycler myself.

hi!

Hello,
It looks like you have had good success with it as well. I'm having a little better luck with it for the biking, trying to figure out what works for me, have been trying 2or3 meals of 50g at 2+hours ahead of time. I did get some reading material on it, but a lot of it seems geared toward competition with huge re-feed amounts.
Have a good day

Hi Mattie, you look amazing, like the carb cycling is REALLY working for you. You must work out A LOT! Am looking to tone, not be so much a body builder, do you have any ideas of programs that are less intense than what you do but will still tone my muscles quite a bit? Thanks for any ideas you may have.