Sodium Sucks!!!

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mosneakers
mosneakers Posts: 343 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Thanks to MFP, I'm able to keep myself honest. Well, honestly, I had been over, WAY over, on my sodium since I started. Canned soups, "health" frozen dinners, lunch meat, etc etc etc were my buddies when I started this journey - now they are my enemies.

I bought a book - "The Secret to Skinny: How Salt Makes you Fat and the 4-week Plan to Drop a Size and Get Healthier," by the Nutrition Twins - Tammy Lakatos Shames and Lyssie Lakatos. NO! I did not buy the book because of the promise to help me drop a pant size - I have MFP for that - I bought it because I tried lowering my sodium on my own and I failed.

Today is my day 8 and I am down 5 pounds! I have to encorporate a little bit more sodium into my diet (since I'm a little under the 1500mg they suggest), but I feel great. I am honestly not hungry all the time (like I used to be when I would alter my diet) and I feel much lighter. I'm still following MFP guidelines, but this book has readlly helped me see what I was doing to my body and that it doesn't have to continue!

Replies

  • Summerleahd
    Summerleahd Posts: 314 Member
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    Sodium is the devil I struggled with mine in the beginning, I'm starting to get a little better but it still creeps up on me. I think I might check out that book
  • ruthsandyhill
    ruthsandyhill Posts: 2 Member
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    Question I'm new to this, I'm trying to find out how much Sodium is too much, how could I find out how much Sodium I could have a day >>>>Help :smile:
  • mosneakers
    mosneakers Posts: 343 Member
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    MFP suggests 2500 a day - I was going over that. I think if you aim for 2000 a day, you should be good. I've been hitting about 1300 a day.
    http://caloriecount.about.com/sodium-consume-q3283
  • looney9708
    looney9708 Posts: 174 Member
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    Any specific food suggestions for fighting water retention? I'm pretty consistently under 2500 mg, many days I'm under 1000, but I retain water daily like crazy! Thanks for the book tip:)
  • slick_fox
    slick_fox Posts: 85 Member
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    I use only 1500 mg of sodium and that works great for me.
  • marianne_s
    marianne_s Posts: 986 Member
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    I track my weight daily, and have noticed that the closer I am to 2000mg of sodium my weight goes up a notch.

    This is also true, if I haven't drunk at least 5-6 glasses of water.
  • ladybg81
    ladybg81 Posts: 1,553 Member
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    I had no idea I comsumed as much as I do until I started here. I would love it if you, or anyone, could share some tips on how to manage it. Everything has sodium!!!
  • askme12
    askme12 Posts: 155 Member
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    Thanks for the info!
  • cammons
    cammons Posts: 126 Member
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    Any specific food suggestions for fighting water retention? I'm pretty consistently under 2500 mg, many days I'm under 1000, but I retain water daily like crazy! Thanks for the book tip:)

    My father has a medical condition and must keep his sodium levels as close to zero as possible (which is hard, since the body needs some sodium). When he has a little too much sodium he makes sure to eat a banana or something high in potassium and gets some extra exercise in for the day, that usually keeps him feeling pretty good.
  • mosneakers
    mosneakers Posts: 343 Member
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    I really am feeling so much better (and lighter) now that I limit the sodium.
    For breakfast, I usually have yogurt (less than 12g of sugar per serving) and about 1/2 cup of kashi crunch in it. I usally have a piece of fruit a few hours after that.
    For lunch, I'll have some protein (either 1 cup of cubed chicken with some seasoning like garlic powder) with either at least 3 cups of lettuce/spinach and the spray salad dressing.
    In the afternoon, I like veggies or wheat crackers with hummus (I LOVE hummus now!) or a rice cake (lightly salted) with peanut butter (all natural).
    Dinner is always the toughest meal. I like Subway's veggie sandwich. It's about 400mg of sodium.
    At night, I like the packets of nuts, jello or another piece of fruit.
  • ratkins811
    ratkins811 Posts: 190 Member
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    I have a real problem with sodim too. I am trying to find seasoning with lower salt but high in flavor. not easy.

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