Am I doing it right? About Calories . . .

Solitude · July 4th, 2006, 03:32 PM

Thanks to my gigantic belly, I've decided that I do something to rid myself of it. I started exercising and eating right a few days ago, but I didn't keep track so I probably made a few mistakes here and there.

My stats:

Age: 16
Weight: 138
Goal Weight: 120
Height: 5'6"
BMI: 22.3 **NORMAL WEIGHT, but I look 4 mths pregnant

**

I offically am starting today, and so far am doing this:

- Limit to eating 1000 calories per day (Keeping track now)
- Exercise on the stationary bike for an 1 hour = 300+ calories burnt x 3
- Housework

My questions about calories:

The required amount calories needed to MAINTAIN my current weight would be around 1500 or so I've seen on a few sites.

But the problem is, to lose approx 1 pound per week, wouldn't I have to cut back 500 calories making it 1000? I've seen on several other websites, that to lose weight, one must cut back approx 500 calories on whatever the calorie intake is to maintain the weight is, AND increase exercise. That is what I'm doing, but on the other hand, I've seen websites that state that consuming less than 1200 calories can cause major health problems.

Am I making a huge mistake about my calorie intake? I'm not excessively overweight so I wouldn't think that I'd need to eat as many calories, but I'm getting a lot of contrasting opinions from websites on safely and effectively losing weight (particularly in the belly).

About Sodium:
Will eating Noodles (With the flavoring) that are approx 290-450 calories, but with 1000g (Or whatever) + Sodium safe? Will it cause all of the fat go to my stomach? I don't want it to get any bigger.

Thanks for the help!

hillbillylee · July 4th, 2006, 03:39 PM

ahhhh those salt noodles. are they still like 12 for 1.00 lol. The normal thinking is the salt will retain water which makes it harder for you to lose weight. Most people over come this by drinking go gods of water to flush your system out. I have found most sites will give you a different number. Some say 200 less some say 500 less. Most I have talked to agree that the percentage method works best. Find your maintain weight and go 25% less with increased workouts. cardio will tend to strip everything off. Its working for me so far.

Solitude · July 4th, 2006, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hillbillylee

ahhhh those salt noodles. are they still like 12 for 1.00 lol. The normal thinking is the salt will retain water which makes it harder for you to lose weight. Most people over come this by drinking go gods of water to flush your system out. I have found most sites will give you a different number. Some say 200 less some say 500 less. Most I have talked to agree that the percentage method works best. Find your maintain weight and go 25% less with increased workouts. cardio will tend to strip everything off. Its working for me so far.

Haha, my mom bought all sorts...shrimp, curry-flavored, all which I love. I could eat noodles all day.

Thanks for the reply! I'll be drinking even more water now then and I'll try out your advice!

maleficent · July 4th, 2006, 06:27 PM

the salt in those noodles might be contributing to bloat... which happens right around your tummy area... I think most college students live on those noodles, that and beer, but they aren't the healthiest thing in the world for you.. it's sodium, white flour, no vegetables, no fruits, no complex carbs... you might want to switch over to something healthier... or only use half the flavor packet..

But definitely up your fluid intake.. it won't flush the salt out of you but it might help balance it out...

hillbillylee · July 4th, 2006, 06:51 PM

Those noodles OK but i think most of the sodium is in the flavoring packet. I'm almost positive they use a chicken or beef bouillon base and those are almost pure salt. Maybe if you experiment with a sauce of you own for the noodles. maybe a lite or low sodium soy sauce, um a splash of sesame oil, some red pepper flakes and maybe just a pinch of sugar to cut through the bite. Depending on the brands you use it would almost have to be better than that stuff they put in the packet.

maleficent · July 4th, 2006, 07:05 PM

The food network's Unwrapped had a show on those noodles - the noodles themselves are deep fried before they are packaged...

From Wikipedia because i'm too lazy to look elsewhere

Quote:

Health concerns of instant ramen

A typical packet of instant ramenInstant ramen has often been criticized for its potential health risks. Some of these claims are justified, while others could be made against any diet that contains too much of a particular food.

A single serving of instant ramen is high in carbohydrates and low in fiber, vitamins and minerals. Instant ramen is typically fried, which makes it high in saturated fat and/or trans fat. A popular college urban legend states that a student gave himself scurvy by living on nothing but ramen for an entire year.

Ramen broth, especially that of instant ramen, contains monosodium glutamate (MSG) and a high amount of sodium, usually in excess of 60% of the U.S. Recommended Dietary Allowance. The noodles themselves contain little sodium, so one can avoid drinking the soup or use less of the seasoning package if a low-sodium diet is recommended for health reasons. The fact that instant ramen noodles are usually fried (sometimes in hydrogenated vegetable fat, i.e., trans fat) and thus have a high fat content is another concern.

The most recent controversy surrounds dioxin and other hormone-like substances that could theoretically be extracted from the packaging and glues used to pack the instant noodles. As hot water is added, it was reasoned that harmful substances could seep into the soup. After a series of studies were conducted, this concern was found to be base

Solitude · July 4th, 2006, 07:50 PM

Nooooooooooooo...

Guess no more noodles for me...maybe I'll make it a once a month time of thing, but only eat a handful and use a bit of the seasoning. Why is it that all I like is the unhealthy stuff? Argh.

hillbillylee · July 4th, 2006, 07:54 PM

we just get hardwired into the bad stuff. silly modern chemistry........

maleficent · July 5th, 2006, 04:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Solitude

Nooooooooooooo...

Guess no more noodles for me...maybe I'll make it a once a month time of thing, but only eat a handful and use a bit of the seasoning. Why is it that all I like is the unhealthy stuff? Argh.

if it's the noodles you like there are always the buckwheat soba noodles which are quite yummy in just a little broth... Not quite as inexpensive has ramen noodles but a lot better for you...

hillbillylee · July 5th, 2006, 08:35 PM

there are always options when it comes to good food. you can take the worst fast food you love and turn it into better food. like this using a more healthy noodle, making your own sauce. sometimes it cost a little more but it lets the mad scientist out in the kitchen......

Am I doing it right? About Calories . . .

Often poor nutrition is at the root of accumulating unnecessary pounds. Many people reach their target weight without starving or depriving themselves — just through changes in their diet. Meet with people who have successfully lost weight through he

Am I doing it right? About Calories . . .