I'll let someone else field that in a more scientific manner than I would :-)

Well, for some people it's not as important, especially in the beginning, but for
ME it certainly seems to be an issue.  

I've seen different recommendations from different people, but the average seems
to be about 60-70% fat, 10% carbs and 30-40% protein.  Your needs can vary
depending on your activity level.  Me, I try to make sure I eat MORE fat than my
brain is inclined to think is healthy, a decent amount of protein, and up to
about 35-45 grams of carbs per day.  I've resisted adding carbs all along because
of my slow loss, but I've lost at a more rapid pace not only since cutting
calories, but also since UPPING the carbs.  Maybe it's a combination of the two
that seems to be accelerating it.  I started my period today, but I've STILL lost
2 lbs DURING PMS instead of GAINING -- normally I gain 2-3 lbs during PMS and I
don't even get back to where I WAS until several days AFTER my period ENDS.  I
haven't changed my exercise methods or schedule, so I'm leaning toward the
combination of the two.  WhatEVER -- I'm losing at a faster clip now (FINALLY)
and I LIKE it :-)  

That's what we're here for (some more than others :-)

What'd I tell you?  Is he predictable or what?

That wasn't an insult. If I were to write that you should stop shoving so
much crap into your fat piehole, you obese WFFID, then that might be
considered an insult, even thought it's probably true.

Hey Eileen!  Killfile him if he bothers you, or anyone else on this group,
but I just want to know why you find that insulting?  I mean, yeah, it's a
generic, pre-programmed bit of advice, but it usually works, and he didn't
call you any names or anything . . . I don't get it.  

Atkins ice cream is fake food.

Hello Eileen!

I have been lc since Feb 030 and lost approx 50 lbs, and feel great.
Do you have a curves near you? I started working out there in August
and it works well with my busy schedule. It is an all over resistance
training/aerobic workout that takes only about 30 minutes and I
usually do it after work on my way home (or to a boosters meeting

I go Saturdays when I can (on my way this morning) and between losing
the weight I have so far, and working out, I feel 20 years younger and
200% better than I did prior to Feb 03. Check it out and let me know
what you think!

The power of exercise is magical!

I plan on dusting off the old mountain bike this spring and hitting
the trails. FYI I am 44 and still need to lose considerable weight.

Pam

Actually I let Fitday do all the calculations, <g>.  I didn't count calories
for most of the time I've been on Atkins, either - because I was losing by
just counting carbs and didn't feel like I needed to also track calories.  I
started tracking them last month mainly from curiosity, to see how many
calories I was getting on average and to see where they were coming from
(what the breakdown percentage was).  I also felt like I was overeating when
I first started Atkins, mostly because I was eating more regularly than
before - forcing myself to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner where often I
skipped one (or sometimes even two) meals before LC.  If you're coming from
most lowfat plans where portion control was a big issue, then it is very
easy to convince yourself that you're overeating because you may be eating
more (by volume) than before.  Fitday will give you a good idea whether
you're really overeating or not, though - because calories are still the
best yardstick to measure that with.  It is possible to get too many
calories while eating LC, it's just generally more difficult to do than it
is with low-fat.

Here's an entry for me pulled out of Fitday, for cals/percentages:  1540
total cal; 87g fat (50%, 780 cal), 55g carbs (22g fiber, 9%, 145 cals), 155g
protein (40%, 621 cals - that's actually more protein than is recommended as
optimal, but some days I do get more than others.  Usually from having a
whey or soy protein shake sometime during the day).  Their calculator isn't
perfect because the percentages only add up to 99 and the cals when added up
in reverse come to 1546, but it's close enough, <g>.  I also have some days
where my calories have gone beyond 1800 (though none higher than 2300), and
some days where they were below 1500.  1500 to 1800 is just the overall
average for me, and what I aim for generally.

LC has been a true godsend for me - this is the first time since my early
20's that I've weighed this little.  At age 25 I weighed 170, and from then
to now (age 36) I pretty much stayed there or higher (with the occasional
loss down to 155-160 via severe calorie restriction, which I could never
maintain for more than a few months).  So before starting Atkins I didn't
think it'd ever be possible for me to weigh what I weigh now AND _stay_
there.  I started last year as a size 18W (and about to grow out of that,
they were getting too tight), and am now a very comfortable size 10 and
about to be into an 8 (I can fit into the size 8 slacks I've bought, zip
them up, but they are still a bit tight.  I figure another month or two will
see me into them comfortably).

I enjoy the foods I eat and don't ever feel the least bit 'deprived'.  You
can put pasta in front of me now and it doesn't tempt me at all (where it
was a staple food for me before).   There's a few breads (yeast rolls and
English muffins especially) that I still find somewhat tempting, but not
enough so that I've *ever* given in to eating them, even when I had them
right in front of me - and that's going on a year now.  DaVinci sugar-free
syrups added to things (coffee, water, etc) takes care of my desire for
something sweet when that hits, without adding either carbs or calories
(they're made with Splenda, no sugar alcohols, and are available online at
www.netrition.com).  Or sometimes just hot herbal tea (I like Bigelow peach
and Lipton cinnamon-apple, with a little Splenda) hits the spot too.

Wishing you the best - just remember that you didn't gain all this weight in
a short amount of time, so you're not going to lose it all in a short amount
of time either.  The real success IMO isn't in the losing anyway - it's in
keeping off what you've lost.  I've succeeded in losing the same 20-30
pounds probably at least ten times - but my success in losing it has been
rendered completely meaningless every time it hasn't stayed off.

Stargazer
Atkins since Apr '03
192/147/140