Newbie question...LC/HF - Sodium is through the roof!
ptsmojo
Posts: 13 Member
For those of you targeting a low carb - high fat diet, how do you keep your protein/fat counts high while keeping sodium low? What do you normally hope for with regard to sodium intake each day?
I'm currently 6'8", 255lbs, and the levels I target are <70g of carbs, 198g of fats, 172g of protein. I've lost 13 pounds since starting (over the past 6 weeks) but I'm worried that my sodium intake is way too high.
With all the recommendations out there, I was diving into sausage to get high fat/high protein but the sodium spikes at like 4500-5500 DAILY. That just seems too high, but I can't even get it below 3000 when throwing in other protein sources (i.e. fish).
Some say that 4000-5000 is fine, some say it's a diet killer, some say it's a human killer.
I drink 8-10 glasses of water daily and feel great, but I worry that something is lurking in the shadows with levels this high.
Thank you for any insight!
I'm currently 6'8", 255lbs, and the levels I target are <70g of carbs, 198g of fats, 172g of protein. I've lost 13 pounds since starting (over the past 6 weeks) but I'm worried that my sodium intake is way too high.
With all the recommendations out there, I was diving into sausage to get high fat/high protein but the sodium spikes at like 4500-5500 DAILY. That just seems too high, but I can't even get it below 3000 when throwing in other protein sources (i.e. fish).
Some say that 4000-5000 is fine, some say it's a diet killer, some say it's a human killer.
I drink 8-10 glasses of water daily and feel great, but I worry that something is lurking in the shadows with levels this high.Thank you for any insight!
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I don't do LCHF, but aren't there lots of meats that don't have sodium added? If you're going to be eating processed meats like sausage, that will increase your sodium. A roasted chicken thigh (just a meat I chose at random, I honestly have no idea if that is friendly for your plan, although it includes lots of fat) only has 99 mg of sodium.0
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I have HBP and have to watch my sodium intake closely, though I have meds to help. That said if I eat anything salty I just start swelling.
I don't know what it is you're eating, so this will be general advice. If you want to lower your sodium intake you have to swap out your protein sources for ones that are lower sodium. Cutting out processed food is key! Cheese is a real sodium bomb as are cured meats & deli meats. Look for raw meats with no added "solutions/juices" and roast, grill or poach them. Those packaged pork loin, turkey breasts, etc...are loaded with a ton of sodium. Swap out canned foods for fresh or low/no sodium versions. Many frozen veggies have extra sodium that's really unnecessary. Premade soups are sodium bombs as are most bread/crackers. I don't use salt when cooking and never put it on the table. Hope this helps.0 -
If you don't have a medical reason to watch your sodium, I wouldn't even worry about tracking it. Yes, sausage can be a killer...that was dinner Monday night and Tuesday morning I was up almost a pound. But a good way to lower it is to cook all your meals and eat less prepackaged foods0
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I don't do LC/HF, but I do watch my sodium. To keep salt low you are pretty well committed to doing your own cooking. Prepare meat yourself like slow-cooking chicken, beef and pork and pre-packaging it at the beginning of your week.0
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Surely if you don't add salt to meat it isn't high in sodium? You must be eating a lot of processed food to be reaching 5500 per day. Personally I'm just following a normal diet rather than elimination diet, and I rarely reach the recommended maximum of 24000
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I agree that the reason you are getting these high sodium numbers has to be the pre-cooked and packaged foods that have huge sodium content. The only way to get that number down is to cook it yourself and control how much you add (and you'll rarely hit the max sodium number unless you add it in yourself). I'll also remind you that salt is a natural preservative so this is why packaged foods has so much of it. They also add a whole lot of extra stuff to it to extend the shelf life.
The bottom line is that you'll have to deal and totally increase your water intake (way more than 8 glasses per day) to flush out the sodium (and sweat it out) or adjust the diet to prepare more in the home.0 -
With a HF/LC diet, it is actually important to get enough sodium because it is a diuretic diet. It is important while eating low carb to drink enough water, and getting adequate intake of electrolytes such as sodium and potassium.
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Thank you, all! I was paranoid to leave a question, lol. It is definitely due to processed foods then. The sausage (pre-packaged) attributed to 50% of the sodium count for the day. If I substitute those out for other sources, that will bring it way down. I appreciate it!0
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With LCHF, or Keto, your sodium intake is supposed to increase. You lose a lot of potassium when your body adjusts to Keto and it continues to have a diuretic effect on you. Since sodium and potassium are linked, you must up your sodium when on a Keto diet. It's natural.0
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Keep in mind also that you can eat whatever meat you like, even if it's not high fat (and you probably should aim for a variety). Just cook it in oil.0
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Thank you again, without a "Like" button I can't thank you all individually, but I appreciate it! 0
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With a HF/LC diet, it is actually important to get enough sodium because it is a diuretic diet. It is important while eating low carb to drink enough water, and getting adequate intake of electrolytes such as sodium and potassium.
This - I have to monitor salt, and having way too much will still make you retain water, but your baseline will be higher than the recommended number on MFP. You can still have the sausage, just make it a once or twice a week thing, not a daily thing.0 -
Cut out prepared meats/foods.. cooking meat from scratch is your best choice! On a side note, we vary our carb intake day to day and 70 grams of carbs is pretty low for your weight. Off days should be 0.5g per lb body weight (your brain needs fuel) (255lb = 120ish gr of carbs) and on days 1-2g/lb depending on your workout load (harder you work, the more carbs you need). I am 130lbs and my off day of carbs is 70g.
PS I am a nutritionist0 -
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lynnefaires wrote: »On a side note, we vary our carb intake day to day and 70 grams of carbs is pretty low for your weight. Off days should be 0.5g per lb body weight (your brain needs fuel) (255lb = 120ish gr of carbs) and on days 1-2g/lb depending on your workout load (harder you work, the more carbs you need). I
Thank you for that, now for a low carb diet, is this still in their realm of what they typically recommend? And what are "off days"? Sorry to be void of info on this, I'm learning as I go.
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lynnefaires wrote: »On a side note, we vary our carb intake day to day and 70 grams of carbs is pretty low for your weight. Off days should be 0.5g per lb body weight (your brain needs fuel) (255lb = 120ish gr of carbs) and on days 1-2g/lb depending on your workout load (harder you work, the more carbs you need). I
Thank you for that, now for a low carb diet, is this still in their realm of what they typically recommend? And what are "off days"? Sorry to be void of info on this, I'm learning as I go.
Your numbers are perfectly fine for lc, if anything on the high side of where most people fall. The advice from the nutritionist isn't really in line with LCHF, but their own version of carb cycling that's really irrelevant to LC.0 -
Thank you, JPW, I was told the same thing on another board by some LCHF success stories. I'll just monitor how I feel and go from there. So far, it's been great.
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Number are FINE for LC/HF. You can also drink more coffee for potassium too. Your electrolytes essentially get pissed out. Leafy greens have Magnesium. Don't slump on your electrolytes, it's the main cause of "Keto Flu".0
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Keto flu? My lord I have a lot to learn.0
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Keto flu? My lord I have a lot to learn.
Start here: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10103966/start-here-the-lcd-launch-pad
Keto flu is shorthand for being dehydrated and/or low on electrolytes. You can prevent it by drinking a cup of broth and making sure you drink enough water. You don't have to go through it, but a lot of people do before they figure out how to balance everything. If you're staying around 50-70g, you likely won't get anywhere near ketosis, so it shouldn't be an issue for you unless you're drastically low.0 -
bump to read later
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If you don't have a medical reason to watch your sodium, I wouldn't even worry about tracking it. Yes, sausage can be a killer...that was dinner Monday night and Tuesday morning I was up almost a pound. But a good way to lower it is to cook all your meals and eat less prepackaged foods
That seems like reckless advise considering that according to the American Heart Assosiation 90% of Americans will be affected by high blood pressure at some point in their life. It isn't a issue until it's an issue. Not being aware or it or worring about as you recommend seems rather fool hearty advise to be dispensing.0 -
Sodium consumption has not been proven to be a main culprit in anyone but sodium sensitive individuals.If you don't have a medical reason to watch your sodium, I wouldn't even worry about tracking it. Yes, sausage can be a killer...that was dinner Monday night and Tuesday morning I was up almost a pound. But a good way to lower it is to cook all your meals and eat less prepackaged foods
That seems like reckless advise considering that according to the American Heart Assosiation 90% of Americans will be affected by high blood pressure at some point in their life. It isn't a issue until it's an issue. Not being aware or it or worring about as you recommend seems rather fool hearty advise to be dispensing.
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ogmomma2012 wrote: »
Sodium consumption has not been proven to be a main culprit in anyone but sodium sensitive individuals.If you don't have a medical reason to watch your sodium, I wouldn't even worry about tracking it. Yes, sausage can be a killer...that was dinner Monday night and Tuesday morning I was up almost a pound. But a good way to lower it is to cook all your meals and eat less prepackaged foods
That seems like reckless advise considering that according to the American Heart Assosiation 90% of Americans will be affected by high blood pressure at some point in their life. It isn't a issue until it's an issue. Not being aware or it or worring about as you recommend seems rather fool hearty advise to be dispensing.
Nope, it hasn't. But there is certainly enough evidence of the correlation to health issues that a large part of the medical community advises a limited consumption. if you choose to ignore that advise that is certainly your right but advising others to ignore it simply because you choose to doesn't seem responsible.
I would prefer to at least suggest somebody read up on the subject and decide for them self.
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/NutritionCenter/HealthyEating/Frequently-Asked-Questions-FAQs-About-Sodium_UCM_306840_Article.jsp0 -
For LC/HF I eat unsweetened shredded coconut, raw almonds...very low sodium0
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If you don't have a medical reason to watch your sodium, I wouldn't even worry about tracking it. Yes, sausage can be a killer...that was dinner Monday night and Tuesday morning I was up almost a pound. But a good way to lower it is to cook all your meals and eat less prepackaged foods
That seems like reckless advise considering that according to the American Heart Assosiation 90% of Americans will be affected by high blood pressure at some point in their life. It isn't a issue until it's an issue. Not being aware or it or worring about as you recommend seems rather fool hearty advise to be dispensing.
I think it's far more reckless to encourage someone who is an outlier to continue following a guideline not designed for their situation, because a lobby group said so. What you're doing is the equivalent of encouraging someone on a low fat diet to cut out all fat completely, because the AHA says to reduce fat.0 -
If you don't have a medical reason to watch your sodium, I wouldn't even worry about tracking it. Yes, sausage can be a killer...that was dinner Monday night and Tuesday morning I was up almost a pound. But a good way to lower it is to cook all your meals and eat less prepackaged foods
That seems like reckless advise considering that according to the American Heart Assosiation 90% of Americans will be affected by high blood pressure at some point in their life. It isn't a issue until it's an issue. Not being aware or it or worring about as you recommend seems rather fool hearty advise to be dispensing.
I think it's far more reckless to encourage someone who is an outlier to continue following a guideline not designed for their situation, because a lobby group said so. What you're doing is the equivalent of encouraging someone on a low fat diet to cut out all fat completely, because the AHA says to reduce fat.
I am not suggesting they follow any guideline, I used the AHA as an example. I am suggesting that rather then tell somebody to use your conclusion of "don't worry about it " is reckless. I suggest people do their own research on such topics and come to their own conclusions.0 -
Sorry to cause a debate, not my intention. I totally agree with the packaged foods issue as that was the reason for it skyrocketing. I shifted back to home-prepared foods and my sodium intake has dropped from ~5500 daily to less than 3500. I think that's a good range with what I'm doing. Again, big thanks to everyone. 0
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