Boo to sodium!

marniehodges

I just started this journey the first of November. I must say that MFP has been one of the biggest reasons I have had success so far, combined with a lot of determination! And the food diary has been one of my biggesst helps. I am no expert, I know, but I'm asking you all to please, please add sodium to your diaries to be tracked. One of my good friends on here, Karen convinced me to do so, and I'm forever thankful to her!

Sodium is not your friend folks. Not only can it cause health problems like high blood pressure, but it can cause mayhem with your weight too. Case in point-I only weigh in once a week. I weighed in yesterday and had gained 3 lbs. Talk about a horror moment! Burst into tears immediately. Went to the gym anyway and made it through nearly 1000 calories and only almost cried a couple times. Needless to say I had a really rough day. I just could not figure out how I could lose 4 total inches in 2 weeks and gain 3 lbs in a week. Well after doing some hard looking at my food diary I discovered that I had been sabotaging myself with all the sodium I was consuming-2500 to 3500 mg a day!

So, I decided to kick sodiums *kitten* yesterday, and every day forward. Hopped on the scale this morning and was down 3 lbs! Now I know that logically I did not lose 3 lbs in one day, but boy was I happy to see that sucker go down. I was obviously all blown up! And just an added note (sorry to the guys reading this) I had a hysterectomy several years back so don't have TOM visits anymore so I couldn't blame it on that.

So best of luck to you all and track your sodium!

:flowerforyou:
~Marnie

P.S. Thank you so much to all my great friends on here that got me over my first horror moment since joining you all!!! *HUGS* to you all

RushinBruisette

I'm glad you are taking steps to control it, and I hope more people do as well. Keep it up chica, proud of you!!

:flowerforyou: Bru

RushinBruisette

double post :blushing:

poodlepaws

I actually go out of way to avoid as much sodium as possible! I HATE eating any sort of processed foods now though I know in all reality unless I buy a cow and make things like cheese and a few other dairy products I have to "eat" it.

It's a hard thing to quit but at least you're doing what you can to keep it in control.

KarenBorter

Marnie ... and everyone. If you aren't tracking sodium you are sabotaging your weight loss efforts. You really are. Couple that with the fact that most of you (us) are not drinking enough water and that is a double whammy!

Last month I did a little experiment. I figured I deserved a break from logging and watching what I ate for one day. Heck I deserved it and I decided that "no log" day would happen at Disneyland. Now, let me say that I don't normally eat this stuff when I go to the park (I am an annual pass holder and go somewhat often) and, in fact, opt for the healthier fare they offer. Not this day, ut huh. So I weighed myself first thing in the morning and had a full day at Disneyland. I even made sure to get down at least 11 glasses of water. I jotted everything down on a memo pad on my blackberry and quick added calories when I got home. EVERYTHING I ate had sodium in it; The rundown was, beers (2), a mojito (1), popcorn (super cute mickey collectors thingy), slice of pizza (1), salmon salad with garlic dressing ... and a corn dog with chips.

I woke up the next morning, weighed myself and gained THREE (3) POUNDS. That was all sodium folks. Remember each pound is 3500 calories. I would have had to have had in excess of 10000 calories that day to gain a legitimate 3 lbs overnight. I have issues enough eating 1200 calories and I really pushed eating some of that stuff that day.

Moral of the story; Watch your sodium and don't think "Oh, I drank more water I can have more sodium" that's not the case and, in fact, can exacerbate the issue by storing water in your cells to compensate for the additional sodium.

Glad you are dropping down again Marnie ... it will go down another couple pounds in the next couple of days as you watch the sodium

as a Side note, the 3 lbs came off in 2 days

hpsnickers1

I have recently learned that, too. Too much sodium makes your body retain water therefore increasing your weight. It is downright disgusting how much sodium is in food these days. And the food isn't even salty!!!

Exercise is easy compared to trying to cut out salt and added sugar to a diet.