Should you count calories on a low-carb or keto diet?

By , medical review by – Updated June 3, 2019

When it comes to weight, calories are often talked about but frequently misunderstood. Indeed, whether counting calories is actually useful for weight loss is debatable. Read on to learn about calories and their role in weight regulation on low-carb and keto diets.

What are calories?
How many calories do carbs, protein, and fat provide?
Calories count, but they are not the whole story
Counting calories: yes or no?

What are calories?

A calorie is a unit of energy that your body uses to perform hundreds of tasks. These include voluntary movements like walking, running, and jumping, as well as involuntary ones like breathing, circulating blood throughout your system, and maintaining normal body temperature.

Your body needs a certain number of calories just to keep these involuntary processes going. This is referred to as your basal metabolic rate, or BMR. Your BMR is influenced by many factors, including your age, gender, body composition, and genetics.

You require additional calories for physical activity, including walking. Overall, the more active you are, the more calories you’ll need.

How many calories do carbs, protein, and fat provide?

Each macronutrient provides a specific amount of calories:

Carbs: 4 calories per gram
Protein: 4 calories per gram
Fat: 9 calories per gram

Importantly, even though fat provides more than twice as many calories as carbs, it’s far denser and more filling.

Protein is generally considered the most satiating macronutrient, but it’s mostly used for cell repair, maintenance and growth. Thus protein intake is mostly important in order to fill your body’s protein needs. Protein is not very effective as a fuel (i.e. as calories). Excess protein has to first be converted to glucose in the liver, in order to be used as fuel. Eating protein in excess of your body’s needs is not necessarily a good thing, and it can reduce the effect of a strict low-carb diet. Learn more

Pure fats and oils get 100% of their calories from fat. However, the calories in most foods are a combination of carbs, protein, and fat.

For instance, although eggs are considered a protein food, the majority of their calories actually come from fat. For example, two large eggs provide 146 calories:

4 calories from carbs (1 gram) (2%)
52 calories from protein (13 grams) (34%)
90 calories from fat (10 grams) (64%)

Calories count, but they are not the whole story

Generally speaking, if you take in more calories than your body needs over a longer time period, the extra calories will be stored as fat.¹ Similarly, if you take in fewer calories than needed over a longer time period, your body will release its fat stores, and you will lose weight.

However, there is far more to weight regulation than just monitoring calories in vs. calories out. Indeed, most members of the human race appears to have regulated their weight effectively for millennia, before anyone even knew what a calorie was.

The modern obesity epidemic appears to be an unprecedented phenomenon, and it coincides with an ever-increased focus on counting calories. Correlation is not causation, so it would obviously be wrong to say that obesity is caused by counting calories. However, counting calories appears to be, at best, an imperfect aid to weight control. So what is really going on?

Hormones play a large role in influencing appetite, fullness, and fat storage. And research suggests that low-carb and keto meals may trigger hormones that lead to a natural reduction in calorie intake, especially in those who are overweight or insulin resistant.²

In one study, overweight people consumed a breakfast of eggs or a bagel. Although each meal contained an identical amount of calories, the group that consumed the egg breakfast stayed full longer and ate fewer calories at lunch than the bagel group did.³

Additionally, your insulin level – and how sensitive your body is to insulin – influence whether you store or burn calories. Researchers have shown that impaired insulin response following weight loss reduces metabolic rate and drives weight regain. However, lowering carb intake may help to counteract this effect.⁴

What’s more, when it comes to weight loss, low-carb diets regularly outperform low-calorie diets, even in studies where the low-carb dieters are not counting their calories.⁵

In a 2004 study, overweight and obese adults consumed a low-fat diet and a low-carb diet for one week each. Both diets were designed to reduce each person’s calorie intake by 500 calories per day. However, people lost more weight and body fat after the low-carb week than the low-fat week – even though the men averaged higher calorie intake during the low-carb phase.⁶

Clearly, calories are only one factor involved in weight regulation.

Video: Doctors answer

Read transcript

Dr. Eenfeldt: Isn’t weight loss all about calories?

Dr. Naiman: Yes, weight loss is all about… No, weigh loss is definitely not about calories. And I have a zillion patients who’ve gone on low calorie diets. And you can lose weight that way and you will immediately regain it. And we have plenty of studies that document this. So weight loss is not all about calories.

Dr. Eenfeldt: Isn’t weight loss all about calories?

Dr. Brukner: Well, so they’ve tried to convince us for the last 30 years. But calories in, calories out has been the philosophy of the 30 years. But, you know, you’re going to tell me that 100 cal from a piece of salmon is exactly the same as 100 cal from candy, or chocolate, or ice cream…

I mean that doesn’t make any sense at all, does it? So I mean calories in, calories out has been disproved. I mean there are calories from differences that have markedly different effects. And until we get rid of this whole calories in…

It’s been a disaster this calories in, calories out. I mean look at the effect. Since we have adopted that philosophy we have worldwide epidemics of obesity, diabetes, faKy liver and so on… It’s been a disaster and the sooner we forget about it… It’s sort of an attractive concept, you know, what you bring in, what you take out… But unfortunately it doesn’t work.

Dr. Eenfeldt: Isn’t weight loss all about calories?

Dr. Westman: Well, I think calories matter. The energy balance equation where we talk about energy in… calories in, calories out isn’t a good construct to help guide people… It’s more complicated than counting the calories on a label, for example.

Because the calories are handled differently depending on what type of calorie it is, based on the metabolism for that individual calorie. But I think that it’s pretty clear that when people are losing weight, they are eating fewer calories than they were before.

And then of course if the weight loss program that they are doing changes the metabolic rate, that’s another factor you have to take into account. But I think it’s fair to say that a low-carbohydrate diet isn’t magical. It follows the rules of science that we understand, having to do with energy balance and the calories.

So when I teach the low-carb diet, I don’t talk about calories. We don’t have to teach calories, but people are still eating fewer calories in general. That’s, you know, not the case for everyone. That’s the role for the practitioner to help people troubleshoot those situations.

More Q&A videos with doctors

Counting calories: yes or no?

At Diet Doctor, we don’t recommend counting calories. First of all, it’s impossible to know exactly how many calories you’re getting from a specific food, let alone precisely what your body will do with those calories. It’s far more important to choose foods that promote the release of hormones that reduce hunger, help keep you satisfied, and make it easier to achieve a healthy weight.

Focus on whole foods that contain high-quality protein, healthy fat, and nutrient-dense fibrous carbs, especially vegetables.

And if you are really struggling to lose weight, stay away from high-calorie, high-reward foods that are easy to overindulge in, even if they are low in carbohydrates. Classic examples of such foods are cheese and nuts.

Rather than counting calories, make all of your calories count by eating nourishing, well-balanced low-carb meals.

—
Franziska Spritzler, RD

Comments

Over a shorter period, calories can be stored as glycogen (carbohydrates). However, the maximum amount that can be stored is highly limited – only enough to last a day or two. ↩
PLoS One. 2018: A high carbohydrate, but not fat or protein meal attenuates postprandial ghrelin, PYY and GLP-1 responses in Chinese men ↩
J Am Coll Nutr. 2005: Short-term effect of eggs on satiety in overweight and obese subjects ↩
Obesity (Silver Spring) 2015: Relationship of insulin dynamics to body composition and resting energy expenditure following weight loss ↩
You can find a large number of such studies here:

Low-carb weight loss studies ↩
Nutrition & Metabolism 2004: Comparison of energy-restricted very low-carbohydrate and low-fat diets on weight loss and body composition in overweight men and women ↩

53 comments

1
Matt
October 21 2018
This is a terrible article, of course you should count calories. A low-carb diet is useless if you're consuming tons of extra calories from other sources. Is it the only thing you should be doing? No, obviously, but it is useful in combination with whatever diet you are on. To say that you shouldn't be counting, like it's a bad thing, is just irresponsible. And even hinting at it being the reason for obesity, wow...

Replies: #9, #12, #33, #38
2
Missy
October 21 2018
After many many years of counting calories and so called low- fat diets, I stopped and started looking at the carbs I ate. Also, stopped eating wheat and grains. Healed my gut. I have lost 45 pounds, off of blood pressure medicine, as well as no inflammation. I have been eating this way for 2 years. It has completely changed my life.

Reply: #55
3
Patty
October 21 2018
Was thinking the same thing, Matt. Some people experienced weight gain because they still overate even healthy foods and protein and fats. Your total number of calories for the day still counts for most people when it comes to weight loss or weight maintenance. On a personal note... I don't find eating protein as satiating as all these articles talk about... I need some carbohydrates to feel satisfied and give me energy.
4
Trevor
October 22 2018
Patty..what about fat? You don’t need carbs if your eating the correct ratio of fats.
5
Tim
October 22 2018
I find with a high fat diet, I eat less of everything and vounting calories is not necessary. Keto is a different way of thinking about food, for the long term. The word “diet” insinuates that it is a temporary activity, used in order to reach a targeted weight. The correct term for that is “Atkins”. The longer I eat ketogenic food, the less overall amount of food I am eating and I almost pass lunch, by forgetting to eat. I think the calirie issue is a self correcting issue tgat resolves itself, provided keto is adhered to long term and not as a fad “diet”.
6
Jacqueline
October 22 2018
I have found eating low carb keeps me satisfied longer, therefore, I may not eat as much reducing calories. Every diet is not for everyone. This diet works for me long term. I tried low fat low calorie diets and they made me feel sick and messed up my blood sugar.
7
Karen
October 22 2018
I have a thyroid issue cant seem too loose weight plud high chloresterol. Ive done a low carb eating seems to help but i get bored of veggies whsy can help thanks
8
Kathy Watson
October 22 2018
I agree. I am eating sometimes more calories per meal on this way of eating than I used to. The difference is that’s where I stop. I just eat at meal times now. Most day just two meals a day. I feel fuller so do not need to eat constantly. I love the fact that on this website we are encouraged not to count calories. If anyone want to see this proved then watch “that sugar film” it just is the perfect example of how eating the wrong calories can lead to health issues and weight gain.
9
Reply to comment #1 by Matt
Fay
October 22 2018
Where do I start replying to this? Firstly I need to assume that you have never tried low-carb Matt; otherwise you would know why you don't need to count calories. The reson most people consume too many calories is because they are always hungry. Keeping a count of how many calories you consume does not magically halt the hunger just because you reach your target for the day. Secondly; people that are following a low-carb lifestyle are interested in improving their health, not just losing weight. When you are healthly, your body automatically regulates the amount you eat. Thirdly you are being very rude in the way you are voicing your opinion.
2 comments removed
12
Reply to comment #1 by Matt
Una
October 23 2018
How can you count calories? They bear no resemblance to counting carbs and you might as well go back on Weight Watchers or Slimmers World, and go low fat on 1,500 a day. You certainly lose weight on either of those plans but is it any good for you? Don't think so.
13
Una
October 23 2018
How can you count calories? They bear no resemblance to counting carbs and you might as well go back on Weight Watchers or Slimmers World, and go low fat on 1,500 a day. You certainly lose weight on either of those plans but is it any good for you? Don't think so.
14
Randy
October 24 2018
I would say everyone is an individual when it comes to diet and genetics. My wife and I went to very low carb for a year and I lost significant weight but she still struggled. We ate the same meals but she ate much less. She has a thyroid problem and I don’t. I can see reducing intake below 1200 calories may help in some cases even on low carb for people with certain physical issues.
15
Cindy
October 24 2018
I have hypothyroidism and went on low carb diet. For six weeks I only lost three ponds and was becoming very disappointed. Didn’t cheat a mouth full. Then I decided to really up my water intake to eighty ounces plus daily. By the second day, dropped another 2.5 lbs. now I’m down 21 lbs. in five months. Very low carbs, lots of protein only. I’ve had Keto flu, etc. but now think the icky feeling was worth it.
16
Lisa W.
October 24 2018
I don't count calories because like the article says, making the calories count is more important. The article certainly doesn't say go enter hot dog eating or pie eating contests. We have to read these articles with some common sense. The article is not a study; it's just an article. It's good to be watchful of the portions but you don't need to count calories to do that. Eat when you are hungry. Stick to whole foods as much as you can. Find creative ways to eat the foods you crave (so many good recipes out there for the sweet tooth!). To each his or her own though and forums should be places we can all come for support, never for negativity. Thanks for the good articles, Diet Doctor! Down 33 since Feb.
17
Yvonne
October 24 2018
Over the last three months, since July 23rd 2018, I have followed LCHF. Although I have not been entirely strict all of the time. I have been moreso over the last 7 to 8 weeks. With a starting weight of 188 lbs (85 kgs), I am down about 15 lb (7 kg) which is not exactly stellar, but progressive. I am 5'7" tall.

Thank you for your timely comment, Cindy. Obviously you think water has a large impact and I don't believe I've been drinking enough if that is the case.

Although this seems like a nonsensical question, I have been having difficulty quitting smoking and just 2 days ago had to quit suddenly due to emergency dental work requiring surgery. The big question, is do you think smoking can interfere with weight loss by not allowing the entire body to heal? Please don't be too hard on me as I know smoking is not good for me but is an addiction just like sugar.

I feel like I am in a stall as I hear weight falls off other people. I am now eating only once or twice a day and fasting for at least 16 hours. I do have two coffees, sometimes three with cream, butter and coconut oil which carries me through to lunch around 2 p.m. is it silly to ask if that's too much?

Any comments are welcome.

Replies: #21, #24, #30, #31, #34, #46
18
Debbie
October 25 2018
The freedom of NOT counting calories is the best. I did this and was over weight my whole life.
Now as I mainly count only by Carbs. The tide is changing.
19
Ty
October 25 2018
I've been on keto for 10 months, and I tracked religiously for the first 6 months. I regularly went over the caloric recommendations that MyFitnessPal gave me, instead I focused on maintaining my macros. I lost 35 lbs doing that. I feel great and I have no intention of stopping what I'm doing. I probably have another 10-15 lbs to still lose but I'm happy where I'm at and will continue to do lazy keto (not track) and see what happens.

Reply: #22
20
pauline
October 25 2018
Yvonne, well done! LCHF and quitting smoking - that is awesome. As a former smoker, I quit 20 years ago, it is a huge addiction, don't underestimate that. Keep plugging away .....
21
Reply to comment #17 by Yvonne
Julie
October 25 2018
Wow, good for you! Fifteen pounds in three months is very respectable. Hang in there, keep doing what you have been doing and acknowledge that you're making wonderful changes in your life that will make a positive difference in what you can accomplish every single day.
22
Reply to comment #19 by Ty
Karen
October 25 2018
Ty, Same here. 10 months, 30 lbs down, with 10-15 to go. And like you, I know my calorie count was more than "calorie counting" diets would allow. For me, the limiting of calories contributed significantly to me gaining weight, which is why I love and feel great on keto. I am not always stringent (yes, there are cheat moments), but overall, I have changed my eating lifestyle significantly for the better. To anyone considering keto, beyond the basics, drink lots of water, and ensure diet (or supplements) provide enough sodium, magnesium, and potassium (electrolytes). I am sure keto might not work for everyone, but for me it has been the best gift I could have given myself. I typically have 25 - 35 g net carbs per day -- rarely a little more, frequently a little less -- and am happy at that level right now since I am continuing to lose weight.
23
Ray
October 25 2018
I have lost 20 kgs so far by selecting the low carb foods (not quiet keto) , intermittent fasting (16:8) and portion control. I used to count calories but found it an irksome burden that was not absolute.
24
Reply to comment #17 by Yvonne
Karen
October 25 2018
You are doing awesome, Yvonne! 15 lbs in 3 months is great!! Don't starve yourself, (and make sure you are drinking plenty of water and getting electrolytes (sodium, magnesioum, potassium) in your diet or through supplement) but listen to what your body is telling you as far as being full. If you are eating 1 or 2 x a day and ensuring you are getting sufficient amounts of fat, protein, and, yes, even carbs and are steadily losing weight, then that is what is right for you. Without the smoking is obviously heathlier and if you have stopped just keep going!! Congrats!!
25
Julianne
October 25 2018
I’ve been doing low-carb for two months now, and I have not lost any weight, in fact I have gained. Food has been a daily struggle for me my entire life. I don’t have the luxury of eating only when I’m hungry. I work full-time and have a scheduled lunch hour, so if I try to do intermittent fasting and skip breakfast, I’ll be starving at 10 AM and I can’t just suddenly stop and eat a meal then. Plus, I really just like to eat, and I don’t necessarily stop when I’m full. I usually have no sensation of being full until long after I’ve already eaten more than I should have, if even then. So, the idea that you’ll be full longer and eat less doesn’t work for me. The Macro calculators I’ve used show that I should eat about 1500 calories per day to lose 1-2 lbs per month. That’s only 500 calories per meal and not realistic to sustain long enough to lose the 35 lbs I need to lose. And then what? If I start eating more calories I’ll just gain the weight back. So I feel like I’m stuck. I don’t have it in me anymore to do the starvation diets of my youth, and I’m not going to track anything or count calories for any diet; I just won’t do it. I guess I’ll just continue to be a fat girl for the rest of my life.

Replies: #32, #39, #50
26
Peter West
October 25 2018
Matt you are so wrong its not funny, I had previously lost 14Kgs of weight on LCHF not counting calories eating lots of meat eggs which are full of calories but snacking on berries etc having salads, i put it all back on in 6 Months, my fault, eating pizza munching on potato chips etc. I know what gains weight and simple it is not calories if you stick to low carb intake and have meat drink at least 2 liters of water per day . simple change your lifestyle you lose weight
LCHF is not a quick fix but if you adhere to you few simple rules then you will slowly but surely lose that weight guaranteed without a doubt and the best thing is you do not need to starve yourself .
I lost the weight 1st time around without doing any exercise at all so i know it works, this time around i have lost 4kgs, very early days yet but i know if i stick to it without starving i will reach my goal weight of 89.9kgs. I started both weight journeys at 117kgs currently 113Kgs but this time around i am doing walking my block of 4kms 5 times per week on average and sticking to LCHF
27
Susan
October 25 2018
I have been doing a keto-ish diet for couple years. Not tracking, but staying with whole foods, avoiding sugar and starches, learning to cook keto. I was pretty much stalled most of that time, but l felt better - clearer head, less digestive issues, and my shape was changing, slowly. I never wanted to track calories, carbs, what have you - too obsessive. Then, about 6 weeks ago, l finally gave in and started using the KetoDiet app on my phone to track everything. Its pretty easy to do, and surprisingly, l've started losing weight. Even though I thought I was low carb, l was still eating too many carbs and calories. And the occasional cheat was just that much too much. I wish I was one of those folks who can do Keto without tracking, but I'm just not. Too old, too heavy for too long, too insulin resistant, whatever. But Keto is the way to go, and if l have to be super strict for it to work, so be it.
28
Christine
October 25 2018
I need to count the total amount of calories and carbs or I slip into eating too much. I think it depends on a lot of things, but like Susan, I'm older and was heavy for a long time. The funny thing is I lost close to 100 pounds on a low calorie diet and have kept the weight off for seven years. With everything I've read about Keto I recently decided to switch to Keto for better health. I felt like an outlier in terms of being able to lose the weight and keep it off with a low calorie diet. However, after reading about low carb/Keto, I learned that I had basically been eating low carb for 7 years. Mainly because I don't eat processed foods, and most of my fruit was berries.
29
anke
October 25 2018
I´ve been eating LCHF/Keto for nearly 2 years now and tested out various recommondations about nutritional ratios, counting calories, doing IF , special food combinations and supplements and the result is like approving a lot of health benefits, feeling much better, no more depressive episodes, very good blood parameters, but never reached a state of real ketosis nor lost any weight but even gained weight ... . I will continue eating keto for my health cause it makes me feel much better than I used to feel all my life before but no matter which way I used to eat and how much psysical activity I´ve been doing I only have a chance to loose any weigt very slowly (about 1-1,5 kg a month) by restricting calories strictly to a very low amount (< 400 !) . Even if I have my daily need even only from MCT fats, my body refuses to give away any weight :-( . I feel helpless !
30
Reply to comment #17 by Yvonne
Stephanie
October 25 2018
Hi Yvonne, Are you saying that the 2 or 3 coffees with cream etc. are during your fasting hours, or to break your fast? The Diet Doctor's Dr. Jason Fung's advice about this, that I have read, is that strictly speaking coffee and tea should be black during fasting, but a teaspoon of milk or cream is acceptable if this helps one to tolerate fasting. Eg for people who dislike black tea or coffee.
31
Reply to comment #17 by Yvonne
Jan Holding
October 25 2018
Hello Yvonne, you’re doing really well. I just wanted to address the point you made about smoking. I’m a retired smoking cessation nurse specialist and want to reassure you that you have done so well with your weight loss. Yes, smoking does have a very detrimental effect on your body but now that you have stopped smoking your body will begin to heal immediately. If you are struggling to cope with cravings, which can be very severe and difficult to cope with, then try some nicotine replacement products to help you. I can help you understand how to use them if you are unsure. Best of luck .
32
Reply to comment #25 by Julianne
Paul
October 25 2018
Julianne, please don’t get discouraged. Take an extra look and make sure you aren’t getting any hidden carbs sneaking in. The intermittent fasting is key. Make sure you’re getting plenty of healthy fats in your meals. The “fear of fat” is very hard to get over, it was for me anyway. More fat will keep you from getting hungry.
33
Reply to comment #1 by Matt
Vlad
October 25 2018
Is that so? Yet here i am, lost almost 60kg without counting anything, except the carbs. And yes, after i reached 113 kg i started to stagnate and then went all in in a meat only diet (i currently eat beef, while i still have a job and afford it every evening and a cup of coffee stuffed with butter) so i broke that plateau. started at 160kg btw.
So really, its time to put this horse shit with counting calories to rest. Its not useful to anyone.
34
Reply to comment #17 by Yvonne
Peter
October 25 2018
Yvonne, in some people coffee seems to trigger an insulin response, which could leave you hungry so you want to eat more than you need. Try going to one cup of coffee (no sugar of course), and than have tea the rest of the day to get your caffeine fix. It is not the caffeine in the coffee, but one of the other complex organic compounds in it that appears to trigger the insulin response. Also, make sure you are keeping the fat/protein ratio where it is best by cutting back a little on the fat. While weight management is a complex energy/hormone/emotional balance, if you eat more calories than you consume you will not lose any weight.
35
Nix
October 25 2018
I used to count calories for most of my life. Been on keto for just over a year and feel fuller for longer. By choosing protein with loads of salad or vegetables is satifying and keeps me going for up to 8 hours. Calories can sometimes be less than 1500 and I don't even feel hungry between meals. On my days off I eat 2 meals one 4 hours after waking up and one 4 hours before bed. This gives me enough to keep satisfied and still able to lose weight. I currently consume 20g carbs per day and occasionally go over if I want to but overall a good lifestyle eating the keto way.
2 comments removed
38
Reply to comment #1 by Matt
Sharad
October 25 2018
I totally agree with Matt. And in fact if there are 4 calories in each gram of carb and protein, and 9 calories in each gram of fat, then counting the grams in marcos is, in essence, counting calories. One is simply substituting the counting of calories with the counting of grams.
39
Reply to comment #25 by Julianne
Jane
October 25 2018
Julianne. I feel for you. I would suggest not trying intermittent fasting until you have been keto for a while. You will lose your appetite (yes really. It was a revelation to me), and IF will be much easier. Eat a breakfast, eat a lunch etc and just keep your carbs to under 20g a day. You can eat lots of no-carb foods, such as meat, if you are hungry. Just try it for a week and see how you go. All the best to you.
40
Cate
October 26 2018
Like some of the other women here, I am perimenopausal with an underactive thyroid -both of which add a layer of difficulty to weight loss. I was amazed to lose 8.5 kilos in 5 weeks, when my weight has only gone up each month since about 2013. I know keto reduces cravings for me which helps eat less but also that if i had heavy cream and fat bombs at every meal, i wouldn't lose any weight with the other factors in my life.
41
Ellen
October 26 2018
If I am losing, I do not count. If I stall, I'll count carbs until I am back on track as a reset. Research also show that no matter what system you use, keeping a food journal assists weight loss. It can be as simple as just writing down what you ate with portions and not necessarily counting units.
42
Ellie
October 28 2018
I've been using the Fitday App for the past two months and have lost 8kgs so have been tracking calories and carbs with keto low carb as my primary tool. The app is designed around calorie intake but I find considering both figures has been beneficial for me and you can programme the ratio of carbs, fat and protein into your regime. In the past I've struggled to lose weight on low carb alone, not focusing on calories and I think this was because I ate too much protein, thinking it was somehow "free" food. Looking at the ratio of carbs, fat and protein seems to be a good option for me, as I keep my net carbs (carbs less fibre) to about 20 per day and my calories seem to end up between 1250-1450. I gain 300 calories leeway from my daily exercise and while I know this is not perfect science I am consistently losing weight every week. This gives me a high fat, moderate protein, low carb mix (with the calorie count as a factor) and is getting good results. I agree weight loss is an individual thing but this works for me.
43
AJ
October 30 2018
Everyone on the blog makes very good points and in general we are all thinking the same way. I count carbs, fats , protein and fiber (for net carb purposes) and regardless of calorie intake, if my carbs stay below 15g then I will lose. If I do have a high carb day then I am mindful of my calories, I think this helps me to maintain portion control. The most difficult thing is NOT to count calories as I have been doing this the whole of my dieting life, over 45 years and even after 3 years of successful loss and maintenance on keto where I know its not the most important factor I STILL DO IT, I just can't help myself! There is no doubt in my mind that LCHF is simply the way to go. Having tried every diet in the book, this has to be the most satiating, giving me unprecedented energy levels and a zest I have never had through any other way of eating because I enjoy cardboard free food. I will continue to count my calories whether they be high or low simply because its within my comfort zone to do so, however I will never go back to a low fat low calorie intake ever again. The DD website is the best website I have ever had the pleasure of logging into. Keep talking everyone, we are all pulling in the same direction, it works stick with it!
1 comment removed
45
Guillaume Bonastre
December 2 2018
"In a 2004 study, overweight and obese adults consumed a low-fat diet and a low-carb diet for one week each"

One week. This takes any possible credibility out of this post. And I’m not even asking how many participants there were, how they were chosen, or all the other possible wrong things they might have done.

That’s not science, and it should NOT precede a "Clearly, ..." because the only thing that’s clear is you use authoritative arguments ("studies") to back up your possibly false claims.
46
Reply to comment #17 by Yvonne
Linda
December 27 2018
I was a three-pack -a-day smoker who tried everything t quit; hypnosis, will-power, a staple in my ear which was supposed to hit some trigger spots that would kill the craving. (It hurt so much I smoked more.) Finally, in frustration I started telling myself (and everyone else) that "I am a non-smoker" all the while continuing to smoke. Well, I must have repeated that statement to myself and others hundreds of times a day, it was pretty much all I thought about. One night, three months after I started saying (and thinking) it, I was out to dinner with a friend. We were both smoking (back in the day when you could smoke at a restaurant) plus, we were having some drinks (he was drinking scotch). I noticed that the combo of smoke and scotch really smelled bad on him then I thought that maybe I smelled bad, too. I put out my cigarette and never smoked again because in that moment, I became a non-smoker. The next day I returned an unopened carton of cigarettes to the store and never lit up again. Did I miss it? Yes, especially that first week because I didn't know what to do at the end of a meal when I would have that after dinner (lunch or breakfast) cigarette. But, I didn't crave it because I had become a non-smoker! Since then I have NEVER smoked again and it has been many years. The funny thing is that my mother, who smoked for 50 years and never considered not smoking, stopped after she had a second stroke and often remarked that she was a non-smoker who could never imagine how she ever had a cigarette. If this is something you would like to do, you might want to refine the process by setting a date or, just leave it open-ended like I did. The secret is that you CANNOT QUIT SMOKING, you must BECOME NON-SMOKER! Once that happens, NOT smoking is effortless.
47
Tracey
January 1
Goose bumps reading your post Linda. In a few days I will celebrate my 2 year quit. Yes, I'm a non smoker therefore I never smoke just like other non smokers. I'm a nurse and repeat this notion to patients almost weekly. I think it really resonates my quit and hope it helps them do the same.
48
betty paige
January 19
I've been pretty strict keto for close to a year now keeping to the 5%, 25%, 70% ratio for carbs ,protein, and healthy fats, and have lost over 120 lbs from Feb 2018 to Sept or Oct 2018. I was counting calories ,and most days barely getting in 1000 a day. I stalled for the past 2, almost 3 months from Oct 2018 until this month(Jan), with less than 2 lbs weight loss in that entire time .I do intermittent fasting every day also 12 to 16 hours ... Frustrated I decided to stop counting calories Last week, and eat when I was hungry in my eating window . I have started losing again and I'm 3 lbs down this week. No more obsessing about calories for me Just the kinds of foods I eat
49
Shirley
February 22
I had success on low carb for years, when I followed it, then I was started on mirtazapine (Remeron) for insomnia and put on 20 pounds in 3 weeks. The medication stopped working after five months, so I stopped it six months ago. The weight won't budge. I'm now carrying 140 pounds on a 5 foot frame. I no longer look or feel like myself. I saw a dietician at the VA this week who said low carb is non-sustainable. She said I need to follow a low-fat, high-carb, 1200-calorie a day diet plus write down everything I eat. This seems highly restrictive and even less sustainable. She seemed to really be focused on milk intake. I said I haven't been drinking much and instead eat yogurt that I make myself. "You're using skim milk, l assume?” "No. Whole milk.” My god, you'd think I'd told her l eat live kittens! She was appalled. Same when I mentioned I use heavy cream in my coffee. She made a claim that l totally didn't understand. She said it takes 9 hours to burn off 1 fat gram, so if I'm eating so much fat my body will never be able to burn it off. I know a fat gram has 9 calories; I've never heard of the 9 hour thing. I'm at a bit of a loss for what to do; the absolute most carbs l can eat in a day without seeing an immediate overnight 5-pound water weight gain is 30 grams. Carbs are my comfort foods. The weight gain has made me stressed, and the usual LCHF is no longer working, so I reach for the comfort foods. It's a vicious circle.
50
Reply to comment #25 by Julianne
Kelly
February 24
I don't mean to be rude Julianne, but if you can't sustain a diet of 1500 calories over a long period of time (especially if it's low carb), then that is where your problem lies in losing weight. After 2 months on a low carb diet you should definitely have lost weight and not put any on. You should try doing the 800 calorie a day diet and then you will know what a struggle is. 1500 calories is pretty much a standard weight lost diet and would be easy to stick to. You could have a filling 300 cal for breakfast, leaving 2 x 100 cal snacks in the day, then 500 cal for lunch and dinner. There are many foods that are very filling but with low calories so that you could fill up on them and not starve, such as broccoli and many salad foods. It sounds as though you don't like eating these type of foods and as you said yourself, carbs are your comfort foods and so you prefer to eat the wrong foods that are high in (carb) calories, reducing your likelyhood of losing weight. Until you change your mentality about food and stop being resentful having to eat healthy food instead of 'bad' foods you won't have any weight loss success. You cannot starve on 1500 calories when you eat FILLING low calorie low carb foods. If you focus on what 'bad' foods are doing to your body instead of it being about being 'skinny', maybe you would do better. I used to be in denial and make excuses about why I couldn't lost weight but then I finally examined what I was eating and what I thought about foods and I did much better.
51
Robin
March 7
Doing KETO for a year.
The KETO calculators show my macros etc. but then it says it is to lose .7 LBS/MONTH . . . so 7 pounds in 10 months?? What??? I was hoping for 5-8 pounds/month.
****Anyone else have this issue?
I am a female, 60 y. o., 5'4" tall and weigh 161 LBS.
Treadmill 5-7x/wk at 3-3.5 mph with an incline of 9% - 12%.
Hand weights, a barbell and a stability ball 4-5x/wk.
Small core workout 2-3x/wk.
I wake at 5:00-5:30am and retire by 9:00-10:00pm daily.
I drink 56 - 80 oz of water daily.
Eat organic when ever possible.
Rarely dine out.
I would like to drop about 23 LBS.
Next option is to . . .
forget calories
reduce protein a bit from current macro count
drink still more water - 80 oz EVERY day
there is not enough time in my day to increase exercise much more.
I really want this to work. Any suggestions?
Are there local KETO pros (Rochester NY) who can look at my meals and see going on?

Reply: #52
52
Reply to comment #51 by Robin
Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor
March 8

Doing KETO for a year.
The KETO calculators show my macros etc. but then it says it is to lose .7 LBS/MONTH . . . so 7 pounds in 10 months?? What??? I was hoping for 5-8 pounds/month.
****Anyone else have this issue?
I am a female, 60 y. o., 5'4" tall and weigh 161 LBS.
Treadmill 5-7x/wk at 3-3.5 mph with an incline of 9% - 12%.
Hand weights, a barbell and a stability ball 4-5x/wk.
Small core workout 2-3x/wk.
I wake at 5:00-5:30am and retire by 9:00-10:00pm daily.
I drink 56 - 80 oz of water daily.
Eat organic when ever possible.
Rarely dine out.
I would like to drop about 23 LBS.
Next option is to . . .
forget calories
reduce protein a bit from current macro count
drink still more water - 80 oz EVERY day
there is not enough time in my day to increase exercise much more.
I really want this to work. Any suggestions?
Are there local KETO pros (Rochester NY) who can look at my meals and see going on?

Please ignore what the macro app calculators tell you. Our general recommendations are to focus on keeping carbs low and fats high. Those calculators of how much you may lose are usually based on the outmoded calories in, calories out calculations rather than keto.
53
amanda
March 15
I have gone from Paleo, which worked a little but then stopped. to Keto for the last 3 months. I was 136 pounds I am now 133, which I have been for a month. I use my fitness pal, 6 days a week I average 1800 super healthy keto calories and do at least one spin class and walk 5km. It's slow and its frustrating. I also have a stressful job. its driving me nuts. I am petrified to increase the calorie intake in case I gain even more weight. I am 5'4". I just want to lose 7 pounds.... but weight loss seems to have stopped.....
54
Jinxy
March 18
So, I've done MANY diets before: military, tomato (cabbage) soup, Bernstein (just quit eating, basically), weight watchers (quite a bit better), and Atkins. Keto is not the same as any of these because of the high fat intake you're required to have. On Atkins, within a week I thought I was going to die, whearas I've been trying this keto thing for 5 days, and feel almost completely normal (maybe I'm flu-less?). I'm trying it after gaining roughly 100 lbs over five years - thing after thing has been going wrong and I turned to food for comfort. When I got down to my thinnest adult weight, I was going to the gym for 2-3 hours a day, and unknowingly adopted intermittent fasting (protein shake or can of tuna at lunch, and overall low carb dinners with occasional cheats at dinner - roughly 800 calories a day, which I theoretically should have burned twofold at the gym). I lost a lot of weight, and felt great then, but quite honestly had very little time to do anything other than go through my work and eating routine. I could have never done it if I was raising kids, or doing volunteer and other activities like I do now. Every diet has ups and downs, pros and cons. Military is extremely regimented (and appropriately titled), that soup thing left me a bloated gas cloud (Linus, but instead of dirt, it was noxious smell), Bernstein was ridiculous - I kept plateauing because I never cheated, and basically went into starvation mode. They asked me to cut my already limited fruit and bread out leaving me with a 400-500 calorie a day diet, and lightheadedness that made me near-faint almost chronically. Turns out I actually NEEDED more fat in my diet but the "nurses" or whatever they were that were supposedly monitoring me had no clue what they were doing. Atkins simply didn't work for me. I probably had too much protein in my system. The miracle of lost water weight has been (initially) a blast. Though I've felt a little off, I'm more or less ok. I did a fair bit of reading, and although I'm not closely monitoring my macros yet, I am net carb counting and have been able to keep them below 25 (I may be going over 20 with things like dried parsley, or my accidental spices that are one carb instead of zero, but I'm not beating myself up just yet). I'm not hungry, but finding myself slightly food obsessed as I learn what I can and cannot have. Lots of reading labels and deciding if foods are "too expensive" or not. I'm shocked that I am totally satiated though, which I would have never guessed possible. I'll probably post here, as almost every time I search Keto I end up finding something on this site. I'm so thankful for the help and support I've found from people online... Anyone have a link about how calorie burning works differently? I would like to be able to provide it to my family doc, who didn't seem to quite "get" keto...
55
Reply to comment #2 by Missy
Lourdes E Taboada
March 21
Good for you!
I’ve started only 2 weeks ago.

Did you count calories?
Thanks.
Lourdes
56
Terry
March 27
I saw the documentarie on nexfix. I started checking info seriously because of the benefits it says it has. I’ve tried vegan, didn’t work. Low fat —low carbs- high protein and I got way fat. Both diets made me starve. I started keto 4 days ago and If I’m honest I only have dinner because I have to consume the fat. Following the recipes they have here since I don’t cook has been awesome and I can say I checked my weight this morning and already lost 1 KG. I’m sleeping better and I’m feeling good and energetic all day even when I wake up very early. What can I say? I told some friends about this and they criticized me but as I said, the other diets didn’t work at all and I was hungry all day! So don’t judge if you don’t like this or you think it’s not good because of the fats. Search info first, most of all if you don’t try you can’t say whether is good or not. That’s why I’m doing it because at first I also thought “WTF” but now I’m very happy. I do miss eating cakes and cookies but this comes since I’m an emotional eater. With keto I can control it. Also about counting calories I feel with keto isn’t necessary ... and I believe we all are smart enough to know that eating 9 KG of bacon for lunch isn’t good. Right? So just use common sense when you cook and eat. That’s it. Keto is a different way of experience life. Seriously.
57
Adrian
May 3
First, a few comments on some things I don’t see were addressed:
All carbs are not equal- the majority of carbs should be coming from green vegetables.
FIBER- lots of it! (this also helps with feeling full longer, preventing constipation, etc)
Net carbs is what matters: total carbs-fiber= net carbs
Too much protein is a bad thing- excessive protein is converted to glucose by the body.

I think the question of counting calories becomes more difficult if you’re intermittent fasting plus eating Keto because you’re compressing all your food intake of the day in a 6-8 hour window, so in order to make that work you’re naturally going to be eating extremely calorie (and nutrient) dense foods (mostly fats of course). Otherwise, it would be extremely difficult to fit in everything you’re going to eat within the window, and then fast 16-18 hours.
(I’m using this combined approach because although I do need to lose about 50 lbs, I have high insulin, especially in response to glucose. It’s what leads to insulin resistance and eventually diabetes. I have been getting “diabetes screenings” for years with checking fasting glucose and hemoglobin A1c, but those were always normal. Insulin resistance is the root cause, which both Keto and intermittent fasting reverse. The lab test I got was a fasting, 1 hour, and 2 hour glucose tolerance test with insulin response to glucose. Again, glucose was normal at every measurement, but all insulin was high)
58
Matt
May 19
I'm 5'9" and weighed 192 lbs before embarking on a fairly strict keto diet without any concerns regarding calorie intake. I lost 18 pounds in just under 35 days eating eggs and bacon for breakfast followed by microwaved items grilled the night before for lunch and rotisserie chicken or grilled items each evening. Not gonna lie, this diet sucks if you enjoy carbs, but it is very effective as I lost over 4 inches around my belly. Sometimes I will eat 3-5 steaks for dinner and 1/2 lb of bacon with 3-5 eggs for breakfast. I also drink 3-5 diet sodas a day and Powerade Zero Fruit Punch as I need something sweet, plus I snack on dry roasted peanuts and/or popcorn daily. My exercise level remained constant, I noticed that cycling improved while on this diet, but hiking in the mountains definitely suffered (low energy) despite the reduced weight. I now eat a carb heavy breakfast prior to hiking and bring along fruit (and other carbs) and have no energy issues. I've been on this diet for about 2 months now and have lost a total of 22 lbs. I have incorporated limited carbs (like small portions of rice every other day) back into my diet recently to maintain my weight and to break the monotony of eating the same food over and over. I'm 52 and haven't been this thin since my early 20's - had to go buy new clothes, but I'm not complaining. This is a very difficult diet to follow, especially traveling, birthdays, etc., but despite naysayers' opinions it is effective if you persevere .

Should you count calories on a low-carb or keto diet?

What are calories?

How many calories do carbs, protein, and fat provide?

Calories count, but they are not the whole story

Video: Doctors answer

Counting calories: yes or no?

Keto sweeteners- the best and the worst

Guide for low-carb dietitians

All articles and guides by Franziska Spritzler

Comments

53 comments

Leave a reply Cancel reply