sodium vs calories

dsm_drew
dsm_drew Posts: 7
in Food and Nutrition
Over the last six months I have lost 40 pounds (193 to 153) . I'm done losing weight and now I'm trying to get rid of that last bit of fat, especially around my midsection. It has diminished slightly, but very slowly. I've read a few articles that recommend keeping your sodium down to 1500mg/day to help flatten your stomach, but I'm finding that to be nearly impossible. I've cut out things like processed meat, and I buy frozen vegetables instead of canned, but at best I can only keep it down to 2000mg/day if I really try.

At the same time I'm having trouble eating enough calories on many days. Two days a week I do both a circuit workout and swim laps and I burn 700-800 calories. I have to really make an effort to eat 2700 calories those days and it is definitely impossible for me to eat that much and keep my sodium low. I want to keep my sodium low to prevent retaining water, etc., but I need the calories because I'm exercising regularly and trying to build muscle. In fact MFP recommends I eat 2250 but it's been really hard for me to even eat 2000 healthy calories without over-stuffing myself.

Should I be concerned about the sodium limit? I have no problems with blood pressure, heart disease, etc. but I really don't want to retain water/fat. Any tips on getting enough healthy calories on the high exercise days without forcing myself to eat when I'm not hungry?

Thanks.

Replies

  • b0t23
    b0t23 Posts: 260 Member
    I also was wondering about that because my daily sodium limits on MFP do not change even if I do exercises. I normally am over quite a bit, sometimes double.
  • Saezimmerman
    Saezimmerman Posts: 93 Member
    Congratulations on hitting your goal weight! That's wonderful.
    If you can get down to around 2500 mg of sodium, since you have no blood pressure problems, you should do well. The main thing for you should be water retention as you suspect. However, a prolonged high sodium diet can cause health problems so it's good that you're keeping an eye on it.
    If you need extra calories that don't add sodium, try avocados or natural almonds. They are both healthy, high calorie snacks that won't contribute to your sodium concerns.
    You could also try adding fruit juice or milk to your day for some extra nutrient rich calories.

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