So, I am gathering from these responses that calories DO COUNT?????????

Sorry, I am a struggling newbie!

That's what I'm trying to figure out as well :) Dr. A said not to give calories a second thought, but yet so many do. I guess I need to stick with just counting carbs for a bit and not worry about the cals to see if it works for me... oh the confusion.:daze:

I count carbs but I consider the nutritional value of foods and the calorie level. This cuts out things like pork-rinds but might allow a yogurt.

I count both calories and carbs, as I have a tendancy to overeat. I like to be able see where, if the need arises, I've gone wrong. When I low carbed before, at first I counted both and lost a fair amount of weight (30 lbs.) relatively easily. When I stopped counting carbs and cals I slowly put back almost all of the weight. Like I said, I tend to overeat. :roll: Until I get to my goal weight and have maintained for awhile, I'll continue counting both.

I count all the nutrients -- fat, carbs, and protein, as well as fiber and calories using a program on my Palm. I do this for a couple reasons. One, I'm just anal retentive and a compulsive listmaker so doing this suits my personality. It's actually really easy on my Palm once you enter the food once. It's also helpful to enter a potential food and see if it's worth eating from a carb allowance standpoint.

The other reason I do it is that I think calories DO count to a certain extent. I don't consciously limit my calories, but I like to know what I'm taking in so I can identify where I need to cut back if I hit a stall. I'm eating on average about 2000 calories a day, a lot compared to most of the people on this board, but my ratios are exactly what they should be.

Count Carbs
 

I complained to a friend that I spent the last twenty years of my life learning the calorie count of nearly every food on the planet, and now I am in carb counts kindergarten LOL!

I do basically look at my carbs. I use Fitday occasionally just to make sure my fat/carbs/protein percentages are in line. It is something I like about this diet..it is really a no-brainer as long as you only eat "real foods" and not a lot of bars/shakes etc.

I find when I use Fitday, no matter how much I think I have eaten, my calories run anywhere from 1400 - 1800, which at my height and weight puts me in calorie deficit anyhow, so I can't help but lose. I try to keep my carbs between 20 and 30 as I am still trying to ascertain the number of grams I can eat and still lose.

Doc Atkins DID NOT give us the freedom to eat thousands and thousands of calories. He said, "eat until you are satisfied". SOmetimes I do struggle with that because depending on my mood, as "satisfied" has different meanings, and I am sure those of you reading know what I mean. I do find however, that with the satiety factor of the amount of fat and protein we eat, usually this does result in being a lower calorie intake anyhow. AND OMG to have "permission" to put butter on my veggies again! I often look at my huge dinner and think, THIS IS A DIET? I cannot believe that I can eat a huge salad with hot chicken slices, salsa, sour cream, cheese and bacon and lose weight...but somehow I do...whee!

Hope this made some sense.

Margot

Hi guys...
Like a lot of people I count everything...calories, fat, and carbs. I read in Dana Carpender's book How I Gave Up My Low Fat Diet and lost 40 lbs that most people on a low carb diet naturally end up comsuming less calories because the food is so much more filling. I like to know because I tend to either overdo things or not consume enough calories. When you are new to this way of life I think it's important to make sure you're eating enough or not too much--it's a pain, but for a short period of time it's nice to know you're doing things right. It will also help you figure out which foods cause stalls or disagree with ketosis for you.
Good Luck!
Jenn

me I just count carbs, and why because i'm down 50lbs in 4 months.

I don't count anything. I used to write everything I would eat down in a journal, but then I decided to eat good food and just live! I'm a whole lot happier because of it.

I still count my carbs - trying to stay at induction level. I also need to keep an eye on my calories - I seem to have alot of days that are under 1000 calories, and I dont want to go into starvation mode! On those days I just eat chicken wings!

I count carbs & calories
 

I count carbs and calories using Diet Power. I log everything, water, vitamins and exercise. I really feel that it helps me to maintain the discipline of eating low carb, yet gives me the freedom to choose a wider variety of foods. Besides, I like seeing the numbers and the charts & graphs. Since there have been a few days when I've gone over my carb allotment, the data in Diet Power also lets me make certain that my following days bring me back to where I need to be.

Thanks for the replies everyone! I'm going to continue to count only my carbs for a few weeks and see how it goes.. if I start gaining, I guess I'll have to go back to counting calories too. :( I just hate the number slave I was becoming...:bash:

I have never had the courage to count only carbs. Maybe I should try that.

i only count carbs. i keep my carbs low and work out. i have no idea how many calories i eat per day. i love my pork rinds!! hehehehehehe