Random question re: salt intake

chryciw

So, I have been frustrated the last week or so b/c the scale isn't really budging. Tonight I was looking at my food diary and noticed that I am often going over my sodium intake by 500-700.... Oops! How much sodium is enough to cause you to retain water? Could this be really having an impact on weight loss??

Elizabeth_C34

So, I have been frustrated the last week or so b/c the scale isn't really budging. Tonight I was looking at my food diary and noticed that I am often going over my sodium intake by 500-700.... Oops! How much sodium is enough to cause you to retain water? Could this be really having an impact on weight loss??

Absolutely. I hit a plateau not too long ago with my weight loss. Was stuck at one weight for 2 weeks striaght. I cut my sodium intake and boosted the water intake, and shazam, plateau gone. Lost 3 lbs that week. It really makes a big difference.

callipygianchronicle

While sodium is critical for basic cell function, too much has consequences that go far beyond the effect on the scale. There are some great explanations in this thread that may help you: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/217891-give-me-the-straight-dope-about-sodium

anewattitude

too much sodium can lead to water retention, not to mention a whole other slew of health problems. MFP has the diary set at 2500mgs which is actually too high. It is best to aim for no more than 1500mg/ day if you can.

PrairieRoseNE

So, I have been frustrated the last week or so b/c the scale isn't really budging. Tonight I was looking at my food diary and noticed that I am often going over my sodium intake by 500-700.... Oops! How much sodium is enough to cause you to retain water? Could this be really having an impact on weight loss??

YES!!
Use the search function and type in sodium - you'll find lots of threads with advice on limiting sodium and why you should

Ty_1227

It's a surprisingly big factor for a lot of people, especially those who have hit a plateau. Unfortunately, sodium is a hidden beast in nearly every processed food products. Diet drinks and sodas are a big culprit for this when people are trying to lose weight but hold on to something tasty / familiar because they contain 0 calories and people often don't read any further down the label. Diet sodas do not = water by any means.

Also, it's not monitored here on MFP but it's important to remember the sodium and potassium work in tandem and then even the best of us are usually deficient when it comes to potassium. Before you grab a banana to fix this grab a lentil (chickpeas, dried peas, etc) not only are they a great source of potassium, way more than bananas, but they are also high in dietary fibers, iron, calcium, the works. Electrolytes are what keeps much of our bodies tickin, but they need to be balanced!

chryciw

Dang! Since I joined MFP 3 weeks ago I've been so focused on my net calories I haven't really been paying attention to the other columns. Time to adjust!

Thanks for the info... I really appreciate it!