how much water weight can you gain from sodium?

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shonako
shonako Posts: 98 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Okay so recently i started following the iifym diet and increased my calorie intake from 1200 to 1700. i been trying it out for about 3 weeks now. im always under my calorie goal but most of the time im over my sodium intake. i just weighted myself and i am the same weight i was before i started. I know i lost more weight because i am starting to see a lil bit of my abs, so i know i lost weight. so my question is how much can you gain from water weight per mg?

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  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
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    It will vary for different people.

    As your body fights off the excess, there will be an increase of water. When trouble is over, the water will decrease and you'll feel less "bloated." Sodium doesn't add fat. :)

    How much water depends on how much sodium and you, personally.

    Drink your water - no need to get excessive, just drink to your thirst - and wait. It'll be gone a couple days. :)
  • Branstin
    Branstin Posts: 2,320 Member
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    It is based on the amount of sodium and varies from person to person.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
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    I can retain up to 5 pounds in water weight, but everyone is different. Drink A LOT of water to offset it and about 3 days its usually gone.
  • ithrowconfetti
    ithrowconfetti Posts: 451 Member
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    My weight fluctuates throughout the day, based on several factors, not just sodium intake. I can "gain" anything from 3-6 pounds daily. Sodium will affect every individual differently. If water retention is causing you to not see a change on the scale, drink more water and you should see the numbers move in a couple of days.
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
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    I think it is something like half a pound per gram, but your body is constantly working to eliminate excess sodium, so it is difficult to know how much excess sodium you have.
  • _Waffle_
    _Waffle_ Posts: 13,049 Member
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    Water weight is pointless to worry about. It's not like you'll gain water weight forever. If you're 15 pounds over weight water isn't your problem. If you're within 5 lbs of goal then perhaps then you can worry about it.
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,590 Member
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    I would say about 5 lb for a small to average height woman
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    There are like a million variables here...seriously. I'm not really sure why you're stressing yourself about water weight...there are way more important things to focus on than this.
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
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    If the body fights off excess sodium, does the sodium fight back?

    In any case, it is the kidneys that regulate the sodium in the body.
  • sugar297
    sugar297 Posts: 106 Member
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    I know on the nights I eat my homemade salty popcorn I feel a lot more bloated after!!
  • frog_4evr
    frog_4evr Posts: 3
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    I personally have an issue with water retention due to sodium intake. Since I have taken salt out of my diet and have chose more healthy foods, I feel so much better! My legs, stomach etc.. are no longer swollen. However... not everyone has an issue with water retention. Make sure you drink the amount of water needed and cut back on your salt and you should see a difference in no time at all.
  • noexcusesjustresults2014
    noexcusesjustresults2014 Posts: 212 Member
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    _Waffle_ wrote: »
    Water weight is pointless to worry about. It's not like you'll gain water weight forever. If you're 15 pounds over weight water isn't your problem.

    +1

  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
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    __drmerc__ wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    It will vary for different people.

    As your body fights off the excess, there will be an increase of water. When trouble is over, the water will decrease and you'll feel less "bloated." Sodium doesn't add fat. :)

    How much water depends on how much sodium and you, personally.

    Drink your water - no need to get excessive, just drink to your thirst - and wait. It'll be gone a couple days. :)

    Your body fights off the excess sodium?

    Yup! If there is an excess, it will add water to dilute the excess. That's why you "bloat." Water, water everywhere. ;)

    Where salt goes, water follows.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
    edited November 2014
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    TimothyFish wrote: »
    If the body fights off excess sodium, does the sodium fight back?

    In any case, it is the kidneys that regulate the sodium in the body.
    The kidneys do their part, but they aren't alone in the fight.

    I googled "hypernatremia compensation" and the first thing that came up was great. If you're familiar with basic physiology, it'll be a great refresher. It would probably be a little boring and complicated if you hadn't learned it all Once Upon A Time.

    http://www.clevelandclinicmeded.com/medicalpubs/diseasemanagement/nephrology/hyponatremia-and-hypernatremia/

  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
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    how long is a piece of string?

    Just remember that it is the spike in sodium (reduction in potassium). If you are habitually consuming high amounts then it isn't going to affect your "water weight" too much.
  • justalittlecrazy
    justalittlecrazy Posts: 88 Member
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    I can easily gain 5lbs in water weight. It comes right off, though, when I decrease my sodium and increase my water intake.
  • hummingbirdhope
    hummingbirdhope Posts: 101 Member
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    shonako wrote: »
    Okay so recently i started following the iifym diet and increased my calorie intake from 1200 to 1700. i been trying it out for about 3 weeks now. im always under my calorie goal but most of the time im over my sodium intake. i just weighted myself and i am the same weight i was before i started. I know i lost more weight because i am starting to see a lil bit of my abs, so i know i lost weight. so my question is how much can you gain from water weight per mg?

    Supposedly up to 2lb per 200mg extra
  • Zedeff
    Zedeff Posts: 651 Member
    edited November 2014
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    hummingbirdhope wrote: »
    Supposedly up to 2lb per 200mg extra

    I've read this figure too but if you really think about it, it's kind of outrageous and beyond belief. I had a "cheat day" yesterday with Mcdonalds for breakfast and Italian for dinner; we went to a local restaurant, so I logged my meal as "Olive Garden" and "Chili's" just to guesstimate. Although the numbers won't be 100% accurate, my logging says I had 6.3 grams of sodium (about 4 grams over my maintenance).

    At 2lb/200 mg, I should have gained 40 pounds. I gained 2.

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