Maintaining weight and bloating!

s4232806

Hey guys!

I have 2 questions here.

I started using MFP about a year ago to lose some weight and start leading a healthier life. I have reached my goal weight and am not sitting around the 54 kilo (118 pound) mark (i'm 158 cms and have about 21% body fat). While i'm happy with my current weight, I would still like to lose some fat and tone up (i'm still not happy with my stomach and inner thighs - I know that muscle weighs more than fat so i'm not overly concerned about the number on the scale per se). But my question is, should I be eating at my maintenance calories or in a deficit? I'm just a bit worried i've been in a deficit for too long now. I work out - mainly weights training 6 times a week and I aim to eat around 1500 calories a day but sometimes it's a little under that and i'm worried that's too low, that i'm working out too much and i'm hindering my goals. Is that a healthy calorie intake or should I be increasing my calories or taking more rest days off, and if so, to start toning up and losing fat should I be in maintenance or a deficit?

My second question is about bloating. I've noticed in the last couple of weeks that my stomach looks a little bloated (it's never 'flat' but usually in the mornings it's 'flatter' until recently). I've done some research and it seems like sodium is a big cause of this and fiber. I'm living in Korea for 7 months and unfortunately am not in control of what I eat (dorm food!). Korean food is quite high in sodium and there is not a lot of fibre going around. I've started doing breakfast in my room (kashi cereal and oats with some protein, nuts and a banana) to up my protein and fibre intake but i'm wondering if there is more I can do. A typical meal in the dorm is kimchi (cabbage), rice, soup (low calorie but high sodium) and then some kind of meat (never very good so I often avoid or pick the vegetables out and eat those instead). I also have about 2 green cups of tea a day and 2-3 or more bottles of water (500ml). I know that's not an ideal diet, but i'm working with what I have. Is there anything you can suggest for me that could help reduce some bloating?

Eve_e

Bump, I'd like to hear people's responses.

RED_WOLF5652

Well I have just some tips as far as the high sodium and fat--drink more water and increase your potassium intake to balance your sodium. I try to drink between 1/2 gallon - 1 gallon of water. As long as I never exceed 2 gallons of fluid intake a day, I'm alright (after that, it gets dangerous), but a gallon of water a day is a good way to deal with the excess sodium. I also recommend upping cardio. I try to do 1hr of cardio in the morning. Hope that helps--also looking forward to hearing other people's responses

lin7604

bump as i would like to hear others responses too as i am 5.2 ft and around your weight and body fat as well...

DeterminedFee201426

too much sodium and little water will make bloat .. after you -minus the sodium make sure to increase water intake or your body will still hold on to water

SLLRunner

Well I have just some tips as far as the high sodium and fat--drink more water and increase your potassium intake to balance your sodium. I try to drink between 1/2 gallon - 1 gallon of water. As long as I never exceed 2 gallons of fluid intake a day, I'm alright (after that, it gets dangerous), but a gallon of water a day is a good way to deal with the excess sodium. I also recommend upping cardio. I try to do 1hr of cardio in the morning. Hope that helps--also looking forward to hearing other people's responses

You drink up to 2 gallons, or 32 8 oz. glasses, of water a day? I don't know about "dangerous," except that much sends a person to the loo often, but it sure seems excessive. Even 16 8 oz. glasses or water seems a bit over the top, though I admit once in a great while I've drank almost as much.

SLLRunner

I also advise to drink more water, but not so much that it also uncomfortably bloats you. See if you can sweat some of the salt out too, if you like some kind of cardio or weight lifting.

RED_WOLF5652

I do drink around a gallon of water a day, and occasionally close to a gallon and a half, spread throughout the day, though carefully monitoring my sodium intake. Excessive water intake--especially too quickly--washes out necessary electrolytes, and in serious cases can lead to water intoxication, which can be fatal. This is why monitoring potassium and sodium intake are important--since excess sodium is one of the problems, an increase in potassium and water intake will help to balance that out without draining out those electrolytes too quickly. Hope that helps

einzweidrei

Hard to say if it's the sodium or something else that is making you bloated---I probably eat more salt than 95% of people on this site and I'm never more bloated from it. (In fact, I'm eating the salt at the bottom of this bag of pretzels as I type this.)

coldfeetdiva

If you want to lose fat and tone up then you can lower your calories and maybe once a week eat at your maintenance level. (This is what I do).

As far as the bloat... I know before I went gluten free I was always bloated... Once I went gluten free the bloat went away and I lost 3 inches from my waist. If it's not a gluten sensitivity issue it can be another food sensitivity (like dairy or soy). You can try an elimination process of eliminating soy, sugar, wheat,dairy and corn and after 21 days start incorporating them one at time back in your diet and see which ones cause a reaction.