Could sodium be my problem?
utterlyaj
Posts: 10 Member
Ok this might be long. Forgive me, it's my first time posting.
I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong, guys. I've been watching what I eat and exercising regularly since the beginning of Summer, 2013. I didn't log either regularly - and sometimes I go over, and some days I don't make my goal. It seems to me that those are normal things to happen.
I have been steadily gaining weight the entire time. At the beginning of this, I was sitting around 150. I got serious about things after I got back from a vacation at the beginning of January, and within the last week I was able to borrow a stationary bike to avoid having to work out in the snow.
After at least these past two weeks of eating very carefully, the scale read 175 this morning. I am so incredibly frustrated. I don't know what to do anymore. $800 later, It's been ruled out as a medical problem - my thyroid is fine, my everything is fine, except for vitamin D which needs some help.
So out of curiosity, I changed my view on my diary so that I could see my sodium intake - and I was shocked to see that I am WAY over more often than not. Is there any likelihood that the high sodium intake, paired with not enough water intake, could be the only thing holding me back? Am I missing something?
I would love any advice.
I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong, guys. I've been watching what I eat and exercising regularly since the beginning of Summer, 2013. I didn't log either regularly - and sometimes I go over, and some days I don't make my goal. It seems to me that those are normal things to happen.
I have been steadily gaining weight the entire time. At the beginning of this, I was sitting around 150. I got serious about things after I got back from a vacation at the beginning of January, and within the last week I was able to borrow a stationary bike to avoid having to work out in the snow.
After at least these past two weeks of eating very carefully, the scale read 175 this morning. I am so incredibly frustrated. I don't know what to do anymore. $800 later, It's been ruled out as a medical problem - my thyroid is fine, my everything is fine, except for vitamin D which needs some help.
So out of curiosity, I changed my view on my diary so that I could see my sodium intake - and I was shocked to see that I am WAY over more often than not. Is there any likelihood that the high sodium intake, paired with not enough water intake, could be the only thing holding me back? Am I missing something?
I would love any advice.
0
Replies
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It's not sodium, it's calories. You're eating more calories than you're burning. That's the only way you'd gain weight. (seeing as you don't have a medical condition). Be more careful with your logging. Get a cheap food scale, measure stuff out. Even if you don't do it forever, at least you'll see how inaccurate eyeballing portions can be.0
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Sodium might account for some bloat or water weight the day after a high sodium day, but it doesn't prevent you from losing weight. I agree with the above poster about calories. Your diary is not terrible, but there are several items that are listed as "1 serving" without any other information as to the measurement of a serving. I would also recommend the food scale and weighing/measuring everything.0
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Thanks guys! The stuff that's listed as "1 serving" are recipes of my own - I don't know how to make them register as "one cup" or "1/4 of recipe" or whatever? Is there a way to do that? Or should I just enter it as the single ingredients and disregard the "recipe" thing?
As far as logging: when I do remember to, I'm meticulous about it. I don't do "bites and tastes" of things ever and I do have a scale, which I use. The only thing I don't measure every time is the peanut butter on my english muffin in the morning, because it's something I use every day, although I do check about once a week to make sure my portions are in check.0 -
I used the recipe thing whenever it was something that I made often. If you know the numbers/portions are correct, and it's a recipe you entered, I don't see a problem with using servings. Servings are a problem when you're just finding something similar to what you ate in the database.
I see chicken fajitas several times. Even when it's a half, it seems very low calorie. A tortilla shell alone is 100-200 calories, depending on the brand. You can't be putting much in it for it to be that low. That's just something that stuck out to me when looking...0 -
You can use the recipe builder on this site to enter your recipes and include the number of servings and what that means (1/16 of tray, 1 cookie, cups, oz, whatever). I'm not sure if you meant that you were already doing that or not, but that's how I calculate recipes.
Are you logging your exercise as well? Just trying to figure out what's going on.0 -
The "fajitas" are: chicken, onion, green pepper, chili powder, cumin, oregano, tomatoes with chilies. I serve them over white rice
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Sodium and carbs can both cause fluid retention. I can swing 5 lbs overnight after a dinner out. But if you were holding on to 15 extra lbs of water you'd notice it.. in your fingers/hands, feet and ankles. So it may be contributing to your problem, but not completely to blame.
Try to log daily for a couple of weeks at least and see if you can pin point the issue. You may also want to "experiment" a little. Try eating low sodium for a few days and see if your weight decreases a little. Then try going low carb for a few days and see if you have any results.0 -
Yes I also log my exercise. I tend to eat back at least some of my exercise calories because it seems the general consensus is that's how MFP was designed so that's how it should be used.0
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I didn't log either regularly - and sometimes I go over, and some days I don't make my goal. It seems to me that those are normal things to happen.
This is your problem.0 -
It's not sodium, it's calories. You're eating more calories than you're burning. That's the only way you'd gain weight. (seeing as you don't have a medical condition). Be more careful with your logging. Get a cheap food scale, measure stuff out. Even if you don't do it forever, at least you'll see how inaccurate eyeballing portions can be.
x2
Sodium can make you retain water, but it's a limited amount. You can't keep gaining water weight from sodium, it would cause an imbalance in your electrolytes that would give you osmotic diarrhea. It has to be calories.0 -
I didn't log either regularly - and sometimes I go over, and some days I don't make my goal. It seems to me that those are normal things to happen.
This is your problem.
How long does it usually take you to see results after you log regularly, though? My past two weeks have been good and solid, and I'm still on the up
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It's not sodium, it's calories. You're eating more calories than you're burning. That's the only way you'd gain weight. (seeing as you don't have a medical condition). Be more careful with your logging. Get a cheap food scale, measure stuff out. Even if you don't do it forever, at least you'll see how inaccurate eyeballing portions can be.
x2
Sodium can make you retain water, but it's a limited amount. You can't keep gaining water weight from sodium, it would cause an imbalance in your electrolytes that would give you osmotic diarrhea. It has to be calories.
This is likely what I needed to hear, and doesn't make it any easier lol. Now I have to figure out if the problem truly is *me* or if MFP's assigned calories aren't working.
Is it worth mentioning also that obesity "runs" on both sides of my family? I don't know how much of this business is genetic, but I'm hoping it's not so much that it can't be overcome.0 -
How long does it usually take you to see results after you log regularly, though? My past two weeks have been good and solid, and I'm still on the up
I would give it at least two more weeks. Especially since you just started exercising. I don't know your stats, but in half an hour on a stationary bike, I burn about 140-150 calories. You use 270 each time. Maybe shave a little off that, in case it's inaccurate. Your calorie goals look reasonable most days, so I'm reluctant to tell you to lower it. Just keep logging as accurate as possible, and working out. Give it a couple more weeks and see how it's going. If you're still gaining, you're eating too much.0 -
Is it worth mentioning also that obesity "runs" on both sides of my family? I don't know how much of this business is genetic, but I'm hoping it's not so much that it can't be overcome.
Obesity runs in families due to poor eating habits being passed on, not the genes that are passed on.0 -
How long does it usually take you to see results after you log regularly, though? My past two weeks have been good and solid, and I'm still on the up
Well, i'd first make sure your logging is as absolutely accurate as possible. Many times we underestimate the amount of food we're eating and overestimate the amount of calories we burn with exercise.
Test the above to see if there are any issues. If not, readjust your calorie goal as necessary and give it more time.0 -
I would give it at least two more weeks. Especially since you just started exercising. I don't know your stats, but in half an hour on a stationary bike, I burn about 140-150 calories. You use 270 each time. Maybe shave a little off that, in case it's inaccurate. Your calorie goals look reasonable most days, so I'm reluctant to tell you to lower it. Just keep logging as accurate as possible, and working out. Give it a couple more weeks and see how it's going. If you're still gaining, you're eating too much.
That is one thing I'm lacking - no heart rate monitor. Is that how you figure out your calories burned? I've been using the MFP values for the intensity level and hoping they were close.0 -
I would give it at least two more weeks. Especially since you just started exercising. I don't know your stats, but in half an hour on a stationary bike, I burn about 140-150 calories. You use 270 each time. Maybe shave a little off that, in case it's inaccurate. Your calorie goals look reasonable most days, so I'm reluctant to tell you to lower it. Just keep logging as accurate as possible, and working out. Give it a couple more weeks and see how it's going. If you're still gaining, you're eating too much.
That is one thing I'm lacking - no heart rate monitor. Is that how you figure out your calories burned? I've been using the MFP values for the intensity level and hoping they were close.
A HRM will only be accurate for steady-state cardio, so i wouldn't count the exercise calories for things such as weightlifting. It can definitely be an amazing tool though.
I have found most machines and MFP's assumptions to overestimate the calories i burn by about 30-40%.0 -
I would give it at least two more weeks. Especially since you just started exercising. I don't know your stats, but in half an hour on a stationary bike, I burn about 140-150 calories. You use 270 each time. Maybe shave a little off that, in case it's inaccurate. Your calorie goals look reasonable most days, so I'm reluctant to tell you to lower it. Just keep logging as accurate as possible, and working out. Give it a couple more weeks and see how it's going. If you're still gaining, you're eating too much.
That is one thing I'm lacking - no heart rate monitor. Is that how you figure out your calories burned? I've been using the MFP values for the intensity level and hoping they were close.
A HRM will only be accurate for steady-state cardio, so i wouldn't count the exercise calories for things such as weightlifting. It can definitely be an amazing tool though.
I have found most machines and MFP's assumptions to overestimate the calories i burn by about 30-40%.
What about for things like interval training, which is what I've been doing? (I'm sorry, I didn't realize there was so much I didn't know!)0 -
I would give it at least two more weeks. Especially since you just started exercising. I don't know your stats, but in half an hour on a stationary bike, I burn about 140-150 calories. You use 270 each time. Maybe shave a little off that, in case it's inaccurate. Your calorie goals look reasonable most days, so I'm reluctant to tell you to lower it. Just keep logging as accurate as possible, and working out. Give it a couple more weeks and see how it's going. If you're still gaining, you're eating too much.
That is one thing I'm lacking - no heart rate monitor. Is that how you figure out your calories burned? I've been using the MFP values for the intensity level and hoping they were close.
A HRM will only be accurate for steady-state cardio, so i wouldn't count the exercise calories for things such as weightlifting. It can definitely be an amazing tool though.
I have found most machines and MFP's assumptions to overestimate the calories i burn by about 30-40%.
What about for things like interval training, which is what I've been doing? (I'm sorry, I didn't realize there was so much I didn't know!)
What is your definition of "interval training"? If it's mostly aerobic activity i imagine a HRM would be significantly more accurate than MFP.0 -
That is one thing I'm lacking - no heart rate monitor. Is that how you figure out your calories burned? I've been using the MFP values for the intensity level and hoping they were close.
Yes. I don't know why MFP is so off on calorie burns, but they are.
A good option for you would also be to add some strength training along with your cardio. If you don't have access to weights, try ody weight stuff. I noticed results much quicker when I started adding in strength training.
http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/0 -
I would give it at least two more weeks. Especially since you just started exercising. I don't know your stats, but in half an hour on a stationary bike, I burn about 140-150 calories. You use 270 each time. Maybe shave a little off that, in case it's inaccurate. Your calorie goals look reasonable most days, so I'm reluctant to tell you to lower it. Just keep logging as accurate as possible, and working out. Give it a couple more weeks and see how it's going. If you're still gaining, you're eating too much.
That is one thing I'm lacking - no heart rate monitor. Is that how you figure out your calories burned? I've been using the MFP values for the intensity level and hoping they were close.
A HRM will only be accurate for steady-state cardio, so i wouldn't count the exercise calories for things such as weightlifting. It can definitely be an amazing tool though.
I have found most machines and MFP's assumptions to overestimate the calories i burn by about 30-40%.
What about for things like interval training, which is what I've been doing? (I'm sorry, I didn't realize there was so much I didn't know!)
What is your definition of "interval training"? If it's mostly aerobic activity i imagine a HRM would be significantly more accurate than MFP.
Just on the bike (or when I was "running" way back this summer) - some high intensity, a little cool down, repeat.0 -
That is one thing I'm lacking - no heart rate monitor. Is that how you figure out your calories burned? I've been using the MFP values for the intensity level and hoping they were close.
Yes. I don't know why MFP is so off on calorie burns, but they are.
A good option for you would also be to add some strength training along with your cardio. If you don't have access to weights, try ody weight stuff. I noticed results much quicker when I started adding in strength training.
http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/
Many thanks for the link!0 -
I would give it at least two more weeks. Especially since you just started exercising. I don't know your stats, but in half an hour on a stationary bike, I burn about 140-150 calories. You use 270 each time. Maybe shave a little off that, in case it's inaccurate. Your calorie goals look reasonable most days, so I'm reluctant to tell you to lower it. Just keep logging as accurate as possible, and working out. Give it a couple more weeks and see how it's going. If you're still gaining, you're eating too much.
That is one thing I'm lacking - no heart rate monitor. Is that how you figure out your calories burned? I've been using the MFP values for the intensity level and hoping they were close.
A HRM will only be accurate for steady-state cardio, so i wouldn't count the exercise calories for things such as weightlifting. It can definitely be an amazing tool though.
I have found most machines and MFP's assumptions to overestimate the calories i burn by about 30-40%.
What about for things like interval training, which is what I've been doing? (I'm sorry, I didn't realize there was so much I didn't know!)
What is your definition of "interval training"? If it's mostly aerobic activity i imagine a HRM would be significantly more accurate than MFP.
Just on the bike (or when I was "running" way back this summer) - some high intensity, a little cool down, repeat.
Yep! Should work just fine for that. 0
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