Hi, I am a 16 yro girl,148lbs at (just shy of) 5'5. My parents are concerned with the weigh I eat since I have lost 7 lbs since mid August. Im am Athletic and not a thin built girl but I still could lose some more. My day consists of going to school(2 bulidings,4 floors in each) Soccer practice for 1 1/2 hours then I come home and ride my horse. On days that I dont have soccer I do 30 min fat burning yoga video.
Heres what I eat....

Breakfast: 1/2 cup Natural Oatmeal w/ some cinnamon> 170 cal

Lunch> Salad n vegis w/ very liitle lite dressing and a fruit or carrots w/ water> 150 cal?

Snack before soccer: 1 rice cake>45 cal
Or before a game http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/tongue.gifretzel sticks>100 cal

Snack before dinner(not always):Vegi soup in a can>180 cal

Dinner>grilled vegi's(Brocali,peppers, onions) in PAM w/ 3 oz of chicken and soy sauce, fruit(peach or orange or both)> 250 cal

Snack: sugar free ice pop>45 cal Also I may snack on some baby carrots>50 cal And If I am still hungry I might have some more oatmeal>170 cal

I usually pick at some things(like some cereal i'll grab a small hanful and munch on it or rip off a piece of lite bread and eat that) So I add like 100-200 more cals to what I eat

Is this OK? I have been getting the worst cravings for like candy or something sweet lately....I haven't seen much weight loss yet I just want to make sure I'm not in starvation mode........please help my parents are really getting upset and its driving me insane!! http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/eek.gif

ItalianRDer,

The most important thing that I see missing from your diet is PROTEIN. You need protein to help build and sustain muscle growth. I would recommend that you eat some protein before your soccer practices and yoga workouts.

In general, I think that you might need to increase your caloric intake. Trust me, you can probably afford to eat more than you're currently eating. It's good that you're eating fruits and vegetables...but increase the amount that you are consuming.

I think that your parents are probably justified in their concern. It really doesn't sound like you're eating enough to sustain your lifestyle.

Do you also take a vitamin supplement of any kind? I feel that's also important.

What is your goal weight? Would you say that your body is composed of more muscle or more fat? Thinness shouldn't be your only goal. You need to be strong and healthy, too.

Just concerned... http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif
Colleen



[This message has been edited by Deep_in_Thought (edited 09-30-2003).]

ItalianRDer,
The most important thing that I see missing from your diet is PROTEIN. You need protein to help build and sustain muscle growth. I would recommend that you eat some protein before your soccer practices and yoga workouts.

In general, I think that you might need to increase your caloric intake. Trust me, you can probably afford to eat more than you're currently eating. It's good that you're eating fruits and vegetables...but increase the amount that you are consuming.

I think that your parents are probably justified in their concern. It really doesn't sound like you're eating enough to sustain your lifestyle.

Do you also take a vitamin supplement of any kind? I feel that's also important.

What is your goal weight? Would you say that your body is composed of more muscle or more fat? Thinness shouldn't be your only goal. You need to be strong and healthy, too.

Just concerned...
Colleen


[This message has been edited by Deep_in_Thought (edited 09-30-2003).]

Originally posted by ItailanRDer:
Hi, I am a 16 yro girl,148lbs at (just shy of) 5'5. My parents are concerned with the weigh I eat since I have lost 7 lbs since mid August. Im am Athletic and not a thin built girl but I still could lose some more. My day consists of going to school(2 bulidings,4 floors in each) Soccer practice for 1 1/2 hours then I come home and ride my horse. On days that I dont have soccer I do 30 min fat burning yoga video.
Heres what I eat....

Breakfast: 1/2 cup Natural Oatmeal w/ some cinnamon> 170 cal

Lunch> Salad n vegis w/ very liitle lite dressing and a fruit or carrots w/ water> 150 cal?

Snack before soccer: 1 rice cake>45 cal
Or before a game http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/tongue.gifretzel sticks>100 cal

Snack before dinner(not always):Vegi soup in a can>180 cal

Dinner>grilled vegi's(Brocali,peppers, onions) in PAM w/ 3 oz of chicken and soy sauce, fruit(peach or orange or both)> 250 cal

Snack: sugar free ice pop>45 cal Also I may snack on some baby carrots>50 cal And If I am still hungry I might have some more oatmeal>170 cal

I usually pick at some things(like some cereal i'll grab a small hanful and munch on it or rip off a piece of lite bread and eat that) So I add like 100-200 more cals to what I eat

Is this OK? I have been getting the worst cravings for like candy or something sweet lately....I haven't seen much weight loss yet I just want to make sure I'm not in starvation mode........please help my parents are really getting upset and its driving me insane!! http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/eek.gif

I agree with Deepinthought. You should really up your protein intake since you have a pretty active lifestyle. Try to substitute the rice cakes or pretzels for some low-fat cottage cheese, yogurt, or nuts. Also try not to snack on white bread or sugar filled cereal. Try whole wheat bread, or a cereal with less sugar like regular cheerios. But I'd still recommend more protein. Even some deli meat, or fat free cheese rolled in your fingers wouldbe a good low cal snack.

Your should be eating 1480 calories...your weight mulitplied by 10 equals the amount of calories you need to loose weight. WTG on the exercise! Good Luck! http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/wave.gif

<3 Shannon

Hi, thanks everyone for your responses, the most i eat in one day is about 1400 cal, i do eat lite wheat bread and non-sugar cereals for snacks(if i eat them at all during the day) My body is pretty muscular already since i have been active all my life but i still have some fat on my legs,butt and stomache. I take multi vitamin pills everyday. My goal wieght is about 130-135....how many calories should I eat? Thanks!

I also don't think you're getting enough protein but I would add that I don't think you're getting enough carbs and fibre either.

More whole wheat bread/rice/pasta will help.

Use this online tool to calculate how many calories you need a day: http://www.nat.uiuc.edu/energy/daily.html

And then subtract 500 calories to lose about 1 lb a week.

Your goal weight is quite resonable but remember that it may be difficult to reach it because you are already at a healthy weight and your body may not want to let go of the weight. Also, you say that you w\are very muscular and that means that you will probably weigh more than most girls your height.

It's important not to place all you wants and needs on you WEIGHT. What you look like and your body fat percentage are much better indicators of how much you need to lose.

Hello, Chicken and vegetable soup have protein, so I don't see any problem with that. (I am assuming it is regular vegetable soup, which has beef in it.) You're diet looks fine to me...Provided you're having some kind of milk with the oatmeal. Both dairy and soy milk has protein. I do agree with a small serving of rice or pasta. You can always add more fruits and vegies. Mellons are always a good choice.

------------------
Magpie

Chicken and vegetables soups do contain protein but it is usually such a small amount that it means nothing to your body. Protein obtained from meat (chicken, red meat, fish) and things like nuts and beans is much more substantial.

ItalianRDer,
Good suggestion about the fiber and carbs, Rogue http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif. I thought of that just moments after I posted, but I didn't go back to edit my message.

I do want to add that any soup that you eat might have a high amount of sodium in it. At 180 calories, it doesn't sound like the soup you eat has a lot, but many soups do have a lot of salt in them.

I'm not trying to make you more paranoid http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif...just trying to help.

Colleen

thanks everyone! you were all a great help http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

I am always concerned when I read about a teen who knows the caloric value of every single thing she puts in her mouth, and whose parents are concerned about how much weight she is losing.

I hope you talk frankly and honestly with your parents. Suggest a trip to your doctor, who is in the best position to judge whether or not you are indeed overweight, and can give the best advice as to how to lose if you are.

I agree with the advice that you're probably eating too little for the amount of energy you're expending. Sounds strange, but you need to eat enough calories in order to lose weight. If you're not eating enough, your body will think it's starving and start to hoard calories. So even though you're exercising, you may not burn as quickly as you would like. I think you can afford to eat more calories on a daily basis. Don't forget to get enough calcium and vitamin D. There are reports that calcium helps in weight loss.

As far as keeping calories go, it's a double edged sword. I used an online calorie counter for about a month and was very diligent about it. I then stopped because after a month, I had a pretty good idea of how much I was eating. I pretty much know when I've gone overboard or not. And I don't feel it's worth the time/hassle to figure out if I've eaten 1550 or 1730 calories. If I'm eating a reasonable amount, then I'm happy. I can't be happy if I'm obsessing over every little calorie. I am happier if I'm eating healthy and in moderation. But that's me, I can't say it works for everyone.

As far as muscles go, they do weigh more than fat so if you're fairly muscular than maybe 140ish pounds is where you should be at. What size do you wear? That's probably a better sign. I'm a size 4 petite at 5'3. When I don't work out, I'm usually around 121-124. When I do work out, I'm around 125-128. I feel better at the heavier weight, am less doughy and fit in my clothes a lot better. This is based on eating reasonably well. A couple of years ago, I went through a few months when I tipped the scale at 138. I wasn't working out and was hoovering food in.

I eat everything, but try to eat till I'm not hungry anymore rather than stuff myself full which is what I did for the first 29 years of my life. Thank god for my metabolism. Eating a great big salad without dressing also helps too. It's healthy and you can eat a big portion of it and it's still a low calorie meal. I'm not crazy about dressing and replace it with bacon bits and cheese. Such a healthy meal will allow me to indulge a little bit more in my other meals.

Hope this helps!

All that I still miss some stuff *duh*. I would eat a little bit more for breakfast. You're an active teenager and 1/2 cup of oatmeal doesn't look like much. Maybe add in a banana or low fat yoghurt. Drink lots of water, don't get into the soda pop trap and if necessary have some sports drink while you're in and after a soccer game (gotta keep the electrolytes up!). I think this should do it.