How do you balance?

Z_I_L_L_A

Need to lower cholesterol, fats and sodium. Calories aren't an issue its the sodium level while trying to keep the chol. and fat down. This is too difficult, spend too long reading labels to buy groceries.
:grumble:

jamielise2

I make most of my stuff fresh, but since sodium isn't really an issue for me I don't worry about it too much. I HAVE found that vinegar makes a pretty decent salt substitute most of the time, if that helps. Prepackaged stuff is ALWAYS going to have a ton of sodium because that makes it taste better. Just drink lots of water with it and you'll be fine.

Danahimself

Take it easy on the animal flesh...like pork and beef!

dia77

I don't eat processed foods , so that helps a lot . Well , chocolate doesn't count , but that is in moderation.

SueInAz

Most of your cholesterol is going to come from fatty meat cuts, chicken skin, fried foods, butter and egg yolks. Watching those should help a lot.

Stay away from processed, pre-packaged foods as much as possible. Sodium is used to extend shelf-life so these items are always loaded with it. Odds are, if it doesn't need to be refrigerated, it has extra sodium in it. Soups and deli meat are also notoriously high in sodium.

Unless I eat out, I usually keep my sodium in the 1000-2000 mg range, very often under 1500 mg. It's really not that difficult once you learn which things to avoid.

Z_I_L_L_A

Thanks, Its hard to buy all fresh foods. I would have to shop more often. This is such a struggle, I get my calories, fat content, cholesterol content, carbs and sugars down only to get hit with to much sodium.

SueInAz

No one said it all had to be fresh. I love my freezer. Frozen veggies are usually MORE nutritious than fresh because they are frozen very soon after being picked while "fresh" can sit in the truck, then the store and then your fridge for awhile. The only things that really need to be fresh are salad veggies and those will keep for a week. I buy my chicken breasts already individually frozen. I buy hamburger in bulk and freeze it in 3/4 pound servings (there are 3 of us). I actually freeze most of the meat I buy unless I plan on using it that night. I love Costco because you can buy really good food at great prices.