Why count calories
Have you ever seen one of those testimonials which claims “I have lost 100 pounds on keto, I ate as much as I wanted. Never had to count calories!”.
Most likely the person who said that was male, young and athletic.
Calories do count, even if you are eating the right kind of calories (mostly fat!), especially if you are a woman over 40.
Why is it very difficult for a woman to lose weight on keto when not counting calories?
- First of all a woman’s metabolism is subject to hormonal fluctuations, which influence hunger and water retention.
A woman’s metabolism can have been wrecked by constant starvation diets and binges.
As a woman ages metabolism changes. You might not be insulin resistant when you are 25, but by 45 things can drastically change.
When eating a ketogenic diet appetite is naturally suppressed, so the general rule is to eat until satisfied but not full. That is considered a general rule and should be good enough to control the amount of food you are eating.
What is the problem with this model?
- Women suffer from “hormonal hunger” which fluctuates up and down with the cycle and make it very difficult to determine a true satiety point.
Many people suffer from leptin resistance. Leptin is the hormone which signals satiety to the brain. Being leptin resistant means you never feel satisfied.
Women especially tend to succumb to nervous eating. When under stress it easy to reach for a treat, even a keto treat, and accumulate calories and macros.
many people, because of years of yo-yo dieting, and bingeing are out of touch with a healthy feeling of fullness.
So if you are not having the desired results on a keto diet, or are having problems getting into ketosis, you might be eating too many calories.
What to do about it
- That is why it is important to follow a customized program, with the proper macros, that keeps in consideration;
Your sex
Your age
Your current weight
Your level of activity /fitness
Possible hormonal imbalances
Possible thyroid imbalances.
Insulin and leptin resistance.
All those are deterring factors in calculating the ideal amount of calories you should consume and how to distribute them through your day.
If you’d like more information on eating a well designed, health based ketogenic diet follow my newsletter and read these posts:
Low Carb Misconception #2 – Low Carb is High protein
Low Carb Misconception #1 – Low Carb is Low Fat
Great post and loved your video! The outtakes are my favorite. Really good info, thank you.
Thanx Jenna!! I am a bit of a goofball 😉
Vivica – wow are you really 46, you look amazing! I thought you were only in your early thirties!….
… This video helped me loads. I’ve been ketogenic for almost 4 months but put myself put of ketosis about 2 weeks ago and have been struggling ever since. I am guilty of ‘guessing’ some of my measurements – your video has made me realise this and I’m going to get back to being spot on! – thank you for the advice and keep up the great work, I love your bolg xx Em
Thank you so much Emma!
That is the whole idea…to be helpful 😉
Thanks again for this great video 🙂
You are very welcome Elodie! 🙂
Thank you, Vivica, for your video. I found your site during a random search… “why do I need to restrict calories on a low carb diet” after some frustration this week. A low carb diet definitely helps me to reduce my overall hunger, but I find I cannot eat as much food as I would like to indulge in, as other low-carber advocates like to suggest. I simply cannot eat large servings of low-carb foods and still lose weight. Not going to happen! This came as a sad realization, at first, but hey – now I’m just thankful to find something that most definitely works for me. As long as I keep my portions in check, calories in mind, and carb count low, I can lose weight at a reasonable rate without the constant pangs of hunger. And for that, I am SO grateful!
PS – LOVE your pet, Goosini, at the video end 🙂 What a beauty!!! Thanks for your wise advise,
Gwen from Philadelphia, PA
Hi Gwen, thank you for your feedback and compliments 🙂
Honestly I do not know that many people who can “indulge” in keto treats and lose weight either..