Get the Salt Out (75 page)

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An added benefit of salt restriction is weight loss.
Salt is so known for causing water retention and weight gain that many health spas have a policy in which no salt is used in
food preparation. The miraculous weight loss experienced by many spa guests after a few days is mainly because their salt intake has been restricted. If you avoid salt at home, you can accomplish the same results as the spas do (without the hefty spa bill).

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If you are overweight,
it’s especially important for you to get the salt out. Reducing salt can decrease an average person’s weight by as much as two to three pounds in one day, but it can drop a severely obese individual’s weight as much as ten pounds in a single day.

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If you’re sensitive to salt or suffer from edema,
use the following clues and symptoms as signals to tell you that you’ve eaten too much salt:

If you experience any of these, know that they are telltale signs that your body wants you to get the salt out.

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Say “no thanks” to so-called “diet shakes.”
They stress the body’s metabolism more than help it, and they couldn’t possibly help you lose fat because they’re sources of undesirable sodium and sugar. (They may, however, cause you to lose muscle mass, which is exactly what you don’t want.) With some varieties containing caffeine and other varieties containing as much as 460 milligrams of sodium and 33 grams of sugar, these shakes act as antinutrients and are just plain dangerous.

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Despite what you might have heard, lean meat is not high in sodium nor is it fattening.
Although animal protein is higher in sodium than fruits and vegetables, it still is low in sodium. Contrary to popular belief, eating animal protein in moderation also encourages weight loss. First, protein-rich meat promotes proper fluid balance. If protein is lacking in the diet, water retention and water weight gain develop. More importantly, protein-rich meat stimulates fat loss. It causes the body to produce glucagon, and glucagon is a hormone that allows the body to efficiently burn off its stored fat for energy. To encourage efficient weight loss, include at least two servings of animal protein each day, and always balance the protein with lots of salad or low-starch vegetables.

BONUS TIP: don’t
eat large servings of luncheon meats as a way to increase your protein intake. Processed meat products like these have as much as ten to fifteen times the sodium as fresh meats. Eating these meats encourages water weight gain instead of weight loss.

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Enlist the assistance of others to help you get the salt out. Try going on the buddy system with a friend or family member who also is reducing their salt intake. The support and camaraderie of having someone else in your shoes makes eliminating salt easier, much more fun, and usually more successful.

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Hire a qualified nutritionist,
especially if you have severe salt cravings.

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Play a game with your children
by challenging them to help you find acceptable low-sodium foods in the grocery
store. They usually enjoy helping you and think the game is fun. They also learn a lot about food (and how much salt and sodium there is in food) in the process.