Weight-Loss Caloric Intake Way Off

[Jeff91]

So Ive been having a lot of success losing weight so far but my big concern came when I started a daily calorie counter. Im exercising every day and it say to maintain I should have 3400 calories a day and to lose i should have about 2700... My intake for today was just under 750(Lower than usual but I think I`m still usually only at like 1200 tops). The thing is I`m not hungry, I`m not tired, and I`m not having any trouble with my workout. Im drinking a lot of water and eating almost entirely lean protein, and fruits and veggies. I`m having absolutely NO junk food. How bad is this on my body?

 

[Jericho]

Once and a while? You will be ok. The damage is when it is constantly for a period of time. Get back to normal and you should be fine.

 

[raj1]

Hi Jeff91,
I have just started working out and I need help. I am eating about 1500 calories a day and working out about 500.
In the morning I eat two whole grain bread with one large egg made with soft margarine i teaspoon plus 1 cup tea with skim milk and no sugar.
Lunch:
two whole grain bread with all the veggies and water

dinner
a home made fajita.

How did you lose weight? what were you doing at the gym and eating wise?

 

[crnulus]

Cut the fruits (fructose, increased insulin sensitivity) and have something else like eggs or nuts. even if you're eating more calories this way, you'll lose even more weight.

 

[Jericho]

Cut the fruits (fructose, increased insulin sensitivity) and have something else like eggs or nuts. even if you're eating more calories this way, you'll lose even more weight.

Um..I'm curious on your logic. Weight loss is calories in vs calories out. If you eat more calories, no matter what type of calories, then you aren't going to lose more weight. Please explain your logic and science?


From AAFP:

OBESITY

Many persons with one or more of the conditions listed above are obese. Obesity is a component of the syndrome, but it promotes insulin resistance rather than resulting from it. Weight loss can improve insulin sensitivity and reduce insulin levels.

 

[crnulus]

Um..I'm curious on your logic. Weight loss is calories in vs calories out. If you eat more calories, no matter what type of calories, then you aren't going to lose more weight. Please explain your logic and science?


From AAFP:

Reducing insulin results in your body using fat as an energy source rather than carbs. It's why low-carb diets, despite allowing you to eat upto 2000 calories, are much more effective at weight loss.

 

[shygemini]

Reducing insulin results in your body using fat as an energy source rather than carbs. It's why low-carb diets, despite allowing you to eat upto 2000 calories, are much more effective at weight loss.

That is incorrect. The order of calories burned is:

alcohol-carb-protein-fat

 

[crnulus]

That is incorrect. The order of calories burned is:

alcohol-carb-protein-fat

No it's not, well, it might be but who seriously drinks alcohol while trying to lose weight? Anyway, if your carb intake is low (less than 50g a day) then in 3 days your body enters ketosis and burns fat instead of carbs.

Why do you think low-carb diets are the most popular ones? They're the best health-wise. Eating 750 calories a day is bad for you. Sure, you might lose weight fast but with losing that weight comes losing lean muscle.

Going low carb is a win-win situation. You can feel full and lose weight faster than a calorie restricting diet.

 

[shygemini]

No it's not, well, it might be but who seriously drinks alcohol while trying to lose weight? Anyway, if your carb intake is low (less than 50g a day) then in 3 days your body enters ketosis and burns fat instead of carbs.

Why do you think low-carb diets are the most popular ones? They're the best health-wise. Eating 750 calories a day is bad for you. Sure, you might lose weight fast but with losing that weight comes losing lean muscle.

Going low carb is a win-win situation. You can feel full and lose weight faster than a calorie restricting diet.

No, you are wrong. If you are eating low carbs, your body has less carbohydrates to burn, but it STILL BURNS CARBS FIRST. Carbs are the preferred fuel for certain organs, including your brain, so these are ALWAYS used first. During ketosis, your body uses whatever carbs are available, and then turns to making fat into ketone bodies to fuel your brain. It still burns the carbs.

 

[crnulus]

No, you are wrong. If you are eating low carbs, your body has less carbohydrates to burn, but it STILL BURNS CARBS FIRST. Carbs are the preferred fuel for certain organs, including your brain, so these are ALWAYS used first. During ketosis, your body uses whatever carbs are available, and then turns to making fat into ketone bodies to fuel your brain. It still burns the carbs.

Nope. Carbs are stored in the form of glycogen in our body. During ketosis, the body goes to fat stores for energy and not glycogen.

I don't understand why you keep referring to what fuels the brain. We are discussing weight loss here, nobody really gives a crap what fuels the brain.

 

[shygemini]

Nope. Carbs are stored in the form of glycogen in our body. During ketosis, the body goes to fat stores for energy and not glycogen.

I don't understand why you keep referring to what fuels the brain. We are discussing weight loss here, nobody really gives a crap what fuels the brain.

You clearly need to read more about ketosis.
I keep referring to what fuels the brain, because that is the entire reason why ketosis happens. The brain needs energy, it prefers glucose, but it can use ketones if needed.

Carbs are still used first (primary fuel source) whereas ketones are used second.

 

[summer123]

Regardless of how low your carbs are, if your eating say 2000kcals from carbs amd you switch to 2000kcals from protein, your body will just use the protein instead of the carbs, you wont lose any/more weight by switching where you get your calories from, it just makes more sense to eat a balance diet (hence the stickes and people like us suggesting a healthy balance of macros). You need a healthy diet to help your body get the best from a workout, if its malnourished it feels harder to stick to any diet (your body craves what it lacks and it becomes confused easily, craves the wrong foods).

Basic fact, weight loss is calories in vs calories out, you cannot change that, you cannot just change what types of food you eat without considering the energy it carries if you hope to lose weight. Basic stuff!

 

[crnulus]

Regardless of how low your carbs are, if your eating say 2000kcals from carbs amd you switch to 2000kcals from protein, your body will just use the protein instead of the carbs, you wont lose any/more weight by switching where you get your calories from, it just makes more sense to eat a balance diet (hence the stickes and people like us suggesting a healthy balance of macros). You need a healthy diet to help your body get the best from a workout, if its malnourished it feels harder to stick to any diet (your body craves what it lacks and it becomes confused easily, craves the wrong foods).

Basic fact, weight loss is calories in vs calories out, you cannot change that, you cannot just change what types of food you eat without considering the energy it carries if you hope to lose weight. Basic stuff!

Is this is a joke? It's way better to eat protein than carbs because protein is used quickly by our body while (simple) carbs are completely useless as they are there to raise insulin, which causes your body to store fat.

You lose much more weight by switching where your calories come from. Ask anybody on a low-carb diet (I've yet to go on one.. still haven't planned out my diet) and they will tell you that weight goes down quickly on a low-carb diet. I still don't understand why 80% of the denizens in this forum choose to starve themselves through eating less than 1000 calories just to lose weight. IT'S USELESS. It's not only bad for your body, but you will be losing muscle mass.

You clearly need to read more about ketosis.
I keep referring to what fuels the brain, because that is the entire reason why ketosis happens. The brain needs energy, it prefers glucose, but it can use ketones if needed.

Carbs are still used first (primary fuel source) whereas ketones are used second.

Okay, maybe you're right, but why does this matter? The point of ketosis and the ultimate goal of a low-carb diet is to burn fat instead of carbs for energy... which is what it does. You still haven't answered what you're trying to prove in this conversation.

 

[shygemini]

nope, all i was trying to prove was the order in which calories are used, which is:

alcohol- carb- protein-fat

that is all.

 

[crnulus]

nope, all i was trying to prove was the order in which calories are used, which is:

alcohol- carb- protein-fat

that is all.

I have no problem with that. I think i took things a bit far. The only point i'm really trying to make here is that a low-carb diet works best for obese/overweight people.

This scientific paper is very interesting, a number of the scientists, nutritionists and experts from around the world defined what a low-carb diet really is. Good read: