I have one simple question that I hope someone can help me out with. I have been low carbing for a few weeks now, but am getting very burned out. I thought about trying to watch my calories, but I am a very big red meat eater. A guy I work with said his wife's doctor told her that to lose her weight she needs to watch her calories. She asked if she also needs to watch fat grams or carb grams and he told her no. He said fat and carbs won't matter as long as she is keeping her calories in a certain range and exercising. Is this true? Can a person lose weight by watching calories alone? I have lost weight before by low carbing, but like I said, I am just burning out big time and don't feel I can do this for life. What should I do? Please help! I am so confused!

Boy do you sound like me.Ive lost weight too low carbing but like you im burnt out and no i can not do it for life.Im really thinking about doing weight watchers point system im just not sure how many points i can have.But from what i hear its low calorie and low in bad fats im just hoping its something more lifetime maintence than low carb.Let me know what you decide and good luck.

Yes, its possible to lose weight watching calories alone.

It's almost easier to lose weight by counting calories. Just remember that when your body adjusts to a lower calorie intake, you'll stop losing. That's when you increase your calories for a few days or a week or so so that your body comes out of "starvation mode" and becomes efficient again.

Chippie - so what would you think would be a good calorie range for someone 222 pounds?
I would like to lose about 2 pounds per week.

Thanks! Kim

I found this website very helpful: http://caloriecompanion.com/calculators.asp.

It asks questions like what is your weight now? desired weight? Then it tell you how many calories you need to consume to get to your desire weight withe losing one to two pounds a week.

God Bless,
Misty

The doctor is correct. The body is a machine that runs on fuel - calories. If over a given period of time, let's say a month, you burn more fuel than you consume the body will use its stored fuel (fat and muscle) to provide the energy necessary to keep it functioning. The key is to know exactly how much fuel you need to maintain your present body weight. Once you know this number of calories you can adjust you intake of calories to a lower number. For every 3,500 calorie change in you diet your body weight will change by one pound. You eat an extra 3,500 calories you gain a pound, you reduce the amount of calories you consume by 3,500 and you lose a pound.

Physical activity, speicifically wieght bearing, cardiovascular activites like walking, aerobics, the use of elipitical training machines or treadmills are the best way to increase the body's need for calories. If you excercise, say walk a mile in 20 minutes and you weigh 150 pounds, you will burn 100 calories. If you weigh 225 pounds (which is 50% more than 150 pounds) you will burn 50% more calories or 150 calories. You see with activities like those mentioned above you are using calories necessary to move your body mass and this is the most effective type of exercise to reduce body fat. A stationery bicycle is NOT a good exercise to do when attempting to increase calorie consumption.

After you have increased your calories expenditure you must NOT INCREASE the amount of calories you consume! No cookie reward - that cookie would negate your efforts.

So, if we review you need to reduce or stablize your calorie consumption and increase you weight bearing physical activity to effectivey and safely reduce your body weight. I say stablize because even if you do not change you diet and begin a regular routine of increased weight-bearing physical activity you will loose weight. Not a lot and not very quickly but your body weight will in time adjust to balance the activity level and caloric intake. Now the magic numbers

Men: body weight X 11 = calories to maitain body weight

Women (sorry ladies but the truth is the truth)
body weight x 10 = calories to maintain body weight

So if you are obese say 280 pounds and you are female that means you are cosuming 2,800 calories a day or more if you are active physically. If you are not physically active you are consuming literally twice the amount of food you need to weigh 140 pounds.

Hi there ...

just thought I add my 2 bits lol ...

I think the reason the doctor told your friend that there is no need for her to watch carbs or fats and just calories is probably because he told her to eat low calorie food and those foods are usually low in carbs and fats anyways ... e.g. cheese is very high in fat, very low in carbs BUT lol high in calories so a no-no on a calorie restricted diet ...

hope that makes sense and helps :-)

~Lisi~