What is Water Weight? Causes and Ways to get rid of it

Not only fat is responsible for moving the needle of your weight scale upwards, but water plays its role too. Yes, that’s right. Water retention is very common and adds up to your weight calculations. Let’s take a look at all the causes that might cause water retention and how you can get rid of that nasty water weight, efficiently.

What Is Water Weight?

Water weight is also known as edema, which is the retention of excess water in the body. It causes bloating and puffiness in the body which is uncomfortable. It is often not dangerous but it left out untreated for so long, can cause health risks. However, it can easily be gotten rid of by following simple exercises and making lifestyle changes.

Water Weight- Causes

Causes behind water retention could be related to your daily life practices or also could indicate health disorders. Some causes are:

• Dehydration
• Poor diet, rich in sodium salts, processed foods
• Obesity
• Poor lifestyle, sitting or standing for a long time, zero to minimal physical activity
• Women do retain water during the menstrual cycle (hormonal fluctuation)
• Some medications also cause water retention
• Water retention also indicates heart problems
• Pregnant women do retain water
• Kidney diseases
• Deep vein thrombosis

10 Ways To Get Rid Of Water Weight

1: Drink More Water

Yes, it might sound confusing but water retention can best be avoided by drinking more water. Dehydration also retains water in your body, which can be avoided by providing the body with enough water. Lots of water flush out toxins from the kidney and keep your kidneys healthy, minimizing the risk of kidney problems and eventually water retention.

2: Low-Sodium Diet

Do some necessary cuts on sodium in your diet and you’ll see the difference in your body. You’ll feel less bloated as excess water will not remain in your body. Skip processed foods, junk foods, and other sodium-rich food.

3: Exercise

Physical activity is the key to the best health and to get rid of all the water weight, you need to get moving. Exercising regularly improves your circulatory system and moves the excess fluids toward the kidneys to be flushed out of the body.

4: Consume Fewer Carbs

Carbs help your body store more water, thus, cutting on carbs can make a real difference. You can consume healthy carbs which come from pulses, vegetables, and fruits but do avoid processed carbs.

5: Eat A Potassium-Rich Diet

Add more fruits and veggies in your diet which are rich in potassium, as potassium can help you get rid of water weight by counteracting the effect of sodium.

6: Consume Dandelion Supplement

Dandelion root is used in traditional medicine to remove urine from the body by signaling the kidneys. It is still used commonly, and you can use it to get rid of water weight.

7: Reduce Stress

Stress can lead to unhealthy retention of water in your body by unbalancing your body fluids. To make sure that water weight does not become your problem, try staying calm, practicing meditation, or drinking calming teas to reduce stress.

8: Sleep Well

Though sleep does not directly cause water retention, it does affect your overall metabolism and other cellular processes which eventually result in water weight. That’s why it’s important to take enough quality sleep to be free of water-weight worries.

9: Take Supplements

Supplements shall be your last resort when none of the above-mentioned options works for you. Take magnesium or vitamin B6 supplements which push excess water out of the body, reducing the water weight.

10: Water Pills

Yes, there are water pills only recommended by doctors which act as diuretics. It is often given to people with kidney problems to clear out their kidneys of all the excess fluid and toxins.

The Bottom Line

Water weight is the retention of excess water in the body and you can get rid of it by drinking more water, exercising, reducing sodium in your diet, and sleeping well.