Low Sodium, High Protein Diet

Low sodium diets are often recommended to treat a variety of health conditions such as hypertension, improving heart health and assisting an individual in losing weight by indirectly removing many poor food choices from his repertoire. While a low sodium diet loses some of its medical usefulness when combined with a high protein approach, as it can no longer be used to treat renal disease, a low sodium high protein diet can form the backbone of a healthy diet to keep you full and burning calories at a steady rate throughout the day.

Low Sodium Intake

Keep your daily sodium intake limited to 2,000 mg or less while following a low sodium diet. Do not make the mistake of thinking that "less is better," straying too far below your sodium ceiling, as the body requires some level of sodium intake to maintain proper fluid balance according to the Cleveland Clinic. While adopting a low-sodium diet can be difficult for someone unaccustomed to the task, a few simple steps can go a long way toward keeping you in line with your sodium goals. First of all, completely eliminate your consumption of table salt on all foods. Second, perform sodium "comparison shopping," searching the stores for the lowest sodium versions of your favorite foods. Finally, avoid processed, frozen, and canned foods whenever possible, as sodium is often used as a preservative. This also includes items purchased in a restaurant. Take time to check the nutritional information online before ordering out to avoid ordering something that exceeds your daily limit. Keep a running tally of your daily sodium intake during the first few weeks until you grow used to tracking sodium intake to better help you adhere to the diet.

High Protein Diet

Pair your low sodium approach with a high protein diet (consuming between 30 and 40 percent of your total calories from protein) to increase your feelings of fullness while dieting in addition to helping you burn some extra calories, according to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Clinical Nutrition in 2004. This means limiting yourself to lean, fresh cuts of meat such as low-fat beef, chicken, turkey and seafood. Avoid processed meats such as luncheon meat, as the added sodium will not go over well with the other part of your diet plan. Aim to spread your protein intake out evenly among all of your daily meals to avoid overloading your body at any one time, pairing your intake of protein with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables as well to round out this dietary approach.