HELLLPPP!!!!UNDER CALORIES BUT OVER SODIUM
shabrick00
Posts: 141 Member
So I have logged my food for the day and realized im under my calories but way over my sodium. What type of afftect will this have on my weight loss efforts....im really trying to follow the rules here..lol all response are welcomed
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Replies
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Sodium makes me bloat if I go over, but I just drink a lot of water or exercise and it flushes out. It's more important to reach your other calorie goals for the day, like net calories, protein, carbs, and fat.0
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I don't know all the problems with high sodium, but I do know that it does cause the body to retain water and in the long term can cause high blood pressure (like in my case). Most prepared foods are ridiculously high in sodium so those are ones I try and avoid. I rarely add salt to any food other than for meat flavoring now days but my sodium is still high frequently.0
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I can't see you food diary but I know canned foods have a ton of sodium and simply rinsing them really well before eating them gets ride of a lot of excess sodium. Also asking for no salt on hamburger patties, etc. when eating out helps a lot too.
Sodium will just make you retain water/bloat and sometimes if I get way too much it makes my legs hurt a lot. Also, high BP but if you are sticking to calories and losing weight your BP should go down anyway! Good job and good luck!!0 -
I find that the sodium goal is the toughest for me to reach. Mostly because I eat out too often. With that said, I still lost 50 lbs by just hitting my daily calorie goal. So, to lower that sodium intake you probably have to self prepare many of the foods you eat.
Good luck, you will do it.0 -
The only 'rule' of weight loss is consume fewer calories than you burn.
Everything else is a lifestyle choice.
Assuming you don't have a specific identified medical reason to go low-sodium, just drink more water to redress the balance, and carry on. Worst case scenario is you'll have a small, and temporary water weight gain. But you'd have to be seriously over for that, unless you aren't drinking enough fluids too.0 -
I completely ignore sodium and everything is going fine for me. Just make sure to drink lots of water -- especially if you feel thirsty. Salt can be really bad for you if you have other medical conditions, but there's no reason to be afraid of it otherwise.0
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As everyone else said, sodium can have an impact on your heart health. I wouldn't recommend overconsuming all the time. If you eat a lot of prepared foods, you'll be taking in a lot of sodium. Once in awhile is no big deal but every day isn't good. Anything that comes packaged is going to be higher in sodium, anything you get in a restaurant will be higher.0
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Drink some more water today, eat the rest of your calories and maybe try a high-potassium snack because it helps counteract the effects of sodium.0
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Sodium makes your body hold on to water, so it may look like you're losing fat less quickly at the beginning, or the scale may fluctuate if your sodium intake fluctuates. But this is just water weight. Sodium can also contribute to or exacerbate heart and blood pressure issues. If you don't have any personal or family heart issues, including high blood pressure, sodium is pretty harmless. If you do have any family or personal cardiac issues, it's recommended to watch your sodium intake and keep it to less than 2,000 mg.
If you prepare your own food from scratch, you pretty much don't have to worry about sodium unless you add quite a bit. Eating out is a guaranteed way to go over your recommended daily intake (the Chipotle burrito I just ate had 2,000 mg by itself). Canned foods are generally high in sodium, as are prepared frozen meals, and any convenience foods like rice mixes, hamburger helper, etc. Like someone said, rinsing canned foods will decrease the amount of sodium, but of course you can't really measure that.
If you're feeling bloated from sodium, drinking plenty of water will help flush the bloat away. It sounds backwards, but water follows sodium. Eat a lot of salt, and your body will hold on to water. Since your kidneys excrete excess sodium, drinking a lot of water will slowly flush the excess sodium away, and since water follows sodium, the bloat will go away too.0 -
In my experience, it has been a killer on weight loss. Nevermind the false weigh-ins that show a 7 pound increase after a weekend of a moderate increase of sodium (last weekend) and then it took until yesterday for me to be back where I was last Friday. Fruits, veggies, fresh prepared, and low-sodium processed items are really the only way to get around it. I opt for the more clean eating method, but that it not what you have to do if you don't want to. Good luck!
BTW - if you are a granola bar junkie like so many, Kind bars are some of the lowest in sodium, plus they are really good. No, I don't work for them:)0 -
Some people have trouble with sodium. I am one of those people. If my sodium levels aren't kept lower than the U.S. recommended daily allowance (which I think it way too high anyway and should be about 1500-1700mg/day), I bloat up like a balloon and pack on water weight very quickly. I feel like crud, I slack off on exercise, and my sleep pattern gets off. Also, my blood pressure was very very high before I started exercising and watching my sodium intake.
I, too, can not see your diary. However, I know that pre-packaged foods are high in sodium -- WAY high. Also, if you pick a food that is 'fat free' or 'sugar free' you may be trading the removal of said fats and sugars for the addition of sodium. That happens a lot. Read the labels - compare the labels. Pre-plan your food choices. Cook your own food in bulk and freeze it. If you have to stand in the grocery store reading labels for 30 minutes longer than normal, then do it. If it's something that's important to you, as it is to me, then you do what needs to be done. I used to worry that people thought I was a crazy person for as much label checking as I do, but it benefits me and gives me tools to teach my children about being healthy and making good choices. Screw what other folks at the store think about how long it takes me to pick out a can of soup when I feel like having a can of soup (although I invariably put the canned stuff back and just get veg and meat and make my own - more cost effective that way as well).0 -
I have never tracked sodium and it has not affected my weight loss at all. Unless you have health condition where you should limiting it, don't worry about it.0
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So I have logged my food for the day and realized I'm under my calories but way over my sodium. What type of effect will this have on my weight loss efforts....im really trying to follow the rules here..lol all response are welcomed
The now recommended sodium amount for adults with or without issues is 1500mg daily.
Too much sodium is not healthy for anyone particularly those that have health issues ...it's good to get enough if you workout hard and sweat a lot but not many of us are under in our sodium in life.
I'm always under 1500 but I don't eat foods that are take outs, canned soups, chips and junk like that. We all have our moments but I believe for myself eating over my sodium level is a once in awhile thing.. even if I'm way under cals.
I can eat one frozen meal and be over my sodium level.. some I've seen have 5000mg in one pkg. (small meal), same with McDonald's or any fast food..the sodium adds up QUICK.
I'm in a habit now of whenever I pick up a pkg. it's the sodium I glance at first before anything else..then the carbs, then the fat.
Hope this thread helps you understand how important it is to get it under control. You don't want to get health issues from too much, or if you already have health issues dropping it way down from what mg's you're using will help quite a bit.
:flowerforyou:
awesome post!!:happy:Some people have trouble with sodium. I am one of those people. If my sodium levels aren't kept lower than the U.S. recommended daily allowance (which I think it way too high anyway and should be about 1500-1700mg/day), I bloat up like a balloon and pack on water weight very quickly. I feel like crud, I slack off on exercise, and my sleep pattern gets off. Also, my blood pressure was very very high before I started exercising and watching my sodium intake.
I, too, can not see your diary. However, I know that pre-packaged foods are high in sodium -- WAY high. Also, if you pick a food that is 'fat free' or 'sugar free' you may be trading the removal of said fats and sugars for the addition of sodium. That happens a lot. Read the labels - compare the labels. Pre-plan your food choices. Cook your own food in bulk and freeze it. If you have to stand in the grocery store reading labels for 30 minutes longer than normal, then do it. If it's something that's important to you, as it is to me, then you do what needs to be done. I used to worry that people thought I was a crazy person for as much label checking as I do, but it benefits me and gives me tools to teach my children about being healthy and making good choices. Screw what other folks at the store think about how long it takes me to pick out a can of soup when I feel like having a can of soup (although I invariably put the canned stuff back and just get veg and meat and make my own - more cost effective that way as well).
I have to disagree with this response. I believe sodium is just as important as what you've listed. Not many ppl keep their sodium between 1500mg - 1700mg (men)..as the member above shared you have to be constantly vigilant on label reading.Sodium makes me bloat if I go over, but I just drink a lot of water or exercise and it flushes out. It's more important to reach your other calorie goals for the day, like net calories, protein, carbs, and fat.
It surprises me what I see shared on so many threads when others ask this same question and ppl respond that sodium doesn't matter unless you high blood pressure. I feel it DOES matter, even if you don't have issues, you don't want to get them do you?
I'm not talking high level athletes that burn cals quickly and sweat profusely that need to be sure they keep their sodium levels up. I'm talking about the rest of us.0 -
So I have logged my food for the day and realized im under my calories but way over my sodium. What type of afftect will this have on my weight loss efforts....im really trying to follow the rules here..lol all response are welcomed
Sodium intake has noting to do with fat loss. Excess sodium can cause water retention which shows up on the scale, but has no bearing on actual fat loss. Most people who track sodium do so because they have a medical condition or are at risk for medical conditions related to sodium intake...like hypertension.The now recommended sodium amount for adults with or without issues is 1500mg daily.
Actually, current studies are showing that current AHA recommendations are pretty much bunk in RE to sodium as well as saturated fats and other things.0 -
I would have to see a properly sourced study stating that it DOES matter, before I would agree. Otherwise, for the sake of adherence, why worry about it?So I have logged my food for the day and realized I'm under my calories but way over my sodium. What type of effect will this have on my weight loss efforts....im really trying to follow the rules here..lol all response are welcomed
The now recommended sodium amount for adults with or without issues is 1500mg daily.
Too much sodium is not healthy for anyone particularly those that have health issues ...it's good to get enough if you workout hard and sweat a lot but not many of us are under in our sodium in life.
I'm always under 1500 but I don't eat foods that are take outs, canned soups, chips and junk like that. We all have our moments but I believe for myself eating over my sodium level is a once in awhile thing.. even if I'm way under cals.
I can eat one frozen meal and be over my sodium level.. some I've seen have 5000mg in one pkg. (small meal), same with McDonald's or any fast food..the sodium adds up QUICK.
I'm in a habit now of whenever I pick up a pkg. it's the sodium I glance at first before anything else..then the carbs, then the fat.
Hope this thread helps you understand how important it is to get it under control. You don't want to get health issues from too much, or if you already have health issues dropping it way down from what mg's you're using will help quite a bit.
:flowerforyou:
awesome post!!:happy:Some people have trouble with sodium. I am one of those people. If my sodium levels aren't kept lower than the U.S. recommended daily allowance (which I think it way too high anyway and should be about 1500-1700mg/day), I bloat up like a balloon and pack on water weight very quickly. I feel like crud, I slack off on exercise, and my sleep pattern gets off. Also, my blood pressure was very very high before I started exercising and watching my sodium intake.
I, too, can not see your diary. However, I know that pre-packaged foods are high in sodium -- WAY high. Also, if you pick a food that is 'fat free' or 'sugar free' you may be trading the removal of said fats and sugars for the addition of sodium. That happens a lot. Read the labels - compare the labels. Pre-plan your food choices. Cook your own food in bulk and freeze it. If you have to stand in the grocery store reading labels for 30 minutes longer than normal, then do it. If it's something that's important to you, as it is to me, then you do what needs to be done. I used to worry that people thought I was a crazy person for as much label checking as I do, but it benefits me and gives me tools to teach my children about being healthy and making good choices. Screw what other folks at the store think about how long it takes me to pick out a can of soup when I feel like having a can of soup (although I invariably put the canned stuff back and just get veg and meat and make my own - more cost effective that way as well).
I have to disagree with this response. I believe sodium is just as important as what you've listed. Not many ppl keep their sodium between 1500mg - 1700mg (men)..as the member above shared you have to be constantly vigilant on label reading.Sodium makes me bloat if I go over, but I just drink a lot of water or exercise and it flushes out. It's more important to reach your other calorie goals for the day, like net calories, protein, carbs, and fat.
It surprises me what I see shared on so many threads when others ask this same question and ppl respond that sodium doesn't matter unless you high blood pressure. I feel it DOES matter, even if you don't have issues, you don't want to get them do you?
I'm not talking high level athletes that burn cals quickly and sweat profusely that need to be sure they keep their sodium levels up. I'm talking about the rest of us.0 -
thanks all for the input and opinions on sodium. I most definitely understand better now...i have made my diary public, so if anyone wants to take a look and give me some insite great and you can add me as a friend for added support :-)0
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The FDA recommends no more than 2300mgs of sodium per day for most people, but 1500mg for those who are African-American, have high blood pressure or are over 50. I have high blood pressure and I have found almost all processed food has way too much sodium. Worse still, meat (especially chicken breasts) is often 'plumped up' with a saline solution. Which can add triple the sodium. Bread and baked goods are more culprits because of the salt, baking soda and baking powder they are made with. If you're looking to cut down on sodium, read your labels. Even a lower sodium version of something can have 500mgs of sodium. This is why I pretty much cook everything from scratch. If you don't have a condition requiring you to do so, you shouldn't have to go that far, but it's a good idea to keep it managed.0
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Any time you eat out -- fast food, frozen meals, even packaged deli meats, they all contain high levels of sodium. Think about making home-cooked meals -- this will help lower the sodium in general, but you know exactly what is going into your food. Sodium is used as a preservative and to greatly enhance the flavor of foods -- that is why when you eat pre-packaged, or fast food you will see your sodium levels go through the roof!
I believe that even if you don't have a medical reason to lower your sodium, it is a good thing to do for your body!
:drinker:0 -
We so often see people try to put themselves on every common medically required diet, all at the same time - low salt, low sugar, low cholesterol. Is it any wonder so many people fail?
Even my doctor took me off my low-oxalate (kidney stones) and low-cholesterol diet, after he saw how well I was regulating my diet overall, and that I was keeping well hydrated.
Moral of the story - a well regulated diet generally doesn't require anything more in terms of tracking individual nutrients. And will be much easier to adhere to as a result.0 -
I too am very sensitive to sodium. Unfortunately, I love it. I know most people have a weakness for sugar, but I don't give a crap about sugar. I love salt more than anything and would sip soy sauce from a tiny tea cup if it was healthy. I know that sounds gross. I do not do that by the way, lol. It's funny how we always crave the things our bodies do not want us to have. I just try to watch myself and have it in moderation.0
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I have never tracked sodium and it has not affected my weight loss at all. Unless you have health condition where you should limiting it, don't worry about it.
Yup. This is me too. Now sugar, that's a horse of a different color :blushing:0 -
I lost 40 lbs prior to beginning the next leg of my weight loss here. I have always found that, aside from health issues, sodium makes a huge difference in how and when you see your weight loss on the scale. Several years ago, I was capable of going a month without seeing a loss at all, but once I saw a 12 lb weight loss in less than 2 days. Let's just say I didn't get much sleep that night as my body dropped the water.
So I did a little research, and what I decided to try, after reading an article on some research that seemed to indicate that it wasn't just the level of sodium but the balance between sodium and potassium, was not just to lower my sodium but raise potassium. Potassium is essential for the body in washing out sodium. I've found this works for me to even out the weight loss I see on the scale. No more interminable plateaus or crazy flooding.
I find the pattern my body follows is to gain water weight for a day or two and then drop more than I gained for the next day or two. Some people say to only weight every week at the most because of the fluctuations, but I weight religiously every day. It gives me a sense of safety to know exactly what is happening with my body. It is hard to see weight loss disappear before it reappears, but gradually I've learned to trust my body, to expect this little wavy ride, and remember my diet isn't about numbers, it's about actual fat loss. If I'm sticking to my goals and I gain weight, I know that's the result of fat disappearing and my body replacing it with water, and that is better for my skin and electrolyte system. My body knows best. Sigh. <Stamps foot> <fume>
Oh well. The pattern is predictable, which is the point.
Water, you know, actually weighs more than fat. Think oil and water. Water is heavy. That's why it's on the bottom and the fat is floating on top.
Sources of potassium require a little more research to decide what foods are right for you. It isn't listed on a lot of packaging, though it may be in the food, so you need to go to the web sometimes to find the info you need. Personally I would not take potassium in pills. An overdose can be very dangerous.
If you're not diabetic, fruit is the most obvious option. Heck, fruit is a good option anyway, and full of phytonutrients, but if you're diabetic you have to parcel it out slowly and eat it with other foods. I took the advice of someone here and freeze bananas in one inch pieces for sweet treats and a little extra potassium.
I have two recipes I like to use to up-potassium. One is a highly condensed mushroom mousse that has pureed mushrooms and very little else. I also have a similar eggplant dip I make. Both are low in sugar and very low in calories. One of the first things to do is see what you can do with low-calorie vegetables you like, using a little imagination to make them yummy and available in your fridge all day long.
If you like crunchy vegetables and greens, that's a superb easy resource. But I do not like crunchy vegetables much. They usually have a fair amount of sugar, too, and I'd rather spend my extremely limited sugar on something I actually enjoy.
So my favorite simple potassium fix is is avocado. Avocado has a lot of calories so you need to decide how it will fit into your diet. The calories are from fat, too, but it's chock-full of omegas and I welcome this addition to my diet. Best of all, they are loaded with potassium and have ZERO sugar.
Bottom line, though, it's calories-in and calories-out that will create fat loss. Sodium and potassium have nothing to do with actual fat loss, only numbers on a scale. "Weight loss" is inevitably a number tied to a scale, which is a crude measurement of what is going on with your body and your increasing health.
Don't focus only on any number on the scale or in your diary. Think "fat loss," "muscle gain," and "better health = more fun!"0 -
It's almost like it's trendy to have a medically required diet.:noway: I manage a liquor store and we get dozens of people purchasing gluten free beer because they have a perception that it is healthier than regular beer. :laugh: Very few of them even know what gluten is and seem to think it is related to MSG. :huh:We so often see people try to put themselves on every common medically required diet, all at the same time - low salt, low sugar, low cholesterol. Is it any wonder so many people fail?
Even my doctor took me off my low-oxalate (kidney stones) and low-cholesterol diet, after he saw how well I was regulating my diet overall, and that I was keeping well hydrated.
Moral of the story - a well regulated diet generally doesn't require anything more in terms of tracking individual nutrients. And will be much easier to adhere to as a result.0 -
That means nothing to me.0
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I have to disagree with this response. I believe sodium is just as important as what you've listed. Not many ppl keep their sodium between 1500mg - 1700mg (men)..as the member above shared you have to be constantly vigilant on label reading.Sodium makes me bloat if I go over, but I just drink a lot of water or exercise and it flushes out. It's more important to reach your other calorie goals for the day, like net calories, protein, carbs, and fat.
It surprises me what I see shared on so many threads when others ask this same question and ppl respond that sodium doesn't matter unless you high blood pressure. I feel it DOES matter, even if you don't have issues, you don't want to get them do you?
I'm not talking high level athletes that burn cals quickly and sweat profusely that need to be sure they keep their sodium levels up. I'm talking about the rest of us.
I wasn't implying that tracking sodium is not important. I do track mine and try to keep it low. What I meant was not to stop eating for the day just because you are over your sodium levels, especially if you have a lot of left over calories.0 -
me too! im not sure what im doing wrong but im way over sodium. a little over sugar and under in everything else0
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Keep your potassium and sodium ratio 2:1 which means if you have 2000mg of sodium have 4000mg of potassium which adds up a lot anyway if eat a lot of vegetables, fruits, and
lean meat. Plus believe or not drinking more water helps eliminate water retention. I drink at least a gallon a day.0 -
Just drink more water.
Problem solved.0 -
I would pay more attention to what type of salt your are consuming than the amount of it. Avoid processed salt and favor mineral rich unprocessed like celtic sea salt or hymilayan pink salt. Those are good for you!0
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