Avoiding Sodium

sarahlyzzibeth

I live on a college campus and am employed by the school. Part of my compensation package includes a meal plan... so I try to do all of my eating on campus to avoid having to spend money elsewhere, since the point of this summer job was to build a savings account, not buy groceries. However, my dining options for the summer include: Einstein's Bagels, Extreme Pita, Papa Johns, Chik-fil-a, Taco Bell, Starbucks, Burger King, and a "market"... which is basically a convenience store (chips, soda, candy, etc. Like a 7-11 pretty much). Another issue is that because it is summer, most places are only open for lunch, leaving me trying to find things that I can buy in advance for dinner. The market has a bunch of frozen dinners (Lean Cuisines and others, but LCs are the best taste-wise).
As you can see, avoiding sodium has been really, really, really hard with all this processed food. Any suggestions as to how I can reduce it? Or counter-act all the sodium I'm taking in?
I do research before I go to eat to find the lower-sodium options, but unfortunately even the lower-sodium options still put me well over the 2500 recommended daily allowance. What should I do??

beccala18

Drink more water! Also if any place has a salad bar/salad options, then try to stock up on those vegetables for snacks or just a way to lessen the sodium impact.

TTHdred

I am sure you prolly already know this, but having been lectured by oh so many doctors myself, trying to counteract the sodium is really not the best option. For the most part, consuming sodium is half the damage. That said, your first step is absolutely on point. Research the lower sodium options and stick to places with mostly veggies.

Then, sweat it out! Significantly increase workouts so you can sweat some of that salt away. Sodium plays a role in contracting and relaxing our muscles, so put it to work so it does not build up! Of course, as already mentioned lots of water to flush it out. Lastly, be kind to the kidney. Responsible for eliminating salt from the body, you want to ensure its performing at its best, so that means little to no alcohol! I know, sucks.

No expert here, just a gal with high blood pressure!

Lauriee2014

Taco Bell offers some "fresco" items that are lower cal, have you looked on their website to see the sodium count?

I've read that your sodium intake can be higher if you regularly exercise AND perspire. But I don't know by what % ? [And if you drink a sports drink with sodium.. that might counter act your goal.]

I would guess the salad options if you have to go fast food. And maybe buy your own dressing if they don't offer a lower cal version.

Are the following items available at your convenience store?
* Plain oatmeal
* Unsalted nuts
* Kashi cereals/Fiber 1/Shredded wheat
* Granola bars
* Protein powder/ skim milk or almond milk
* Brown rice
* Low sodium tuna
*
OH! Hungryl Girl cookbooks have whole sections on *few indredient meals*, *microwave meals*, etc. I gave one to my niece who's in college bc of the simplicity and low cost of the items used in recipes.


Just a few ideas off the top of my head. I'll be looking back to see what others post bc I am focusing in on reducing sodium intake myself. [Though I love LCs - I was relying on them too much for work.]


***Can someone tell me how to get back to a post? I know people use the "bump" to follow up..but how do you get back to the post you've responded to or bumped?***

Thanks much.

Good luck! :flowerforyou:

sarahlyzzibeth

Thanks everyone, you all gave really good ideas. Unfortunately, I'm not much of a sweater, even when it comes to cardio. I know it's weird, but it's just not something that my body does (I've mentioned it to my doc a few times and he says it's nothing to worry about as long as I'm not "overheating myself" fyi). Luckily, Trudred, I never drink sports drinks nor do I drink alcohol so that helps a bit. However, I did get a charley horse last night and so that's an indicator that I definitely need to drink more water and eat less salt. Lauriee - the market does sell some things like that, so thank you for pointing that stuff out. I will pick some up later today and I definitely will check out that Hungry Girl cookbook! that sounds like just what I need!

texakin20

Hi!

Lauriee- I JUST saw that what I ate this weekend at Taco Bell (the Fresco taco) had HALF my daily allowance in sodium in ONE taco. ONE! I am shocked and came here to research how much Sodium SHOULD I be taking in every day?

I eat those Lean Cuisines daily counting calories. My sodium is around 2400 daily. I am excersing around 90 minutes each week of Cardio. Am I doing more harm then good?!?!? HELP!

julsofdenial

I get soft chicken taco fresco's at Taco Bell and Pintos and Cheese (for the fiber, etc) if I eat there. Not TOO horrible in sodium.
Be careful of Chik Fil A, I was going to get their grilled chicken sandwich and it was over 1100 mgs.

Sodium is a toughy with any fast food or frozen dinner!

TourThePast

As you can see, avoiding sodium has been really, really, really hard with all this processed food.

That must be SO annoying for you!

Here in the UK, sodium has become a big issue in recent years, and manufacturers have made drastic cuts which makes life so much easier. I eat a lot of "healthy choice" ready prepared meals, and am always way under on my sodium, to the extent that my gym instructor has warned me not to cut back any more during the summer months!

Is there any way you can put pressure on your employers to include healthier options? It's not only your health that's being affected it's the health of all the students on the campus - surely you can't be the onlhy person who cares about this?!

If your job comes with health insurance, their advisors might be prepared to back you up - it's hardly in their interest to insure a group of people who are encouraged by their employer to have a diet that will cost them money!

TTHdred

***Can someone tell me how to get back to a post? I know people use the "bump" to follow up..but how do you get back to the post you've responded to or bumped?***

Thanks much.

From your profile on the left side of screen click View All on the Recent Post. Or, click Community then My Topics. That’s just for the stuff you have commented on that you want to get back to. If you were just looking with no comments, best way is to be friends with the person who posted so you can see it on their profile, or bump. Hope that helps.

milaxx

Try to find a farmer's market or low cost produce place. Even buying the quick sale produce at the regular market may help. If you plan carefully you may be able to get some basics for under $15 every 2 weeks. (I've done it, I swear it can be done.)

Check out the Eat this, not that guy. It's a part of Men's Health mag but they have good tip for making better choices at fast food places. I get their newsletter and follow them on twitter.

http://bit.ly/3oLxOZ

milaxx

Thanks everyone, you all gave really good ideas. Unfortunately, I'm not much of a sweater, even when it comes to cardio. I know it's weird, but it's just not something that my body does (I've mentioned it to my doc a few times and he says it's nothing to worry about as long as I'm not "overheating myself" fyi). Luckily, Trudred, I never drink sports drinks nor do I drink alcohol so that helps a bit. However, I did get a charley horse last night and so that's an indicator that I definitely need to drink more water and eat less salt. Lauriee - the market does sell some things like that, so thank you for pointing that stuff out. I will pick some up later today and I definitely will check out that Hungry Girl cookbook! that sounds like just what I need!

A Charlie Horse may also be an indicator your electrolytes are off. eating a banana or drinking coconut water usually helps.

sarahlyzzibeth

Is there any way you can put pressure on your employers to include healthier options? It's not only your health that's being affected it's the health of all the students on the campus - surely you can't be the onlhy person who cares about this?!

If your job comes with health insurance, their advisors might be prepared to back you up - it's hardly in their interest to insure a group of people who are encouraged by their employer to have a diet that will cost them money!

Oh, the raging battle between university students and Aramark, our food supplier. Pretty much everyone and their mother has, at one point in their career as a student here, tried to appeal for healthier and more affordable options, including me. Yet, meal plans remain required and the food remains unhealthy and overpriced. Long long long long story short, they're NAZIS. True story. Don't get me started on them... I have more than an earful to say about them. Pretty much...they will do anything, ANYTHING, to make a buck. And no, they don't care. There was a point where the required meal plan wasn't compensated by my job and I was required to pay out of pocket for it (hmm, having to pay in order to have a job... senseless, really. And then the food isn't even healthy (or good!) on top of that? Complete blasphemy, if you ask me). I went to the dining office on campus and tried to appeal purchasing a meal plan on the basis of unhealthy options, financial hardship, and my extreme case of stress-induced acid reflux that caused me to throw up every. single. day. for 4 months when I first moved away to college. And guess what. The lady at the office told me "Either you buy a meal plan from us or you quit your job. In regards to what you're asking, you're S.O.L." (and no, she didn't abbreviate. very professional) Yeah. I lost, and had to take out a loan to pay for my meal plan. Believe me. It's not a pretty picture. Thankfully, my bosses stepped up and fought and fought and fought and FINALLY got us compensated with meal plans. (It cut our alternative compensation in half, but honestly as long as money going towards Aramark isn't coming out of my own pocket I feel much better about it... I love my job and it's absolutely fantastic experience towards my future career goal so I REALLY didn't want to have to give that up over a stupid meal plan.)

So yes, it's a huge struggle. But hopefully with all your wonderful suggestions I will be able to stick it out for one more year and NOT develop some sort of horrible heart disease while I'm at it!

Thanks so much, everyone, for your ideas. They really really are thoughtful and helpful.

Also, Milaxx, thanks for the tip about the electrolytes. I'll look into that and pick up some bananas tomorrow (not too much of a fan of coconut milk... haha) And i LOVE Eat This, Not That.

Pebble321

Wow, that really sounds tough.
You've had a few good suggestions and I'm not from the US so I don't know all those fast food chains (thank goodness!) but I do have another suggestion: Start getting picky when you are ordering a meal. So, ask for extra tomato/lettuce on a burger and hold the dressing/sauce/pickles/cheese. This might help a little bit ,as often these small things are adding lots of sodium. Order salads and get the meat/chicken from a burger without the bun. It might make the serving staff slightly pissed off but they will soon get used to it, and if you don't have any other options, then you have to call the shots in any way you can.
Good luck!

TourThePast

Start getting picky when you are ordering a meal. So, ask for extra tomato/lettuce on a burger and hold the dressing/sauce/pickles/cheese. This might help a little bit ,as often these small things are adding lots of sodium. Order salads and get the meat/chicken from a burger without the bun.

Great ideas!

Depends on the bun, but if they have wholemeal buns, you could order a burger with extra salad and without the dressings. Or the burger! In other words get a salad bun out of them and add something healthy and inexpensive like a small can of tuna.

sarahlyzzibeth

You guys are right! I should be pickier. After all... I am working hard for my meal plan...

ATT949

The store on campus doesn't have the food that you want so…go to a store that does have the food that you want.

With the end of the school year approaching, there are probably scads of students who are selling their bicycles, some for a song. Or you could even find someone who has a bike and who would love for you to "bike sit" (just made that up). You'll keep the bike over the summer and it will be ready for them when they get back in the Fall.

Another possibility — gets a shopping cart, a personal shopping cart that has little wheels on it. Walking to and from a grocery store is good exercise, right?

Lauriee2014

Oh thanks! I had NO IDEA how to get back to posts I wanted to re-read. Or follow up on. All this time I've been wondering.

Thanks for posting!


As for the ? about sodium I am no expert, that's for sure. I started with watching calories/protein/carbs/fiber & calcium. When I realized I was never under fiber or calcium I changed those columns to cholesterol and sodium. It's really pointed out WHERE that sodium is hiding. I always rinsed canned beans but now even rince my tuna. [Kinda gross, but hey, I love tuna and it's loaded with sodium unless you buy the lower sodium which rarely goes on sale here.]

I am a sweater though. Well, I notice if I eat something within 60-75 mins of cardio, I sweat like crazy. I THINK it's the food..but not sure. I just look at it like this- it's getting the toxins out of my body, and the "glistening" effect makes me feel like I'm really doing something! Getting the sodium out is an added benefit.

I would definitely do what someone said, drink more water, to get it out. And rinse, rinse, rinse!