Concern over potassium levels

I started the LE diet 5 days ago and have been following the 21 day meal plan since, I've been skipping breakfast and eat the 3 meals in the plan throughout the day but was reading today about how important potassium is and so when I went and looked back through the meal plan I don't think I am getting enough potassium just eating the three meals provided so I panicked and scarfed down two bananas :/. My question is, is there enough potassium in the meal plan provided or should I be adding additional food off the snack list? Feeling a bit overwhelmed right now trying to read and figure this out :(. Thanks so much for any help

Are you drinking coconut water? I'm not sure if that's in the plan but I know it's recommended for pink swayers bc it has loads of potassium.
FWIW I don't drink it but I feel ok with my diet. If you're tracking on MFP, it's not highly accurate.

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Originally Posted by Beautifullyblue

I started the LE diet 5 days ago and have been following the 21 day meal plan since, I've been skipping breakfast and eat the 3 meals in the plan throughout the day but was reading today about how important potassium is and so when I went and looked back through the meal plan I don't think I am getting enough potassium just eating the three meals provided so I panicked and scarfed down two bananas :/. My question is, is there enough potassium in the meal plan provided or should I be adding additional food off the snack list? Feeling a bit overwhelmed right now trying to read and figure this out :(. Thanks so much for any help

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You definitely don't want to go too low on potassium but I think they give you other options to eat other than bananas. Doing the medium baked potato meal is a meal that gives you a good source of postassium.

I couldn't help but notice that our boys are similar in age. When's your first attempt?

The 21 day meal plan does have a lot of potassium in it but it is not balanced by the day (I set them up in "day" format just to show people how it might look, but I don't want anyone to feel locked in to having three specific meals a day, I prefer a more flexible approach than that) so you do still need to keep an eye on what you're eating every day to be sure it's adding up in the limits.

The good news is that nearly all foods have potassium in them, even things that don't have it listed on the label, so you are probably getting more than you realize. Bananas are fine to eat as well but they don't have as much potassium as say a coconut water does.

Thanks for the replies, I have been drinking coconut water but only when it's on the meal plan. Not sure if I should be drinking more than, maybe some with each meal? Don't wabt to go way over either on potassium though.

@navywife620, they are all very close! I am thinking September for my first attempt, want to be on this diet for min 10 weeks before we attempt. What about you?

Thanks atomic, maybe I will start switching things around more. I find I choke some of them down and really enjoy others so maybe start figuring out what I like and using that more. If I do need to add more potassium or anything that should be eaten with a meal and not as a snack? Don't want to be snacking in between meals really

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Originally Posted by Beautifullyblue

Thanks for the replies, I have been drinking coconut water but only when it's on the meal plan. Not sure if I should be drinking more than, maybe some with each meal? Don't wabt to go way over either on potassium though.

@navywife620, they are all very close! I am thinking September for my first attempt, want to be on this diet for min 10 weeks before we attempt. What about you?

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We are thinking October/November for our first attempt. i want to be on the diet for at least 12 weeks.

:agree: yes thanks beau, My Fitness Pal has horribly inaccurate potassium info as well, since it does not have to be legally listed on labels, foods are often put down as having zero potassium when they have a lot. :)

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Originally Posted by Beautifullyblue

Thanks atomic, maybe I will start switching things around more. I find I choke some of them down and really enjoy others so maybe start figuring out what I like and using that more. If I do need to add more potassium or anything that should be eaten with a meal and not as a snack? Don't want to be snacking in between meals really

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:agree: yes exactly, that is why I didn't waste my time (or yours) trying to make a balanced day in and day out meal plan, because frankly I HATE THEM, I've tried a bunch of them and they never once worked for me and above all else I want you guys to have the flexibility to do the stuff you like and skip the stuff you don't. You don't have to eat the day's plans as it is written, I just put them like that so you guys could see what a day on the diet might look like. But they are shuffleable you can mix and match them however and if you only like 17 of them, drop the others!

At the end of the 21 day diet book there is a whole section added on that has a lot of reference materials and things you can add to get extra nutrients as you need them. So yes I'd add those on to a meal.

ARe you eating only 2 times or 3?? If you have a hard time getting enough nutrients in 2 meals, then go to three. Both 2 and 3 are equally allowed, (I always had 3) just do whichever option works better for you. Just push breakfast back till soemtime 10-12ish and then put the three meals in the remaining time