managing low sodium and low calorie

I am sodium sensitive as is my mom, and both my parents and siblings are on medication for hypertension which I definitely don't want to require. I try to keep my sodium to1750 a day but it can be really tough and lately my weeks average out closer to2000 because we had a couple mini vacations.

I usually do my own cooking and can avoid adding salt by using great herbs or even Mrs Dash. Sodium hides in nearly everything though. If I find I am going a little too high I might use the zero fat Greek yogurt on my salad sometimes with a spoonful of salsa instead of salad dressing. Cottage cheese is notoriously high. I make my own soups with low sodium bullion or broths. Packaged convenience foods are a sodium bomb for me so they are only occasional. Almond slivers are unsalted and a good fat addition for crunch in some dishes and will give you a little calorie bump. I also normally use regular or light fat cheeses instead of the lower calorie/nonfat versions.

Focus first on getting enough protein, then good fats and fill in the carbs for your remainder with a focus more on the leafy greens and veggies rounding out with the breads, pasta and rice although I make sure I have room for those every day even on a fairly low 1340 maintenance calories (because I am short and older )

Good luck! That sodium is a tough one!

The two should have no correlation. Eat less processed foods to reduce sodium.

Low sodium here
1500mg a day or rather even under..lots of days i can stay around the 1000mg

And np at all with the calories...it is vica versa for me
i was on 1200 calories the first 3 months....

Slowly upped to 1600 calories now...and have more problems to stick around the 1500mg a day hehehe


I cook from scratch eat less out and "junk foods" Which isnt bad food btw..because i still eat them. But i have to plan them carefully because i pay the price big time for having to much salt...Not only water weight, that is the least of my problems when eating to much salt.

So cook fresh! it will solve it

But let me ask you, do you have a medical reason to cut out salt?
When not and eating a balanced diet there is np with having saltier foods too. Cutting out salt totally can even have or cause problems.
So when you are healthy you can have salt too.

If you are visibly retaining fluid, you should see a doctor. It may not be a big deal -- hot weather plus activity can cause that somewhat if you are sensitive to it -- but it is something that would be worth getting checked out, or at least making a call to the office (if you have a regular physician) to discuss with the nurse/intake person.

As for the sodium/calorie issue -- do you have a high sodium diet? The usual way to decrease sodium is reduce restaurant meals/takeout and highly processed foods, as well as some canned stuff and the like. I think this is not a bad thing to do at all, but it shouldn't be making the kind of difference you mention.

There are some things that make me retain water, like flying, such that it's visible (one ankle does it more dramatically since it was broken years ago) and it can be pretty freaky. I think that's the kind of thing you are thinking of, and even though I usually don't eat high sodium when I occasionally have a higher sodium meal I don't get that kind of thing, so I wouldn't assume that's it.

you should see a doctor about this.
Its normal that you retain some water after exercise yes...but not really visible

You better let the doctor check it out.

And over your sodium here dont have to be bad at all

I eat btw like i said before low sodium but have the "visible water retention" pretty bad.
But i know what is going on lol

A check up wont harm you. Just to make sure.

jenniferpiotrowski0 wrote: »

I don't exactly have a medical reason to cut salt out...I just have been noticing that after I do yoga or walking or some sort of exercise it seems like my legs get bigger. I thought it was my muscles growing but people are telling me it is just fluid retention or water weight. It bothers me so I'm trying to drink more water and eat less sodium to fix the problem

You need to determine whether this is swelling due to water retention, or just your perception based on how your body looks from losing weight. When you press your fingers against your lower legs, do your fingers leave impressions in your skin? If they do, do the impressions stay?
If this is what you're seeing, it's quite crucial for you to see a doctor immediately. Water retention of this type can be a sign of dangerous health conditions like heart failure or kidney failure.

what is not long?

Girl when you have visible water retention go to a doctor!

well i am not a doctor and diagnoses online by random stranger is a bit hard

So when people post and say "visible' water retention ...welll that is worry some. Or totally nothing.

it is up to you i cant give you answers