Sodium

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msmonique95
msmonique95 Posts: 33 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I am freaking out right now. I looked at my sodium intake over the past 3-4 days and it absolutely insane. yesterday my number was 3,599. Everything that is supposed to be healthy is full of sodium (i.e, turkey sausage, grilled chicken breast, whole wheat rolls, carrots, etc.) Really??? I had a turkey sausage yesterday and it has 710 mg of sodium. Now, I have to find a way to decrease the sodium. Ugh, just another thing to worry about on this weight loss journey.

Replies

  • xaintes
    xaintes Posts: 129
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    I've been trying to reduce processed foods, which helps a lot. I try not to buy anything with over 500mg sodium anymore (it's tough, I know!). Of course, I'm still working through a lot of food I already purchased that is high sodium (especially those frozen dinners... so convenient but so loaded with sodium). Make small adjustments everyday and you'll be able to knock the sodium down to a reasonable level.

    Also, be very mindful of sodium in what you drink - I had no idea how much sodium I was drinking by way of diet sodas when I first started here. It floored me!
  • mamabear0222
    mamabear0222 Posts: 455 Member
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    I agree with the pre-packaged foods ... they have tons of sodium!
    The past few days Ive been sick and all Ive wanted was soup, but 1 cup of soup has some insane number like 1000mg
    that would never be enough soup for me ...
    So Im trying to stick to fresh foods, fruits, salads etc ...
    It's super hard .. good luck!
  • brendansmom1
    brendansmom1 Posts: 530 Member
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    Yes, it is absolutely insane how much sodium is out there. I do watch the intake, but if I go over I drink a ton of water. Sometimes, a meal out has an entire day's worth! So, for those occasions, I drink all I can to flush it out!!

    It is a habit now for me to check all labels....and I am constantly floored at the sodium content.....I swear we would be eating nothing at all if we could not have any of it!! (I know that is a slight exaggeration...but it is how I feel sometimes!)

    :sad:
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
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    Cook your own foods and stock up for the week. I like to cook on Sunday afternoon for a little while and package up what I made so I can just grab n' go for the rest of the week's lunches and breakfast. Stay away from canned, most frozen, and anything that doesn't expire in a short period of time. It might require a big lifestyle change, but you can do it :)

    Hubby and I used to eat out all the time, and we quit that also. It's made a huge difference in our weight and our quality of life.
  • ndhr3d
    ndhr3d Posts: 45 Member
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    I added Sodium to my list that shows up on my 'food' page so that I can constantly monitor it. It's terrible for you!!

    If you buy chicken and cook it yourself, it's not bad on sodium... everything is going to have some though...

    Sodium is the reason I stopped drinking V8 juice... crazy how much is in a glass of that!
  • bmontgomery87
    bmontgomery87 Posts: 1,260 Member
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    Just gotta do more cooking.
    The boxed meals are gonna be full of sodium.
    Almost anything on the inside aisles of the grocery store =processed and not a good choice.
  • Gennawest
    Gennawest Posts: 171
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    I watch my sodium like I watch my fat. Occasionaly, I go over-- but I try to remain at a constant 1500 mg or lower. It get easier once you get the hang of it. But you do have to cut out what some consider "healthy foods". I have learned that mostly all soups are spiked with salt, therefore high in sodium. Anything frozen is pretty much lethal. Even subway (eat fresh right?) has so much sodium; I now get the veggie delight (you cannot taste the meat that much anyways with all the veggies, and it saves you from an oodle amount of salt). Also, say good bye to lunch meats, certain types of bread and mexican food. But like I said, you will get the hang of it, and you will get use to it. I started to use Mrs. (i forgot if it is Mrs., or Mr.) Dash, and it works very well as a salt substitute.
  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
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    Processed foods=sodium. Ease up on the sausage, lunch meats, precooked chicken breasts etc. Grill your own chicken breast, cook your own meats and slice them up for sandwiches. I eat mostly just home cooked foods and my sodium is generally around 1500 mg daily. I do eat turkey sausage maybe once a week but I wouldn't incorporate a highly processed/high sodium food like that into my everyday diet.
  • lorihays
    lorihays Posts: 2
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    I learned a lot about sodium from my trainer and the internet, actually. The daily allowance is 2400 mg. A teaspoon of sodium has 2300 mg. Fresh meats contain naturally occurring sodium. Shrimp and crab, which are bottom-feeders (which mean they eat the poop of other fish... sorry, but it's true)-- are the highest in sodium for "seafood". Oily fish, like salmon for example, are much better for you, not too mention the added benefit of Omega-3.

    My husband has lost 50 pounds and I have lost 40 so far. We only eat out once a week, no fast foods and no prepackaged/processed stuff. And Xiantes is right-- part of the process of eating a cleaner diet is to start pitching things that you are not going to eat anymore. When you realize that it's going to take drinking a ton of water and 3 days of heavy cardio to lose the water weight from the sodium you can consume in one meal? It's not worth it. And because we are women, our bodies react differently to sodium.

    On Sundays I bake off a whole pan of chicken breasts and boil off a dozen eggs. It has made eating and snacking a little healthier. We try to keep things ready for lunches without too much fuss. Good luck with your weight loss Monique!
  • EHuntRN
    EHuntRN Posts: 320 Member
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    Yep...I eat turkey bacon and turkey sausage but laid up off the sausage and stuck with the lower sodium bacon...I bought a turkey sandwich from Subway and was floored by the sodium content...went yesterday and got the roast beef sandwich which was way lower in sodium...chicken is not that high in sodium if you buy it and cook it yourself...I usually have my husband make me some at the beginning of the week and use it thru the week for chicken salads...killing myself with the low fat blue cheese dressing but I just cant eat a chicken salad with a clear or tangy/vinegar dressing...so I suck it up and drink tons of water when I do go over my sodium...but I am reading labels now for lower sodium items...for this reason we had chicken on easter and not ham :)
  • ndhr3d
    ndhr3d Posts: 45 Member
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    I started to use Mrs. (i forgot if it is Mrs., or Mr.) Dash, and it works very well as a salt substitute.

    Mrs. Dash is a favorite of my wife and I's!! They have something for any kind of food!
  • Becca_007
    Becca_007 Posts: 596 Member
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    I watch my sodium like I watch my fat. Occasionaly, I go over-- but I try to remain at a constant 1500 mg or lower. It get easier once you get the hang of it. But you do have to cut out what some consider "healthy foods". I have learned that mostly all soups are spiked with salt, therefore high in sodium. Anything frozen is pretty much lethal. Even subway (eat fresh right?) has so much sodium; I now get the veggie delight (you cannot taste the meat that much anyways with all the veggies, and it saves you from an oodle amount of salt). Also, say good bye to lunch meats, certain types of bread and mexican food. But like I said, you will get the hang of it, and you will get use to it. I started to use Mrs. (i forgot if it is Mrs., or Mr.) Dash, and it works very well as a salt substitute.
    I too keep to the new guidelines of 1500 mg. I don't have problem staying under that as long as I keep to healthier foods, typically I'm close to 1000 a day if that.

    I've never really thought of Deli Meats and Cheeses as healthy though as they are full of sodium as are canned soups, pkg'd foods, prepackaged/seasoned chicken breasts etc. Handy? Yes! But unfortunately loaded with sodium to preserve them. Plain chicken breast has some sodium but little compared to prepared chicken. Fresh or frozen veggies (make sure the pkg. says veggies only as some do add salt), no canned. Some fruits do have sodium in them as well as fresh veggies but that's natural sodium and I don't worry as much about that but of course I do count it.

    I'm far more concerned about staying away from deli type foods and packaged items. Even cottage cheese has a whopping 450 mg. So if I'm splurging and eating a turkey sausage one day (gasp!) I sure can't fit in cottage cheese the same day. For myself I've found it takes balance and have begun to think of my diary as a puzzle, it's not stressful to me then. :tongue:
  • ndhr3d
    ndhr3d Posts: 45 Member
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    For myself I've found it takes balance and have begun to think of my diary as a puzzle, it's not stressful to me then.

    I look at mine as a game as well!! I like seeing how low I can make some of the numbers while trying to make others higher! It's a game of skill!!!!
  • Supermel
    Supermel Posts: 612 Member
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    My husband has borderline high bloodpressure so have been watching sodium like crazy. Shredded wheat cereal has zero sodium, and we have found low sodium canned tuna and salmon. Trader Joes had a good tomato sauce that was low sodium- and i found no salt added diced tomatoes. Dh found one soup in a blue menu line in our zehrs grocery store (canada) that was lower in sodium. It is so hard to limit to 1500. I aim for around 2000 as my blood pressure is fine- and i am only over if we eat out usually. When i get down to losing my last 10 pounds (after i meet this trackers goals) i will likely limit further. Finding baby steps easier to adjust in my budget and time. I am soaking and boiling beans for recipes instead of buying canned as well. I think i may try to make home made pasta sauce. Ezekiel 9:4 sprouted bread also has a low sodium one.
  • julesandrich
    julesandrich Posts: 188 Member
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    My sodium intake has been out of control recently as well....I typically eat more natural food and try to stay away from most processed foods-lately that has not happened. I was also on vacation and I have discovered when I eat out; the food typically has a ton of sodium. My goal this week is to lower my sodium intake again.
  • anulle2009
    anulle2009 Posts: 580 Member
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    I do not have high blood pressure but Sodium was one thing I taked to my doctor about. and just like others have said the processed stuff has too go. They are high in sodium because they require that for shelf life. I started making my own scollped potato things like that.. Though better Crocker is good, but making your own makes ya feel better!
  • Aesop101
    Aesop101 Posts: 758 Member
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    I will always believe there are 3 levels of shopping; McShopping, Recipe Shopping, and Frontier Shopping.

    McShopping is where you buy frozen dinners, pot pies, canned beans, canned soups, and just anything fast and easy. Usually these contain high amounts of sodium because they are highly processed.

    Recipe shopping is where you buy fresh veggies, fruits, rice, and dried beans. This where you would get the items you need for a home recipe. Obviously not highly processed. Then you prepare your dishes knowing full well what's in them. They are also usually less in calories.

    Frontier Shopping is when you grow your own food, raise your own livestock or hunt and fish.

    Frontier shopping is impractical for most of us. Still you can garden and go fishing and hunting at times.

    Strive for recipe shopping and watch the sodium levels rapidly decline.

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