How do i find my maintence level and how far so i go under it with an LC diet to see nice results in fat loss

Hi, Greg.

From looking at your stats, I'd really suggest you not worry about maintenance or even pre-maintenance right now. Concentrate on the OWL phase (which I would guess is where you are in Atkins's plan, again from the stats).

Be sure you're taking in AT LEAST 10-12 times your weight in calories, daily. You read it right. Twenty-five hundred, AT LEAST. That will support your Basal Metabolic Rate and keep your system from going into starvation mode (hanging on to every last calorie, for fear it won't get any more, ever). Once you support the BMR, your system realizes you're *not* out to starve it, but to *feed* it--and it lets the fat slip away. It allows the state of ketosis/lipolysis to *work*.

Also be sure you're drinking plenty of water. You require at least 64oz a day, plus another 8oz for every 25lbs you want to lose. I routinely drink 3-4 litres daily. I only *need* 72oz at this point, but I feel better and find the pounds and inches move better when I drink more. There's no such thing as too much water. Too little, though, and you're courting dehydration. Not a good thing.

I suggest taking a look at FitDay.com. It's a food-tracking system (among other things) that lots of us here have found very helpful. I use it to plan my menus a day ahead. Without it, I'd have no clue if I were getting my 70% calories from fat, 5% from carbs, and 25% from protein. I just don't have that kind of capability in my head. With the FitDay program I can play with my food (hee hee hee) until the numbers are within a reasonable range of my target.

If you have any more questions, by all means, ask! I know someone will answer--we ALL have opinions around here!

ah yeesh, i was eating way too low then. i weight ~ 300 so i would be needing 3000-3600 (how the heck am i gonna do that? heh) i've been seeing loss in weight but i wouldn't doubt that was all muscle. also i work out 3 times a week. thanks for advice..

Hi again!

Your stat bar reads that you now weigh 250, so that's where I took the 2500 figure from. The BMR calculation uses your *current* weight, not your starting one. Therefore, it changes every now and then--and if you hit a streak of losses, well, you'll be doing a lot of recalculating.

It's not tough to eat 2500 a day. I did it a couple of times--and was STUFFED. I decided I'd stick closer to my "max minimum" of 2100, and that's doing the trick for me. I can eat that much in a day and not feel like I'm going to pop.

Check out my journal if you like, to see what kinds of daily menus I use. And good luck to you!!

gregnb, do yourself the biggest favour you can do for yourself and read the book that goes along with your chosen plan. You are messing around with your body and if you don't know the basics and all the stuff that will take you into lifetime maintenance, you will be in trouble down the road. The 2002 edition of Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution is great! Use the forum as a resource for things you are unsure of. Facts and opinions abound here.

There is virtually no way you can lose muscle with a LC way of eating if you are doing it properly. Muscle loss is a dangerous side effect of low-calorie diets.

Karen