Does Salt Effect Your Weight Loss Program

By: Louis Jeffries Click author's name for more of his/her articles

Your Weight Loss Program.

As we continue to do our best to live a healthy lifestyle and lose or maintain our weight we usually focus on eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly and taking nutritious vitamin supplements. These are the three most important factors in a healthy weight loss program. But, when it comes to losing weight many people believe that salt or sodium consumption may hinder it or even cause weight gain. So what causes us to lose or gain weight?

How to Lose Weight.

Effective and permanent healthy weight loss is simply burning more fat than we consume. This is an important yet simple definition because there are other things we do to gain or lose weight that are neither truly effective and or they are not permanent. Effective and permanent weight loss will only happen when you reduce your fat. A high sodium diet does not help reduce fat.

Salt and Healthy Weight Loss.

A diet high in salt or sodium will cause you to retain water. This water retention will cause you to gain water weight, but this is not permanent. Conversely, if you lower your sodium intake you can temporarily lose weight. This is simply a reduction of water weight which is temporary. Any diet or fast that focuses on reducing your intake of sodium and or increasing your consumption of potassium will cause you to have a quick short term loss of water weight. This seems good and causes many to continue to purchase the pills or follow the fad diet, but this is not permanent.

High Sodium Diet and Your Health.

In reality high sodium diets are bad for you. Not for the temporary water weight that you might gain, but because the effect on your digestive system, blood pressure, cardiovascular system, immune system, etc. In general too much sodium is not good for your health. In general you should consume less than 2400 mg of sodium daily. In fact the average American consumes over 3500 mg a day. So for your health make sure you read labels and limit the sodium you eat or drink to less than 2400 calories a day. You would even lose a couple of pounds quickly by reducing sodium intake to under 1800 mg daily. Your body only needs a daily dose of 400 mg to 800 mg for optimum operation.

High Sodium Foods.

First you should get in the habit of reading labels paying attention to calories, fat, sugar and sodium. As for foods high in sodium avoid table salt, many canned foods (especially soups), fast foods, instant foods, MSG, Soy Sauce, and sport drinks. These are all known to have high content of sodium but read all labels. One other thing you can do to offset some of the effects of a high sodium diet is to add more potassium which will offset some of the negative effects. It is best to reduce your consumption of sodium while you add more potassium to your diet.

Healthy Weight Loss Program.

Really your health is by far your most important commodity. We stay healthy and lose weight by burning more fat than we consume. You burn fat by regular exercise and taking nutritious vitamin supplements. By eating a healthy low fat, high fiber diet especially fruit and vegetables, 100% whole grains, nuts and beans you set yourself up for success to lose weight permanently, enjoy a long and healthy life and be the best that you can be.

Be Blessed. Be a Blessing.

Coach Louis.

Article Source: ABC Article Directory

About The Author: Louis Jeffries. As a healthy diet, fitness and weight loss professional coach, Louis publishes encouraging tips and advice to enhance our lives. Louis is committed to share how people can lose weight, get fit and stay healthy. For additional free tips and advice go to Lose Weight. Visit Louis at his blog to learn more about Healthy Weight Loss Program and Advocare Herbal Nutritional Products to help you Lose Weight.