I absolutely LOVE eating a high fat, low carb, nutrient dense diet. To me, it’s the most satiating, energizing way to eat. Even better, having metabolic flexibility also allows me to cycle carbs in once in a while, so I can have that gluten free focaccia bread every now and again too (side note: Simple Mills mix is amazing – lowish carbs, almond flour based – serve with really good olive oil – OMG -Grain Free Bread Heaven!)
But, despite all the posts out there in Keto-land with bacon and butter on everything, for women (and men) who aren’t losing weight – even on keto – overdoing overall calories may be the reason why.
Yes – calories matter.
Not that I want you to count calories, but if you’re not losing – or find you’re even gaining weight on keto, calories are maybe the fourth place to look – the first place to look is nutrients – are your cells getting the real food, anti-inflammatory nutrients they need to operate optimally? Tied for second/third are carbs/macros and stress/lifestyle – a distant fourth is calories – especially if you have the rest balanced, the calories should naturally come into balance.
For the body to lose stored energy (aka body fat), the cells must not be overfilled. They must detect an energy deficit (from diet and/or exercise) and safety to tap into stored energy reserves for fuel.
It’s a delicate balance because if you go too low in calories or overdo the exercise, the body will slow down the metabolic rate and conserve body fat because it senses potential famine and or danger.
Your body doesn’t care that you want to look good naked. It wants you to survive.
These survival mechanism become even more sensitized as we get older which is why most women (even some men) can’t get away with slashing calories and hitting it hard at the gym too often without these complex hormonal signals backfiring.
This happened to me, so I know firsthand.
As I’ve shared with many of you, I was a chronic dieter since I was a teenager where I dabbled with anorexia, bulimia and then just all-out mainstream dieting for decades. Dexatrim pills, Cigarettes and DIet Coke, Slim Fast and year after year of Weight Watchers with countless other diets in between.
Between stress from my career and having kids (and just the way I’m wired), all of this self inflicted abuse eventually led me to an autoimmune disease – Hashimoto’s (under-active thyroid), but as we know in the scientific literature – this stems from the gut and inflammation which points right back to stress, poor diet and lifestyle.
So back to the original question: Do Calories Matter?
YES – BUT….
Don’t think that slashing calories will solve your weight problem. This is a younger person strategy that creates longer term damage that will not fly in later years (Thanks, hormones and survival physiology!).
