How do you keep sodium down??

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  • Blackdinomite
    Blackdinomite Posts: 26 Member
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    The fat loss I can handle. Even when the scale stalls I still see results when I look in the mirror but I don't want to retain the weight either. It does feel like the work you put in is for nothing though when the scale stops moving or creeps up.
  • leahgoldgirl
    leahgoldgirl Posts: 61 Member
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    Easy- Don't eat anything from a package or chain restaurant. I have high-ish blood pressure and that is the easiest way to keep in down.

    Also, keep in mind that if something needs a lot of salt to taste good, it's because it isn't good (tasting or for you).

    It's pretty easy to bake a huge pan of chicken breasts on a weekend, make a large pot of rice and a huge thing of veggies to pack into smaller containers to take with you. Snacks should always either be a piece of fruit, unsalted nuts, veggies, or something like an avocado, and none of those have salt.

    My day usually goes like this:

    Morning: 1/2 cup oatmeal (easy to make in the work microwave) with cinnamon and maybe a little dried fruit
    + 1 mini "quiche" (egg whites, chopped veggies and spices, baked into a cupcake tin. I put it in the microwave for 30 seconds to heat it up)

    Snack - piece of fruit and some unsalted nuts (8ish)

    Lunch - Chicken + 2 cups of veggies + 1/2 cup of brown rice (made at home, microwaved at work)

    Snack - 1/2 avocado and a few nuts (8ish)
    Snack - Raw veggies

    Dinner - Brown rice pasta, 2 cups veggies, 1 tablespoon olive oil, garlic, spices, chicken, shrimp, cut up Trader Joe's turkey burger or tofu.

    As I said, I cook all my chicken and eggs on a day off, which takes about 1/2 hour. I also cook a huge thing of veggies and rice for meals.

    Dinners take 1 pot and 1 pan tops, with 5 minutes of prep time, 10 minutes of cook time and 10 minutes of clean up.

    I don't spend a lot of time cooking and I don't cook with much, if any salt. It is a largely unnecessary seasoning when food is high quality and prepared correctly. Eating healthy throughout the week is easy, if you devote 1 hour to shopping and one hour to cooking and prepping each week.

    Cooking for yourself is really the way to go. I come in WAY under my sodium limits for the day, save money (my meals average $2.00 - $4.00 per serving and don't have to worry about what is in my food near as much as I would otherwise.
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
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    There's nothing wrong with watching your sodium intake, but you also don't need a very low target unless there is a specific medical reason and you are being advised to do so.

    Please read this article from the NY Times for a good discussion of the changing views on sodium intake: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/15/health/panel-finds-no-benefit-in-sharply-restricting-sodium.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

    For those who don't like popular press articles on nutrition and want studies, there are links to two of the studies used by the panel in the NYT article, but this discussion is actually pretty well written and balanced, at least IMHO.
  • Blackdinomite
    Blackdinomite Posts: 26 Member
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    No health reasons why I can't have certain amounts of salt, I guess I just want to have preventative measures in place. I want to be as healthy as possible and based on the comments I have major changes to make still.
  • dangerousdumpling
    dangerousdumpling Posts: 1,109 Member
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    I checked our your diary and I see what you mean. One tip I'll give you is that you can make your own breakfast sausage to reduce sodium. You can get the protein and a filling breakfast without all the sodium. I make a batch of sausage and put it in the freezer. Thaw in the microwave as needed.

    Here's a recipe that I use all the time. You can cut down on the salt called for if you want to. You can use ground turkey or pork.

    http://queenofthereddoublewide.com/homemade-seasoning-for-breakfast-sausage/
  • peachfigs
    peachfigs Posts: 831 Member
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    Food in tins (like soup or beans) often tend to be high in sodium, as do smoked foods like smoked salmon or cheese. The best way to avoid high sodium is to eat whole, natural foods and limit the processed stuff. :flowerforyou:
  • padams2359
    padams2359 Posts: 1,093 Member
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    I generally do not like alot of salt, and cook alot from scratch, so my families sodium intake is usually very low. I hope I am not crossing a line here, because it is not an advertisement, but Bragg Liquid Aminos is made from Soy, but is not processed likd Soy Sauce. It still has some sodium, but it is much less than table salt or Soy Sauce.
  • Blackdinomite
    Blackdinomite Posts: 26 Member
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    Everything I've read or have heard from others says turkey sausage is best for protein as well as the egg whites - I get my breakfast from a deli right next to my job. I figured it was pretty healthy but if it's too salty I'll try your alternative.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    First I'd like to say that my weight is starting to fall again after 3 weeks of no loss or gains (I think sodium is one cause of the stall) but sodium just seems to be so high in everything. Aside from cooking everything I eat, has anyone had success at maintaining low levels of sodium?

    Not I. I cook most of my food.

    But if you can't keep sodium down, then get your potassium up. It is the ratio of sodium and potassium that makes you bloat. Add more foods high in potassium to your diet. I glass of low sodium V8 or tomato juice may do the trick. Be careful if you use supplements as too much potassium can also cause problems.
  • wjrapp
    wjrapp Posts: 56 Member
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    Try upping your potassium. On paper, your sodium will still be high, but the potassium will help you expel said sodium.

    ^^^This^^^...in addition to cooking with fresh ingredients, without packaged or canned foods and staying away from lunch meats.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
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    Reality is that getting your weight/body composition under control and staying active will get you 90+% of all possible health benefits. Eating a decent quantity and mix of veggies and fruits will get you most of that last 10%.

    Of what little bit is remaining, sodium intake is basically insignificant unless you have a medical condition that requires you to keep it low.

    Bottom line is maintain a healthy weight, maintain or build lean mass, get regular exercise, eat veggies, and don't really worry about anything else unless you have a specific reason.
  • Blackdinomite
    Blackdinomite Posts: 26 Member
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    Cool will definitely up the potassium. Thanks for all the helpful advice everyone!
  • mollywhippet
    mollywhippet Posts: 1,890 Member
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    Even the fresh meats at the grocery store usually have sodium. They inject meats with a salt solution. Check the labels carefully if you need to avoid sodium. Chicken breasts, turkey, pork and beef often are salted and you don't even know it. The chicken breasts at Walmart for example have 180 mg per serving even before they are cooked. There are some stores that carry organic or natural stuff with no salt added, but it is more expensive.

    I have high blood pressure and heart disease, so I have to watch out for every little bit of sodium. Even some vegetables, like celery, have natural sodium. I like using Mrs Dash seasonings, but I still miss salt terribly.
  • Quieau
    Quieau Posts: 428 Member
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    I buy fresh organic, free range meats to avoid the injected solutions. Also, I noticed I was getting awfully high in sodium and went back through my diary looking for anything with triple digits in that category. Turned out it was the lean ham slices, deli cheese and pre-packaged tortillas that were the worst culprits.

    I bake my own bread, we grind sausage from boneless/skinless chicken thighs, pork or beef and otherwise have avoided much packaging but it's surprising how hard it is to avoid.

    We have a great organic/scratch cooking group on facebook (Au Naturel) and am thinking of starting one here. Anyone interested?
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    Salt is NOT a problem, unless it is. If it is not a health concern. forget it. You're wasting time and energy.

    Water adds weight and inches. If weight loss is your goal, salt can be a big problem whether it causes health issues or not.
  • dorthymcconnel
    dorthymcconnel Posts: 237 Member
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    Canned foods and most boxed items are notoriously high in sodium. You want your fruits and veggies to be fresh if possible, frozen if not. Canned should be a very last resort. Canned soup, please don't go there. Another crazy high source of sodium. Soups are ridiculously easy to make from scratch so you control the amount of salt that goes into it. If you are a fan of soy sauce, switch to tamari. Less sodium. Read labels. That is the biggest help. If you like cooking, you may want to look on Pinterest for mixes like taco seasoning, cream of mushroom soup, onion soup mix, that type of thing. The packages that you buy in the store is loaded with MSG and sodium And if you have high blood pressure like I do, add bananas to your diet, drink plenty of water, and monitor your potassium level. Those will help, along with exercise. Good luck!
  • poma91
    poma91 Posts: 181 Member
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    I took a look in your diary and I just have to say one thing - cook your own food. Lots of your meals are prepared, meaning you bought them ready, didn't cook them. Also I would advise lots and lots of veggies. I love boiled broccoli or eat a huge salad, no dressing. I like to put a table spoon or two of olive oil in my salads otherwise it is just too plain for me. Overall try to start shifting to healthier food.
    Also you don't record your water, but in order to stop retaining water apart from lowering sodium(salt) drink a lot of water (like more than 8 glasses(2 liters) per day)
  • sarrah_n
    sarrah_n Posts: 192 Member
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    I noticed two things in your diary from the last few weeks. 1- Your normal breakfast is 40% of your sodium for the day. Consider switching up your protein choice. 2- There are more processed foods in your day than you probably think (not that my food diary is perfect). Sliced deli meat is generally PACKED with sodium. Next time you buy groceries, check the nutrutional values before you put it in the cart.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    Didn't read all the replies, so sorry if this has already been said, but...

    If your diet is fairly consistent, then so will be your sodium intake, and so will be your retained water. In this scenario, sodium will NOT cause plateaus, mask weight loss, etc.

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