Question re: Sodium

swest222
swest222 Posts: 455 Member
edited September 26 in Food and Nutrition
Im new here and I notice everyone talks about what low cal foods they like, or what fast food they can eat for the fewest calories etc but no one seems to touch on the subject of sodium.

Am I missing something ...

Just because something is only 350 cal it could have 1000mg of sodium in it (especially if it`s fast food or processed) but this is never metioned ....

what are your thoughts on this. i always thought sodium was a big deal especially since it causes you to retain water .. if Im wrong please let me know because this would save me a lot of heartache! lol

Replies

  • elliecolorado
    elliecolorado Posts: 1,040
    You are right, there are quite a few topics on here talking about sodium. Of course some people just worry about calories. I try to keep my sodium low, but it is the thing that I struggle with the most, but I do try to drink lots of water to make up for it.
  • rosieflo
    rosieflo Posts: 218
    I think topics come and go like waves on here. I've seen many topics about sodium over the last month and a half. It's made me very aware of it. I'm working on getting my sodium more appropriate, but for me, just getting some weight off is my first goal. Then I'll start tweaking more! I wish you the best on your MFP journey! Keep your eyes peeled. There's all kinds of enlightening posts!
  • kimberg75
    kimberg75 Posts: 412 Member
    The first month that I was on here I wasn't keeping track of sodium or sugar....I mean heck even MFP didn't have it as one of the main nutrients to track so I thought why add it? Then I did read some posts about the importance of keeping track so I added them to my daily food diary. I was shocked when I went back to see how much I had went over in sodium and sugar almost every day! Now I try not to go over by too much but it is amazing how much salt and sugar is in everything!!
  • McKayMachina
    McKayMachina Posts: 2,670 Member
    I track my sodium, too. It's just as important to me as calories, carbs, protein, fat and sugar. Gotta track 'em all! Pokemon!

    <--- is a dork.
  • ♥BETHANY♥
    ♥BETHANY♥ Posts: 56
    I see sodium brought up alot and sodium is the hardest thing for me not to go over on I wish it worked like calories, ( when i work out i get more) but it doesn't :( so yes pay attention to your sodium!
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
    It actually gets mentioned a lot. People on here are very aware of how sodium affects weight loss. Not everyone seems to care enough to limit processed foods, but it's talked about a lot.
  • Angela4Health
    Angela4Health Posts: 1,319 Member
    I see posts about sodium every day. I also see many people (myself included) talking about it on the threads to people every day. Of course sodium is a big deal.
  • Nique691
    Nique691 Posts: 6
    I'm just on day two, and I have found out that just with breakfast, im over my sugar count, smh, one day at a time....Also yesterday I was waaaaay over my sodium count.... there is sodium in just about everything.
  • crystal_sapphire
    crystal_sapphire Posts: 1,205 Member
    it's brought up everyday actually

    people talk about fast food because they want to incorporate it. it doesn't mean that sodium isn't being monitored.
  • kmitzell
    kmitzell Posts: 9
    Sodium IS important. You retain waterweight when you have too much of it! I have found, however, that if you complement high sodium intake with more water than usual, you actually (ironically) won't retain as much water because your body will flush it out through the extra water with the salt (sodium) in urine. On days when I'm over, I guzzle water, and then the damage on the scale isn't so bad the next morning :)
  • cutelashawn
    cutelashawn Posts: 182
    Sodium is definetely important. You retain water weight when you consume too much sodium. but MFP is a learning process, you have to go start from point A to get to point B. People on here that doesnt track sodium will learn in due time that it will hinder their weight loss.
  • sweetCJ
    sweetCJ Posts: 144
    I am very worried about my sodium, just as much as my calories... I even made a very low sodium soup for my lunchs, because I had to much sodium during my day...and I don't eat at any fast food restaurant or any restaurant at all. I think if your trying to lose weight, fast food restaurant should not be in your daily food diary... sure you can have some, but not every day. So, yes, your right. Sodium is not good for you because you retain water...and I, I want to lose weight.
  • squeaktones
    squeaktones Posts: 195 Member
    i worry about it. unfortunately for me i haven't paid much attention to it this week and now my feet and legs are swollen and screaming. i can't get my shoes on.
  • swest222
    swest222 Posts: 455 Member
    Ive only been here a few days so that`s why the question.. most of what Ive seen or been reading on the forums was just about low cal options. I was reading people`s food diaries and I saw that a lot of people dont track it. So I was curious. I added it as one of my options to track because I always thought it was a big deal so that`s why the question.
    Thanks for answering!! :)


    (and the idea about drinking more water to help out is a good idea, thanks!)
  • MrsSmith2010
    MrsSmith2010 Posts: 225 Member
    I am a CHRONIC sodium sufferer. I'm a really busy person and I've gone from "I don't have time to pack a lunch" to "I don't have time to pre-cook all my meals." I take the time to plan out breakfast, lunch, and dinner each week and pack my lunch each night. One thing I do have to deal with is frozen items or high sodium content foods because of convenience. I try to drink 12 glasses of water to help flush as much as I can but it's very hard. I think it's super important and I'm trying to cut back on it.. I've gone from like 2,000mg over to 1,000 hahah It's a work in progress..
  • mghane
    mghane Posts: 109 Member
    I've found that making food at home really keeps my sodium levels way under the 2500 that's listed under my goals--even as far as to make my own dressings. I've also limited my fast food intake to only a couple times a month, so that helps a lot too. Sodium is important, but it's mostly in processed prepackaged foods. Fresh foods don't have NEARLY the amount that prepackaged or fast food do. It is important, and I list it as one of the things I'm tracking. :)
  • sawyermark
    sawyermark Posts: 74 Member
    Isn't it true if you sweat alot you need more salt. I know during the summer months at my job I look like a water sprinkler.
  • fmktjod
    fmktjod Posts: 49 Member
    Like many others who have resonded here I find topic themes come and go. I pay attention to my sodium intake and try to limit it. It's easy to go over, as many others indicated salt (sodium) is in everything - even raw veggies. The reason I track my sodium is not about water weight but rather to be healthy. High sodium intake elevates blood preasure and adds to heart disease risks. I have a family history of both. I also watch my sugar as there s a family history of diabites as well.

    Regardless of one's family history and genetics, salt and sugar are unnessasary additions for the most part and getting enough is usually easy and going over is common. I suggest doing some research on your own to see if it is something you feel is important to track.
  • thetrishwarp
    thetrishwarp Posts: 838 Member
    I've actually made it a bit of a priority to not go over on sodium and I am, with a few exceptions, generally successful. Everything is ultimately important, though, in my opinion.
  • whiskey9890
    whiskey9890 Posts: 652 Member
    i track my sodium as i thoughtthis was going to be an area where i would struggle as i love savoury snacks etc, but i've been surpised that i rarely get anywhere near my sodium limit, i know a lot of this though is down to the sodium not being listed in the databse or on packaging, its a minefield out there
  • TDGee
    TDGee Posts: 2,209 Member
    Sodium is a big deal. Gotta have it, but there are limits. It's been the thing that I struggle with the most since I started using the site. I seem to regularly go over, but it seems that how much I go over is diminishing for the most part. I'm a work in progress, and since I didn't screw myself up overnight, I don't expect to correct it all suddenly. I'm afraid if I were to make tremendous changes, it will doom me to failure. I've been watching what I eat much more closely now than at any other point in my life, and I want the good changes to stick.

    Good luck on your journey, and if you need any help or have a question, just post it. Who knows? you may start a great debate! That happens here almost daily and it's loads of fun to watch!! :drinker:
  • alex063287
    alex063287 Posts: 61 Member
    Sodium is very important but maybe you think it's not mention as much because there is a solution to getting rid of it. Even if you go over on sodium for the day you can always flush it out with water. For example, if you eat too many calories one day there is no solution that day for it. Another thing is that your body needs sodium. Think about it, when you work out your body sweats out salt. When I wasn't losing weight I paid close attention to my salt intake. Then when I started paying attention to that I was losing more weight.
  • Atlantique
    Atlantique Posts: 2,484 Member
    It's mentioned on here frequently. Especially in answers to questions by people who are seeing wild weight fluctuations.

    There's even a lot of debate about the goal that MFP has as a default setting, as it's higher than the most recently published guidelines from health organizations.
  • swest222
    swest222 Posts: 455 Member
    Sodium is very important but maybe you think it's not mention as much because there is a solution to getting rid of it. Even if you go over on sodium for the day you can always flush it out with water. For example, if you eat too many calories one day there is no solution that day for it. Another thing is that your body needs sodium. Think about it, when you work out your body sweats out salt. When I wasn't losing weight I paid close attention to my salt intake. Then when I started paying attention to that I was losing more weight.

    isnt the solution for too many calories working out more then??
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