Salt intake and weight loss

Robjwm

Eating a lot less means I want to try and enjoy the foods I eat. I discovered salt and vinegar rice cakes and enjoyed them much more than the plain ones.. but I don’t know too much about how a higher sodium intake will affect weight loss and water retention. Can anyone shed some light??

RoyBeck

It might mask your try weight loss as sodium can stall the scale but if you stick to your goals LONG TERM it won't be a problem. Enjoy them 😁

TavistockToad

It may lead to water retention, but not if you're well hydrated.

WholeFoods4Lyfe

I certainly notice the effects on the scale the next day if I consume excess Sodium, but it usually levels back out in a day or two. I'm way more about salty food than sweet, so I just deal with the fluctuations as they come.

AnnPT77

If your sodium and carb consumption is pretty consistent from day to day, your retained water weight from those will be pretty consistent, too (it doesn't keep increasing & increasing, in a medically normal person). If you eat noticeably more carbs or sodium than normal - even if it's still a perfectly healthy amount of either - you may see a temporary jump on the scale. That temporary jump will drop off again in a couple/few days when your eating returns to normal levels.

Bottom line is that it isn't fat gain, it just a bit of water retention that may mask fat loss until the fat loss outpaces it, or the conditions causing the water retention cease and it gets processed out via sweat/urine/etc. It's really not worth worrying about. For me, weighing myself daily (same time, same conditions) helped me understand these fluctuations, and not stress about them.

You'll also see temporary water weight fluctuations from a new exercise routine, an injury, an illness that involves inflammation, certain times of month for women, and all manner of other things. It's just part of how a healthy body functions, perfectly normal, not fat gain. Expect it, recognize that if you didn't eat 3500 calories more than your maintenance calories you didn't gain a pound, and don't let it freak you out.

Best wishes!

Robjwm

Thank you all!

Seffell

Salt might affect weight loss. But you're interested in fat loss and it's not affected by salt.
Unless you have high blood pressure you can eat as much salt as you like. If you have low blood pressure you should eat even more salt.

missysippy930

Drinking a lot of water may help a bit with water retention from high sodium foods. The only downside is you will have to go to the bathroom frequently.😦

pinggolfer96

Your body will adjust to the higher salt intake. I get in 7-10 grams a day minimum just for performance benefits (and cause it tastes good)

jjpptt2

Short term you will see some fluctuations if your salt intake varies. Long term, it should make no difference.