![\"water](\"https:\/\/bod-blog-assets.prod.cd.beachbodyondemand.com\/bod-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/What-is-Water-weight.iStock.inpost2.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\nYou may have heard about water weight, wondered what it is, and maybe you\u2019ve even got a class reunion coming up and wondered whether trying to lose water weight may be a quick way to\u00a0lose a few pounds.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is important to recognize that most quick weight loss is at least partially due to a decrease in water weight that does not reflect a true body-fat weight loss,\u201d says Jennifer L. Barnes, Ph.D., R.D., L.D.N., an associate professor of family and consumer sciences at Illinois State University.<\/p>\n
Meaning, water-weight loss is temporary and is not a good long-term solution for healthy weight loss.<\/p>\n
But what\u00a0is\u00a0water weight? How would you lose it if you could? Are there times when it\u2019s okay to focus on losing water weight? Read on.<\/p>\n
Every tissue in your body is somewhere between 55 and 60 percent water, with your muscles packing in even more fluid, explains Jennifer L. Barnes, Ph.D., R.D., L.D.N.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis fluid is separated into different compartments both within and outside the cells,\u201d she says. Water outside of cells includes blood plasma, lymphatic fluid, and water in between cells, which is critical to healthy cell signaling and function.<\/p>\n
Long story short: Your body doesn\u2019t function well without a significant amount of H2O floating through your bloodstream at any given time.<\/p>\n
That amount will vary by individual, but\u00a0OzHelp experts recommend\u00a0consuming half your body weight in ounces of water each day: If you weigh 150 pounds, you should consume 75 ounces of water daily.<\/p>\n
You can also\u00a0get water from the foods you eat: According to the National Academy of Sciences, foods (like fruits and vegetables, which have high water content) can meet approximately 28 percent of your daily water intake.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Exactly how much water you need to keep your body humming along at top speed also varies based on climate, elevation, hormone status, and activity, says Julie Ellner, M.D., a San Diego-based bariatric surgeon.<\/p>\n
That last variable (activity) explains why most experts recommend downing six to eight ounces of water every 15 to 30 minutes during exercise.<\/p>\n
Too much sweating with not enough fluid replenishment contributes to\u00a0sluggish workouts in a major way.<\/p>\n
Losing as little as two percent of your body weight in water causes impaired exercise performance, while losses greater than five percent can decrease exercise capacity by about 30 percent, according to Sports Nutrition.<\/p>\n
More extreme dehydration can contribute to dizziness, fainting, vomiting, and even heart palpitations.<\/p>\n
For that reason, it\u2019s advised that exercisers \u2014 especially those performing cardio-based endurance workouts \u2014 weigh themselves (ideally naked) both before and after exercise.<\/p>\n
If your post-workout weight is more than two percent lower than your pre-workout weight, that\u2019s a sign that you need to drink significantly more during your next workout.<\/p>\n
(So, if you weigh 160 pounds, you wouldn\u2019t want to lose any more than 3.2 pounds during your workout.)<\/p>\n
Chronic dehydration\u00a0may contribute to fatigue, headaches, and overeating, among other issues.<\/p>\n
When you\u2019re dehydrated, your body actually tends to retain more water \u2014 at least, it holds on to whatever water you\u00a0do\u00a0drink\/eat \u2014 compared with when we\u2019re adequately hydrated; you can thank your kidneys and hormones for that.<\/p>\n
\u201cFluid balance is tightly controlled in order to maintain adequate blood pressure,\u201d says Barnes, an assistant professor of family and consumer sciences at Illinois State University.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe kidneys, adrenal, and pituitary glands each play a role to concentrate urine [conserve fluid] or produce more dilute urine [eliminate excess water]. This is accomplished by hormonal signaling in response to blood pressure and the concentration of electrolytes in the blood,\u201d she explains.<\/p>\n
![\"water](\"https:\/\/bod-blog-assets.prod.cd.beachbodyondemand.com\/bod-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/What-Is-Water-Weight.iStock.inpost4.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\n
During the course of the day, you can easily gain five or more pounds of water depending on what you eat, Barnes says.<\/p>\n
So if you gain water weight by the end of the day, how long does it take to get rid of that water retention?<\/p>\n
Some people carry this extra poundage for days, weeks, or even months at a time. It accumulates in the soft tissues underneath the skin, where it leads to visible swelling, says Ellner.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe biggest cause is salt,\u201d says Kimberly Gomer, M.S., R.D., L.D.N., and director of nutrition at Pritikin Longevity Center + Spa in Miami. \u201cWe don\u2019t realize how much salt we consume\u00a0as a nation, with most of it coming from restaurant and packaged foods,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
While sodium is an important electrolyte needed for cell signaling, when it\u2019s consumed in excess, your body must retain water to keep blood level concentrations from soaring too high.<\/p>\n
\u201cOnce you get rid of added salt from your diet, you will notice you are constantly peeing,\u201d Gomer says.<\/p>\n
Hormonal changes can also influence hydration, Ellner notes. For example, women who are premenstrual often suffer from bloating due to fluctuating hormone levels.<\/p>\n
\u201cStaying well-hydrated and not succumbing to the cravings for salt and carbs during this time can help reduce the visible swelling and discomfort,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n
Also, the stress of a new exercise regimen can cause water retention thanks to the hormone cortisol. While this can be frustrating when you step on the scale, it should pass as you adapt to your new fitness regimen.<\/p>\n
Beyond salt, your carbohydrate intake has a huge impact on whether and how you store water \u2014 but that doesn\u2019t mean it causes water retention.<\/p>\n
When you consume carbs, your body stores them in the liver and skeletal muscles as glycogen, a preferred form of energy.<\/p>\n
\u201cGlycogen is a hydrophilic, or water-loving, molecule, meaning that water is stored in conjunction with glycogen,\u201d Barnes says. For every gram of glycogen you store away in your liver and muscles, you store three grams of water.<\/p>\n
But that\u2019s not water retention. Rather, it\u2019s just part of that healthy 55 to 60 percent of you that should be water.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe glycogen stored in the liver and muscles is the fuel we need for exercise \u2014 a good thing,\u201d says Gomer, noting that topped-off glycogen stores typically aren\u2019t associated with the type of bloating people get due to hormonal fluctuations or excess sodium intake.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s because the fluid is confined to \u2014 you guessed it \u2014 the liver and muscles.<\/p>\n
In extreme situations, such as an endurance athlete\u00a0carb-loading\u00a0the week before a race, increased carb consumption can lead to a good five to 10 pounds of water weight gain, but that weight is long gone by the time the runner crosses the finish line.<\/p>\n
More often than not, when it comes to water retention, it\u2019s as simple as adopting a\u00a0whole-foods eating strategy, Gomer says.<\/p>\n
It can be beneficial to integrate potassium-rich fruits and vegetables like bananas, avocados, and sweet potatoes into your eating plan, Gomer says.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s because potassium counters excess sodium in your body and leads to it being excreted through your urine.<\/p>\n
But don\u2019t sweat your sodium and potassium levels too much. Too little sodium and too much potassium is just as bad for your health as too much sodium and too little potassium \u2014 although it\u2019s really hard to do.<\/p>\n
Instead, prioritize a\u00a0balanced, varied diet\u00a0rich in whole foods to combat extra water weight.<\/p>\n
![\"water](\"https:\/\/bod-blog-assets.prod.cd.beachbodyondemand.com\/bod-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/What-Is-Water-Weight.iStock.inpost5.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\n
Is it possible to take water weight loss even further in a healthy way? Pro athletes and bodybuilders do this \u2014 but with caveats.<\/p>\n
Perhaps the most obvious example of quickly dropping water weight is seen in athletes who need to \u2018make weight\u201d before a big competition.<\/p>\n
Boxers, wrestlers, and MMA fighters have been known to dehydrate themselves to ensure they are within the acceptable weight range for their competition.<\/p>\n
Then, as soon as they step off the scale, they start rehydrating \u2014 gaining 10, 15, even 20 pounds in as little as 24 hours. Figure and bodybuilding competitors go to similar extremes to \u201cdry\u201d their muscles prior to taking the stage. Forcing depleted glycogen levels enable six-packs to \u201cpop\u201d and for muscles to look extra \u201ccut.\u201d<\/p>\n
In professional athletes, they are conducted under the supervision of a team of physicians, dietitians, and trainers to help mediate any adverse health effects, Gomer says.<\/p>\n
If your goal is to lose water weight quickly, it\u2019s important to do it carefully and correctly, with programs like\u00a0Body Beast\u00a0and\u00a021 Day Fix EXTREME, which contain a similar type of glycogen-depleting plan.<\/p>\n
But remember: Rapid water-weight loss should only be done occasionally for temporary results.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is important to recognize that most quick weight loss is at least partially due to a decrease in water weight that does not reflect a\u00a0true body-fat weight loss,\u201d says Barnes.<\/p>\n
To burn fat and lose weight \u2014 and keep it off \u2014 requires the combination of proper nutrition, an exercise program that includes cardio and strength training, and patience. You didn\u2019t gain that weight overnight, so you\u2019re not going to lose it overnight.<\/p>\n
(Pro tip<\/strong>: Need ideas on how to\u00a0eat right\u00a0and get fit? Download our free \u201c100 Ways to Lose Weight<\/strong>\u201d guide\u00a0here!)<\/p>\n \u201cWater weight is completely normal and fluctuates constantly,\u201d says Elana Natker. M.S., R.D. As long as you follow a balanced diet focused on whole, healthy foods, drink plenty of H2O, and exercise regularly, your water weight will be where it needs to be.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" You may have heard about water weight, wondered what it is, and maybe you\u2019ve even got a class reunion coming up and wondered whether trying to lose water weight may be a quick way to\u00a0lose a few pounds. \u201cIt is important to recognize that most quick weight loss is at least partially due to a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1619,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1618","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health"],"blocksy_meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1618","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1618"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1618\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1619"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1618"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1618"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1618"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}The Bottom Line<\/h2>\n