Sodium!!! Ugghhhh!!!

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KAYRRIE
KAYRRIE Posts: 201 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Sodium is kicking my butt! I'm doing good staying within my calories but man my sodium levels go over by so much. What do you guys eat to keep your sodium levels down, or do you not even care about your levels? It wouldn't be a big deal except that I end up bloated from retaining all that water cause of the sodium.

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  • NaturalNancy
    NaturalNancy Posts: 1,093 Member
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    A lot of pre-packaged foods contain a lot of sodium.
    I try to eat whole foods without sodium and then add salt myself when I want some.
    I care about sodium only because it makes me look and feel bloated when I have too much.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    I'm the Queen of sodium and bloat. I eat like 3x the amount suggested here. I cut back if I'm feeling uncomfortable but honestly I love it so much, I rarely care.
  • chimaerandi
    chimaerandi Posts: 153 Member
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    I don't even track it. I have no intention of giving up sodium long-term, so my weight is always gonna have the occasional sodium day. The scale is just a way of measuring progress and stability, you know?
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
    edited February 2016
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    less processed foods and more whole foods...meals and snacks prepared with whole food ingredients. Less eating out. Restaurant food and processed foods tend to be sodium bombs.
  • MarziDeThrall
    MarziDeThrall Posts: 98 Member
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    I stopped tracking sodium so I could track my fiber. When I feel I've had too much, I drink extra water.
  • KAYRRIE
    KAYRRIE Posts: 201 Member
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    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    less processed foods and more whole foods...meals and snacks prepared with whole food ingredients. Less eating out. Restaurant food and processed foods tend to be sodium bombs.

    This is basically it. I have a lot of frozen foods (easy to cook after work) for dinner. It's so tough to eat whole foods. I'm trying to incorporate more, just hard to transition.
  • KAYRRIE
    KAYRRIE Posts: 201 Member
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    chimaerandi wrote: »
    I don't even track it. I have no intention of giving up sodium long-term, so my weight is always gonna have the occasional sodium day. The scale is just a way of measuring progress and stability, you know?


    I wouldn't track it either except that I'm also worried it can cause high blood pressure down then line. And ugh the bloat.
  • veggiecanner
    veggiecanner Posts: 137 Member
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    We cook every thing from scratch, I have to stay under 1500mg. Dr. said I could get all I really needed from 2 slices of bread a day. before that I was a real salt hog. But I almost had a heart attact. so now I watch my salt and colesteral. I do have a v-8 once in awhile and it does make my blood pressure go up.
  • NaturalNancy
    NaturalNancy Posts: 1,093 Member
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    Whole foods for sure take more time and effort, annoying sometimes but the more you do it the easier is gets.
    For the week for my snacks I wash, cut and bag all of my veggies and fruits, I'll have apple slices instead of chips etc. easy to grab and go.
  • sault_girl
    sault_girl Posts: 219 Member
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    I don't worry about it.

    And your puppy is just adorable!! :)
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    KAYRRIE wrote: »
    chimaerandi wrote: »
    I don't even track it. I have no intention of giving up sodium long-term, so my weight is always gonna have the occasional sodium day. The scale is just a way of measuring progress and stability, you know?


    I wouldn't track it either except that I'm also worried it can cause high blood pressure down then line. And ugh the bloat.

    I'm hypertensive which started for me at 35 years old...I have no choice in the matter...I changed my habits pretty quickly, particularly after my Grandfather died at 72 due to a stroke caused by untreated high blood pressure much of his later adult life and my dad ended up with kidney disease attributable to untreated high blood pressure in his 50s...he died at 62.

    In many people, sodium has no impact on their blood pressure at all...ever. For others, things are different. If you don't have hypertension, just keep an eye on things and try to find ways to improve your diet...you don't have to change everything overnight or go crazy. If you have a history of high blood pressure in your family, it would be wise to watch it even more closely...including monitoring it on your own and moving more swiftly towards an overall healthier lifestyle. Many of the dietary and exercise things I do are in an effort to combat my heredity and it's an uphill battle.

  • KAYRRIE
    KAYRRIE Posts: 201 Member
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    sault_girl wrote: »
    I don't worry about it.

    And your puppy is just adorable!! :)

    Thank you. I Love her (Becca)! lol
  • tiffanycompton33
    tiffanycompton33 Posts: 56 Member
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    I like salt and pre-packaged meals. If I get a sudden weight gain I know its probably sodium. The best way for me to balance it out is to drink water and eat an avocado (or something that has potassium and magnesium) but everyone is different.
  • AmazonMayan
    AmazonMayan Posts: 1,168 Member
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    Half the time I want to weigh myself I don't because I had so much salt the day/days before.

    Preparing things yourself with whole foods can help keep it under control. It's not something I worry much about.

  • KAYRRIE
    KAYRRIE Posts: 201 Member
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    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    KAYRRIE wrote: »
    chimaerandi wrote: »
    I don't even track it. I have no intention of giving up sodium long-term, so my weight is always gonna have the occasional sodium day. The scale is just a way of measuring progress and stability, you know?


    I wouldn't track it either except that I'm also worried it can cause high blood pressure down then line. And ugh the bloat.

    I'm hypertensive which started for me at 35 years old...I have no choice in the matter...I changed my habits pretty quickly, particularly after my Grandfather died at 72 due to a stroke caused by untreated high blood pressure much of his later adult life and my dad ended up with kidney disease attributable to untreated high blood pressure in his 50s...he died at 62.

    In many people, sodium has no impact on their blood pressure at all...ever. For others, things are different. If you don't have hypertension, just keep an eye on things and try to find ways to improve your diet...you don't have to change everything overnight or go crazy. If you have a history of high blood pressure in your family, it would be wise to watch it even more closely...including monitoring it on your own and moving more swiftly towards an overall healthier lifestyle. Many of the dietary and exercise things I do are in an effort to combat my heredity and it's an uphill battle.

    Thank you for sharing your story. I'm 35 and could already see my heart rate improve since I started. I want this ticker to tick tock till the last drop lol.
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,182 Member
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    KAYRRIE wrote: »
    Sodium is kicking my butt! I'm doing good staying within my calories but man my sodium levels go over by so much. What do you guys eat to keep your sodium levels down, or do you not even care about your levels? It wouldn't be a big deal except that I end up bloated from retaining all that water cause of the sodium.

    My plan today was to get to 1200ish calories with less than 1000 mg sodium. Unfortunately, my wife insisted that we go to Olive Garden and the 1 salad, 1 breadstick, 1 soup gave me over 2000 mg sodium for the meal and after I got home I still had to find more food to get to 1200ish calories. I was hoping to see my weight fall below 258 tomorrow, but in the morning I'll wake with it over 261 due to the sodium and its attendant water retention. My only defense to this catastrophe is that I don't often pay to go to restaurants. My normal daily food plan gets me about 1200 calories and about 1200 mg sodium My morning weigh-in is usually without water retention, but tomorrow will be a bad news day.

    It's not something my doctor has told me to limit. I just have a normal way of eating that doesn't include the restaurant grade of vast quantities of salt.
  • michellesz
    michellesz Posts: 428 Member
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    Try to avoid or limit pre-packaged, processed and canned foods and opt for fresh. To me less sodium makes a huge difference in how I feel. Try to bake or grill chicken or lean meats for a few days to incorporate into mini meals such as a salad with grilled chicken, chicken salad, chicken burrito with fixins, chicken with sweet potato and veggie etc. You get the idea. You can prepare in just as little time as a microwaved meal and your body will thank you.
  • ziesergirl_66
    ziesergirl_66 Posts: 1,002 Member
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    Yes, I care. fresh fruit & veggies, low-fat dairy (cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese/lower sodium version), grilled meat (chicken/pork/beef), seafood, eggs, oatmeal, whole [unsalted nuts], protein shake with almond milk, peanut butter, triscuit crackers, homemade salad dressing using EVOO/fresh salsa....
    I typically keep my daily sodium intake below 1500 mg. Read labels. I also drink 64-96 oz of water a day. Season your foods with fresh herbs and spices. Use lower sodium seasonings, Lawry's, Cavender's. I rarely salt any of my food. Usually black pepper and turmeric.
  • vegmebuff
    vegmebuff Posts: 31,389 Member
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    KAYRRIE wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    less processed foods and more whole foods...meals and snacks prepared with whole food ingredients. Less eating out. Restaurant food and processed foods tend to be sodium bombs.

    This is basically it. I have a lot of frozen foods (easy to cook after work) for dinner. It's so tough to eat whole foods. I'm trying to incorporate more, just hard to transition.

    I devote an afternoon once per week to prep for the following week. I will prep/cut all veggies and baggie them; bake/steam, etc., some of protein; make hard boiled eggs., etc.,; cook my grains/potatoes; I might make a big batch of soup/homemade crackers/muffins, etc., sauces or dressings.
    Anyways, it's always a chore, but I am SO happy to have throughout the week. Of course, this allows one to control the sodium used (if any).
  • KAYRRIE
    KAYRRIE Posts: 201 Member
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    JeromeBarry1 wrote: »
    KAYRRIE wrote: »
    Sodium is kicking my butt! I'm doing good staying within my calories but man my sodium levels go over by so much. What do you guys eat to keep your sodium levels down, or do you not even care about your levels? It wouldn't be a big deal except that I end up bloated from retaining all that water cause of the sodium.

    My plan today was to get to 1200ish calories with less than 1000 mg sodium. Unfortunately, my wife insisted that we go to Olive Garden and the 1 salad, 1 breadstick, 1 soup gave me over 2000 mg sodium for the meal and after I got home I still had to find more food to get to 1200ish calories. I was hoping to see my weight fall below 258 tomorrow, but in the morning I'll wake with it over 261 due to the sodium and its attendant water retention. My only defense to this catastrophe is that I don't often pay to go to restaurants. My normal daily food plan gets me about 1200 calories and about 1200 mg sodium My morning weigh-in is usually without water retention, but tomorrow will be a bad news day.

    It's not something my doctor has told me to limit. I just have a normal way of eating that doesn't include the restaurant grade of vast quantities of salt.

    This is exactly what happens to me. I know I didn't gain 5 pounds overnight. This water retention is ridiculous.

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