The inexplicable pounds that engulf you overnight. Those puffed fingers. The creaky joints. That torpid feeling. Bloated stomach. These symptoms and more are associated with excess water weight. And this can be really disheartening when you are counting calories and still see the scale gaining on. We understand your urge to get rid of those troublesome pounds and for this we have for you, views of two dietitians who are telling us ways to shed that extra water weight.
Sever the Sodium
Salt attracts water. It works like a magnet. This is the reason for excess H2O weight. Other foods can cause bloating but don’t get confused between the two. Broccoli, bran products, cabbage, cauliflower create a feeling of satiety or fullness, says Bonnie Taub-Dix, author of the book “Read It Before You Eat It: Taking You from Label to Table.”
You may think you are well within the daily sodium recommendation which is 2300 milligrams, but you could be underestimating. Conversely, body needs 200 mg of sodium for functioning. Salt is something which cannot be seen once mixed with foods but adds to the taste and flavor for little money. More than 70% dietary sodium can be found in found in dishes available at restaurants and packaged foods [1] .
Some people have greater sensitivity to salt than others. But how to identify it? Taub-dix advises you to look at your fingers an hour after you have had a meal high on sodium. Do your rings leave an imprint or they appear inflamed? If you see that your hands have swollen it could be a sign of salt sensitivity.
Reducing salt in your diet:
- Do not use the salt shaker
- Rinse canned beans in water
- Cut out on processed snacks like crackers and potato chips
- Dilute salad dressings with balsamic vinegar
Cut Out the Carbs
Even carbohydrates cause water retention. When carbs are consumed and are not immediately used as fuel, they get converted into glycogen by the body. It gets stored in the muscles, Amy Shapiro, founder of Real Nutrition, says. Around 1% of the muscle mass is glycogen and 8% of the weight of liver is glycogen. For each gram of glycogen in these areas, you get 2.7 grams of water weight with it [2] .
Cutting carbs in the diet:
- Breakfast: Give up on cereals and have spoon yogurt instead
- Lunch: Give a try to open faced sandwich
- Snacks: You can have veggie sticks with hummus
- Dinner: Replace noodles with zoodles.
Stay Hydrated
When you consume salt, your cells drink up and retain the amount of water that they can. It tricks your body into thinking it is not thirsty. So if you feel you’ve had too much salt, drink lots of water. If you don’t drink sufficient water, the body retains the water to prevent dehydration. According to a study issued in the journal “Obesity”, if you drink 17 ounces or 500 milliliters of water prior to a meal, it tricks your body into losing more weight naturally.
Pop a Mg Supplement
A woman retains the maximum water on first day of her period all through the month. As the cycle progresses, the hormones controlling water retention jump back to normal. Scale sometimes discourages the people, but it measures the different things going on in the body. And not simply weight. Young and middle-aged women might feel puffy prior to or while having the period, says Taub-Dix.
Shapiro says that a supplement of magnesium can reduce the puffiness that gets induced from the hormones. A study that came out in “Journal of Women’s Health” said that a supplement of 200 mg magnesium during menstruation can reduce swelling, weight gain, bloating of stomach
Include Potassium in Your Diet
It’s like potassium is the yang to sodium’s yin. According to research issued in “American Journal of Kidney Disease,” higher dietary potassium is associated with less sodium in kidneys and therefore lower blood pressure and water retention. It is recommended to have at least 4.7 gms of potassium [3] in a day. But an American woman gets as less as 2.4 gms which is half of the recommended intake.
Take a Stroll
Apart from burning calories, (20-minute walk helps burn 100 calories for a 150-pound individual) walking can beguile your cells into shedding water. Do not sit or stand for extended time at one place as this can result in holding and retaining water by the tissues. If you are in a job that requires you to sit at a desk for long periods of time, set a reminder to walk for five minutes every hour.
Hit the Gym
You will see there is more loss of water weight if you key up the intensity. This will help you bur more glycogen and your lymph nodes will also set in action. Exercise ranging from moderate to intense trigger the flow of lymphatic fluids and blood that would help in removal of water from the extremities, says Shapiro.
Patience Helps, But Ask for Help When Needed
Tried all the steps mentioned above but still have no luck. Keep a check on your expectations. Know how much to expect regarding the rate at which you experience loss of water weight, says Taub-Dix.
Know the source of your water weight. What exactly is causing it? If you have had some pickles, you drink water and see the weight jumping back to normal in a day. But it is more so related with hormones, so it may take some time. If you are experiencing issues related to fluid retention and not finding it comfortable, speak to your health care practitioner, says Taub-Dix. It could be signifying blood pressure problems, medication issues and other health concerns.
