Is it possible to eat too many calories on LCHF?

December 14 2016 by , medical content by in Low carb & high fat, Q&A

The answer to this and other questions – for example, what type of exercise is best on LCHF? And what should you do if you sleep really poorly? – in this week’s Q&A with Dr. Andreas Eenfeldt:

Exercising on LCHF – cardio or weights?

I have just recently started this way of eating and am going to the gym five days a week. I am morbidly obese. I am enjoying the exercise, I will do a mix of boxing, HIIT circuit, PT session and cardio and weights.

I have been told that cardio any more than once a week is no good and has adverse effects. Could you elaborate further on this for me if it is indeed true or is it up to the individual?

For me personally, I feel that the exercise can only benefit me. On a side note, my PT actually supports this way of eating too!

Christine

Hi Christine!

I think the exercise and the cardio is likely to benefit you. Just remember that if you’re morbidly obese then diet quality (few carbs) and only eating when hungry are the most important things, at least when it comes to weight loss.

So focus on getting those right first and consider postponing exercise until those earlier habits are simple to maintain. However, if you’re confident you can do everything at once, good for you!

Best,
Andreas Eenfeldt

Can I eat too many calories?

Can I eat too many calories? My carbs are under 18 grams per day, my fat is quite high 130g – 250 grams and my protein around 80 grams. My calories are around 2,500… sometimes up to 2,800.

I have 48 kg (105 lbs) to lose. My blood ketones read 0.3 – 0.4 mmol/L in the mornings and in the evening 0.6 – 1.6mmol/L.

I eat no junk or processed foods or sweeteners or sugars. I am aged 59, partially disabled with fibromyalgia, CFS and arthritis. My weight loss is very slow – non-existant.

So looking at the figures – if I’m eating so many calories will I gain weight? I.e. if my body does not require this quantity of calories, what happens to them? Are they turned into body fat or does the body excrete them?

Some low-carb experts say calories do not matter, others experts say they do, Dr. Jason Fung says reduced calories causes the bodies metabolism to reduce hence no gain in reducing calories… However Dr. Eric Westman says calories do matter. I’m very confused – please can you clarify this for me?

Many thanks,
Joules

Hi Joules!

If you eat more than you need, then it will slow down or stop weight loss, even on a low-carb diet. The magic trick for effective weight loss on low carb is to eat ONLY when hungry, try not to eat unless you’re hungry, as that will slow weight loss.

Personally, I think counting calories is not very useful, as it’s often misleading and as you can get at least as good results with less effort by eating only when hungry and if necessary add intermittent fasting.

Here are our top videos on the calorie topic, with insights from experts:

Are all calories the same?
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Are all calories created equally – regardless of whether they come from a low-carb, low-fat or a vegan diet?
Weight control – calories or insulin
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Is weight loss controlled by calories in and calories out? Or is our body weight carefully regulated by hormones?
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Best,
Andreas Eenfeldt

Sleeping very badly

Hi,

I am really excited, I have lost 8 kg (18 lbs) since September and have ways to go but I feel good! So LCHF is working well for me.

However, I have recently had a lot of trouble sleeping. I wake up a lot and get up way too early. I do exercise during the morning hours, I stop drinking coffee around midday and try to get to bed at regular hours. I am getting to the point where my cravings for starch and sugar is coming back and so far I have resisted… Any suggestions? I would appreciate it!

Claire

If you’re in deep ketosis and get so energetic that you have trouble sleeping it could be good to reduce the ketosis a bit. You could eat more protein, and possibly add just a little bit of unrefined carbs like more veggies, nuts, and perhaps some root vegetables.

Otherwise, just regular advice for sleeping problems, easy to find online via Google.

Best,
Andreas Eenfeldt

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