soduim

debbie6868
debbie6868 Posts: 51
in Health and Weight Loss
Need help sorting out sodium levels ive put on 2lb yet been very good with calories an exercise some one suggested it might be my sodium as I do eat a lot of pre made dinners as its quick an easy as I very busy.....

Replies

  • tekwriter
    tekwriter Posts: 923 Member
    Are you drinking enough water? If not that could be why.
  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
    You can add your sodium intake to your diary...Food>settings, then select to view it under "Nutrients Tracked".
  • Cindyinpg
    Cindyinpg Posts: 3,902 Member
    Yes, premade dinners are generally FULL of sodium, not to mention preservatives and other junk. I make my own when possible, just taking one hour a week to prepare and freeze the meals is no too time consuming and then you know what's in them. Also, if I am in a hurry, I will go to Subway and have a healthy sub, (skipping the mustard and bbq sauce if I am watching sodium).
  • renitawalker9
    renitawalker9 Posts: 108
    change your setting so you can track your sodium in your food diary. I track because I eat a sodium restricted diet. RDA is 2000 mg sodium or less. If you eat prepared dinners you are probably easily hitting 2000 mg. I usually eat less than 300-500 a day and when I get close to 500 I can feel it. Of course I'm more sensitive than the average person. Around Christmas I retained about 5lbs of water from a sodium binge. Drink a lot of water (a gallon or more) if you eat a lot of sodium.
  • sofielein
    sofielein Posts: 539 Member
    I am not sure it is the sodium. Nobody uses more salt than I do. I use up a 1 kg of salt every month - and still manage to lose weight... but I make ALL my meals myself from scratch. (except cheese, butter and bread.)

    Prepackaged food has a lot of palm oil, the cheapest form of vegetable oil that really is not good for you at all. It also often has corn starch (in place of flour) and corn sugar (of course, displayed as Dextrose monohydrate so you won't notice you are eating high fructose stuff) - and those are really not helping the weight loss either...
  • debbie6868
    debbie6868 Posts: 51
    my sodium is set at 2,500 is this too high.
  • ChristinaR720
    ChristinaR720 Posts: 1,186
    Deli meats are full of sodium. So, unless you are eating a veggie sub from Subway, you are still taking in a TON of sodium. Most restaurant foods are sodium-heavy. I agree with the previous posters who recommended tracking sodium on MFP and drinking lots of water. I am pretty sensitive to sodium, and drinking a lot of water works well for me.
  • retiree2006
    retiree2006 Posts: 951 Member
    Looked at your diary and you're keeping the sodium down well below the amount you're "allowed"...but still wouldn't hurt to up the water if you can to help. There are natural fluctuations, especially for women.
  • now_or_never13
    now_or_never13 Posts: 1,575 Member
    I am not sure it is the sodium. Nobody uses more salt than I do. I use up a 1 kg of salt every month - and still manage to lose weight... but I make ALL my meals myself from scratch. (except cheese, butter and bread.)

    Prepackaged food has a lot of palm oil, the cheapest form of vegetable oil that really is not good for you at all. It also often has corn starch (in place of flour) and corn sugar (of course, displayed as Dextrose monohydrate so you won't notice you are eating high fructose stuff) - and those are really not helping the weight loss either...

    Maybe those things aren't good for you but neither is using up to 1 kg of salt every month.

    The items you mentioned (besides the salt) will not cause any weight gain. While not super healthy for you to consume they will not cause you to gain fat.

    OP, track your sodium and cut out frozen meals, prepackaged stuff, etc. You might be busy but if changing your lifestyle is important to you, than you will make the time to prepare proper meals.
  • renitawalker9
    renitawalker9 Posts: 108
    You may find that you are sodium sensitive...even if another person can consume 2500 mg of sodium a day doesn't mean you can. The only way to test it out is to decrease your sodium. Even if you don't shed any weight I don't know anyone in their right mind that will tell you decreasing your sodium could be bad for you (unless you are elderly and/or have absolutely 0 sodium in your diet).
  • debbie6868
    debbie6868 Posts: 51
    sodium is set at 2,500 is that too high? also don't really drink water on its own I drink lots of orange an pinapple (low sugar) very very weak though is this ok.
  • renitawalker9
    renitawalker9 Posts: 108
    sodium is set at 2,500 is that too high? also don't really drink water on its own I drink lots of orange an pinapple (low sugar) very very weak though is this ok.

    again...I think you may just have to find a level that works for you. Try to stay under 2000 for a while and see how you feel. If you eliminate the processed dinners you will decrease your sodium substantially and you may even find that you can eat more food when you prepare it yourself as you won't have added calories from fat etc (unless you add it that is).

    you really should try to have some straight up clear water. I drink herbal tea all day (probably about 90 oz a day), but i also drink about 90 oz of clear water a day. its good for your kidneys, skin, erything! DRINK MO WATER! :drinker:
  • ChristinaR720
    ChristinaR720 Posts: 1,186
    sodium is set at 2,500 is that too high? also don't really drink water on its own I drink lots of orange an pinapple (low sugar) very very weak though is this ok.

    Yes, 2,500 mg of sodium is high. I usually try not to go above 1,500 mg per day. It's not easy to do, though, as most foods contain sodium.
  • debbie6868
    debbie6868 Posts: 51
    Gonna try from tomorrow to just drink water, an cut back on the pre made meals :smile:
  • EmLikesToWin
    EmLikesToWin Posts: 19
    Look into eating and tracking tracking potassium too. Have a quick google of high potassium foods, tomato is my go to. Basically it acts as a diuretic and flushes the sodium from your body naturally.

    And drink water. Just do it.
  • symonspatrick
    symonspatrick Posts: 213 Member
    Salt does not make you fat. Water weight from salt is temporary. 2500 or under is recommended in the usa but some other countries use 3500 without ill effects. Unless your doctor has recommended for you to use less then no need to worry about it. Sometimes I can see a 5 pound gain after eating excessive salt but it is temporary water weight. Drinking water seems to flush it out of the system.

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