How do you ingest less sodium?

mikebxb
mikebxb Posts: 138 Member
edited December 2019 in Food and Nutrition
Im doing real well coming in under or not exceeding my macros 2000cals, 25% carbs and 25% FG's balance for Protein. but.......I'm almost always exceeding the sodium. I stopped adding salt to my food years ago so the only salt I get comes In the food..I'm sure I could further scrutinize the nutrients on my canned goods and only buy so-called low salt or salt free but geese Louise ...I'm already buying high dollar low carb tortillas and the like. It's just not cost effective to throw money at low salt too...... your thoughts welcome. Here's an example of today before Dinner..0v4rfk2x5wwd.png

Replies

  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    I don't. I don't measure sodium. Unless you have a medical condition and have been advised by a doctor to reduce It, why bother? FTR, I am 68 and my BP, resting pulse and blood markers are all in ideal ram
    Ranges.
  • mikebxb
    mikebxb Posts: 138 Member
    mmapags.. I dont measure sodium either. Or set parameters for it other than not adding it. But it shows up and has me curious.. I'm targeting carbs and fat grams the most. My OCD wants to keep most all the tallies in the green and the sodium is always burying the needle. ;-)
  • AlabasterVerve
    AlabasterVerve Posts: 3,171 Member
    I always hated to see any numbers turn red too so would set custom goals. So if I usually eat 4,000mg of sodium I might set my limit to 5,000mg. That way I still get that visual red cue if I'm deviating from my normal, healthful eating pattern but not getting dinged daily. Others just track something else instead like sugar or fiber.
  • Luke_rabbit
    Luke_rabbit Posts: 1,031 Member
    I don't pay attention to my sodium intake, but rarely go much over the 2300 mg if I check. I also eat a decent amount of packaged food due to being lazy.

    I use the app, so these parameters are not as easily seen. One has to scroll down on the nutrition link, which I almost never do. Maybe you would find the app less annoying.

    BTW, I have mild OCD so I totally get that part (my former therapist would call that "mild" an understatement 😁).
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    mikebxb wrote: »
    mmapags.. I dont measure sodium either. Or set parameters for it other than not adding it. But it shows up and has me curious.. I'm targeting carbs and fat grams the most. My OCD wants to keep most all the tallies in the green and the sodium is always burying the needle. ;-)

    Ah, entiendo amigo. AlabasterVerve's suggestion is a good one then. Customize the goal to the high average of what you usually eat. Then get your eye back on the ball of calories and protein! 😎
  • aokoye
    aokoye Posts: 3,495 Member
    I, like others, don't track my sodium intake because I don't have a medical reason to do so. That said, a very quick glance points to the entry for ham that you logged, which may or may not be accurate (I don't trust really any of entries that say, "homemade").

    If I were to want to cut down on my sodium intake, I would simply eat fewer foods that contain high amounts of sodium and I would but less salt on/in my food. That means eating a smaller amount of things like pastrami and other cured meats (I don't eat much of as it is but it's the easiest thing for me to think of right now), putting less salt in soups that I make, choosing low or no sodium broths when I buy (as opposed to make) broth, reading labels in general, etc.
  • MikePTY
    MikePTY Posts: 3,814 Member
    What type of ham did you have in the morning? That sounds pretty high. But if it was 8 ounces of deli meat, or canned, that could be possible.

    It looks like you are eating a lot of processed/canned type foods. Those will always have a lot more sodium, for taste and preservation purposes. One way to reduce the number of sodium is to eat more whole foods, which do sometimes have naturally occurring sodium in them but will have a lot less.
  • wilson10102018
    wilson10102018 Posts: 1,306 Member
    Sodium is your electrolyte. Without it you die. An excess might cause some water weight. A problem if you are recovering from heart surgery or have heart failure. Otherwise its absence can be an obstacle to enjoying your food choices.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,097 Member
    mikebxb wrote: »
    Im doing real well coming in under or not exceeding my macros 2000cals, 25% carbs and 25% FG's balance for Protein. but.......I'm almost always exceeding the sodium. I stopped adding salt to my food years ago so the only salt I get comes In the food..I'm sure I could further scrutinize the nutrients on my canned goods and only buy so-called low salt or salt free but geese Louise ...I'm already buying high dollar low carb tortillas and the like. It's just not cost effective to throw money at low salt too...... your thoughts welcome. Here's an example of today before Dinner..0v4rfk2x5wwd.png

    In the grocery stores around me, low-sodium or no-added-sodium canned vegetables are the exact same price as the standard, high-sodium canned vegetables.

    Also, the biggest sources of sodium in the diary page you shared appears to be smoked meat. Start buying plain (unsmoked, unbrined, unmarinated) cuts of meat or birds and cook them yourself, and you'll probably get an added bonus of saving money.
  • rainbow198
    rainbow198 Posts: 2,245 Member
    Excess sodium bloats me up, so over the years I figured out ways to reduce my intake:
    • I cook almost all my own food from home so I know exactly what and how much ingredients I'm using.
    • Choosing fresh, frozen or dried foods helps. For example I've replaced using canned chickpeas, to dried chickpeas in a bag. This is a money saver too as one bag lasts a long time. Also I make my own soups from scratch instead of buying it from a can. However, rinsing canned food items can help get rid of some of the sodium.
    • Condiments and packaged seasonings can have a lot of of sodium. I make a lot of my own spices, herbs, and salt-free blends instead of salt.
    • I no longer consume meat, so there's a huge savings in sodium intake there.
    • I watch how much added salt I cook with.
    • Many times I opt for the lower in sodium option if available, such as when I buy broth. Also I eat unsalted cashews instead of salted cashews.
    Over time my taste buds adjusted and is now sensitive to excess sodium.
  • mikebxb
    mikebxb Posts: 138 Member
    All great advice and tips. Agreed I dont trust many items in the database marked 'home made' either. I TRY to accurize my entries by comparing the nutrients with Nutritionix and USDA foods databases. As you can see, I buy raw kale and blend from 1 - 2 ounces in my protein shakes every morning. And every time I double check the fresh raw kale on all databases the cals (for example) are either 14 22 or 28 cals so there is undeniable errors. RE: the smoked ham - Not a big ham fan and not a staple of my diet but I'm just using up the Christmas leftovers. I'm losing and eating healthier currently plateauing at 214.2#. (started MFP Nov 6th at 227#) Hopefully next week I'll be 212 and 210 soon after. Belly Be Gone. Thanks for all your help.t3zx1x8qngk5.jpg

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