Monday, April 26, 2010

Sodium Cutback...I'm doing it!

Okay when I first realized how much sodium I consume, I was appalled.  I knew I had a salt problem, but seeing the actual numbers was jarring.  So I set out to cut back...and after a couple of weeks of trying to cutback...I finally accepted that it isn't just added salt & seasoning that I use in my cooking - its the actual ingredients themselves.  I rely heavily on canned, frozen and processed items to make cooking quick and easy.  So it didn't matter that I was more aware of added salt because my sodium consumption was still through the roof!

In this month's issue of Shape magazine (with Ellen D. on the cover) there was an article that talked about the dangers of consuming too much salt.  Among them are increased blood pressure and increased LDL.  Also I am at risk for renal failure due to a strong family history of polycystic kidney disease - which is another reason I really want to cut back on salt.  The Shape article suggests staying below 2,000 mg of sodium per day*.  Today my total was 2056 mg!  Not as low as I would like it to be, but I am progressing.  I wonder if it will make a difference in this week's weigh in.

My day:
  • Bfast:  Hard boiled egg, yogurt & water
  • Morning snack:  Apple
  • Lunch:  Casear salad (homemade with LF dressing and no croutons)
  • Dinner:  Large Black Bean Soup (from Panera)
  • After dinner snack:  Sugar-free Jell-O cup
  • All I've had to drink today is water.
  • 50 minutes of cardio
Now...I know the calories are really LOW.  But I am full and as you know from my last post I am truly trying to stick by the FSD.  So we will see how I do this week.

*Correction:  The article says "Experts recommend limiting sodium to 2,300 mg and saturated fat to roughly 18 grams per day."  I went back to check after Tammy's comment.  Thanks!

5 comments:

  1. Good for you for cutting back on the sodium. I'm not sure what the recommended amount is, but a friend of mine told me not to exceed 2300 mg a day. What really gets me is the restaurant food. I can have a healthy meal...fish and vegggies, in a restaurant, and be up 6 lbs on the scale the next morning. It's unbelievable....so I really have to watch it. I stopped salting 95% of the food I fix at home....now I use a lot of onion powder, garlic powder, Adobo (it has a little salt in it), dill on my fish, and different varieties of Mrs. Dash. :)

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  2. It is hard to keep that sodium number low but it is so important. In our family we stopped putting the salt shaker on the table - I think that helps all of us.

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  3. Thanks for the informative post! It has given me something to think about for sure. I am a salt fanatic. Hmmm...I must get better about that. I think that I will start experimenting with herbs instead!

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  4. Great job with the salt decrease. That can have a big impact on your health!

    YAY!

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  5. That is great! I can feel my fingers swell when I get to much sodium. You would think that would help me slow it down a bit but.... maybe in the future.

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