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What should an average sodium intake/day be?

‎07-01-2014 18:40

‎07-01-2014 18:40

I have had my Fitbit Flex since Father's Day and I love it; however, I set a weight loss goal, and since I got it, I've gained a pound. I feel soooo much better and have a lot more energy and a better attitude, but I can't pinpoint what I'm doing wrong to gain the weight. I'm thinking it may be my sodium/day. For example, today I am at 2400 mg, but I don't know if that's good, bad, or indifferent. Thoughts?

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‎07-01-2014 18:49

‎07-01-2014 18:49

@crystalcrall  Found a recent article, which says the daily recommended amount is 1,500 mg.

 

"It is estimated Americans consume more than 3,400 mg of sodium a day, much more than the 2,300 mg per day the Dietary Guidelines of America recommends. For people over the age of 50, African-Americans and those with high blood pressure, diabetes or chronic kidney disease, the guidelines recommend 1,500 milligrams a day, a level the American Heart Association recommends for everyone."

 

Below on sodium is better than being too high. Sodium does help you retain water, too.

 

Welcome to the forums.

Stepping in the U.S.A. since September 2013. Android 14

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‎07-02-2014 03:34

In response to Odyssey13

‎07-02-2014 03:34

Thank you Odyssey13! It sounds like I am not doing as poorly as I thought with the sodium, but I will continue to drop it a little lower. I'm struggling with this weight gain when my activity has been GREATLY increased. I had a total thyroidectomy done about 8 years ago, but weight loss has never been this difficult. I'll work on increasing my water intake (that hasn't been so good) and see if that helps to flush my system and start shedding some of this. Any other suggestions are most certainly welcome.

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‎07-02-2014 09:06 - edited ‎07-02-2014 09:09

In response to crystalcrall

‎07-02-2014 09:06 - edited ‎07-02-2014 09:09

You should also do what is important: Read the back of your packages.

 

It is very easy to overdo your sodium intake. Prepackaged foods contain high amounts of sodium. The worst is soup starting at 410mg and going as high as 2,000 mgs.

 

For me, I have to hit the gym daily on the Elliptical and set the machine to HR Interval Training 130-148 BPM for up to a max of 90 minutes. 25 minutes in the morning before my daily strength training, 65 minutes in the evening.

 

Also I have to drink a total of 1 gallon of water a day (138 fl oz) to flush the sodium out.

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‎07-02-2014 09:35

In response to crystalcrall

‎07-02-2014 09:35

@crystalcrall  It took time for me to get my water intake up and my soda intake down. As for sodium, it's hidden in so many things. Using the food logging on the dashboard has helped me see my sodium intake, too.

Stepping in the U.S.A. since September 2013. Android 14

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‎07-05-2014 11:39 - edited ‎07-05-2014 11:40

‎07-05-2014 11:39 - edited ‎07-05-2014 11:40

 

@crystalcrall wrote:

I have had my Fitbit Flex since Father's Day and I love it; however, I set a weight loss goal, and since I got it, I've gained a pound. I feel soooo much better and have a lot more energy and a better attitude, but I can't pinpoint what I'm doing wrong to gain the weight. I'm thinking it may be my sodium/day. For example, today I am at 2400 mg, but I don't know if that's good, bad, or indifferent. Thoughts?

If I take in more than 2400 ml of salt in a day, I can be gauranteed to gain a couple of pounds of water weight overnight.  Because I'm over 50 (waaaay over) and because I have high blood pressure, I try to keep my intake to around 1300 ml.  It's not easy.  One Lean Cuisine often has 700 ml, almost half of my daily allotment.  On those days, lots of fresh fruit and veggies later.  I don't salt anything!  But even a boiled  egg has built in sodium, and it all counts. 

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