Having a Hard Time Getting Enough Calories with a Low Sodium
ohohraptor
Posts: 205 Member
So it was recently brought to my attention that I should only be eating 1500 mg of sodium, so I tried making a meal plan for tomorrow keeping that in mind. I finished it, and was very proud of my 551 mg of sodium, when I realized I would only be eating 875 calories! This is not including the 600-700ish I will burn tomorrow running. So I have a 900 calorie deficit I need to make up for so that I can have a net of 1200. I was thinking of making a whey/milk/banana/peanut butter shake that will be about 475. But I still need like 400 more calories. Any suggestions on what I can eat? This is hard... I don't want to force myself to eat if not hungry, but at the same time I obviously don't want to unintentionally starve myself.
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Replies
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Sodium is so hard to control! I will bump this and check back later. I know you have to try and stay away from proccessed foods. But its hard to keep sodium low when you need calories! I'm with you on this!0
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Sodium is so hard to control! I will bump this and check back later. I know you have to try and stay away from proccessed foods. But its hard to keep sodium low when you need calories! I'm with you on this!
It really is! A friend of mine told me "It's easy, I do it all the time, just add more peanut butter to your shake." I'm like dude, I'm not gonna eat 600 calories of peanut butter! And doesn't peanut butter have high sodium anyway?0 -
I feel like its a lose-lose situation. Too much sodium is bad, yet controlling sodium can lead to deprivation of calories. I disregard sodium now because I felt like it limited me. I just try to drink A LOT of water and eat foods high in potasium to counteract the effects of too much sodium.0
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I feel like its a lose-lose situation. Too much sodium is bad, yet controlling sodium can lead to deprivation of calories. I disregard sodium now because I felt like it limited me. I just try to drink A LOT of water and eat foods high in potasium to counteract the effects of too much sodium.
I also drink a lot of water to counteract the effects of too much sodium. I wasn't aware of potassium - good to know!!
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Did your doctor tell you to do the lower 1500 daily limit? If not I would just go with the 2500 daily limit. I struggle with the 2500 as it is.0
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When I have calories left over but not much sodium left I head to the nuts LOL. Seriously though, walnuts, almonds and pecans are pretty high in calories and protein and low in sodium (of course the unsalted nuts)0
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Do you know what your potassium intake is? Potassium seems to offset sodium. As long as your potassium is equal or more than sodium you are fine. I set my potassium to 2500 and sodium to 2000. If I meet these goals for each day, then my actual sodium to count would be 500. Watching your potassium/sodium intake is more important for reducing water retention that drinking more water. The government daily requirement is anywhere between 500-2500mg of sodium and potassium is fine as long as it is from food. Taking a potassium supplement should be discussed with a doctor.0
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Do you know what your potassium intake is? Potassium seems to offset sodium. As long as your potassium is equal or more than sodium you are fine. I set my potassium to 2500 and sodium to 2000. If I meet these goals for each day, then my actual sodium to count would be 500. Watching your potassium/sodium intake is more important for reducing water retention that drinking more water. The government daily requirement is anywhere between 500-2500mg of sodium and potassium is fine as long as it is from food. Taking a potassium supplement should be discussed with a doctor.
Interesting! I don't think I can take any potassium supplements because the birth control I am on already uses it to regulate bloating. I'm actually not even sure how much potassium I should have per day, I know I need to watch it because of the birth control.0 -
When I have calories left over but not much sodium left I head to the nuts LOL. Seriously though, walnuts, almonds and pecans are pretty high in calories and protein and low in sodium (of course the unsalted nuts)
Good idea!0 -
When I have calories left over but not much sodium left I head to the nuts LOL. Seriously though, walnuts, almonds and pecans are pretty high in calories and protein and low in sodium (of course the unsalted nuts)
Good idea!
I actually do this on nights that I know the kids have ball practice or a game. It is easy to premeasure them and throw them into a sandwich bag to take with me. Keeps me from wanting the crunchy nachos and cheese too I usually do a 1/2 of serving of each to make kind of a snack mix to go. 0 -
Do you know what your potassium intake is? Potassium seems to offset sodium. As long as your potassium is equal or more than sodium you are fine. I set my potassium to 2500 and sodium to 2000. If I meet these goals for each day, then my actual sodium to count would be 500. Watching your potassium/sodium intake is more important for reducing water retention that drinking more water. The government daily requirement is anywhere between 500-2500mg of sodium and potassium is fine as long as it is from food. Taking a potassium supplement should be discussed with a doctor.
Interesting! I don't think I can take any potassium supplements because the birth control I am on already uses it to regulate bloating. I'm actually not even sure how much potassium I should have per day, I know I need to watch it because of the birth control.
Yeah, that I would discuss with a doctor, but it is in alot of food. The only hard part of tracking it in your food diary is, alot of people do not add it when they make entries. Coffee, yogurt, fruit. Since I wasn't finding accurate numbers in alot of the foods in the database, I found nutritiondata.self.com. It gives accurate nutritional information for just about everything. It is the site the creators of mfp seem to use, because the numbers are always the same. On things like fruit, look for the entries without the * next to them. I have had to add alot of foods myself just so my potassium is accurate. It has made so many positive changes since I started monitoring it. No bloating, even during TOM, my aches and pains are gone, and my skin even cleared up.0 -
I watch my sodium.. here is what I had today to give you an example..... the total cals was 1231.
4am - 8am
Dempster's - 100% Whole Wheat Bread, 1 slices (sodium-120)
Melon - Canteloupe, 153 g (sodium-0)
Pineapple - Raw, all varieties, 132 g (sodium-1)
Generic - Egg (Whole, Raw, Fresh), 1 Large (sodium-70)
8am - noon
Pc - Trim Plan Meal Replacement - Chocolate (325ml), 325 mL (sodium-290)
Noon - 4pm
Blueberries - Raw, 56.0 g (sodium-1)
Raspberries - Raw, 168 g (sodium-2)
Christie - Triscuit 61% Less Sodium - 100% Whole Grain, 8 crackers (sodium-90)
Kraft Cracker Barrel - Marble Cheese, 1 1/4 " cube (30g) (sodium-210)
4pm - 8pm
Roast Beef - Beef, Loin, Bottom Sirloin Butt, Tri-Tip Roast, 3 oz (85.0 g) (sodium-47)
cabbage - raw - 2 cupps chopped (sodium-32)
Fresh Vegetables - Red Onion Raw, 50 g (sodium-0)
8pm - midnight
Compliments - Light Whipped Topping, 0.99 tbsp (45 mL) (sodium-0)
Jell-O (Jello) - Raspberry-Sugar Free (Box), 1/2 package (sodium-110)
Total sodium 973 for all that. Hope that gives you some ideas.0 -
When I have calories left over but not much sodium left I head to the nuts LOL. Seriously though, walnuts, almonds and pecans are pretty high in calories and protein and low in sodium (of course the unsalted nuts)
Good idea!
I actually do this on nights that I know the kids have ball practice or a game. It is easy to premeasure them and throw them into a sandwich bag to take with me. Keeps me from wanting the crunchy nachos and cheese too I usually do a 1/2 of serving of each to make kind of a snack mix to go.
Nuts have high calories too. I think I'll make a mix of pecans and almonds.
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Yeah, that I would discuss with a doctor, but it is in alot of food. The only hard part of tracking it in your food diary is, alot of people do not add it when they make entries. Coffee, yogurt, fruit. Since I wasn't finding accurate numbers in alot of the foods in the database, I found nutritiondata.self.com. It gives accurate nutritional information for just about everything. It is the site the creators of mfp seem to use, because the numbers are always the same. On things like fruit, look for the entries without the * next to them. I have had to add alot of foods myself just so my potassium is accurate. It has made so many positive changes since I started monitoring it. No bloating, even during TOM, my aches and pains are gone, and my skin even cleared up.
Definitely looking into this, thanks!0 -
I watch my sodium.. here is what I had today to give you an example..... the total cals was 1231.
4am - 8am
Dempster's - 100% Whole Wheat Bread, 1 slices (sodium-120)
Melon - Canteloupe, 153 g (sodium-0)
Pineapple - Raw, all varieties, 132 g (sodium-1)
Generic - Egg (Whole, Raw, Fresh), 1 Large (sodium-70)
8am - noon
Pc - Trim Plan Meal Replacement - Chocolate (325ml), 325 mL (sodium-290)
Noon - 4pm
Blueberries - Raw, 56.0 g (sodium-1)
Raspberries - Raw, 168 g (sodium-2)
Christie - Triscuit 61% Less Sodium - 100% Whole Grain, 8 crackers (sodium-90)
Kraft Cracker Barrel - Marble Cheese, 1 1/4 " cube (30g) (sodium-210)
4pm - 8pm
Roast Beef - Beef, Loin, Bottom Sirloin Butt, Tri-Tip Roast, 3 oz (85.0 g) (sodium-47)
Fresh Vegetables - Red Onion Raw, 50 g (sodium-0)
8pm - midnight
Compliments - Light Whipped Topping, 0.99 tbsp (45 mL) (sodium-0)
Jell-O (Jello) - Raspberry-Sugar Free (Box), 1/2 package (sodium-110)
Total sodium 973 for all that. Hope that gives you some ideas.
Thanks!0 -
I watch my sodium as well. My diary is open. The times I have gone over is when I've eating out.0
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I watch my sodium as well. My diary is open. The times I have gone over is when I've eating out.
Thanks. Your diary is giving me some ideas. Great transformation by the way, you look amazing!0 -
I am trying to keep my sodium in check also so feel free to check my diary. One thing to take a look at though is the DASH diet, you can find it online. It gives ideas on what to eat for a low sodium diet. I know fruits and veggies are the obvious ones, plus staying away from processed foods as much as possible.0
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My sodium is set to 1500 due to high blood pressure. I try to stay under and have better luck some days than others. My diary is open, so you can see what I eat. My calories are set for higher then 1200, but it should still give you an idea.
BTW it is impossible to stay under while eating out, as yesterdays entry will attest. But I cook the overwhelming majority of the food I eat.0 -
Need to stay away from processed foods and you should be ok. Fruit, yogurt, fiber bars...0
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