The Benefits of Lowering your Sodium Intake

As much as you might not want to hear it, sleek and sculpted abdominals rely on more than just targeted stomach exercises and a regular cardio routine. While those things are largely important components of your success, diet also plays a huge factor in achieving the svelte tummy you’ve been working so hard to achieve.

If you’ve been religiously exercising your abs with a disciplined, high-quality workout but you’re still not seeing the results you want, it may be time to step back and re-evaluate what you’re putting into your body. Certain foods can have a detrimental impact on the state of your abdominals.

One of these known belly bloaters is sodium. While it’s an important mineral used to regulate bodily fluids, sodium can cause you to retain excessive amounts of water when consumed in high quantities. Only 500 milligrams are recommended for daily usage, but studies have shown that Americans ingest a staggering average of 4,000 milligrams per day. So where does all of this extra sodium go? Unfortunately, it’s stored directly beneath the skin, where it absorbs water that bloats the midsection and makes it impossible for even the most developed abdominal muscles to see the light of day.

It’s a common strategy for bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts to reduce the amount of salt they ingest over a course of several days, to help flush excess levels of sodium in an attempt to eliminate water weight and bring their muscles into sharper relief. There are several different methods of reducing sodium levels:

• Avoid the usual culprits. Notorious sources of sodium include processed, canned, and frozen foods, as well as salty snacks like potato chips and beef jerky. Your waistline will be better served by eating fresh foods, including fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and natural grains. It’s also a good idea to moderate your carb intake, as carbohydrates can result in excess storage of water in your muscles. Certain condiments, such as soy sauce, spaghetti sauce, and ketchup, should also be avoided.

• Drink more water. It may seem counterintuitive, but consuming more water (one ounce per pound of water weight each day) actually helps to reduce bloating by flushing excess salt from your system. If you don’t intake enough water, that triggers your body to retain salt.

• Stay physical. When you sweat -- either from working out or visiting a sauna -- you’re getting two benefits. Not only are you burning fat and building muscle, you’re also flushing sodium from the body. After exercising, be sure to rehydrate with water rather than sugar-rich sports drinks.

It’s important to note that your body does need a minimum intake of sodium, as it’s integral in maintaining a healthy balance of fluids. Too much of a deficit, known as hyponatremia, can cause severe health problems, and in extreme cases even death. Doctors advise against pairing a low-sodium diet with excessive physical exertion.

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