Is Sodium Intake More Important than Calories?

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  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
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    Hey Everyone,

    Thanks for your comments/help. But just one more question for clarification, if it's not more important..then how can I eat more calories then recommended (1,300-1,500)...eat less sodium (under 1,000mg) and loose weight? But if I eat the "correct" amount of calories (1,200) and more sodium (2,500-3,000mg)..I gain? That makes it seem to me that something might be going on that i'm not sure of.. But thanks anyway!

    Without seeing your diary I'm assuming when you are eating lower sodium you are more than likely eating more fruit, veg and not eating processed foods. A more natural diet of 1500 calories is better then 1200 empty calories. Calories are important, but so are the fat content, carbs and protein. You need to watch those as well.

    I don't doubt you saw a larger loss on lower sodium, but it's not because of the amount of the sodium, but rather you made healthier choices.

    Even seeing their diary is pointless. The OP isn't accurately measuring their intake. Viewing their diary at this point is about as useful as a screen door on a submarine.

    There is a critical data point missing in this equation. They're trying to figure out an equation without having all of the information they need. They need to know how many calories that they're ingesting... they don't.
  • crisbabe81
    crisbabe81 Posts: 170
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    @Sarauk2sf: No I dont weight my food or have a food scale. But I do measure the food out sometimes depending on the situation. I do log everything. And I have been trying to loose weight for months now. Starting last year around November. So it's been awhile.

    @cmcollins001: The issue is that I feel that the water weight is stopping me from seeing real results. That's why I asked if I should just pay more attention to the sodium and continue everything else (eating well, working out, etc).

    Thanks everyone, I will take this into account and see if I can make some progress.


    If you aren't weighing your food, you are not getting the most accurate calorie, fat, carb and protein count. Being as accurate as possible is so very important.
  • crisbabe81
    crisbabe81 Posts: 170
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    Hey Everyone,

    Thanks for your comments/help. But just one more question for clarification, if it's not more important..then how can I eat more calories then recommended (1,300-1,500)...eat less sodium (under 1,000mg) and loose weight? But if I eat the "correct" amount of calories (1,200) and more sodium (2,500-3,000mg)..I gain? That makes it seem to me that something might be going on that i'm not sure of.. But thanks anyway!


    Without seeing your diary I'm assuming when you are eating lower sodium you are more than likely eating more fruit, veg and not eating processed foods. A more natural diet of 1500 calories is better then 1200 empty calories. Calories are important, but so are the fat content, carbs and protein. You need to watch those as well.

    I don't doubt you saw a larger loss on lower sodium, but it's not because of the amount of the sodium, but rather you made healthier choices.

    Even seeing their diary is pointless. The OP isn't accurately measuring their intake. Viewing their diary at this point is about as useful as a screen door on a submarine.

    There is a critical data point missing in this equation. They're trying to figure out an equation without having all of the information they need. They need to know how many calories that they're ingesting... they don't.

    Love the screen door comment. And I missed that she said she wasn't weighing or measuring her food. I've only not weighed my food out 1x in the last 3 months. That was a bad day, hated not being 100% sure what I was really eating. Lesson learned. I now take my own, pre weighed food, to bbq's. :)
  • Via88
    Via88 Posts: 46
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    @trogalicious: Thanks for your input.

    @crisbabe81: Thank you, what you said made most sense to me and seemed to come from a kind place. I will go back to work and look into being as accurate as possible, after reading everyone's answers, I am assuming that is probably what it is more then anything else.

    Thanks to everyone else. I believe I have found the answers i'm looking for and i'll keep working at it :)
  • crisbabe81
    crisbabe81 Posts: 170
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    @trogalicious: Thanks for your input.

    @crisbabe81: Thank you, what you said made most sense to me and seemed to come from a kind place. I will go back to work and look into being as accurate as possible, after reading everyone's answers, I am assuming that is probably what it is more then anything else.

    Thanks to everyone else. I believe I have found the answers i'm looking for and i'll keep working at it :)

    My pleasure. Feel free to friend me if you need support. This process is hard and a good support system is important. If not for all the support I've received I would have likely quit long ago.
  • Lochlyn_D
    Lochlyn_D Posts: 492 Member
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    @Lochlyn-D: I do drink alot of water, not as much as you said though. I drink about 100 ounces of water a day and that doesn't seem to help if I chart anywhere near 2,500mg of sodium.

    @katlifter: Thanks for the link i'm going to check it out! I do drink alot of water and try to have more potassium. I dont have a health concern that I am aware of.

    Thanks everyone! :)

    That's a good amount but if you want to counteract a normal sodium intake, you will have to double it at least. Otherwise, you really have no choice but to monitor your sodium. It's less sodium or extra water. Sucks but thats the way it is.
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,473 Member
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    sodium is EVIL.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    @Sarauk2sf: No I dont weight my food or have a food scale. But I do measure the food out sometimes depending on the situation. I do log everything. And I have been trying to loose weight for months now. Starting last year around November. So it's been awhile.

    @cmcollins001: The issue is that I feel that the water weight is stopping me from seeing real results. That's why I asked if I should just pay more attention to the sodium and continue everything else (eating well, working out, etc).

    Thanks everyone, I will take this into account and see if I can make some progress.

    I would invest in a digital food scale and start tracking as accurately as possible.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think

    Water weight fluctuations so not overshadow 'real' weight loss for any significant period of time.
  • herblackwings39
    herblackwings39 Posts: 3,930 Member
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    Hey Everyone,

    Thanks for your comments/help. But just one more question for clarification, if it's not more important..then how can I eat more calories then recommended (1,300-1,500)...eat less sodium (under 1,000mg) and loose weight? But if I eat the "correct" amount of calories (1,200) and more sodium (2,500-3,000mg)..I gain? That makes it seem to me that something might be going on that i'm not sure of.. But thanks anyway!

    If you lose weight eating 1300-1500 and watching sodium, why not just do that? 1200 may be the problem for you.

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