[ItsAboutTime]

I am getting way too much sodium each day. I am eating under my total number of calories to lose 3 pounds a week and my fat isn't too bad. I think fiber is ok. But the sodium is unreal! What do you do to eliminate some of it? Does drinking a ton of water kinda cancel some of it out? I've been drinking over 100 ounces each day.

[LLV]

Originally Posted by ItsAboutTime

I am getting way too much sodium each day. I am eating under my total number of calories to lose 3 pounds a week and my fat isn't too bad. I think fiber is ok. But the sodium is unreal! What do you do to eliminate some of it? Does drinking a ton of water kinda cancel some of it out? I've been drinking over 100 ounces each day.

Water helps to flush excess sodium from the body, yes, but it depends on how much you're eating and how much water you're drinking. And you don't want to drink a "ton" of water. Too much water dilutes sodium and you need so much in your body.

You didn't say how MUCH sodium you were taking in. Let's start there and then we'll figure out where it's coming from.

[BerkshireGrl]

Water helps flush it out, but the best solution is to not eat so much of it to start with Easier said than done, I know!

I know I get a lot if I eat stuff like frozen lunches, canned soups, hot dogs or sausages, some deli meats. Mostly, processed and prepared "easy" foods are what you need to watch out for. I once found out after the fact through label reading of a cheese-filled hot dog that I had something like 2,600 mg. of sodium in 2 hot dogs alone. No wonder I puffed up like mad.

Oh, and soy sauce has a TON. And of course adding table salt to your food bumps it up even more.

Again, from my fav source, The Mayo Clinic -- they say people should aim for 1,500 to 2,400 milligrams a day.

If a person has high blood pressure, or other risk factors, they need to stay on the low end of that spectrum.

Google "mayo clinic sodium" for more info if you want.

It's pretty amazing what some foods contain!

Like... bacon. Salty, right? 1 slice has 192 mg.
But what has even more salt?
1 dill pickle, spear: 385 mg
1/2 cup of spaghetti sauce: 601 mg! wow!

There are tips on the Mayo page too on how to cut down on salt in your diet... and how to ferret it out in your foods that you buy. It's not always called just "sodium" on the label... there are other compounds that contain it.

It's a salty world out there!

[zenor77]

I avoid most processed foods and cook at home a lot. My sodium intake went way down when I did this. Most sodium in the American diet comes from processed stuff, so read labels and try not to buy the worst offenders very often. Quite a few products come in lower sodium versions.

[ThinGirl in FatBody]

I use Mrs Dash now, for seasoning foods - there are several different flavours but I prefer the original.

I stay away from processed foods, I have 1 Lean Cuisine every 2 weeks as a treat and cook every other night for myself. I buy low sodium when possible - like cereal, spaghetti sauce. I limit soda to maybe 1 or 2 cans a week.

Good luck, it's tough - 2 weeks ago I had a breakdown and ate a tub of salted cashews! LOL

[MAMA2CHUNKEYMONKEY]

I have never added salt to food (once it's on my plate.. I don't mean like recipes) and I probably eat some high-sodium foods also, but it hasn't seemed to affect my weight loss. I notice if I am 'bloated' and just try to drink more water. I do try to stay away from the tortilla chips the night before my weigh-in, though.. lol.

[Misti in Seattle]

The best way to avoid all the sodium is to stay away from processed foods and eat lots of fresh fruit and veggies. Even frozen veggies... you can buy them without salt in them.

[ladybugnessa]

3 pounds of fat loss per week is a reduction of over 10,000 calories.... seems like that goal alone might be excessive...

[BlueToBlue]

Eating dark leafy greens, like spinach and chard, is supposed to counter the effects of sodium to some extent.

I agree with the others, the best solution is to try to stay away from processed and packaged foods, which is where a lot of the sodium in our diets come from.