Water Retention Question

ballroomdancer150
ballroomdancer150 Posts: 22 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi Everyone,

I have been retaining water because I eat Lean Cuisines etc. I really don't have time to cook with working 60+ hours a week, 2.5 hour workouts daily and ballroom dancing. So this week I started eating TV Dinners and I am gaining weight which is shocking to me because I have been eating under caloric goal, eating TV Dinners with no preservatives and drinking tons of water. (140 oz).

I guess I should go back to eating what I was? It's just hard because I would buy subway with tons of veggies for lunch and eat zoodles and chicken for dinner from Noodles and Co. Breakfast is always an egg mcmuffin from mcdonalds. I thought that diet would have way more sodium then non preservative lean cuisine but I guess I'm wrong.

Question: Drink more water and eat the Lean Cuisines or go back to spending money eating out? Does anyone know of low sodium brand TV Dinners.

Thanks so much!

Amanda

Replies

  • mmnv79
    mmnv79 Posts: 538 Member
    Do whatever you think works for you. Personally, I would rather sacrifice time of whatever, even exercise, for cooking and freezing meals for a week or two in advance. At least the 'ready to eat' meals that I've tried were full of salt and didn't even taste as nice as home cooked ones. But each to their own.
  • gaelicstorm
    gaelicstorm Posts: 94 Member
    What about batch cooking on the weekends or even using a crockpot to batch cook for you while you are working?

    Honestly, if water weight from sodium intake upsets you then you will need to make a change.

    I understand being busy. I work about 50 hours a week as a psychologist, have an 8 year old with autism and a 9 year old who is neurotypical. My husband is a principal and works about 60-70 hours a week, which leaves me with the bulk of childcare responsibilities. I batch cook on Sundays for my lunches throughout the week. When things are really crazy we use the crockpot. We cook things that can go from stove/oven/grill to table in under 60 minutes. We always keep quick things around--like eggs and microwave sausage/bacon for unexpected delays in getting home and making dinner. The thing is that most of your weight loss/health improvement is going to come from what happens in the kitchen. Honestly, I would take my gym time down to 90 minutes, giving you an extra hour for meal prep. Your nutrition is just as important as your physical activity.
  • mitch16
    mitch16 Posts: 2,113 Member
    edited September 2018
    Are you sure that it's water weight? Does Lean Cuisine really have more sodium than the Subway, Noodles and Co. and McDonald's that you were eating previously????

    Edited to add: I just took a peek at your diary--Holy Sodium Batman!--everything you eat has tons of sodium! Were you eating this way before you started tracking???
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    edited September 2018
    mitch16 wrote: »
    Are you sure that it's water weight? Does Lean Cuisine really have more sodium than the Subway, Noodles and Co. and McDonald's that you were eating previously????

    Edited to add: I just took a peek at your diary--Holy Sodium Batman!--everything you eat has tons of sodium! Were you eating this way before you started tracking???

    The biggest sodium bombs are the foods OP is talking about going back to eating, Subway, McD's, etc. I don't get it.

    OP, maybe try something that isn't "processed." (How it hurts to even say that.) Prep some chicken breast and veggies, rather than a frozen meal and lunch meat, for example. I eat a lot of processed foods, but your entire diary is made up of them.
  • RonyMack
    RonyMack Posts: 131 Member
    No wonder you are retaining water.140 ounces is excessive, in my opinion. That's well over a gallon of water. The whole drink x amount of water based on x weight is a myth. You don't need to be drinking "tons" of water.
  • collectingblues
    collectingblues Posts: 2,541 Member
    Zedeff wrote: »
    It sounds like you are grossly under eating.

    Egg McMuffin = 290 cal
    Lean Cuisine frozen mean = 180 cal x 2 meals
    = 650 cal/day minus 2.5 hrs exercise.

    There are probably bigger issues with your plan than the sodium dose.

    Actually, she's got an open diary. She's eating more than just that.
  • musicfan68
    musicfan68 Posts: 1,143 Member
    Yeah, looking at your diary, the Lean Cuisines aren't your issue. Ham has a ton of sodium, so do crackers, pretzels and a lot of cheeses.
  • Unknown
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  • ejg1010
    ejg1010 Posts: 48 Member
    I'll second everyone's comments about sodium, your diet has a very high salt content. I think you might also be over-estimating your calories burned. I'm not sure that 55 minutes on an elliptical burns as many as 675 calories, for example.
  • IdLikeToLoseItLoseIt
    IdLikeToLoseItLoseIt Posts: 695 Member
    One alternative, depending on where you live, is delivered frozen meals. Google “frozen meals delivered” or “frozen meals delivered low sodium.” There has been an explosion of these types of places in the United States. Some are aimed at bodybuilders with careful consideration to macros and calorie counts. You can find places geared towards dieting and every way of eating under the sun. We have one local place that offers these types of meals and sodium is less than 400 mg per meal.

    They tend to be smaller businesses, but many deliver all over the country.

    The biggest negative, in my opinion, is the cost.
  • ballroomdancer150
    ballroomdancer150 Posts: 22 Member
    It sounds like I’ve been eating to much sodium and after looking back I agree. I plan to try to make some changes like meal prepping on Thursdays and eating more fresh foods out like salads. Less cheese, less bread, less lunch meat. Thanks to those of you who gave suggestions. I plan on ignoring some of the rather rude comments.

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