Dealing With Water Weight
I intercepted an argument between a guy and a girl some time ago. The guy said water makes one fat and the girl said “no it can’t make you fat because it doesn’t have calories”. Of course, I supported the girl; bad calories are responsible for weight gain and water doesn’t have calories at all. Well it turned out that we (myself and the girl) were partially wrong. Indeed water doesn’t have calories but it can still make you fat.
There is something called water weight and this is caused by abnormal water retention in our bodies as regulated by our kidneys. Just as the body stores calories as fat, it also stores water and ions for different reasons and in a situation where by the body is storing more water (in our cells, tissues, etc) than it needs to, we become bloated and appear fat. In order words if you lose your water weight; you’ll be shocked how many pounds you will drop instantly.
Causes of Water Weight And Its Management
Lack Of Water
Believe it or not, not drinking enough water in the first place is what causes the body to hoard the little it has. When our bodies sense that enough water is not coming into our systems as it should, it sends out a scarcity signal and begins to hoard whichever little water comes in so it can have water to use for a long time. Basically the same thing we do when there is scarcity of fuel (people that live in Nigeria would understand this). It is this hoarding of water that makes us feel bloated and appear fat. To reverse this process, take in enough water (at least 8 glasses a day) so that your body can pass out water it has retained and cut off weight instantly.
Too Much Salt
Too much salt is bad for the body and the only way the kidney regulates salt is by balancing it off with water. So the more salt you take, the more water your body retains and the more water your body retains the more bloated and fat you become. If you desire to lose your water weight and appear slimmer, cut down on your salt intake.
Too Much Carbohydrate
Excess carbohydrate is stored as glycogen in our bodies and guess what is needed to store glycogen? Yes, water! Every 1 gram of carbohydrate (glycogen) gets stored along with 3 grams of water. So by consuming too much carbohydrate, you’re increasing your water weight and getting fatter. Cut down on your carbs and cut down on your water retention then you will cut down on your weight.
P.M.S (Pre-Menstrual Syndrome)
P.M.S simply refers to those uncomfortable experiences you have just before (and may continue during) your period. Stomach cramps, back pain, irritability, bloating, emotional and weight gain are all P.M.S symptoms. The weight gain is caused by water retention which is caused by hormonal fluctuations in the body. There is actually nothing you can do to stop P.M.S but you can lessen its effects by eating right (vegetables, fruits, fiber), drinking more water to counter the water weight effect of your body, and exercising to increase your metabolism. Thankfully P.M.S packs up her bags once your period is over.
Lack of Exercise
Whether it is too much standing, sitting for long periods of time, lying down because of injury, sickness, pregnancy, or not having a very active lifestyle, lack of exercise is a major reason for water weight. When you exercise, you lose water weight by draining excess fluids and salt through sweating. Moderate exercise three to four times a week for 30 to 60 minutes can help you lose water weight and maintain a healthy body weight.
Wastes & Toxins
Wastes and toxins that have not been properly and completely removed from our system cause irritation and most times inflammation in our tissues. Our body tries to reduce this irritation by using water to dilute the concentration of these toxins. So the more toxins you accumulate the more water your body stores and the more weight you add. Detoxify yourself regularly. If you have a constipation problem make sure you find a remedy.
There is something called water weight and this is caused by abnormal water retention in our bodies as regulated by our kidneys. Just as the body stores calories as fat, it also stores water and ions for different reasons and in a situation where by the body is storing more water (in our cells, tissues, etc) than it needs to, we become bloated and appear fat. In order words if you lose your water weight; you’ll be shocked how many pounds you will drop instantly.
Causes of Water Weight And Its Management
Lack Of Water
Believe it or not, not drinking enough water in the first place is what causes the body to hoard the little it has. When our bodies sense that enough water is not coming into our systems as it should, it sends out a scarcity signal and begins to hoard whichever little water comes in so it can have water to use for a long time. Basically the same thing we do when there is scarcity of fuel (people that live in Nigeria would understand this). It is this hoarding of water that makes us feel bloated and appear fat. To reverse this process, take in enough water (at least 8 glasses a day) so that your body can pass out water it has retained and cut off weight instantly.
Too Much Salt
Too much salt is bad for the body and the only way the kidney regulates salt is by balancing it off with water. So the more salt you take, the more water your body retains and the more water your body retains the more bloated and fat you become. If you desire to lose your water weight and appear slimmer, cut down on your salt intake.
Too Much Carbohydrate
Excess carbohydrate is stored as glycogen in our bodies and guess what is needed to store glycogen? Yes, water! Every 1 gram of carbohydrate (glycogen) gets stored along with 3 grams of water. So by consuming too much carbohydrate, you’re increasing your water weight and getting fatter. Cut down on your carbs and cut down on your water retention then you will cut down on your weight.
P.M.S (Pre-Menstrual Syndrome)
P.M.S simply refers to those uncomfortable experiences you have just before (and may continue during) your period. Stomach cramps, back pain, irritability, bloating, emotional and weight gain are all P.M.S symptoms. The weight gain is caused by water retention which is caused by hormonal fluctuations in the body. There is actually nothing you can do to stop P.M.S but you can lessen its effects by eating right (vegetables, fruits, fiber), drinking more water to counter the water weight effect of your body, and exercising to increase your metabolism. Thankfully P.M.S packs up her bags once your period is over.
Lack of Exercise
Whether it is too much standing, sitting for long periods of time, lying down because of injury, sickness, pregnancy, or not having a very active lifestyle, lack of exercise is a major reason for water weight. When you exercise, you lose water weight by draining excess fluids and salt through sweating. Moderate exercise three to four times a week for 30 to 60 minutes can help you lose water weight and maintain a healthy body weight.
Wastes & Toxins
Wastes and toxins that have not been properly and completely removed from our system cause irritation and most times inflammation in our tissues. Our body tries to reduce this irritation by using water to dilute the concentration of these toxins. So the more toxins you accumulate the more water your body stores and the more weight you add. Detoxify yourself regularly. If you have a constipation problem make sure you find a remedy.
Culled and edited. Images: Google
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