Sodium and Sugar Rates Leave Me Down!

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CielArdent9
CielArdent9 Posts: 32
in Health and Weight Loss
While it's good that MyFitness Pal is keeping track of our sodium and sugar intakes, I find it depressing to know how much of that stuff is in my food. Even Progresso soup has a lot and it makes my sodium intake skyrocket. I thought Progresso didn't have as much compared to Campbells'. Granted, I only have soup once, maybe twice a week depending what time I get home after a long day at work.

But other things like multi grain crackers, French Vanilla coffee, etc. have so much sugar and sodium. I guess I'll have to go organic in order to avoid all that, but that can get expensive for me.

Any advice to deal with this? My calorie intake remains under my goal, which is good, but not the other two.

Replies

  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    I don't track them as I see no need for me to do so.
  • Alisha_countrymama
    Alisha_countrymama Posts: 821 Member
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    Stop eating processed foods. Eat whole foods. add your own salt out of a shaker.
  • saugonda1
    saugonda1 Posts: 145 Member
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    I've lost over 45 pounds without tracking them
  • determined_erin
    determined_erin Posts: 571 Member
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    Buy food with less sodium and sugar. I always check the nutrition facts at the grocery store.

    Eat more veggies, fruits, and other raw foods that are healthy and natural.
  • cacklingcat
    cacklingcat Posts: 150 Member
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    I am so with you about the sugar and salt but I don't think going organic makes a difference in this mater, I could be rong but I don't think the sugar and salt content foul under the organic guidelines.
  • pineygirl
    pineygirl Posts: 322 Member
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    I stopped tracking my sugar. It was so annoying to have 1 piece of fruit and 1 glass of milk put me over my sugar for the day...I wasn't even eating added sugar at all. I have no issues with my blood sugar being high even though I've had reactive hypoglycemia since childhood, which predisposes me to type II diabetes (also have a family history of it). I have no issues with it so long as I eat fat or fiber or fat with the sugar to slow the fast spike in blood sugar that triggers the drop.

    I do track sodium because of my blood pressure which happens to be sodium sensitive. So long as I try to stay under 1500mg and keep my potassium over 2000mg I won't have an issue. On days I know I'm going to have a lot of sodium (eating out), I will make sure I have about 4000mg of potassium to counter act it. I don't use medication to control my hypertension so I sort of have to do this.

    But it you have no issues with hypertension or diabetes there is no need to track sodium or sugar to lose weight.
  • ammadove
    ammadove Posts: 97 Member
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    If you have a slow cooker you could make soup yourself. Then add what you like or omit what you don't. This is what we have started doing for the very reasons you stated.:flowerforyou:
  • CielArdent9
    CielArdent9 Posts: 32
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    Stop eating processed foods. Eat whole foods. add your own salt out of a shaker.

    I don't eat processed foods. Well, occassionally if I'm too lazy to cook after a long day. But I don't eat processed foods on a regular basis.
  • CielArdent9
    CielArdent9 Posts: 32
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    If you have a slow cooker you could make soup yourself. Then add what you like or omit what you don't. This is what we have started doing for the very reasons you stated.:flowerforyou:

    Hmm, that's an idea!
  • LauraRose03
    LauraRose03 Posts: 140
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    I agree with a lot of the people on here, just don't track it! I'm down in the 130 weight range (from being in the 150's) without tracking any of it. Progresso does have low-sodium choices that are actually very tasty!
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
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    But other things like multi grain crackers, French Vanilla coffee, etc. have so much sugar and sodium. I guess I'll have to go organic in order to avoid all that, but that can get expensive for me.

    the french vanilla coffee and multi grain crackers are processed foods.

    You don't have to go "organic" to avoid sodium... but the less processed stuff you eat, the less sodium you're going to get.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
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    If you have a slow cooker you could make soup yourself. Then add what you like or omit what you don't. This is what we have started doing for the very reasons you stated.:flowerforyou:

    Hmm, that's an idea!

    You don't need a slow cooker, just a pot and a stove. I don't track sodium and sugar. I do track potassium as that has as much or more to do with electrolyte balance as anything.
  • leomom72
    leomom72 Posts: 1,797 Member
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    Buy food with less sodium and sugar. I always check the nutrition facts at the grocery store.
    i do too..sugar i dont care about so much, but sodium is big for me..when i cook my own food even now, i leave salt out and let everyone put as much in as they want, but as for shopping, i always look for lower sodium foods

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