Summary
Although most dieters rely solely on the scale to gauge the progress of their diet, this
method leaves much to be desired unless coupled with another method of measurement. Ideally
dieters should keep track of their body composition changes which give a better picture of what is
being lost and gained during the diet (i.e. muscle or fat). Although no current method of measuring
bodyfat is perfect, skinfold calipers seem to be the best choice, especially considering the fluid
shifts which can occur on a ketogenic diet. With practice, most individuals should be able to keep
track of their own skinfold measurements at home with a pair of inexpensive calipers.
Section 2:
Metabolic rate and calorie levelsChanges in bodyweight are ultimately tied into simple thermodynamics and the energy
balance equation. The energy balance equations represents the difference between energy
coming into the body (via diet) and energy going out (via metabolic rate). If intake exceeds
expenditure, calories are stored in the body (i.e. weight gain). If expenditure exceeds intake,
calories are taken from body stores (i.e. weight loss). The difference between caloric intake and
caloric expenditure is referred to as the caloric deficit or excess as necessary. To better address
the issue of setting calories, we must first look at the determinants of basal metabolic rate, which
represents the number of calories needed to maintain bodyweight with no changes.
Metabolic Rate
Before discussing how to set calories for fat loss or muscle gain, maintenance calorie
requirements should be determined. There are two ways to determine maintenance calorie levels:
the food diary method and the calculation method.
Food diary method
This method requires an individual to record every food they consume over some period and
then calculate the number of calories being consumed. Typically three days are used including at
least one weekend day. If weight stays stable over this period, it is assumed that the caloric
intake is the maintenance calorie level. Most individuals will not take the time to do this
consistently and it has been shown that the simple act of recording one’s food intake causes
many people to change their eating patterns. Although only an estimate, a preferred method is
to calculate caloric requirements, which is discussed next.