jamericana2001's Journal, 14 August 2018

One rule of thumb is to add a zero to your target weight as a calorie goal. So if you are trying to reach 180 then 1800 calories. But that's probably still a little high.  

this calculator is definitely too high. I like this keto calculator, it is more conservative and once you get your RDI it will suggest a range of protein for you and you just put in your total carbs you want to maintain. the fat range is automatic https://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/ 

Thank you so much for the tips! I thought it was too high... I’m not reaching calorie goal most days anyways because of this. Will weight on Friday and see where I’m at. 

you'd lose but it may be slower than you'd like. 

Agree. I’m 62, 5’11”, 190lbs, active. The FatSecret calculator tells me to eat 2400 calories per day. No way! I’ve found 1200 to 1400 well-balanced calories work best for me. Low carbs. No alcohol. No added sugars. Loss = approximately 2 lbs per week. Very sustainable. 

Well I got into this with overall health as my goal, not sure if I’m going to stay on Keto as I’m having a difficult time. I started working out and cut all processed foods and most sugars... trying to make this a lifestyle not a diet so I’m not in a hurry to lose, as long as I see progress.. at the very least I already feel way better, joint pain gone and lots more energy! 😊 

Also, I’m trying to follow DR Price’s nutrient dense WOE, tho is being challenging as “nutrient dense” also means “ calorie dense” so I’m sort of balancing and see where it takes me. It’s mostly doable with the Keto plan but I just can’t get the carbs down enough to get into Ketosis... for some reason my body and soul is telling me that such low carb intake is not healthy on the long run (or maybe is my cravings speaking 😜) no offense to my fellow keto followers. I guess I’m just discovering what works for me well enough to make it a lifetime change. 

you can certainly do well with dropping refined processed food and sugars, no reason to totally change your lifestyle if you are not comfortable with a keto diet plan. Keto has a transition period that can be unpleasant. Eating more whole foods with lots of fiber takes much more to burn through than refined carbs. So that alone would do you well with a reduction of calories to promote weight loss. You should find a way to lose weight and keep it off that fits in with a way you can maintain as a long term lifestyle.  

There are other calculators online that give my lower numbers. I think we gotta play with it to find what works best for us. 

Gosh it sucks that there’s no “like” button here to acknowledge all of you lol... thank you all for the support and tips! 

Start there if you lose weight it’s a deficit 😉 

that is the great thing about this site, there are a lot of support here for what ever way you decide to go.  

When you hit a plateau you deduct more and so on 🙌🏼 

Do not start with a severe calorie deficit like many will suggest 

Cause when you hit a plateau you will have to deduct more n more 

@Jamericana2001 I am a strict follower of Atkins/Keto. There are plenty of options for meals if you know how to cook so you won't feel stuck or deprived. And as long as you don't have food allergies or carb allergies like me or some others here, your carb count can be higher. The biggest carb culprits are potatoes, rice, pasta, but there are alternatives for all three - cauliflower is great substitute for mashed potatoes and rice; turnips are a great substitute for scalloped or augratin potatoes, spaghetti squash or summer squash can substitute for pasta. Look through my Recipes for suggestions and there are many online if you look up keto recipes. @Baskington do you have a recipe cookbook on here? 

Oh the cravings will stop the lower carbs you take in and the more fats you eat.  

The doctors who recommend keto will tell you not to count calories or track macros, just eat to satiety - but too many of us eat too fast for that to work well. I agree the calories FS recommends are too high; the keto calculator one of the other members posted, is better. Just assume no / light activity. 

Mjgh06 no allergies that I know of, and yes week 3 has been easier. I meal prep and cook a lot, and have substituted the pasta for squash and zucchini and I love it! I just miss fruits a lot as I’m not a huge fan of berries. I have to also find a way to substitute rice as it used to be a big part of my diet (Spaniard)... also I miss legumes a lot! But I guess I can eat those in moderate amounts once on the maintenance plan... 

yes you can in moderation in maintenance have a few legumes and some are not as costly as others. rice is cauliflower rice as a substitute. that is one thing I buy prepared too much work. the freezer department has riced cauliflower, you just have to read the labels carefully to get the one without additives. Birdseye makes one without additives just pure cauliflower. It is a bit more delicate though just like the zoodles you are using.