Could Sodium be the culprit?

jal92475
jal92475 Posts: 53 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I just want some opinions on if I'm doing the right thing or I'm totally off base. I am currently 5'4" and weigh 205 lbs. I just recently got back on the wagon again. So here's how it's been going: Week 1: lost 2 lbs, Week 2: lost 3 lbs, Week 3: lost .5 lbs and week 4: 0 loss.

I go to the gym 5 days a week. Strength train 3 days (kettle bells, crunches, step ups, planks, wall ball, etc) and cardio 2 days. My diary is open. I don't eat clean but there should be a calorie deficit there from what I'm tracking. I do weigh my food with a food scale. I know it's early but I'm getting a little concerned that things don't seem to be moving along so I went back through my diary. I notice that my sodium intake is quite staggering. Does anyone think that could be inflating my numbers, is it something else, or am I just too darned impatient. (I could just be impatient but on the venting side my fiance' started at the same time as me, eats like crazy and I can visibly see a difference in him. Grrr! lol)

Replies

  • _Waffle_
    _Waffle_ Posts: 13,049 Member
    Sodium might add a pound or two but it won't change your body weight by too much and it's not like you're going to keep gaining pound after pound of water retention. Generally I wouldn't worry too much about it unless you're trying to cut down the last 5 pounds.

    Just be patient. You'll have weeks where you lose two pounds and some weeks you won't lose a thing. The important thing is that you're seeing a definite trend of dropping here and that's a good thing. Just keep doing what you're doing. I'd say it's working. If you stay stalled for more than 2 - 3 weeks then you might want to look more closely at your diet. Salt won't make you stall for more than that much time.
  • jal92475
    jal92475 Posts: 53 Member
    Thanks for replying. I guess I'm just a slight bit impatient. It probably is a good idea for me to cut back on sodium regardless even though it isn't really affecting my health right now.
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
    Sodium, hormones. very likely. I gain when I start my period and hold extra weight for 10-14 days. Some experience it before, or during, or after. But if you had 3 weeks of loss and then one stable - its probably hormonal.
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
    Ps - revert to your pre-teen years. Boys are annoying.
  • Branstin
    Branstin Posts: 2,320 Member
    Your weight loss rate is fine. The rate at which your body burns fat will vary from week to week due to TOM, exercise, water retention from sodium, stress, bowels, hormones, medication, rest, etc. Since you have been losing prior to this last week then continue as you were and your body will catch up. This is the reason it helps to weigh in under the same conditions once a week and look for a trend about every 4 weeks. As long as the trend is downwards then don’t worry that you didn’t consistently lose the same amount every week.
  • SeattleJill
    SeattleJill Posts: 73 Member
    I have no scientific evidence on this. I only know that, because of constant logging on this site, I have discovered that i am really sensitive to sodium. If I have more than 1500 MG a day, I will go up 4-7 pounds over night and it takes me a few days of low sodium eating to pee it all out, so to speak. It's not actual fat gain. It just makes me retain water like no one's business. I think it might be a genetic thing because everyone in my family, regardless of weight, has high blood pressure. I love salty things so much. Sigh. It's been harder for me to cut down on sodium, than it has been to cut down on carbs.
  • leggup
    leggup Posts: 2,942 Member
    You will rarely see the same amount of weight lost every single week.

    That said, your sodium levels do seem very high. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting sodium to less than 2,300 mg a day — or 1,500 mg if you're age 51 or older, or if you are black, or if you have high blood pressure, diabetes or chronic kidney disease.
  • jal92475
    jal92475 Posts: 53 Member
    Ps - revert to your pre-teen years. Boys are annoying.

    Ha, ha! I love this! He also doesn't weigh or measure himself at all because he doesn't really care. I so wish I could be like that!


    Thank you everyone for your feedback. I figure it's too early to panic but it's so hard not to. I think I'm going to try to prep ahead some salads with chicken breast next week so I can avoid some of the sodium and see if it has an effect. I didn't realize how much I was taking in until I went back to review my diary. :)

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