Sugar, sodium, and exercise; help please?

locuazlaura
locuazlaura Posts: 6 Member
edited February 4 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi,

I joined about a week or so ago and have been logging my food as best as I can (where food doesn't provide calories I do my best to find something very similar on the database. I.e. I bought burgers for dinner last night to cook at home, but calories weren't on the packet so I selected pork and beef burgers homemade to the same weight).

However, doing this I pretty much always eat too much sugar as I'm a sweet tooth. I have cut down big time though! I also seem to always be about 1,000+ under on my sodium allowance.

Is this a problem? Will the extra sugar cause me not to lose weight? Equally, will the lack of sodium be an issue health wise?

Also, I put in that I'm lightly active, as I work as a teacher (although I don't start my new job until Tuesday), and owing to not having a driving license I walk everywhere (largely up hills as I live in Vigo, Spain and I've yet to find a single flat street). When I log my walking as exercise, I am rewarded with extra calories, which I've been eating. However, as it's not strictly a work out, should I maybe not be eating back these calories?

I've not lost weight yet, although I admit I have eaten out twice since I started the diet, which I didn't log as I couldn't find the spanish foods necessary, and had no idea how much I'd eaten anyway. However, I did take a blanket assumption that I'd overeaten on those days!! The last time was on Tuesday, so my dinner is empty in my diary, although I did eat! MFP said I had ~700 calories left though, so I don't think I overate by a huge margin...

Many thanks for any help!!

Replies

  • donjessop
    donjessop Posts: 186 Member
    For me it was sodium. When I cut that down to the 2500 mg I started noticing significant changes. I also added a lot of water to my diet. And exercising and ... You get the picture.

    Sodium, however, seems to be very key for me as when I have a high sodium day my blood sugars rise (I'm a Type 2 Diabetic) and I retain a lot of water. And how do I flush that water? I drink more water. Sounds counterintuitive, but for me it works.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    However, doing this I pretty much always eat too much sugar as I'm a sweet tooth. I have cut down big time though! I also seem to always be about 1,000+ under on my sodium allowance.

    Is this a problem? Will the extra sugar cause me not to lose weight? Equally, will the lack of sodium be an issue health wise?
    No. Neither of these is likely to be an issue if you are otherwise healthy. Our bodies need very little sodium. The limit is not something most people need to strive for.
    Also, I put in that I'm lightly active, as I work as a teacher (although I don't start my new job until Tuesday), and owing to not having a driving license I walk everywhere (largely up hills as I live in Vigo, Spain and I've yet to find a single flat street). When I log my walking as exercise, I am rewarded with extra calories, which I've been eating. However, as it's not strictly a work out, should I maybe not be eating back these calories?
    Yes, that's what I would do. The walking, whether done out of necessity or for 'exercise' is still calories burned beyond the lightly active lifestyle you entered. If it seems like eating them is hindering your weight loss, cut back and only eat 1/2 of them back.
  • Hildy_J
    Hildy_J Posts: 1,050 Member
    Hiya,

    Don't worry about the sugar for now... in fact you change track something else instead for example fibre? Then the sugars get lumped (see what I did there?) in with the other carbs.

    You'll get the hang of it - and I think there's loads of Spanish foods on the MFP database, which may give you a rough idea?

    All the best :smile:
  • redladywitch
    redladywitch Posts: 799 Member
    I think you are on the right track.

    What's neat about MFP is that if you pay attention to your food diary, you begin to realize if you eat to much of this or that. I noticed that I was consuming too much sodium and now I have better control most days. Sugar is another one I try to watch for myself.

    I think you are more aware of what you eat and drink now. Just be patient. Keep learning about nutrition and exercise. What works for one person may not work for you. You are doing great! I wish you continued success.
  • redladywitch
    redladywitch Posts: 799 Member
    :smile:
  • locuazlaura
    locuazlaura Posts: 6 Member
    Thanks to all!!

    I have changed my diary to tell me about fibre and Sat Fat now instead of sugar and sodium.

    I will try not to eat back all of the calories that I burn off walking!! I'm also in the process of joining a gym so that I can start spinning classes; hopefully the extra calories burned will help to fight the bulge!!

    x
  • locuazlaura
    locuazlaura Posts: 6 Member
    Apparently the lemon cookies that I didn't log because 'really how many calories can there be in one little cookie', actually had A LOT of calories in them!! and I mean a lot!! 1,00 in 3 cookies!! So, after I log this my day went from have 192 spare (which I'd 'earned' walking) to being -808. Rats!!

    No more cookies for me!! :( My flatmate isn't eating them either, so they're gonna end up in the bin. SUCH a shame as I made them!!
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