Okay guys, I asked this question regarding calories in the Atkins Diet forum:
http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=132761

Basically I was trying to figure out whether or not I was hindering my weight loss, or not maximizing it by eating too many calories.

I weight 301 and am eating roughly 2200-2500 calories a day, and found out through various answers that if you were to count calories on Atkins it would be based upon 10x's your present weight, which puts me at 3,000 calories.

My question for you guys is have you found it's easier to lose weight by being more mindful of calories? By maybe trying to stick with the plan but also cut calories.

Or are you doing just fine by matching the "allowed" amount of calories per day?

Hello! Congratulations on your weight loss thus far!
I started Atkins in April and I am following Induction for 6 months. As for calories, I try and eat 10-12 times my GOAL weight and no more than 20 gms of carbs per day. It seems to be working just fine for me. I wish you much continued success!

In talking to lots of low carbers, I've found that everyone is different when it comes to the calorie issue. Some need to monitor their calories and stick within a certain range in order to lose and some don't. Personally, I haven't been paying much attention to calories until very recently.

I'm still not obsessing about them, but I am trying to stay under 2000 calories on most days. I think an occasional higher calorie day may actually be good for the mix. Our bodies are pretty efficient and when they get used to a certain number of calories on a regular basis, they become adept at functioning at that level and the initial weight loss can stall. By varying my calories, my body doesn't really have a chance to adjust. I use Fitday.com and check my averages on a weekly basis. As long as that comes in under or around 2000, I'm good with that, even though it may mean one day was 2600 and another was 1600 during the week.

My advice would be to do your own experimenting and see what your body seems to do best at.

I'll qualify my response by saying I'm not following Atkins, but just doing lower carb, so keep that in mind when you read my response.

I monitor calories. One of the things I did was find out what the average calorie count would be for someone at my height and goal weight. I figured if I was gonna become that imaginary person, I need to do what she does.

Then I do the lower carb amounts along with the lowered calories and it seems to work for me. I do splurge now and again on a wicked dessert or something, but I balance that out for the rest of the day by not having other high carb/high calorie items. I think this shakes up my system a bit, just as LCchickFL suggested. Good luck in your weight loss!

I find it far easier to STICK with this diet because I eat until I am NOT hungry. So, by not being hungry...by eating til fully satisfied I can stick with the diet eating program foods. I think you may find more "cheats" when you are hungry than when you are satisfied.
I eat around 3000 calories to 3400 most days. 2500 on a low day. I am losing 1-3 pounds a week regular as clockwork.

I haven't been counting calories, I'm just trying to eat a reasonable amount everyday without going over board.

I do not count calories. The few times I have it has alway been under 2000 - closer to 1400. I have not been hungry recently and have been forcing myself to eat!! I still can not beleive I have to force myself to eat!!

I have never felt really hungry since beging this WOE, I just make sure that I eat 3 meals a day, and a few snacks.

I don't count calories. I eat until satisfied. Different things work for different people. One of the reasons that I chose the Atkins plan was because I didn't have to count calories. It has worked for me so far.

I stay in the area of 10x my goal weight, which comes to about 1500 calories. However, I *purposely* vary my calories on a day-to-day basis, so my body doesn't get accustomed to a certain amount of calories, causing a stall (advice from my nutritionist). Therefore, I fluctuate between 1200 on a very low day to a high of 2000.

I am still eating until I'm satisfied, but I find that by watching my caloric intake, it helps me to make better food choices (load up on salad instead of cheese, for example).

I have never counted calories and do not have a very good idea of how many calories I eat each day. However, I am realizing that as I get smaller I need to adjust the quantities I eat downward if I still want to lose. I'm still not counting calories, just listening to my body very closely so that I stop eating as soon as I am no longer hungry. I think I had gotten used to needing to eat a certain amount of food and I no longer need that much food.

Hello all. I started counting calories today. I have decided that I shoulscount them based on Zora's post. I am going to try this and see what happens. I am gonna try to vary the caloties as well day by day. I am going to have 10-12 times my GOAL weight and then very a few times a week. I will be posting my menu in my journal. I will also be keeping a fitday journal to count calories. I wish the best of luck to everyone on this WOE. GOD BLESS

I simply count carbs and do not worry about calories. I eat until I feel full (which is not the same as stuffed).

Good luck.

Thanks for the replies guys.

I haven't counted calories either. Perhaps, if I find myself in a stall I'll look at that. Like so many have stated...I find it much easier to just eat until satisfied and not worrying about the calorie count.

Ok I have had major problems losing and I did have to monitor calories to lose. I started but limiting calories to 1600, because I stalled at 1800. I lose at 1600 just fine. Now I don't really count calories every day, but what I do is to eat only until I'm not longer hungry. I don't really have a full sensor. I go from hungry to stuffed, so I have to really pay attention that I'm no longer hungry and am not stuffed yet. That allows me to lose. I do miss that really full feeling sometimes and I go overboard like last night mindlessly munching on cheese. BTW I don't suggest it unless you absolutely have to.