Going over on my sodium???

This is my first post ever so help me out here please. So, I find it hard sometimes not to go over on my sodium. For example, I may only eat 1300 of my allotted calories but go over by 300-400 on my sodium?? Is this going to hurt me drastically for weightloss??

Replies

  • nvpixie
    nvpixie Posts: 483 Member
    For weightloss, probably not. Although, I definitely see a temporary rise on the scale the day after I overdo it on sodium. It goes away by the next day as long as I keep at about my sodium goal.
  • La5Vega5Girl
    La5Vega5Girl Posts: 709 Member
    excessive salt intake can lead to holding water, so it might keep you from losing a bit.
    try for a few days to decrease your salt + increase your water and see if you lose.
    :smile:
  • EvanKeel
    EvanKeel Posts: 1,904 Member
    As others have stated, water retention due to increased sodium intake may create some added weight on the scale. That said, if you're consistently eating that much sodium, it shouldn't really make the numbers jump around.

    Also, added sodium should have no impact on your ability to burn fat.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
    Weight loss, no. At worst, you'll carry a few extra pounds of water weight.

    Overall health, you want to cut back on sodium. The dangers of sodium are there for the googling. You can ask the doctor when you have your next physical. It's really hard. If you eat anything prepared, it's going to have a lot of sodium. It's a struggle for a lot of people!!
  • violasmith85
    violasmith85 Posts: 274 Member
    I always go over but i dont have high blood pressure so I don't worry about it. I just make sure to drink a bunch of water to help flush it out. Seeing great results. Losing weight. so it works for me.
  • MrsSgtBurk
    MrsSgtBurk Posts: 2 Member
    Oh thank goodness!! I have not really had an issue with weight loss since I began. However, I am afraid of those "hidden" factors that may come back to bite me you know?!?! I have a bad craving for the grilled caesar salad from wendys! It fills me up and It is 640-700 calories but the sodium is killer 1360 omg........I find myself trying to exercise the sodium away.....smh...I know it sounds crazy but I might as well be honest here......Tips on a better salad?
  • 13bbird13
    13bbird13 Posts: 425 Member
    When I first started on MFP I only watched "the bottom line" for calories... as a former WW points-counter, that came naturally. As I got better at hitting my calorie goal, I began looking at the things like sugar, sodium, etc., and trying to keep each of those at or slightly under my daily goal. So try not to hit yourself with too much when you're first starting out... you don't want to set yourself up for failure trying to be perfect in every detail right from the get-go.

    As the above poster noted, prepared foods will absolutely mutilate your daily sodium intake. Try to eat fresh whenever you can. Nobody can manage it all the time, but just try to become increasingly aware of what's lurking in your packaged food. Become a label reader, if you're not already.

    My sodium is pretty good now although that wasn't always the case... I LOVE Greek olives and dill pickles! :tongue: But when I got that under control, my sugar started to creep up. If it ain't one thing, it's another...........
  • Just an FYI for folks.....sodium (even high amounts) are not necessarily bad for everyone.

    You should see the looks I get from folks when they see how much salt I add with my food. What they DON'T know is that I was born naturally hypotensive. Due to genetic cardiomyopathy, I have to take beta blockers. For those that don't know, beta blockers are for HBP. I use salt to keep my blood pressure up. When I am asleep, I can drop to 70/30 with a HR of 38.

    I can't tell you how many folks felt compelled to advise me on my salt intake!
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
    It won't hurt your weight loss, it will make you retain water.
  • oliverwnc
    oliverwnc Posts: 69 Member
    The answers here are already covering most of it but just to add:

    Water weight is very noticeable - I've known people to go up or down 5lbs overnight and panic / be delighted when it's just water. Weight loss is obviously different from fat loss so you'll have to judge. It can make you look a little less cut if you're holding a lot of water but it won't have any effect on your ability to lose fat.

    Health wise, if you have blood pressure issues then try to keep sodium down. Otherwise, it can be dangerous but in pretty high quantities and, especially, if not well balanced with potassium. Make sure you get a good sodium / potassium ratio and you'll probably not suffer too much.

    Having said all that, it isn't that hard to cut down. There are lots of reduced-sodium products and if you are mainly cooking for yourself then you should be able to avoid it quite easily.

    Good luck.
  • Flab2fitfi
    Flab2fitfi Posts: 1,349 Member
    Just an FYI for folks.....sodium (even high amounts) are not necessarily bad for everyone.

    You should see the looks I get from folks when they see how much salt I add with my food. What they DON'T know is that I was born naturally hypotensive. Due to genetic cardiomyopathy, I have to take beta blockers. For those that don't know, beta blockers are for HBP. I use salt to keep my blood pressure up. When I am asleep, I can drop to 70/30 with a HR of 38.

    I can't tell you how many folks felt compelled to advise me on my salt intake!


    Glad I'm not the only one - mine is not that low but at max it gets to 90/60 and normally around 80/53 and have been told by docs to make sure i take on lots of salt.
  • flumi_f
    flumi_f Posts: 1,888 Member
    Higher sodium causes me to retain water. Since I have been trying to keep my potassium higher than my sodium, water retention has gone down.

    So if you are eating high sodium foods, try to combine them with high potassium foods. Lists can be googled. That has helped me immensely.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,373 MFP Moderator
    Eating foods that are high in magnesium and potassium can mitigate some of the water weight. But you need sodium.
  • Nice to have someone to share the boat with! I was told to increase my sodium intake by an MD back in college. Been tossing salt on for the past 35 yrs. :)
  • Flab2fitfi
    Flab2fitfi Posts: 1,349 Member
    Nice to have someone to share the boat with! I was told to increase my sodium intake by an MD back in college. Been tossing salt on for the past 35 yrs. :)

    Been told to drink lots of electrolyte drinks too - terrible at remembering though
    .
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,373 MFP Moderator
    Nice to have someone to share the boat with! I was told to increase my sodium intake by an MD back in college. Been tossing salt on for the past 35 yrs. :)

    Been told to drink lots of electrolyte drinks too - terrible at remembering though
    .

    Look at Nuun tablets or even Emergen-C. Both have high concentrations of electrolytes without the calories of Gatorade. My wife is required to have several a day with her heart condition. In fact, she isn't supposed to drink plain water as it can flush her electrolytes.
  • Flab2fitfi
    Flab2fitfi Posts: 1,349 Member
    Nice to have someone to share the boat with! I was told to increase my sodium intake by an MD back in college. Been tossing salt on for the past 35 yrs. :)

    Been told to drink lots of electrolyte drinks too - terrible at remembering though
    .

    Look at Nuun tablets or even Emergen-C. Both have high concentrations of electrolytes without the calories of Gatorade. My wife is required to have several a day with her heart condition. In fact, she isn't supposed to drink plain water as it can flush her electrolytes.

    I use high 5 which is the UK version and slightly cheaper - bonus of being a runner and bulk buy them .
  • paulperryman
    paulperryman Posts: 839 Member
    Going over Sodium just increases the chances of retaining water and bad stuff internally if you over do it
    the problem here is MFP doesn't give you sodium back when you exercise like it does for Carbs, Fats and Proteins. But you do need to replenish lost salts from sweating, peeing and various other things.
  • 12_oz_Curls
    12_oz_Curls Posts: 140 Member
    I live in Southern California. I sweat out enough water and minerals that I need the extra sodium! (OK, maybe not really.) In all honesty since I am a runner, I just hid the sodium column in the food settings. I really don't care about it because I do sweat alot of it out running in 85-90* weather. So the added sodium helps me retain water that is desperately needed during my summers. Aside from that, I just don't pay it any mind, and as I get my macro's down solid, then I will worry about those little things.
  • Val8less
    Val8less Posts: 107 Member
    GOOD question...I'm in the same boat...Also trying to use SeaSalt or Pink Himalayian salt too...I hear those are better for you...