Sodium intake driving me nuts!!

vcatmb44
vcatmb44 Posts: 129 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
How the hell do u stay under 2500mg? it seems impossible for me. I buy every thing low sodium or no salt added but yet i always seem to go over my intake of sodium and not by a little by like 500-1200 mg. All i drink is water all day i dont add salt to my food and stay away for the most part to processed foods or if i do i will get the low sodium kind. Is this gonna be a big factor in my weight loss?
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Replies

  • MichelleWagner50
    MichelleWagner50 Posts: 240 Member
    I was having the same problem and I finally decided not to track my sodium anymore. I decided to focus on the healthy things I need, instead of the unhealthy.
    Good luck and keep drinking water! :-)
  • freeatlast20
    freeatlast20 Posts: 120 Member
    i dont know either....would be interesting to read more comments....im like you i stay away from sodium as much as possible and buy low sodium foods.....im getting to the point of not tracking it anymore myself....that way i wont drive myself crazy over it. Good luck on your weight loss journey....:drinker:
  • eshalliwill
    eshalliwill Posts: 4
    I'm so glad to hear someone else is having that problem. So many things have sodium in them and I don't add salt either. It doesn't seem to be hurting me, but I've found some foods less salty and try to switch up daily so I don't have as much sodium several days in a row.
  • Lacole216
    Lacole216 Posts: 97
    I have been having the same issue. It seems that I'm always under with my calories etc. but that sodium is always over. I don't use salt when cooking but I always seem to go over. I may just follow the other ladies method & not track it. Thanks for sharing.
  • BigBoneSista
    BigBoneSista Posts: 2,389 Member
    My nutritionist just put me on 1500g a day yesterday :indifferent: How am I going to do that plus eat between 1600 to 1800 calories a day?? So I went to the store last night and bought some stuff. We'll see if I can pull it off today.
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
    Feel free to look at my food diary. With the exception of Holidays and and this last weekend (I went out Fri/Saturday), I'm typically pretty good on sodium.

    A few tips:

    -Don't add salt to anything, even recipes that call for it. It's not really necessary and you'll find you don't miss it after awhile.
    -Eat as little processed food as possible - this is where most your sodium is probably coming from
    -When you do use processed/packaged food, buy the low or no sodium kind. For example, I buy canned beans, but buy the no-salt-added versions only.

    If you're eating the right types of food - lean protein, lots of veggies, some fruit, nuts, legumes, etc., and most of this is prepared at home, then you'll have no trouble keeping sodium low.
  • CoryIda
    CoryIda Posts: 7,870 Member
    I am always under by quite a bit - feel free to look at my diary for ideas. It's not hard if you avoid lots of processed foods, but it can take some time and effort to initially cut those out.
  • JodiS75
    JodiS75 Posts: 284
    I defininetly feel the effects of too much sodium in increased bloating and water retention! Too much sodium is also a big cause in high blood pressure. However, I'm not a doctor or a nurse so I can't tell you how much is too much. I know some things I noticed a very high sodium content on....cottage cheese, dry soup mixes, instant potatoes - all on the low end of the calorie range, but HIGH in sodium. My diary is open as well, if you'd like to check it out... :flowerforyou:
  • ahbach2005
    ahbach2005 Posts: 119
    It is almost impossible to meet the sodium goal unless you prepare and cook everything youself.

    If you are reasonably close and drink enough water it should not slow your efforts unlessyou are over by a large amount. say double or triple.

    If you dont salt anything and try to stay away form hihg sodium food you should do well. Watch out for the healthy trim stuff..It may say lower sodium instead of low sodium.

    If your blood pressure is fine don't get too concerned over the sodium. I have high bp and it is coming down with excercise and weight loss and I am usually over the sodium goal by a small marign.
  • Sherri71
    Sherri71 Posts: 208 Member
    I struggle with the sodium numbers as well, but I really liked Wendy's suggestions of no process foods, frozen foods, or canned soups. What are the negative effects of too much sodium? Water retention?
  • esorcel
    esorcel Posts: 459 Member
    If you are a bread, cereal, oatmeal eater, they are ALL packed with unnecessary sodium, no matter how healthy they may seem. I get the no sodium added kind and my sodium doesn't increase much. Be careful of desserts and other sugary sweets, because the sodium is in them too.

    The best suggestions have been mentioned already. Beware of processed foods, microwavable meals and take out foods(biggest culprits!). You can order a salad from a restaurant, and be over your sodium when you think you are eating healthy.

    Feel free to look at my diary. I finally got this sodium thing down, and I hope you will be able too. Good luck!
  • yoda_pooh
    yoda_pooh Posts: 6
    2500 is no problem...I try to stay below 1500. As you said, no processed food (including sandwich meats), many grain products have salt, dressings and seasonings, some seafood, many protein shakes, some medications, prepared soups and meals and even several fruits and vegetables contain salt.

    Supposedly. some salts are not as bad (celery salys, etc.). But as the last poster said, if you are having a hard time with sodium, just keep drinking as much as possible. If you do manage to limit your salt, you'll be running to the bathroom way more often and dropping water weight quite quickly.

    Check out the following link for foods low in sodium

    http://nutritiondata.self.com/foods-000000000000123000000-w.html

    And foods highest in sodium

    http://nutritiondata.self.com/foods-000123000000000000000-w.html

    Good luck
  • BigBoneSista
    BigBoneSista Posts: 2,389 Member
    Well I've x'd my deli sliced roasted chicken and black forest ham. The sodium is crazy. I thought I was being healthy by getting it from the deli. NOPE. Not when it comes to sodium. Weight Watcher's Smart Ones have to be cut also. I usually grab those real quick. I am revamping my menu. About to cook a whole pan of skinless chicken breast and slice them thin. When ever I'm on the go I can just pop one in the microwave.
  • bka8
    bka8 Posts: 92
    I struggle with the sodium numbers as well, but I really liked Wendy's suggestions of no process foods, frozen foods, or canned soups. What are the negative effects of too much sodium? Water retention?

    I'd like to know too! I knew about the high blood pressure thing, but aren't different types of salts required when you work out? Isn't that the electrolytes thing?
  • BigBoneSista
    BigBoneSista Posts: 2,389 Member
    2500 is no problem...I try to stay below 1500. As you said, no processed food (including sandwich meats), many grain products have salt, dressings and seasonings, some seafood, many protein shakes, some medications, prepared soups and meals and even several fruits and vegetables contain salt.

    Supposedly. some salts are not as bad (celery salys, etc.). But as the last poster said, if you are having a hard time with sodium, just keep drinking as much as possible. If you do manage to limit your salt, you'll be running to the bathroom way more often and dropping water weight quite quickly.

    Check out the following link for foods low in sodium

    http://nutritiondata.self.com/foods-000000000000123000000-w.html

    And foods highest in sodium

    http://nutritiondata.self.com/foods-000123000000000000000-w.html

    Good luck

    Thanks for the links!
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
    I struggle with the sodium numbers as well, but I really liked Wendy's suggestions of no process foods, frozen foods, or canned soups. What are the negative effects of too much sodium? Water retention?

    I'd like to know too! I knew about the high blood pressure thing, but aren't different types of salts required when you work out? Isn't that the electrolytes thing?

    Sodium is necessary for our body to function, but you only need about 500mg/day. Most people don't need to worry about replacing sodium lost through sweat because we get more than enough in our regular diets. It's my understanding that only people doing very long, strenuous workouts (such as long-distance runners) really need to worry about replacing electrolytes while working out - if they drink too much plain water and sweat out enough salt, it will cause an imbalance in their electrolytes, but most people don't need to worry about this.
  • CoryIda
    CoryIda Posts: 7,870 Member
    I struggle with the sodium numbers as well, but I really liked Wendy's suggestions of no process foods, frozen foods, or canned soups. What are the negative effects of too much sodium? Water retention?

    I'd like to know too! I knew about the high blood pressure thing, but aren't different types of salts required when you work out? Isn't that the electrolytes thing?

    Sodium is necessary for our body to function, but you only need about 500mg/day. Most people don't need to worry about replacing sodium lost through sweat because we get more than enough in our regular diets. It's my understanding that only people doing very long, strenuous workouts (such as long-distance runners) really need to worry about replacing electrolytes while working out - if they drink too much plain water and sweat out enough salt, it will cause an imbalance in their electrolytes, but most people don't need to worry about this.

    Ditto to what accountant_boi said. :wink:

    Too much sodium over a long period of time raises blood pressure, puts stress on your kidneys, and increases your risk of certain kinds of heart disease.
  • AnnaPixie
    AnnaPixie Posts: 7,439 Member
    I wouldn't be overly obsessed by sodium if you are fit and healthy. It doesnt stop you losing fat!! Too much of it just retains water which can show on the scales. Like last week I binged on stupid foods and gained 7lbs. In 2 days I've lost 4lbs just by eating properly and drinking water again. I'm sure most of that water weight will be gone by the end of the week.

    Some people are more sodium intollerant than others. I know I retain water if I eat c**p!! Especially KFC!!! OMG you would not beleive the salt in that mix!! :noway:

    If your diet is high in sodium before you start to 'diet' and you maintain that level, the scales will still move down if you lose 'fat'. If you cut your sodium and then have a high sodium meal, you STILL lose fat but the scales will show higher on water weight. Always good to measure yourself either with a tape or a pair of jeans, or both! So many people stress over the water fluctuations. Always remember that scales are misleading in that respect.

    It's recommended to cut sodium to 2500 as a health thing rather than a weight loss thing. But you will automatically do that when you cut out processed foods/fast foods/restaurant foods from your diet.

    Basically, your body is made up of 50 - 70% water!! Your sodium levels will make that fluctuate. If you eat less calories than you burn and maintain a lifestyle of healthy food and exercise, you will lose FAT! Which is the main reason we are here. Well, to lose fat and to build muscle......which is another story.....lol

    Focus on eating healthy foods rather than cutting sodium. Your body still needs 'some' sodium to survive..........

    Hope that helps

    Good luck :flowerforyou:
  • mayana2002
    mayana2002 Posts: 192
    I will be honest here, food without salt sucks. I Use very little salt but I can't saty without it specially because I have low blood pressure. I am avoiding canned soup for sure and making my own food whenever I can. During my working days I do eat turkey breats sandwich for lunch because I work 12 hrs /day and I have no mood for cooking at night sometimes... And guess what? In one week I lost 5 lbs. Salt is not making a big deal in my diet, I am still losing... It could be fatser? Maybe yes, but cutting salt of my life would be boring. I would hate eating my meals and probably will not do any diet (it happened before) and I will always feel sleepy and slow. Moderation is the key. If your doctor told you to cut it all of your life go ahead and listen.
  • JustDoIt1973
    JustDoIt1973 Posts: 10 Member
    I have Meniere's and thus HAVE to stay at 1,000 mg or less per day. At first it sucks not having it tastewise, but you get used to it after a while and realize you can actually taste the food your eating, not salt. I prepare most of my own meals at home, dont add salt to anything and Mrs. Dash is my best friend!! Her seasonings are awesome!! So much flavor and no sodium whatsoever. Buy foods that are low sodium/no salt added and it makes a huge difference.
  • JustDoIt1973
    JustDoIt1973 Posts: 10 Member
    and dont tracks sodium thats in food naturally. For example, a cup of steamed broccoli has 44 grams of sodium, my dr. said not to count anything grown from the earth or milk (which also has alot of sodium). Just dont add any salt (use mrs dash) and limit cheese.
  • cmw9696
    cmw9696 Posts: 123
    Feel free to look at my food diary...I seldom go over in sodium unless I eat out. I also try to get high potassium foods to fight against the sodium. Sodium is huge in your weight loss journey and in your health for that matter.
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
    I will be honest here, food without salt sucks.

    We are conditioned to want super sweet or super salty foods - anything you eat in restaurants (most of the time), recipes for stuff we make at home, etc. are filled with salt and sugar. Most people weren't raised on low-sugar or low-salt diets. However, if you give it time, you'll learn to enjoy foods for their actual taste, without all the added salt and sugar. It is an adjustment, but over time your body/tast buds do adapt.
  • msamcoates
    msamcoates Posts: 261 Member
    I have the same problem .... sigh ... I have been trying to just drink alot of water to offset it.
  • FemininGuns
    FemininGuns Posts: 605 Member
    I have no problem staying under... Take a look at my diary.

    If no salt added to food is boring, you can use Mrs. Dash (no salt or msg) seasonnings and other (like Epicure spices) to kick up the taste on whole foods.

    I stay away form ANY processed meats and cook at home as much as possible. Anyone can do it, but like everything in life - it takes effort and commitment to stick with it :wink: We can do it!!
  • c7eat2live
    c7eat2live Posts: 308 Member
    I actually lowered my intake from 2500 to 2000 manually. Too much sodium for me=l=bloating and water retention and overall yuckiness. To cut down, I dont add salt to ANYTHING. If I need a little saltiness I add some (tiny bit!) of liquid aminos to my food. Also I have become aware of what to avoid that tends to be high in salt, processed food, basically anything frozen-dinnerish, "low fat" canned things, and when eating out I ask them to cut down on the salt as much as possible.
  • JimHeid
    JimHeid Posts: 42 Member
    Wish I could enjoy Mrs Dash. My nose doesn't work well, so my tastes are hot, cold, sweet, sour, bitter, and SALT. Its easier to diet when you can really savor your food choices!
  • madijo41
    madijo41 Posts: 367 Member
    and dont tracks sodium thats in food naturally. For example, a cup of steamed broccoli has 44 grams of sodium, my dr. said not to count anything grown from the earth or milk (which also has alot of sodium). Just dont add any salt (use mrs dash) and limit cheese.

    I was just going to say that. Look at all the sodium that is in food naturally, you would be shocked and amazed. Look at all your veggies and see what they have. Its the other stuff you have to worry about.
  • Ge0rgiana
    Ge0rgiana Posts: 1,649 Member
    My goal is 1,800mg a day. I'm happy to say that (when I'm behaving myself) I usually make it. Today I'm at < 1,300mg and around 1,300 cals. If you want to see my diary, feel free to friend me.

    The best advice I can give is track it, see what your highest sodium offenders are, and eliminate them. Also, I use a LOT of McCormick Perfect Pinch Mediterranean Herb and Salad Supreme to season my food. It's about 65mg per 1/4 tsp, which is plenty to flavor a dish. I stay away from most processed foods, I eat a lot of fresh meats, a lot of fresh/frozen veggies. I also avoid bread. Not low carbing per se, but bread specifically. My body isn't crazy about wheat anyway, and bread has a lot of sodium usually. I do potatoes once in a while along with brown rice and Wasa rye crackers and stuff like that.

    A lot of stuff is labeled reduced sodium, but you have to watch the nutrition labels. Reducing a cup of soup from 800mg to 700mg is still a helluva lot of salt for a couple hundred calories if you ask me. (If you like soup, I highly recommend Amy's Light in Sodium soups).

    This is going blind. If you would like me to look at your diary and offer opinions / guidance, feel free to ask. This is one thing that I've literally got down to a science.
  • TORNATO1
    TORNATO1 Posts: 52 Member
    I have been having a hard time keeping both sodium and sugar down. Everything else is preety easy so far.

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