Water Weight and its Causes
When you've finally decided to lose weight, go under a diet, or attend that gym class you've always been putting off, you always hear the term “water weight” thrown around. “Oh, it's just water weight, don't worry,” some friends say to their fellow weight watchers who have just begun their regimen and worry that it's not effective. (For more information, read 7 ways to boost your metabolic rate and lose weight)
Water weight, as the name implies, is the weight that your body retains or keeps. It make your extremities like your hands, fingers, ankles, wrists and toes look bloated. Your face may also look puffy or swollen as a result of water weight. This happens when the tissues in your body retain extra water in them. It may register on your weighing scale as a few extra pounds. It can be particularly annoying to weight-watchers because fluctuating weights can be most likely attributed to water weight Pounds “mysteriously” gained overnight are most likely water weight. You need to base weight loss not only the scales, but on the general appearance of your body, how your clothes fit you and how you personally assess and feel about your body.
There are a number of reasons why your body retains water, and a some of those reasons are:
Your diet. Low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet (like eating more meat and less bread and pasta), can cause an initial weight loss. Because our body typically uses carbohydrates to provide energy for our bodies, the lack of said carbohydrates will force our body to break down the proteins in our muscles. The break down will not only make you lose weight, but it will also make you lose some of your body's fluids. Your body recovers from it by retaining more water, which will reflect as an immediate weight gain after your initial weight loss.
Under eating can also cause you to gain water weight. Eating less than 1,200 calories a day may cause your body to retain water and, ironically enough, cause you to gain more weight.
Salt. Eating food with high salt content like processed foods, make your body absorb much more water than it normally will.
Sugar. Having too much sugar in your body can cause your insulin levels to go higher. High levels of insulin may make it harder for your body to get rid of sodium or salt, which in turn causes water weight.
Medication. Some drugs like steroids and estrogen replacement hormones cause water weight as a side effect.
Hormonal imbalance. Hormonal imbalance, usually experienced by pregnant or menstruating women, can also cause water weight.
Inactivity. Water weight can also be aggravated by a lack of exercise in your part. Sitting around doing nothing will only encourage your already existing water weight to sit around and increase its water storage too.
Dehydration. Funnily enough, not drinking enough water everyday can cause water weight! Dehydration can cause your body to go on panic mode and retain more water the next time you take a drink. Drinking too much diuretics like alcohol and tea can also have a dehydrating effect on your body since what they do is flush water out of your system.
How to Get Rid of It
Getting rid of water weight is always helpful for any weight-watcher since getting rid of that retained water helps in determining in your real weight, how far (or how near) you are getting to your weight goal. Here are some tips in getting rid of your water weight:
Drink up. As mentioned earlier, not drinking enough water can cause your body to panic and retain more water as a reaction. Going on a high-protein, low-carbohydrates diet can also have a dehydrating effect as well as drinking diuretics. So make sure to take your 8 glasses of water a day. You can also drink lots of fruit juice or eat lots of fruits with a high water content such as watermelon.
Also, dehydration also causes your body to absorb water from your colon, which causes constipation. Having a regular bowel movement is also important if you want to lose weight. Drinking lots of water also helps keep our skin healthy, which is particularly helpful if you don't want your skin to sag once you lose weight. Drinking water also helps you stay full, so you won't find yourself snacking in between meals. Water is also very useful in burning our extra storage of fat cells in our body.
Remember, taking more water helps you lose water, not retain it! It also helps you in losing weight.
If by some chance you don't like drinking water, you always have the option of drinking water flavored with lemon or lime wedges. Drinking a moderate amount of natural diuretics also help in flushing out extra water, but don't overdo it, it might cause dehydration. However, good old plain water is always the best, so it's the best time as any to start appreciating it!
Eat less junk food. This includes processed food, salty food and food with a high sugar content. Everyone knows that junk food is generally bad for you, and water weight is just another reason to junk eating them altogether. Excess sodium and sugar keeps your body from flushing out all that extra water, so it's a great reason to put down those soda and chips. Even canned fruits and vegetables, while looking healthy, probably comes with loads of sugar and sodium to keep them fresh and tasty, so always opt for their fresher, out-of-the-can counterparts.
Healthy food! Eating lots of fruits and vegetables help in getting rid of water weight. Food high in potassium (bananas, apricots, avocados, raisins), magnesium (green vegetables, nuts and seeds), calcium (orange juice, yoghurt, tofu), fibers (celery, wheat) and amino acids (chicken, fish, eggs) are particularly effective as they have been observed to have an affect on our body's water levels. Meaning, taking the right amount of these nutrients will help you get rid of your bloating problems! (See how to get rid of bloating)
Eat more frequently, in smaller amounts. Some recommend spreading out your eating six times a day in smaller amounts of food. Infrequent eating in large amounts will also cause your body to retain water, the sudden and irregular supply of food will cause it to retain more as part of its survival mechanism.
Exercise. While drinking lots of water and eating right goes a long way in getting rid of your water weight, you won't get dramatic or permanent results without exercise. It'll also help you lose weight from both water and fat. Exercising burns fat and makes you sweat. Sweating will not only get rid of all those excess water, it will also get rid of the extra sodium in your body that's been retaining the water. Swimming in particular helps squeeze out the extra fluids out of your skin and bladder due to water pressure all around your body. Exercising four times a week is generally recommended for everyone.
Contact your doctor if you think that it is your medication that is causing your body to retain water. You may inquire for alternative medication if this side effect is not desirable to you.
Unlike fat-related weight, water weight is generally easier to get rid of, and maintaining all the tips mentioned will also help get rid of fat weight too! So don't despair, those last five pounds you need to lose may be easier to shed than you think!