Sodium levels and losing weight

raven56706

As my macros are for losing weight, i feel like i am emphazing too much on sodium. I'm trying to keep my sodium levels around the daily intake but i seem to always be going over.

Just wondering, should i care so much? Should i just only worry about Carb, Fiber, Protein, and Fat. Not so much other levels?

glassyo

Calories for weight loss. Macros for satiety. Sodium for....nothing unless you have a medical reason to watch it.

janejellyroll

Do you have a medical condition that requires you to limit or monitor sodium?

If your goal is fat loss, sodium is irrelevant to that. Consuming sodium can lead to temporary water weight gain, but going over sodium goals isn't going to keep you from losing fat. Many people, including myself, disregarded the sodium limit and still lost just fine.

Weight loss is created by a calorie deficit. People may count macros for reasons related to nutrition or fitness, but for weight loss, the calories are what you will want to pay attention to.

TavistockToad

If you're well hydrated and have no medical issues with sodium it's fine

stanmann571

To pile on, the only reason you should care is if you're not consistent.

If you have a normally low sodium diet and have a high sodium day, you'll retain more water.

If you have a normally high sodium diet(with appropriate hydration) and have a couple of low sodium days, you'll probably lose a bit of water weight that will come back when you go back to your ordinary WOE.

So tracking it(casually-not obsessively) will give you additional data to potentially explain occasional spikes or plunges.

serindipte

This says it best:

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10615700/biochemistry-answers-for-common-weight-loss-questions-sodium-warning-long-and-nerdy/p1

lolly2414

I have the tendency to swell in my hands and feet in the summer time if I go over around 2500 mg sodium. I can eat more in the winter though. If you don't have any medical issues, going over the daily recommendation is probably not a big deal, so long as you're not going way way over every single day. Just make sure you're drinking plenty of water.