Dumb Question about Sodium

eisterunicorn
eisterunicorn Posts: 158 Member
edited November 16 in Food and Nutrition
Helloooo.
I have a dumb question(s?) about sodium! I don't restrict my sodium intake or anything like that. I just try to reach my macros on MFP and keep a slight calorie deficit.
My question is, does sodium only just retain water weight and as a result make you a little more ballooned out? If that is the case, will restricting my sodium intake later on make me appear thinner because of a lessened retention of water weight? Is that all there is to it, or does it hinder (or help) weight loss in any way? Thanks so much.
Eister :)

Replies

  • daniebanks
    daniebanks Posts: 179 Member
    following
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
    It can make you retain water, but drinking should help that pass. It will show up on the scale, but it's not fat gain.

    As far as you appearing thinner - it depends on your frame, weight, height, etc.

    I don't track sodium, but I can certainly feel when I've overdone it. Barring any medical condition, you don't have to track it, but it's good to be mindful of what it does to your body (bloating, water retention, etc)
  • KhloeJadie
    KhloeJadie Posts: 14 Member
    I really need to know this too, I'm always over in my sodium, I haven't been trying to restrict it in any way but I've been wondering what the effect would be if there are any. Definitely following this post :)
  • Camarose79
    Camarose79 Posts: 86 Member
    I've stopped adding salt to anything. And yet, My sodium levels are always a million too high! It seems to me that everything has sodium in it, I haven't found out how to keep the sodium at the recommended levels. Of course I know that pre packaged food with preservatives will have high sodium but I'm saying that on eating fairly healthy and normal fresh foods I'm still finding too much sodium in everything!
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    Eating more sodium than you are used to will cause you to retain extra water. eating a similar amount on a day to day basis will not. Whether it is dangerous for you to eat the amount that you do depends on a number of factors and excess can impact your heart, lungs, and other organs in the circulatory and elimination systems (like kidneys).
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,178 Member
    eisterunicorn wrote: »
    Helloooo.
    I have a dumb question(s?) about sodium! I don't restrict my sodium intake or anything like that. I just try to reach my macros on MFP and keep a slight calorie deficit.
    My question is, does sodium only just retain water weight and as a result make you a little more ballooned out? If that is the case, will restricting my sodium intake later on make me appear thinner because of a lessened retention of water weight? Is that all there is to it, or does it hinder (or help) weight loss in any way? Thanks so much.
    Eister :)

    Short term, it will cause water retention. Long term, or if there are already health problems, sodium is the first thing drs will tell you to monitor to reduce your risk for high blood pressure.
  • MonsoonStorm
    MonsoonStorm Posts: 371 Member
    edited April 2015
    I never hit my sodium targets, I am always miles off, but then I cook most things myself and never add salt (I REALLY need to). I generally dislike the taste of salt unless it is in seafood (yum... oysters...) or soy sauce. Downsides of low sodium for me: my blood pressure stinks. It's low to the point that the nurses tend to re-take it twice just to check that they haven't messed up. Sodium imbalances can also cause heart issues, it's pretty important.

    If you are eliminating sodium purely for the purposes of hoping to look a bit slimmer due to water weight, I would advise against it. If your sodium is way too high regardless and your BP isn't great, then reducing it would probably be a good thing.
  • eisterunicorn
    eisterunicorn Posts: 158 Member
    Awesome info from everybody thanks so much! I'm healthy and my bp is fine so I guess I won't try changing it any time soon. :) I appreciate it
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