Restricting Calories on Keto Diet???

[Horacey]

So I have been on a Keto diet for about 4 days now and have also been restricting my calorie intake. I am getting about 1200-1000 calories a day. It’s not bad and I don’t feel at all like I’m starving or craving anymore food and I am getting almost exactly 60% fat, 35% protein and ~5% carbohydrates (in the form of veggies). I started exercising/dieting late in August at the weight of 314 and am down to 244 currently. I am 25 years old, 6’3” and would assume I have about around 190-200 pounds lean muscle and I realize I’m not getting enough protein to sustain that.

Is the Keto diet as effective while also restricting calories or does anyone here feel that you have to have a certain amount?

Am I risking too much muscle loss?

[Bonkies]

200lbs lean muscle at 1200 calories a day... eat more lol, you're eating about 100g of protein a day?

[Horacey]

200lbs lean muscle at 1200 calories a day... eat more lol, you're eating about 100g of protein a day?

Yes, I'm eating almost exactly 100g of protein a day. I've had some great weight loss before starting this diet by just limiting my calories and eating extremely "clean." I wasn't really counting my calories until I started the keto diet though.

I'm worried that if I up my calories too much I will start gaining weight.

At the same time, I am worried that if I restrict them too much this diet won't work and my metabolism will slow.

For me maintenance calories/day would probably be around 3000. Should I up the calorie intake to 2000? Advice would be greatly appreciated!

[Atavis]

Yes, I'm eating almost exactly 100g of protein a day. I've had some great weight loss before starting this diet by just limiting my calories and eating extremely "clean." I wasn't really counting my calories until I started the keto diet though.

I'm worried that if I up my calories too much I will start gaining weight.

At the same time, I am worried that if I restrict them too much this diet won't work and my metabolism will slow.

For me maintenance calories/day would probably be around 3000. Should I up the calorie intake to 2000? Advice would be greatly appreciated!

You should double your protein intake.

[Blackjack68]

For me maintenance calories/day would probably be around 3000. Should I up the calorie intake to 2000? Advice would be greatly appreciated!

If 3k is maint, then 1,000-1,200 is too much of a deficit. Even on keto, you're probably losing considerable lean muscle. I understand that you've had success (congrats), and don't want to slow it down, but you should. Try 2000ish for a week or so. Needs more protein too.

[Horacey]

You should double your protein intake.

They would put me at about 2000 calories a day, because I would also have to up fats to about 115g/day

If 3k is maint, then 1,000-1,200 is too much of a deficit. Even on keto, you're probably losing considerable lean muscle. I understand that you've had success (congrats), and don't want to slow it down, but you should. Try 2000ish for a week or so. Needs more protein too.

I think you're right, I might be moving too fast and the more I read the more I'm leaning towards ~2000 calories/day so that I get the protein I need. It's tricky, I want to keep LBM I have, but I'm trying to lose weight fast.

[romajc]

I'm 145lbs and those calories would be too low for me...

[Horacey]

I'm 145lbs and those calories would be too low for me...

I'm going to increase everything to about 2000 calories/day w/ ~180 being protein. I hope that should be enough. I just purchased some ketostix to make sure I am in ketosis.

I guess it is the consensus that restricting calories to 1200 is way too low?

[tradertrader]

1200 calories?? are you crazy??? that is WAY too low for any guy, let alone someone your size

eat more man, add a good 1 lb - 1.5 lbs of fatty red meat to whatever you have been eating. if you eat this low much longer you are heading for a serious crash and likely a binge on carbs that will set you back

eat a reasonable amount and be patient, the weight will come off

[driven1]

Hi All,

Sorry to bump up this old thread, but I have a question along the same lines and am wondering if anyone here can point me in the right direction? I am a 44 yo female, former bodybuilder. My last competition was about 4 years ago, when my metabolism cratered after the extreme diets, crazy amounts of cardio and "supplements". Since then, I have been doing nothing but struggling to keep my body fat under control. I am an extremely carb sensitive endo/meso body type (gain muscle pretty fast for a girl, but can't lose enough fat to show it all off... LOL!). I am a carnivore from way back (forget soy shakes and edamame... this girl wants a STEAK, hold the salad!!!). I am in good health, no meds. I need to lose about 40 pounds to get where I want to be.

OK, so now you know my background - here's my dilemma. I am using Lyle McDonald's book, "The Ketogenic Diet" as a reference. In his book, he gives two methods of determining calories. 1. Keep a food journal for a few days, or 2. Do the math. I've done both and the results are miles apart. I have been using calorie software to track everything for the past 3 - 4 weeks, so I know that my nutrition is bang on. I am eating 1450 to 1500 calories per day, ~35 g of carb, 75 g protein and 110 g fat. After an initial small water loss of about 5 pounds - no weight loss. I have been in ketosis continually for the entire period, most days moderate to heavy amounts of ketones are showing on the KetoStix. So, according to Lyle, this would be my maintenance level of calories... no loss, no gain.

BUT - when I do the math as Lyle suggests, it comes out that I need 2450 calories per day (with moderate activity)!!! That is about 160 g protein, 10 g carbs and about 190 g of fat. I am terrified to add 1000 calories to my diet for obvious reasons. But, on the other hand, if I really am that seriously deficient in calories, could that be stopping me from losing? I would have thought that I would be really hungry at that big of a deficit, but I'm not. If I do get hungry, it's nothing that a TBSP of almond butter won't cure.

Opinions from experienced keto folks, please? Should I go lower? Should I hit 2450 and see what happens?

Thanks all,
B

[Atavis]

Use your log. It's always more accurate than a calculation.

Also, if you are measuring by volume, you might ant to try out a digital scale. Volumetric measurements have been shown to vary wildly and it's very easy to measure much lower than you are actually eating.

[driven1]

So, I should cut back even lower than 1450, but continue lifting, cardio and met cons 5 X per week? That won't crater the metabolism even more?

B

Use your log. It's always more accurate than a calculation.

Also, if you are measuring by volume, you might ant to try out a digital scale. Volumetric measurements have been shown to vary wildly and it's very easy to measure much lower than you are actually eating.

[julpem]

Hi

Saw your posts and since it has been a while, did you manage to lose body fat? What did you do? I have kind of the same problem. I have been quite lean (starving myself and exercising like crazy) than I started to gain w´body fat altough I have not changed anything. Since than I can't get rid of the fat anymore.

Julia

[turbo329is]

Everything I know about bodybuilding says you can't be exercising and cutting at the same time. For me it works for the first 20lb if I haven't lifted in a long time and then gains stop.

[aaaaaaaaaachooo]

Everything I know about bodybuilding says you can't be exercising and cutting at the same time. For me it works for the first 20lb if I haven't lifted in a long time and then gains stop.

lol.
Both of those sentences are whack.
If you think a 20lb gain is rock-hard muscle, think again.

[sletchford60]

Over the past 8 months from 220s to 155 and around bw 168 through 180 I was frustrated as **** because no abs were coming in. I was doing everything I could running 4 miles a day lifting for 90 min even more cardio after the lifting but I was screwing up by eating about 1400 Cal's a day. I soon met a trainer and found out that I had just been burning off muscle and storing fat...don't ever go below sedentary amount burned a day.

[SpencerCornelia]

Good job man! keep it up!!