Do you count calories???

Q. Do I need to count calories if I’m counting carbs on Atkins?

A. Usually no, but occasionally yes. Because the Atkins Diet doesn’t require you to count calories when you begin the program, many people mistakenly assume calories don’t count. Even if you eat the low-carb way, you can still consume too many calories, which will definitely stall—or halt—weight loss. Instead, as long as you concentrate on eating the right foods, including protein, natural fats and plenty of foundation vegetables, your appetite should take care of itself and there should be no need to count calories. If you’re losing nicely, don’t worry about calories, but if you aren’t it’s probably time for a reality check.

Q. Are there any studies to back up the caloric advantage of a low-carb diet?

A. In a brilliant study done a few years ago at Harvard University, Dr. Penelope Greene put participants on three different diets. Group 1 received 1,500 calories of low-fat food; Group 2 got 1,800 calories of low-carb food. The result was that Group 2—the low-carb, higher-calorie dieters—lost more weight than the individuals in Group 1, who consumed fewer calories. There’s that caloric advantage. But listen up: there was also a Group 3, in which people also got low-carb food and the same number of calories that Group 1 people got: 1,500 calories. Group 3—the low-cal, low-carb group—lost the most amount of weight of all!

The point is: calories aren’t the whole story—but they do matter. If you’re stuck at a plateau and have stopped losing weight on your low-carb plan, maybe it’s time to see just how much food you’re actually consuming. Women should shoot for a minimum range of 1,500 to 1,800 calories a day, while men should aim for 1,800 to 2,200, and adjust from there. Eat a little less if you’re not losing weight, but avoid the starvation mode of too few calories. If you’re accustomed to counting calories, you’ll know what your range is.