Have you ever asked the reason for your weight gain, in spite of several hours spent at the gym? The answer to your question may not be far from the likely culprit, known as water weight.
Water weight could simply be described as the retention of extra water, hanging around in the tissue between your body cells. Also known as edema, water weight is very common and could be caused by different medical conditions.
Dr Sylvia Tara, author of “The Secret Life of Fat”, spent five years on researching on weight gain during which she spoke with 50 world leaders in the field. The findings of the study showed factors responsible for weight gain to involve genetics, bacteria, viruses, gender, age, hormones, and, yes, water weight.
However, to get rid of water weight in order to be back to your normal shape and figure, experts have highlighted some natural methods of eliminating excess water from the body. For this article, we consider some effective natural ways of eliminating water weight:
- Drink more water.
Studies have found that drinking 2 litres of water can impact your estimated daily energy expenditure by 95 calories. Although it may sound contradicting, but the idea is when you replace water with sugary soft drinks, and alcoholic beverages, it sure will bring about weight loss.
- Cut down on the salt.
Sodium causes the body to retain water. An easy first step for beating water weight is to replace sodium-rich foods with low-sodium equivalents. Aside table salt, other hidden sources of salt are: cheese, cold meats, bread, frozen meals, soup mixes, and savoury snacks.
- Replace simple carbs with fiber-rich fruits and veggies.
Replacing simple processed carbohydrates which usually include excess salt, with fresh green vegetables, berries, or supplements can be a better way to deal with water weight. Start by cutting 100 grams of carbohydrates per day from your diet and subtract until you start seeing results.
- Exercise
Exercise lets the body sweat out extra water. This causes water weight to drop immediately after exercise.
- Take supplements
Vitamin B-6 and magnesium oxide can be effective natural remedies for fluid retention.
These supplements work with the kidneys to help the body flush extra water and sodium from the system.
Studies show that these two supplements are very effective at relieving the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome or PMS, including water retention. They can also reduce abdominal bloating, swelling in the legs, and breast tenderness.
- Water pills
Water pills can treat mild fluid retention, as prescribed by a doctor. These pills work as diuretics, meaning they make a person urinate more often. Urination lets the body get rid of excess water and sodium.
