You're skimping on antioxidants
You've probably heard the term "water weight,"
but what does that mean exactly? According to Bridget Murphy, a
registered dietitian at NYU Langone Medical Center, our bodies are 60 to
70 percent water. Eating too much of certain foods, or not enough of
others, causes your body to hold onto extra water, making you feel
bloated and puffy. For example, eating more vegetables and fruits that
contain antioxidants can help us lose water weight. "Research supports
an increase in antioxidants to help to flush our system and reduce water
retention, as they bind to and neutralize free radicals," Murphy says.
"My biggest recommendation when it comes to foods high in antioxidants
is to 'eat the rainbow,' meaning find a natural food source from each
color." Some options she suggests are red bell peppers, tomatoes or
strawberries for red; carrots or butternut squash for orange; squash or
artichokes for yellow; leafy greens like spinach or kale for green; and
blueberries, purple beets, or eggplant for blue. Don't miss these 10 things experts wish you knew about water weight.
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You're splurging on salt
Have
you ever had a fast food meal and then later felt like the Good Year
blimp? That could be because of an increase in water retention due to
all the salt you ate. For people who eat too much sodium on a regular
basis, the effects could be long-lasting. "Sodium plays a large role in
fluid balance in the body," says Erin Palinski-Wade, RD, CDE, author of Belly Fat Diet For Dummies. A study from Germany
showed that men who ate a high-salt diet gained more weight than those
with a low-salt diet. Murphy explains that it's all about maintaining
proper balance in the bloodstream. "The higher sodium in our blood will
demand a higher water volume to maintain homeostasis or balance of
micro-nutrients in our blood," she says. "This is also why high sodium
will increase blood pressure." And it's not just table salt we're
talking about—highly processed foods and lunch meat also tend to be high
in sodium, so read nutrition labels carefully.
Sugar
and carbs (which turn into sugar) are also surprising triggers of water
retention. "When you consume carbohydrates, they are converted into
glycogen, which is stored in the muscle as energy," Palinski-Wade says.
"For every gram of glycogen stored, the body holds onto about three
times as much water." And 120 grams of glycogen contributes a pound of
weight from water. Research
has shown that unless you're burning through all your carb stores, as
an elite athlete might, you're probably retaining excess water. "When
you overload on sugar or go on a carb binge, you hold onto more water as
your body stores these excess carbs as glycogen," Palinski-Wade says.
Check out the fascinating ways your body can change when you start drinking enough water!
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You're on a fad diet or cleanse
Although you don't want to eat too many carbs, you don't want to cut out all
carbs either. You might drop fluid fast at first as your body burns
through your carb stores, but you won't be able to maintain it. "Fad
'fasting' diets will typically be very low in carbohydrate, so we lose
water weight quickly when the glycogen stores are not replenished,"
Murphy says. "The only problem with that is when we eat a regular diet
again, we re-gain it all with the glycogen stores being filled—and
sometimes more, depending on the cravings we've denied ourselves, and
the overeating we may be more susceptible to!" According to the American Academy of Family Physicians
most fad diets, including Atkins and Zone, aren't healthy, don't result
in long-term weight loss, and can even be dangerous for your health.
"Red flags when following any diet plan are if the diet promotes
avoiding complete food groups, is unsustainable for long periods of
time, or promotes any one nutrient or product as a 'detox' or
'cleanse,'" Palinski-Wade says. "The body cleanses itself using the
liver and kidneys quite efficiently." In addition, limiting calories too
much can cause the body to hold onto water, she says. So if you're
looking for how to lose water weight permanently, keeping a
nutritionally balanced intake is the way to go.
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You're spending too much time sitting
If
you're not getting physical activity, you may be retaining fluids—but
getting moving is one way you can lose water weight. "Exercise is key to
promoting circulation in the body," Palinski-Wade says. "If you sit for
long periods of time, blood and fluid can pool in your lower
extremities, causing fluid retention and swollen feet or ankles."
Fitness guru Jillian Michaels recommends aerobic activity that works
your legs and arms in order to relieve pooled fluid. Stretching can also
help alleviate swollen feet. But, simply sweating is not enough to lose
water pounds permanently because you'll gain it back as soon as you
rehydrate—plus, if you get too dehydrated from sweating, like when it's
very hot out, you'll actually retain water (more on this later). Make
sure you watch out for these nine subtle signs you're drinking too much water!
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You're missing potassium
What to eat is just as important as what not
to eat when it comes to retaining water. Eating foods that contain a
lot of potassium, like bananas, tomatoes, spinach, and avocados, could
help you lose excess fluid. "Potassium works along with sodium to
regulate fluid balance in the body," Palinski-Wade says. "Increasing
your potassium intake by eating potassium-rich foods may help your body
to shed excess water." A study
from Northwestern University showed how potassium balances out the
harmful effects of sodium. The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
even suggests a potassium-based salt substitute, although check with
your doctor first as too much potassium can be harmful for people with
kidney problems.
You're not filling up on fiber
Foods
high in fiber can help make you go—and a big part of getting rid of
retained fluid is waste management. "Foods high in insoluble fiber help
to add bulk to our stool, making it easier to maintain regular bowel
movements," Murphy says. Not eating enough fiber may make you
constipated, contributing to bloat. Plus, a study
from the University of Massachusetts found that a diet high in fiber
was effective for weight loss in general. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics,
women should have 25 grams of fiber per day, and men 38 grams (or 21
and 30 grams respectively if you're over 51 years old). The best source
of fiber is from whole foods (not supplements), including grains,
vegetables, fruit, and legumes.
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You don't drink enough water
Ironically,
drinking a lot of water helps prevent water retention. "If you are even
slightly dehydrated, your body will hold onto water versus shed it,"
Palinski-Wade says. "Adequate hydration can help to promote water weight
loss." Murphy says this is almost like an "insurance policy" to protect
against dangerous levels of dehydration. "Drinking water does help to
'flush out' a person's system," she says. "By replenishing the water
within our body daily, it can help ensure proper flow of blood and lymph
[a clear fluid that cleanses tissues in the body]." Plus, studies
have shown drinking water can help keep you from becoming constipated.
Murphy says to drink about one ounce per kilogram of body weight—or take
your weight in pounds, divide by two, and drink that many ounces of
water per day. If you don't like the taste of water, try upping your
intake of hydrating foods, like cucumber, watermelon, celery,
cantaloupe, and broth-based soups. Take a look at these 13 genius tricks for staying hydrated.
You're indulging in alcohol
One
fluid you should not consume too much of is alcohol, which can majorly
dehydrate you. "As alcohol is a diuretic, drinking large amounts can
contribute to this water-holding," Murphy says. But there are other
surprising reasons why alcohol can cause you to retain water. "Mixed
drinks using sugary sodas, juices, or other mixers will cause bloat that
we find with higher carbohydrate content," she says. "Beer is also
higher in carbohydrate and will contribute to this effect." Plus, she
says our liver is working overtime to get rid of the alcohol, which
means it's not processing calories from food. "My recommendation would
be to alternative alcoholic drinks with water or seltzer water to
maintain proper hydration throughout the night," Murphy says.
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You're about to get your period
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You're about to get your period
Unfortunately,
there's not much you can do if you tend to retain water around your
period. "The surge of hormones necessary just before our period to
release the uterine lining actually causes our bodies to retain more
fluid as part of the preparation," Murphy says. "Women can gain anywhere
from 3 to 10 pounds from this water weight the week before your
period." A study
from Canada tracked women's self-reported water retention, and (no
surprise) found it the highest just as their period was starting. "Once
you start your period, the weight will return to normal, so this weight
gain is just in that week before," Murphy says. In order to relieve
symptoms, stay away from salty foods (although you're probably craving
them during PMS), stay hydrated, and exercise. These are the best foods to eat when you're feeling bloated.
