Sodium... help.

caveninit

I try to keep my sodium at about 1800 mg or less due to stage 1 hypertension. I cook most of the meals I eat and gave up fast food because most of the fast food meals are loaded with sodium and it just increases my hunger when I eat foods that are too salty. I can eat a ton of Chinese food and feel hungry again an hour later. That's what too much sodium does to me.
Here's the thing though...my blood pressure did not change at all when I just lowered my sodium intake. For weeks I was keeping my sodium at 1500 or less...no change in BP at all. What brought my blood pressure down was exercise. Once I started working out daily, my BP came down a lot. So now I just keep my sodium low because high sodium foods make me feel bloated, dehydrated, and hungrier.

That's awesome to hear about your blood pressure, are you doing a lot of cardio or weight training... or both?

Thanks everyone else!! I DO drink a lot of water so maybe it's not as big a problem as I think it is.

I usually do interval workouts of bursts of cardio and strength training with dumbbells or resistance bands.

sillyvalentine

Don't worry about it. I don't even track it anymore. I'm about 2000 - 3000 over everyday and I'm fine. I just dilute it with about 16 - 21 cups of water.

nikkihk

Eat more natural foods, less packaged, less sodium...Your blood pressure can be affected by too much sodium.

This!

Things like fresh peaches, mangoes, pineapples and cantaloupe don't need salt. Salads don't need salt. Slow cooked steel cut oats with apples and dates don't need salt. Try a mixed green and hummus panini sandwich for lunch instead of lunch meats. You could even add some fresh herbs like cilantro or basil. There are plenty of options of food that tastes great with minimal or no salt.

Thanks for all of the food ideas!! However, i was more asking if the sodium was an issue then what to eat... I can do quick google search to get a list of low sodium foods, just wanted to know if I should really worry about it in regards to weight loss and general health..

you could probably find that answer with a quick google search too, you know.

Then what would be the point of a forum? Most of the topics posed here could be answered with a google search... and much like the answers I'm getting here, they would be conflicting and lack necessary discussion. Can't very well have a conversation with MFPer's about it if I just google it all.... hell by your standards I should just write my cal counts down and close this account...I mean who needs interaction with other human beings? Right??

Everyone else, thanks!! All great info!!

DavidHusky

I track it, but only to help with water retention predictability (so i have a better idea of what is affecting scale fluctuations). I tend to be in the 1500 mg range on weekdays and 2500+ mg range on weekends due to eating out... so monday weigh ins always kill me.

nikkihk

Eating out is a big sodium death.. LOL! I'm kind of a pork fan (yay for bacon!!) might have to limit that just a little bit I think.. plus, I get hella 'cook my own food' lazy during the day so it's more like snacking which means sodium. I just need to stop being lazy. =D

MysteriousMerlin

Stop eating lunch meats. REAL chicken, beef and pork don't have near as much sodium, and it's easy to cook ahead of time. Throw the meat in a crock pot with some unsalted chicken or beef stock, onions & garlic and you've got your meat for a week.

I still eat bacon, but I buy center-cut or low sodium, and limit it to 2-3 slices at most, about twice a week.

It takes time to get used to having less sodium in your diet, so go slow. I aim for less than 1500, though I occasionally go over. Drink lots of water on days when you eat over your limit, it helps. Foods high in potassium can help too.