Sodium...

keeley_jade_1992
keeley_jade_1992 Posts: 7
edited October 5 in Health and Weight Loss
So loads of people on here are saying cut down on sodium if you find it hard loosing weight... but yet my bf said it would do more harm than good by cutting it out? and that water has more sodium than pepsi max?

im confused :/ ive also given up pepsi max so am upset aswell!

help people!!

Replies

  • ashnm88
    ashnm88 Posts: 748
    I have stopped listening to what others say. If your doctor said cut down on sodium then do so, but I would just go by how you feel. Also, there isn't more sodium in water then pepsi max...

    When you workout, you sweat. There is salt in your sweat. Its recommended that you don't get more than 2500mg a day of sodium.

    Good luck. :smile:
  • Lindz2323
    Lindz2323 Posts: 261 Member
    I dont really know about water if its purified or filtered I would think it doesnt have sodium.. but I try to stay between 1000-2500mg of sodium per day, especially since I do workout everyday. Sodium can be good in some ways, I just try to avoid going over 2500mg because it makes me retain water like crazy. You'll be ok =)
  • keeley_jade_1992
    keeley_jade_1992 Posts: 7
    Thankyou :)

    Im was unsure as to what it even was! maybe people say cut it out as it helps you retain water then?

    im going to check my diary and see that im below 2500mg.

    thanks again

    x
  • HeidiMightyRawr
    HeidiMightyRawr Posts: 3,343 Member
    You're not meant to cut it out, it's important. Maybe your bf thought you meant really low sodium levels - mine thought that too! lol

    Like lot's of things it's important for maintaining good health, but too much can be bad for you as well. MFP recommends no more than 2500mg. If you're going to do lower sodium I recommend no less than 1000mg personally, higher if you are exercising as when you sweat you lose sodium

    The reason people say to cut down if you're having trouble losing is because sodium makes you retain water, if you're under your calories it's very unlikely to be fat, just water. By cutting down to a sensible level you will lose the water weight. If you found one day that you are over what is recommended, or over what you would like, get lots of water and it will help to flush out the excess :)
  • dmpizza
    dmpizza Posts: 3,321 Member
    you can't cut it out altogether, but you should minimize it.
  • ABeautifulDistraction
    ABeautifulDistraction Posts: 348 Member
    Some people (like me) are sodium sensitive. Sodium sensitives can't eat more than 800-1200 mg/day depending on the person. If I eat a frozen pot pie for example, within 20 minutes my hands, feet, and face are swollen and I have a horrible headache. Sodium is a necessary nutrient, but most people ingest too much too frequently and it can be bad for your heart. Also, there should be a balance between your sodium and potassium levels. I advise you to talk to your dr about your personal sodium/potassium levels.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    So loads of people on here are saying cut down on sodium if you find it hard loosing weight... but yet my bf said it would do more harm than good by cutting it out? and that water has more sodium than pepsi max?

    im confused :/ ive also given up pepsi max so am upset aswell!

    help people!!

    In some cases water CAN have more sodium than soda. Some water can actually be just as acidic and in some cases even more acidic, than soda also. That's not true in all cases, but like any natural product, water can vary widely from source to source.

    Also, sodium is an essential mineral that controls muscle and nerve function, so while limiting it isn't a bad thing, you need some. Generally no less than 500, and usually around 1500 depending on activity level and the amount of fluids you drink. If you drink a LOT of water, you need a bit more sodium, otherwise you can dilute the amount of sodium in your bloodstream, and that can be a bad thing.

    *Before people try to tell me that water isn't acidic, only distilled water has a pH of 7 and is considered neutral. All other water can have a pH as low as 5, depending on the source, and the exact conditions there.
  • grannygethealthy1111
    grannygethealthy1111 Posts: 422
    Your boyfriend is absolutely correct. Our drinking water has sodium in it. Water contains about 100 mg of sodium for 2 liters (8 glasses). Your Pepsi Max only has 25 mg. You can continue to drink them if you choose because it is our total daily FLUID intake that matters.

    You should keep your sodium intake under 2400 mg/daily. That equals about 1 tsp. of salt. Salt causes water retention and edema, affects your blood pressure, and can lead to osteoporosis. You are young and probably have none of these conditions. The people that have to carefully watch their sodium intake are those with high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney disease, and us old timers over age 50.

    Enjoy your Pepsi Max. I do and I lost 103 pounds. :))
  • auntie_missy
    auntie_missy Posts: 113 Member
    It will not harm you to cut back on sodium. He may mean it is harmful to completely cut out sodium, which is true, but the minimum sodium level is about 500 mg, which is really low and hard to maintain. The current USDA recommendation for a healthy adult is to consume 1500 - 2300 mg of sodium a day. At the minimum, you should make sure that your daily intake falls under the 2300 mg maximum recommended. We cut back on sodium when we are trying to lose weight for several reasons - first, learning how to eat healthy foods within recommended guidelines is part of making a lifestyle change. It will help your heart, your bones, your kidneys, and more. Second, yes, excess sodium can make you retain water and can make swelling from injury, exertion or menstruation worse. (This is also a reason why we increase our water intake - to counteract sodium and prevent water retention.) The third reason is that when you are losing weight, ideally you are losing fat, and the way your body expels broken down fat is through your liver. Now, your liver has other jobs, one of which is helping your kidneys deal with excess sodium. So, when you consume too much sodium, your work your kidneys and your liver diverts focus from breaking down fat. If you cut back on the sodium, you help your kidneys and liver work to their full potential.

    http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=when-you-lose-weight-wher
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