Carrying excess water weight can make you look bloated, even if you aren’t necessarily overweight. There are several possible reasons why your body might retain water. Hot and humid weather often plays a factor, as do dietary habits, certain medications and even various health conditions can make you retain water. If you are retaining water for no apparent reason, it may be wise to check with your doctor to be sure there isn’t a serious underlying cause.
Otherwise if your health checks out fine, try these possibilities on how to lose water weight, fast:
A high sodium diet is one of the most common causes for water weight gain, and reducing sodium intake should help you start releasing stored water quickly. Not only should you limit the amount of salt you add while cooking, pay attention to prepared foods; many of them are loaded with a full day’s worth of sodium or more. How much sodium should you consume in a day? The current recommendation for adults is between 1,500 mg and 2,300 mg – but it’s wise to stick to the lower end of that scale, especially if you have any health conditions or if you are retaining a lot of water.
Most people are unaware that a high sugar diet can also cause water retention. It’s not the sugar itself but the excess insulin in the bloodstream that makes you retain water. Reducing your intake of refined sugar products can immediately help you release water weight – you’ll notice it’s happening when you have to keep visiting the rest room even though you may not be drinking any more fluid than usual.
Finally, being slightly dehydrated can make you retain water because your body is trying to protect vital organ functions that require fluid. When you start drinking plenty of water and keep it coming regularly, your body will easily start releasing any stored water.
You’ll know for sure when you begin releasing the water your body has been retaining. Frequency of urination will increase, and bloating in the abdomen, fingers and ankles will subside.
For most healthy adults, these steps should easily solve excess water retention. You can also purchase over the counter diuretics, but be careful with these – too many could cause you to become dehydrated, which carries its own set of health risks. Your best bet is to release the water naturally and gently, or speak to your doctor if that doesn’t work.