Ok this is the second time I've had to write this cause I am determined to get my questions answered. I was seriously deep in thought about Carbs and Calories this week and I am at a standoff at what I've read through the atkins book and what I have learned in basic science classes years ago. Ok Carbs are a source of energy right if I am wrong please let me know and so is a Calorie. Well how come you can't exercise and burn Carbs off the same that you do with Calories. Is it possible that Calories can equal Carbs once they are unused and stored into our fat cells. If that is true then is it possible to eat to many calories and have some of them add to our daily Carb count. Also how come there are exercise machine that have calories burner estimates on them and not Carb burning one. Is a Carb harder to burn that a Calorie. Ok well I am done confusing myself and yall. Please only positive responses no need to get ugly its just my deep thought I'm not trying to save the world.


Stacy

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Stacy I hope to lose 56 lbs

Yes I lost 8 lbs already

stacy:

There are three macronutrients that the human body needs:

Protein, Fat and Carbohydrate

Calories are different: they are a measure of the energy in any type of macronutrient, be it carbs, protein or fat.

So your exercise equipment can't say how many "carbs" you "burned" - because all the macronutrients you eat contribute to the amount of energy available (calories).

No a calorie IS the energy. Carbs are one source of calories (energy).

No. Once unused carbs are stored, they are (as you rightly say) now fat.

No, the carbs you take in is a set number. It doesn't change.
However, what it seems like you are hinting at is this:

We know the number of carbs you take in matters - but how important is the number of calories? Can a low carber eat "all they want" of allowed foods (protein and fat) and still lose weight?

The answer to this question is partly common sense, and partly complicated science.

The common sense part is: NO, LOW CARBERS CANNOT EAT UNLIMITED CALORIES (EVEN FROM ALLOWED SOURCES) AND STILL LOSE WEIGHT.

It is important to note that Dr. Atkins didn't say "eat all you want" - he said eat until satisfied.

A calories IS a calorie, and each calorie HAS THE POTENTIAL to provide a certain fixed amount of energy. Common sense says (and science concurs) that no matter what the make up of your diet, that energy you take in has to go somewhere - you either use it, or you excrete it, or you store it.

The complicated science part is this: preliminary studies have shown that low carbers can eat about 300 calories more a day than low fat dieters and still have the same weight loss.

There are several possible explanations cited for this, but to boil it down to it's simplest terms, although a calorie is a calorie no matter what, the difference is in how the body processes each type of macronutrient. Metabolism of one type of macronutrient may be less "efficient" (produce more waste) than others. Consequently, although two foods may have exactly the same calories, depending on the make up of the person's diet (and especially whether or not they are in ketosis), the calories (energy) may be used more or less efficiently.

But this is still all pretty new science, and no one is completely sure.

There is a conference coming up in June in NY (which I will be attending) where a lot of science will be presented on low carb diets - and I am very anxious to hear what these researchers have to say.

My personal opinion (backed by my own experience and the experience of thousands of people on these boards since 1999) is this:

When we are in ketosis, we do have what Dr. Atkins called a "metabolic advantage" meaning I believe that if in ketosis, MOST people can eat more calories than on a low fat diet and still lose weight - but that is not carte blanche to eat "all you want". There is a point at which calories do matter whether your eating pure protein all day or not!

And this point seems to be very individual - so YOU need to take responsibility for finding what works for you: how many carbs, how much exercise, how many calories. Some people NEVER have to count calories, and some do right from the beginning.

To sum it up: follow your low carb diet, but don't abuse it.

Hope this helps,
LCandrea

Andrea - thanks for the wonderful explanation. It helps clear things up a lot for me.

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Mary Kay
2009 - 223
Valentines day goal - 214

Thanks for explaining all that in simple terms, Andrea. Now I'm armed with info to combat my non-lc "friends" who are constantly attacking me!

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Emily
Current: Size 10
Goal: Size 8

Thank you so much for clearing up all that for me. With all these diet commercials and advocates against Atkins I get so confused. My next question is on Cortisol however I have to find away to word it so that yall understand what I mean. Cause sometimes I don't even understand what I mean LOL. All I know is that Atkins is working for me between me and one of my bestfriends we've lost 105lbs since Oct 26th so we must be doing something right.

Stacy

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Stacy I hope to lose 56 lbs

Yes I lost 8 lbs already

'Thanks for the info. I learn something new everyday to better help with this woe.

Wow, Andrea that was very well said and not complicated to understand. You're a god send.

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Started LC 1-10-04

302/199/160, 103lbs down, 39 to go, simply remarkable.

Restart- 8-19-07
242/226/160


405 points to date ( HOLIDAY CHALLENGE )

Thank you, Andrea. It could not have been more perfectly said!

You da (wo)man!

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Wow! No wonder you do articles in magazines, go on talk shows and moderate this board, (among other things) and don't get tripped up! You've got your facts straight. I just determined today I'm doing a little abusing of this woe myself. Among more exercise and water, I'm going to practice more portion control. For the reasons you outlined above. Thanks for putting something very scientific into "laymans" terms.

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Wow Stacy, 105 lbs. You and your friend are "doing something right" -- thanks for your question! Thanks Andrea for the very well said response! It always seems simpler when you can put it in layman's terms for us.

Hi,

Such a great laymen's explaination. I alway look at calories in this way. Calories are the "expense" of running your body. Carbs, Protiens and Fats are the investments that can be saved. If your investments exceed your cost, then you will see them grow in the form of extra weight. The key here, contrary to the money anology, is that you want your expenses to exceed your investment. The goal of anyone should alway be a balance, at some point, that your investments match your expenses.

So heres to having a losing year!

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Information gladly given, but safety requires no unnecessary conversation.

http://www.fitday.com/WebFit/PublicJ...wner=RedLegg46

LC - 7/3/03
290/155/169 ***BELOW GOAL :great: :great: :great:

Andrea, excelent explanation. Couldn't have said it better myself.

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Started Atkins on 9/20/03
235-->190; 150 goal