Sodium...grrrrrr

CatMauro

So here's my problem:

The more I eat, the more calories I get but I'm still supposed to stay under 2500mg of sodium per day. How on earth am I supposed to eat up to 2500 cals per day (after exercise) and still maintain a low sodium diet??? I know that as I exercise, I sweat and therefore going a little bit over my 2500mg of sodium is not the end of the world but I've been tending to be anywhere from 500mg-2000mg over (depending on the day).

So, ladies and gentlemen (especially you athletes out there), how do you manage your sodium intake and still take in enough calories to fuel your workouts???

AFitJamie

Don't eat processed meats. Cook Meat's yourself, fruits, vegetables raw if possible or lightly steamed - no adding salt... even healthy starches and you can be great.

Prepared foods and many pre-packaged meats, (Including some frozen boxed meats by the way) are nuts in terms of amount of sodium...


(Edit for spelling)

BarbWhite09

Avoid processed foods. Today my sodium was under 500mgs (its normally NEVER that low but yea)...It can be done fairly easily if you just avoid any premade stuff.

CatMauro

Don't eat processed meats. Cook Meat's yourself, fruits, vegetables raw if possible or lightly steamed - no adding salt... even healthy starches and you can be great.

Prepared foods and many pre-packaged meats, (Including some frozen boxed meats by the way) are nuts in terms of amount of sodium...


(Edit for spelling)

Sadly I don't have much control over my foods right now as I'm living on base and at the mercy of the cooks in the galley but I generally stay away from processed meats and the like. It's not so much that I have one or two things that are huge in sodium (though that does happen sometimes) but rather that the volume of food, no matter what it is, adds up to more than my recommended daily intake of sodim. Very irritating to always see that number in red.

Keiko385

Stay away from processed foods as much as possible. I do 1500mg for health reasons, most days I am way under but can usually keep it right around the 1k mark. Dairy is open

HodderAL

I agree with AFitJamie, "If man made it, don't eat it". Processed foods like you find in packages and boxes contain high amounts of sodium. Stick with fresh fruit and vegetables and fresh meats. Cook your food yourself and don't add any sodium to it (watch your seasoning as well, some of the spices are high in sodium as well).

When I am in complete control of my diet, I usually eat between 300mg and 600mg of sodium a day (thanks to my cereal lol), while eatting 1500+ calories a day.

AJ_Pete

So here's my problem:

The more I eat, the more calories I get but I'm still supposed to stay under 2500mg of sodium per day. How on earth am I supposed to eat up to 2500 cals per day (after exercise) and still maintain a low sodium diet??? I know that as I exercise, I sweat and therefore going a little bit over my 2500mg of sodium is not the end of the world but I've been tending to be anywhere from 500mg-2000mg over (depending on the day).

So, ladies and gentlemen (especially you athletes out there), how do you manage your sodium intake and still take in enough calories to fuel your workouts???

The leanest cuts of meat, FRESH fruits and veggies, NOTHING CANNED OR BOXED, brown rice, & almonds (TO NAME A FEW STAPLES OF MINE)!

I am a nut about my sodium because I am a partial amputee (have half a left foot) and I swell SO DAMN BAD. Plus, it makes my body feel all wonky and shizz.

If you can't keep it low, up your water. I drink about a gallon a day to keep it flowing...

brjustice2000

2500 mg of sodium is an unrealistic absolute. Based on body weight and physical activity you might need more or less.

I use 3000 mg because I weight over 200 lbs and do lots of exercise. Exercise means sweat which means your body will lose some salt.

Avoid processed foods which are full of salt. Read the labels and buy low sodium and sometimes no sodium. Sodas have sodium. Diet sodas have sodium and usually Aspartame which makes you retain belly fat. I found a diet soda without either sodium or aspartame - Diet Cheerwine.

If you eat meat, buy fresh unprocessed. The difference in frozen hamburger and fresh is ridiculous when you look at the difference in sodium. Buy beans in the bag not in cans. If you love potatoes, peel your own or check the labels on the frozen, the shredded hash browns have had the lowest sodium per serving, don't know why.

Plan your meals in MFP and check the salt content. If it is too high, change your meal plans. Most days, I easily stay under my goal of 3000 and on occasion even under 2000. Every now and then, I eat whatever I want that day and just enjoy because my number is over 4000. I track mine by the day and have a spreadsheet that does a weekly average. I don't worry if I am over 2 or 3 days as long as I am not over for the week.

Staying in a sodium goal is doable but it takes some effort to learn how to plan. You can do it.

weeblex

Sodium is a pain when you are eating food prepared for the masses, can either try to prep your own, or water is the anti salt, hopefully drinking more water can counteract the sodium.