...And Tony -- I know what you're saying about FTS and not counting calories, but the fact is when I eat too many calories I gain. I spent 2 days camping and totally watched my carbs, but I must have eaten too much because I put on a few pounds. Calories to me is the same as portion control might be to you. It's just a word, but basically they're the same thing. At least to me ...
Hi Rena!
As you know, portion control and watching carb intake have equal importance.
But the distinction between portion control and calorie intake is subtle, and I guess I was not clear about it.
Typically, high calorie foods will satisfy hunger much faster than low calorie foods.
Therefore, it will require much less of a high calorie food before having too much.
So in that sense, calories and portion sizes can impact progress.
As an example, eight ounces of iceburg lettuce has 32 calories and about 4 net carb grams.
The same amount of a boneless rib eye steak (fat trimmed) has about 500-600 calories and 0 net carb grams.
Ounce for ounce, it takes much less steak than it does lettuce to reach a portion limit.
One side note, if you ate eight ounces of lettuce at one sitting, you might feel full due to the water content and fiber bulk.
But you would find yourself hungry again very soon afterword.
The same would not hold true for that steak.