Sodium

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How bad is it when I go over? I gained this week and all most every day I went over in sodium so is that why I gained?:sad:

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  • kpopa
    kpopa Posts: 515 Member
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    I went WAY over my sodium intake on Sunday and Monday. I felt like poo...bloated, irratable, etc etc etc.

    I drank a TON of water yesterday and feel somewhat back to normal again...

    The point? Yes, most likely your sodium intake is making your body retain water, which leads to extra lbs. Make sure if you go over your sodium for the day to get the extra amount flushed out by drinking more water than recommended. (yesterday I had 11+ glasses)

    good luck!
  • gupton11
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    Sodium makes you retain water, drink more water to flush it out when you go over.
  • Nikiki
    Nikiki Posts: 993
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    it helps if you make more of your food at home, prepared foods (canned soups are a big one for me) are always killer in sodium. a couple days of increased water & lower sodium foods and the weight should drop back off :)
  • Amarillo_NDN
    Amarillo_NDN Posts: 1,018 Member
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    Too much sodium can cause water retention as well as raise blood pressure. We have to have it, but with so much in processed foods, it so easy to go over way too much. That one of my main problems in my old foods I ate.
  • slg334
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    Yeap...my goal this week is to stay under the recommended mg because I always go over.
  • Cina04
    Cina04 Posts: 609
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    I usually go over on sodium but I drink 10 to 16 cups of water a day so it won't affect the scale so much

    Even when it comes close to that time of the month, I still see a weight loss for the week and don't "gain" weight a few days before it comes
  • TheKitsune6
    TheKitsune6 Posts: 5,798 Member
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    If you generally eat a low sodium diet then yes, water retention will cause a sudden gain. However if you don't eat a low sodium diet, being over won't cause as dramatic a gain. Especially if you're drinking enough water.

    On that note, you really should be more concerned with losing fat than with losing water weight (which is all sodium is). I personally don't track my sodium because I'm not sensitive to it and I don't have high blood pressure.

    So just figure out what foods you can and can't live without and make your decisions from there. If you want to give up sodium that's cool. If you don't, there are ways to work around it :)
  • carreen
    carreen Posts: 175 Member
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    I've never even tracked my sodium, but I am starting today. I didn't think about it before your post, but that may very well be my problem. I'm eating 1200 calories and working out every day, and not seeing the results I think I should, but I take in a lot of sodium, plus usually add extra salt to the plate. Thanks for the post! It gave me an "aha" (duh) moment.