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May 11

Water Weight: What It Is And How To Lose It – Forbes

Lose Weight Safely Comments Off on Water Weight: What It Is And How To Lose It – Forbes

If youre a healthy, active individual experiencing unwanted water weight gain, there are a few ways to go about losing it safely once your health care provider clears you of any potentially problematic causes of fluid retention.

It may seem counterintuitive to drink more water when increased water weight is an issue, but drinking water actually helps the kidneys regulate the overall concentration of water and sodium in the body.

[When the body is] hydrated, the kidneys are less likely to retain sodium in the body and excess fluid is eventually discarded in urine, explains Dr. Gogia. When youre dehydrated, your body tries to restore its balance by retaining water, leading to bloating and water weight gain, according to Gogia.

Another way to manage water retention is to cut back on high-sodium and high-sugar foods and focus instead on eating fresh vegetables, unsalted nuts and seeds, says Dr. Gogia.

Salt intake tends to have a direct effect on fluid retention in the body. In fact, research in the Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism explains that salty foods increase both thirst and fluid intake without increasing urine volume. Therefore, that extra fluid is held in the body instead of excreted, adding extra pounds of water weight to what you see on the scale.

Some research links poor sleep efficiency to unhealthy food cravings, including energy-dense, potentially sodium-laden foods, which can cause water retention.

On the other hand, proper sleep helps manage several stress hormones that play a role in regulating fluid balance. Research suggests that the bodys natural circadian rhythm activates specific signals during the night that trigger the release of vasopressin, a hormone that promotes water retention specifically to prevent dehydration during the night and nocturia (waking to urinate). When the body releases an appropriate amount of vasopressin, its water retention effects are short-lived, benefiting ones sleep cycle and leading to minimal residual bloating upon waking.

While you sleep, your body is laying flat, and excess fluid that pooled in your legs or other gravity-dependent areas during the day is typically reabsorbed into the vessels at night, adds Dr. Gogia. Interrupted or shortened sleep can interfere with this process, leaving you with fluid imbalance and potential water retention.

Caffeine is a diuretic, and consuming too much of the stimulant can lead to dehydration, according to Dr. Vinton, who recommends cutting back on caffeine if water weight gain is a concern. Consider limiting coffee consumption to the morning and monitoring other sources of caffeine in your diet, such as energy drinks, teas and chocolate.

Moderate exercise and the movement of muscles can help shift fluid from the tissues back into the vessels, suggests Dr. Gogia. Exercise also naturally increases the bodys demand for water as you sweat. Staying hydrated and exercising regularly can help balance fluids in the body and reduce water weight gain that might occur as a result of a sedentary lifestyle.

Effective. Simple. Anything But Basic.

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Water Weight: What It Is And How To Lose It - Forbes

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