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Cut salt, get cut: look better in just a couple of days with this proven nutrition trick

Men's Fitness, Feb, 2003 by Matt Fitzgerald

While we hope you don't have plans to pose onstage in a G-string anytime soon, there will certainly be occasions--a day at the beach, the magic fourth date--when you want to look especially cut. Until Pfizer comes up with a pill that instantly makes you ripped, a simple trick, borrowed from competitive bodybuilders, can do the work for you even if you have an average physique. Just reduce the salt content of your body for three or four days--but no longer.

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"Sodium is an important mineral that is involved in regulating body fluids," says Jose Antonio, Ph.D., author of Supplements for Strength and Power Athletes. "The more sodium you consume in your diet, the more water you retain." According to the National Academy of Sciences, you need about 500 milligrams of sodium per day, but the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that most of us consume a little more than 4,000 mg a day. Some of the excess sodium is deposited underneath the skin, where it attracts a layer of water that, much like body fat, obscures the muscle you've labored so hard to develop.

By applying bodybuilders' favorite stratagems for cutting salt intake and flushing excess sodium from the system, you can look 50 workouts fitter in just a couple of days. (Warning: We use the word excess intentionally. You don't want to flush out all the sodium, as that would be very dangerous.)

Antonio says the following seven approaches are considered safe and sufficient for your purposes.

REDUCE YOUR INTAKE

1 Learn where salt is hidden. "Almost all processed foods, like canned soups and frozen entrees, even frozen pizzas, are high in sodium," says Antonio. "The average man can reduce his sodium substantially by eating more fresh foods, like fresh meats and vegetables and unprocessed grains. They're much healthier anyway." Eliminating excess salt from your diet will inevitably cause you to cut back on your consumption of processed foods, which is one of the best things you can do for your health, waistline and overall appearance.

2 Try alternative seasonings. If you use a lot of salt in your cooking, substitute spices or flavorings such as fresh black pepper or garlic (remember, the garlic may not work in your favor on that fourth date). Basil, dill, rosemary and curry work well. A good compromise seasoning is potassium chloride, which tastes the same as regular table salt (sodium chloride) but does not cause bloating. Only select supermarkets carry potassium chloride, however, so shop around.

3 Eliminate the obvious culprits. A single serving of Lay's potato chips contains 200 grams of sodium; one measly stick of Jerky Jerks beef jerky has more than 300 grams; a Nissin cup of noodles has 940. You may not be able to go without such salty treats forever, but laying off the Lay's for just a few days will greatly decrease your salt habit.

FLUSH THE EXCESS

4 Guzzle [H.sub.2]O. Oddly enough, drinking more water prevents water retention. Just as high salt intake causes you to retain water, low water intake causes your body to retain salt, and around it goes.

While counterintuitive, it's true that one of the best ways to get rid of excess subcutaneous water is to drink more of it. The extra water you drink will wind up in the porcelain god, not under your skin, and will carry excess sodium with it.

When in flushing mode, drink as much as one ounce of water per pound of body weight daily, which is about twice what you normally need to consume. Keep in mind that tap water generally contains a small measure of sodium (the amount varies per region), whereas distilled water--available in most supermarkets--contains none.

5 Keep training. "Anything that causes you to sweat will cause you to lose sodium," says Antonio. Working out is one such activity, and one whose primary benefits--fat burning and muscle building--are the bedrock of the lean look you're trying to build. To increase the sodium-flushing effect, emphasize cardio workouts over strength workouts and rehydrate with water instead of a sports drink.

Remember, the goal is to sweat, not to achieve absolute glycogen depletion. Try wearing a sweatshirt (not one of those rubberized suits, however) to coax your sweat glands open, and perform cardio that will heat you up but not kill you. For instance, use a recumbent bike with low resistance but high RPMs rather than trying to dash miles and miles through city streets.

6 Hit the sauna. As the man just said, anything that causes you to sweat also causes you to lose sodium. So treat yourself to a 10-minute sit in the sauna after your workout. Just be sure to replace your water losses immediately after your combined exercise/heat session. Weigh yourself just before the workout, then again right after leaving the steam room. Drink 1 1/2 ounces of water for every ounce of body weight you've lost. Do not steam without rehydrating, as this can make you quite ill.

7 Cut back on the carbs. For every gram of carbohydrate your muscles store, they store an accompanying three to five grams of water. So in addition to reducing sodium intake, it's a good idea to also reduce your carb intake. Five days before your trip to the islands, cut your carbs back to 30 percent of total calories for three days. For the last two days, load up on plenty of sodium-free carbohydrates (which means no ketchup, spaghetti sauce, soy sauce, etc.), such as plain rice, pasta, potatoes, fruits and vegetables. Your muscles will feel full while your skin feels thin and tight.

Cut salt, get cut: look better in just a couple of days with this proven nutrition trick

Men's Fitness, Feb, 2003 by Matt Fitzgerald

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