managing low sodium and low calorie

jenniferpiotrowski0

I'm trying to cut back on sodium and trying to stay within my calorie deficit to help get rid of water weight/weightloss but I am struggling with it. When I cut back on sodium sometimes it makes my calorie intake go way down. I want to eat a calorie deficit that doesn't become too low where I starve myself or lose weight in an unhealthy way orake myself sick accidently. Does anybody know what I can do to help me do both without going too low on calories but still able to lose weight? I need some suggestions and advice for this

jenniferpiotrowski0

*Or make*

Sandcastles61

I am sodium sensitive as is my mom, and both my parents and siblings are on medication for hypertension which I definitely don't want to require. I try to keep my sodium to1750 a day but it can be really tough and lately my weeks average out closer to2000 because we had a couple mini vacations.

I usually do my own cooking and can avoid adding salt by using great herbs or even Mrs Dash. Sodium hides in nearly everything though. If I find I am going a little too high I might use the zero fat Greek yogurt on my salad sometimes with a spoonful of salsa instead of salad dressing. Cottage cheese is notoriously high. I make my own soups with low sodium bullion or broths. Packaged convenience foods are a sodium bomb for me so they are only occasional. Almond slivers are unsalted and a good fat addition for crunch in some dishes and will give you a little calorie bump. I also normally use regular or light fat cheeses instead of the lower calorie/nonfat versions.

Focus first on getting enough protein, then good fats and fill in the carbs for your remainder with a focus more on the leafy greens and veggies rounding out with the breads, pasta and rice although I make sure I have room for those every day even on a fairly low 1340 maintenance calories (because I am short and older )

Good luck! That sodium is a tough one!

SherryTeach

Why would there be a relationship between sodium and calories? The main issue with sodium is to avoid packaged and restaurant food. Actual food itself, when you make it at home, isn't high in sodium (meat, veggies, fruit, dairy, grain).

Liftng4Lis

The two should have no correlation. Eat less processed foods to reduce sodium.

daniwilford

The secret is to make things at home from scratch. Many foods including meats, vegetables, fruit, dairy and grains have naturally occurring sodium but the minimal amounts will not put you over. It is the added salt that makes it difficult to remain low sodium. Fresher less processed foods will allow you to achieve a balance between calories and sodium. If you are in the US look for nutrition labels the lowest sodium foods do not have them.

BWBTrish

Low sodium here
1500mg a day or rather even under..lots of days i can stay around the 1000mg

And np at all with the calories...it is vica versa for me
i was on 1200 calories the first 3 months....

Slowly upped to 1600 calories now...and have more problems to stick around the 1500mg a day hehehe


I cook from scratch eat less out and "junk foods" Which isnt bad food btw..because i still eat them. But i have to plan them carefully because i pay the price big time for having to much salt...Not only water weight, that is the least of my problems when eating to much salt.

So cook fresh! it will solve it

But let me ask you, do you have a medical reason to cut out salt?
When not and eating a balanced diet there is np with having saltier foods too. Cutting out salt totally can even have or cause problems.
So when you are healthy you can have salt too.

LKArgh

The only way you end up with too few calories on a low sodium diet is by eating too many prepackaged foods. Which in general is not a good idea when trying to eat low sodium, unless you are going to be very careful with your shopping, and probably and up spending a lot of money too, as the usual premade meals, cans, snacks etc are not going to work for you. You will need to focus more on preparing things from scratch, so you can skip the salt.

jenniferpiotrowski0

I don't exactly have a medical reason to cut salt out...I just have been noticing that after I do yoga or walking or some sort of exercise it seems like my legs get bigger. I thought it was my muscles growing but people are telling me it is just fluid retention or water weight. It bothers me so I'm trying to drink more water and eat less sodium to fix the problem

LKArgh

If your legs are visibly swelling after exercise, you need to see a dr. Especially since you are very young, this is not normal.

jenniferpiotrowski0

At first I wasn't paying any attention to nutrients and was just deciding to follow a calorie deficit in order to lose weight but after noticing my legs looking bigger after I thought I was losing weight in my gut and hips then it just started to concern me I guess but if anyone knows what else it can be or how to deal with it let me know.

20yearsyounger

I too have to focus on low sodium and generally speaking, the lower my sodium intake usually the lower my calories as well. However, all I need to do is eat something like nuts and I can increase my calories without increasing my sodium.

lemurcat12

If you are visibly retaining fluid, you should see a doctor. It may not be a big deal -- hot weather plus activity can cause that somewhat if you are sensitive to it -- but it is something that would be worth getting checked out, or at least making a call to the office (if you have a regular physician) to discuss with the nurse/intake person.

As for the sodium/calorie issue -- do you have a high sodium diet? The usual way to decrease sodium is reduce restaurant meals/takeout and highly processed foods, as well as some canned stuff and the like. I think this is not a bad thing to do at all, but it shouldn't be making the kind of difference you mention.

There are some things that make me retain water, like flying, such that it's visible (one ankle does it more dramatically since it was broken years ago) and it can be pretty freaky. I think that's the kind of thing you are thinking of, and even though I usually don't eat high sodium when I occasionally have a higher sodium meal I don't get that kind of thing, so I wouldn't assume that's it.

jenniferpiotrowski0

Well I tend to eat things high in sodium..I checked my past nutritional history and in the past I have went over a lot on fat and sodium

BWBTrish

you should see a doctor about this.
Its normal that you retain some water after exercise yes...but not really visible

You better let the doctor check it out.

And over your sodium here dont have to be bad at all

I eat btw like i said before low sodium but have the "visible water retention" pretty bad.
But i know what is going on lol

A check up wont harm you. Just to make sure.

Unknown

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mccindy72

jenniferpiotrowski0 wrote: »

I don't exactly have a medical reason to cut salt out...I just have been noticing that after I do yoga or walking or some sort of exercise it seems like my legs get bigger. I thought it was my muscles growing but people are telling me it is just fluid retention or water weight. It bothers me so I'm trying to drink more water and eat less sodium to fix the problem

You need to determine whether this is swelling due to water retention, or just your perception based on how your body looks from losing weight. When you press your fingers against your lower legs, do your fingers leave impressions in your skin? If they do, do the impressions stay?
If this is what you're seeing, it's quite crucial for you to see a doctor immediately. Water retention of this type can be a sign of dangerous health conditions like heart failure or kidney failure.

jenniferpiotrowski0

I tried pressing on my lower legs and it doesn't leave an impression for long...it just bounces back to normal

BWBTrish

what is not long?

Girl when you have visible water retention go to a doctor!

jenniferpiotrowski0

Like when I press on my legs it doesn't leave indentation that stays it feels normal

BWBTrish

well i am not a doctor and diagnoses online by random stranger is a bit hard

So when people post and say "visible' water retention ...welll that is worry some. Or totally nothing.

it is up to you i cant give you answers

jenniferpiotrowski0

Yeah I know..I just don't know what it is so I was just trying to get other peoples opinions. I think I'm fine. But i will see a doctor of its that big of a deal

Sued0nim

aggelikik wrote: »

If your legs are visibly swelling after exercise, you need to see a dr. Especially since you are very young, this is not normal.

^^

SLLRunner

jenniferpiotrowski0 wrote: »

Yeah I know..I just don't know what it is so I was just trying to get other peoples opinions. I think I'm fine. But i will see a doctor of its that big of a deal

Go to the doctor, please because water retention should not be showing. When you press your skin, there should be no indentation at all.

True story. My friend started retaining water to the point where her weight increased significantly. A doctor kept telling her it was her thyroid, but her husband kept talking to doctors he know and got her to a cardiologist. That monrnig she was at the cardiologist, that same afternoon she was in open heart surgery. The surgeon told her had she waited any longer she would have probably died.

She was one of the rare cases where the weight gain was not due to overeating but due to a severe medical issue that needed immediate attention.