-> Beat the Body Bloaters

Could this Be Blocking Your Weight Loss?

Last year, I decided to go to the next level on my fitness journey. After maintaining an 85-pound weight loss for years, I decided to make it an even 100-pound weight loss.

Let me tell you, those last 15 pounds have been STUBBORN.

I got up to the 90-pound lost mark and then my body and I got in a arm wrestling match to get me to the 95-pound lost mark - bouncing between the 90-95 pound lost mark for months!

Then I discovered what was holding me back. Drumroll please....SALT. 

My Hidden Salt Bombs

Salt is a body bloater and causes water retention. My body is extremely salt sensitive and I was unknowingly eating salt bombs regularly. To put this in context, anything over than 400 mg of sodium is considered high:

• Cauliflower pizza - 990 mg sodium per serving
• Protein shake (prepared with unsweetened almond milk) - 660 mg sodium
• Chicken and Apple walnut salad (pre-packaged) - 550 mg sodium
• Salsa - 250 mg sodium per 2 TBSP (I had been eating 1/4 cup with eggs in the morning, so that was over 500 mg sodium just from that)
• Spaghetti sauce - 460 mg sodium per 1/2 cup

This is NOT good considering I have a history of hypertension.

So I decided to become more vigilant with cutting back on salt and drinking more water, upping my normal 88 ounces of water per day to 100 ounces (that is, when I am at home to accommodate the bathroom breaks).

Lo and behold, my body released almost 3 pounds that first week and has been trending downward since then. 

The next week, my weight was the same however, I have lost about 0.5 pound each week for the last 2 weeks and am now holding steady at the 95-pound lost mark. 

Now for the last 5 pounds and the finish line. Yippee!

Do I care how long it takes for me to get there? No, because time is going to pass anyway. I get to choose how I want the time to pass.

I choose to embrace this process.

How I Defused the Salt Bombs

Okay, so this is what I did specifically to address the salt issue in my life:

• Replaced salt with Mrs. Dash seasonings (Table blend and lemon pepper are my favorites)
• Cauliflower pizza - eat 1/2 serving with a salad (lower salt dressing)
• Protein shake - decreased the powder to 1/2 serving and prepared it with 1/2 cup of unsweetened almond milk and 1/2 water
• Chicken and apple walnut salad - most of the salt was likely in the dressing, so mixed 1/2 of the packet with a lower salt dressing
• Salsa - mixed my normal salsa with low sodium canned tomatoes to lower the salt content with each serving.
• Spaghetti sauce - mixed my normal spaghetti sauce with low sodium canned tomatoes to lower the salt content with each serving. 

In addition to these steps, I rinse off any canned chicken or tuna of excess sodium if I am unable to get a lower sodium variety.

To thaw out my chicken, I soak it in water because most chicken has been injected with sodium-rich broth to preserve it. That should dilute it.

Seasoned rice or pasta mixes: I only use 1/2 of the seasoning packet or a prepare it as normal, but mix the seasoned rice or pasta with prepared plain rice or pasta to cut down on the salt amount per serving.

Oh, and discovered that peanuts hijack my brain...likely because they are salted!