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How much sodium do you have each day? Help please

saiabone

I know a lot of people are concerned with carbs and fats when using this program. I know I have been conscious more of what I eat but sodium still has be somewhat concerned. I rarely go over what they allow me but should my focus be in other areas? Help please : )

Replies

Discoveri

Bump. I'm interested in this as well.

gpstrucker

Since I live on the road and eat almost exclusively in restaurants I am getting way too much sodium. It's something I am going to have to work on.

DterMined2012

Sodium is my WORST enemy :grumble:
I try to stay at or under what MFP specifies. I find if I go over then my wt goes WAYYY UP

Try to avoid processed foods...cook fresh foods, veggies, cook your own chicken etc...and drink plenty of water :drinker:
Hope this helps

_hi_hat3r_

As long as I have potassium rich foods in my diet I dont worry about sodium. Your main focus should be on CALORIES. The only fats I would be worried about are trans fats other than that.....fats are not the enemy.

saiabone

Ok I feel like I am definitively doing a lot better with tracking and looking at what I am actually eating... My diary is open...this process is all new to me and I'm learning as I go

saiabone

I also take a multi vitamin, calcium, vitamin D and an Iron pill

WhatDoesLisa

I have high blood pressure so sodium is a primary concern to me. I don't buy canned foods if I can avoid it. I try to cook for myself as much as possible and I don't salt my food. It is easy to make your own soup and marinara!

Trust me this was difficult because I LOVE salt! But, since I have cut down, my BP has been good for about a year now on the lowest dose of medicine. I am hoping that increased exercise can get me off of it.

saiabone

That's great I hope you can get off of it too.... My blood pressure is rather low some days its 80/60 other days it can get as high as 106/64

SuffolkSally

The healthy maximum is 2.5g a day. It's not one of my main macros but I do keep an eye on it. My cooker broke a while ago and I had to rely on microwave ready meals - I couldn't believe how much sodium's in them!!! Or come to that how bad they taste and how unfilling they are for the calories in them! Most days my sodium intake is quite low as I don't eat any junk or processed food really. However I love Chinese and Japanese food, which does tend to be salty, so there are days when I'm way over... I just figure that if it averages out to an acceptable figure then that's OK.

cydonian

I keep mine no higher than 1,500 on average. If I creep towards 2,000, it's usually because I've had to eat out or have something prepackaged. Medically it is recommended to go no higher than 2,500.

PercivalHackworth

I don't track it, 3 nutrients to manage + some micros is enough.
Why do you guys track it ?

leslisa

I have high blood pressure so sodium is a primary concern to me. I don't buy canned foods if I can avoid it. I try to cook for myself as much as possible and I don't salt my food. It is easy to make your own soup and marinara!

Trust me this was difficult because I LOVE salt! But, since I have cut down, my BP has been good for about a year now on the lowest dose of medicine. I am hoping that increased exercise can get me off of it.

Keep working at it. I do the above and I also eat unsalted almonds (24 a day with 6 or 8 almonds to a serving).

Check this out if you are interested: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=20

FYI, my salt usually comes in a 1/2 or less what is recommended. My prev B/P was 167/116 and is now 137/96 (@ 135 lbs it is 135/89ish). So I am no longer taking meds.

WhatDoesLisa

Great, thanks for the info!

HMVOL7409

I know my calories and I finally mastered my protein levels. I am now concentrating on sodium bc I eat way too much of it and even with all the water I drink, I fight bloat and retention constantly and I feel like crap. Yesterday was the first day in a long time I was under 2500 and I woke up feeling amazing and could tell I lost all the retention I was holding over the last few days. Salt also makes me crave other things and not eating it in large amounts has helped curb those.

saiabone

Thanks guys! Ya I try to eat fresh as much as possible but it really does add up when adding processed food!

saiabone

The bloating I also get even going under 2500 I still tend to bloat up

LilacDreamer

I have my goal set to 1,800mg a day. If i exceed it i make sure to consume raw apple cider vinegar mixed with water. it helps with water retention.

acg1305

bump

MontagneGitane

I keep mine no higher than 1,500 on average. If I creep towards 2,000, it's usually because I've had to eat out or have something prepackaged. Medically it is recommended to go no higher than 2,500.

Same here. I personally think 2,500 is high. I can definitely feel/see a difference, and not a good one, when I go over 2,000.

SuffolkSally

Ok I feel like I am definitively doing a lot better with tracking and looking at what I am actually eating... My diary is open...this process is all new to me and I'm learning as I go

Actually your diary isn't open. Happy to give constructive feedabck if you do open it.

Diary_Queen

Sodium is a big concern for me as well. I am highly prone to holding water weight and have previously had high blood pressure. Losing weight and focusing on my sodium has helped my blood pressure go from 150/115 to 120/74. For me, it's a big big deal!

DawnMarieMomofTwo

i have a major problem with sodium! i try to stay between 1000-1500 on good days and 1500-2000 on others i do notice when my sodium is high i dont lose weight!
i also track carbs and fat grams because ive notice the same problem when those are too high as well!

AmandaLAcosta

My dietitian says to keep it around 1500-2000 a day. I never go over 2000.

ElHombre23

I agree with most keep it under 2000 as much as possible if you go over one day its not a big deal as long as your getting a good amount of water...

AlyRoseNYC

I try to stay below 2000

UponThisRock

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/UponThisRock/view/flushing-the-sodium-237431

tlynnclemmons

i have a tendency to retain fluids in my legs because of sitting at a desk all day long so my doctor told me no more than 1500-1800 mg per day and 8-10 glasses of water per day. I'm still on a prescription diuretic at this time but notice that if i go over 1800mg a day I can def tell a difference. I do buy canned goods but only the ones with lower sodium or no salt added and don't add salt to any of my food ever. My husband hates it when i cook like that but i just tell him that he can add salt to his plate after it's done!

Smuterella

No point tracking sodium, any "weight" it causes you to gain is just water. Unless you have an unusually high sodium day before weigh in it isn't going to make any difference.

hesn92

Ughh.... I don't know why it's so hard for me to not eat so much sodium. yesterday I was around 2600mg... the day before I was at 2200 and that was pretty good for me. I am doing a lot better than I used to, though. I used to put extra salt on EVERYTHING and eat out all the time. I can't even imagine how much sodium I must have been consuming. I would like to be under 2000mg but that never happens.

shawnp80134

Wow... just went back and looked at my sodium levels for the past week, I don't see how I'm going to get down below 2,000/day. But thanks for pointing this out.. Another thing to watch and perhaps it will really help me in the long run.