I believe a lot of my excess weight is water weight. I retain water. How do I get that off? Took water pills before, but didn't notice running more to the bathroom, so I quit.
I believe a lot of my excess weight is water weight. I retain water. How do I get that off? Took water pills before, but didn't notice running more to the bathroom, so I quit.
This may sound stupid, but what you should do is: DRINK MORE WATER. Eat less salt & sodium-packed foods, & drink more water. You won't lose "excess" weight by losing water weight. The body retains water because it is mostly made up of water. You NEED the water. Water pills are bad-bad-bad for you! - please don't use those! And going to the bathroom a lot will happen if you DRINK MORE WATER.
Well, this is going to sound counter-intuitive, but the best way to get off retained water (assuming you don't have any medical problems, such as poor circulation or high blood pressure that are causing the water retention) is to drink LOTS more water.
Basically, your body wants to maintain a certain balance of sodium/potassium and water in your bodily fluids. When you don't drink enough water, your body hangs onto any fluids that you eat or drink to dilute the sodium in your blood...there isn't enough water to flush out the excess sodium through your urine, but just enough water to dilute it in your body. When you drink more water, you flush out the extra sodium and potassium in your fluids...and lower body sodium means that your body holds onto less water to dilute it.
So drink up! Drinking more will help with water retention.
I drink a lot of water. We have bottled spring water on a cooler, and drink more water than any other liquids. We LIKE water.
I'm trying to lose about 15 pounds for starters. I just thought getting rid of some water weight, especially in the legs, would help me reach that goal. No such luck, eh? Oh MAN!!!
I drink a lot of water. We have bottled spring water on a cooler, and drink more water than any other liquids. We LIKE water.
I'm trying to lose about 15 pounds for starters. I just thought getting rid of some water weight, especially in the legs, would help me reach that goal. No such luck, eh? Oh MAN!!!
Try not to be discouraged! - I know it's not easy! - but the best thing you can do is take little steps... and there are several things you can try! Such as.... try committing to eating 250 less calories per day. That's usually a snack! - you can "not eat" a snack once per day, right? Or... Try eating only HALF a portion of your last meal per day. Or how about eating fruit for breakfast for two weeks? ....See? LOTS of things to "try"!
Are you checking the sodium content of your foods? Many frozen dinners and packaged foods contain a ton of salt. Even the healthy ones have abnormally high concentrations of salt. Also, many soft drinks have high levels of sodium. You'll want to keep your sodium content below 2300 mg per day.
If you want to shed excess water weight, I'd start out by substituing all drinks with water. Use it as your beverage of choice. It worked for me! I lost six pounds the first two weeks of January by drinking 8 glasses of water per day, avoiding fast food and junk snacks and ditching the frozen dinners. Then, I started the South Beach Diet and lost even more. But increasing water and avoiding high-sodium foods remain core elements of my program.
I have the same issue- sometimes i read that people can have up to 25lb of excess water? Is this only from eating too much salt? I personally drink about 2L of water a day or more, but I eat salt like a fiend. I know I should cut down, but low fat low carb food tastes yucky without any salt! How much should there be on one serving of food?
If you absolutely must salt your food, it's my understanding that sea salt is better for you than regular table salt, and you can get it in a nifty little grinder like a pepper mill.
Sea salt is better because it has more minerals than just sodium, but it is still the sodium that gets you.
I occasionally use a salt substitute, not because I don't want the sodium but because many people are deficient in potassium--and I have reason to think I am. The one I use is "AlsoSalt" brand, and it's potassium chloride and something else. You have to use it in with the food because by itself it has an aftertaste, but you don't notice it in the food. You can shake it on and then mix a little.
There are many other salt substitutes, but I like this one the best, and it gives me potassium.
My legs look like logs. Down where the socks come, there's a bit of "puffiness". The socks don't feel tight at all, though. The sides of the legs are dry near the bottom and my legs are quite shiny. One good thing is I never have to shave them. No hair can grow there.
I do think that's a doctor worthy problem. Flushing with water should help some, decreasing your salt should help some, increasing activity should help some. But ... fluid retention that causes marked body distortion is worth seeing a doctor for. Try the fluid pills for a few day with lots of extra water ....
i agree with the above two posts. you should go see a doctor. all women retain water, but if your ankles are noticibly swollen you should get that checked out.
Water weight
tanky.
