Water

agility311
agility311 Posts: 11 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
I have now got a water tracking app. I am trying to get to my goal each day. I know water is heavy and this will show in your weight. But how long will it take for your body to not retain all the water and weight loss to show on the scales

Replies

  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    That will vary from person to person. Also there are various reasons for retaining water. From not drinking enough to TOM to new exercise to sodium etc.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Agreed... lots of factors affect water retention/weight, so it's almost impossible to answer your question. If everything else stays consistent (diet, exercise, sleep, hormones, etc), I generally see things balance out in about 3 days.

    At the end of the day, you should be focusing on long term trends in weight change, not short term fluctuations. Fluctuations due to illness, water, etc will balance out over time.
  • MelanieRBrace
    MelanieRBrace Posts: 245 Member
    jacksonpt wrote: »
    Agreed... lots of factors affect water retention/weight, so it's almost impossible to answer your question. If everything else stays consistent (diet, exercise, sleep, hormones, etc), I generally see things balance out in about 3 days.

    At the end of the day, you should be focusing on long term trends in weight change, not short term fluctuations. Fluctuations due to illness, water, etc will balance out over time.

    ^ this is great advice, I agree
  • dusjujr
    dusjujr Posts: 160 Member
    I have the same problem with water weight. its has been a week for me ups and downs. i'm consistent with diet, exercise and drinking 8-10 cups a day. my mfp friends tell me to keep drinking it but the fluctuations of the scale is killing me!!
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    shadow2soul wrote: »
    That will vary from person to person. Also there are various reasons for retaining water. From not drinking enough to TOM to new exercise to sodium etc.

    This is correct. Also, food intolerances and medications can cause you to retain water. Drinking more water helps lessen bloating from water retention. If you are bloating from too much sodium, eating or drinkin something high in potassium can help.
  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,088 Member
    I agree with the person that said you shouldn't worry much about water fluctuations anyway. There's so many factors that can cause water retention. I just worry about the long term Trends and don't pay attention to the small fluctuations
  • Calliope610
    Calliope610 Posts: 3,783 Member
    edited December 2014
    Think of your body as a reservoir system. You body requires adequate hydration in order to function properly and efficiently - your body is the reservoir, holding a relatively constant amount of water at any given time, but this can vary due to sodium levels, TOM, muscle repair, etc. Your water intake, is well, water intake and is like the rain water, upstream water, etc flowing into the reservoir. Your urinary/elimination system is like the overflow spillways in the dam. Too much water in the reservoir than is needed for optimum performance is released through the spillways, released through urination. This is a never ending cycle, so you will never be rid of "water weight".

    As others posted, don't worry about the daily fluctuations in weight; look to the general weight trend over weeks/months for a true picture of your weight loss progress.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    From my personal experience, my body ALWAYS retains water for one reason or another, muscle repair, sodium or TOM. Basically, drink tons of water and don't worry about it.
  • esjones12
    esjones12 Posts: 1,363 Member
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    From my personal experience, my body ALWAYS retains water for one reason or another, muscle repair, sodium or TOM. Basically, drink tons of water and don't worry about it.

    +1

    If you are going to keep your body properly hydrated (a good thing) so what if the scale goes up a bit. In the long run it will equal out and you will have a properly hydrated body!
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    Unless you have a medical or psychological condition that interferes with a normal thirst sensation, you can trust your thirst to guide you as water goes.

    Drink only water and you'll drink enough of it. :)
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    edited December 2014
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Unless you have a medical or psychological condition that interferes with a normal thirst sensation, you can trust your thirst to guide you as water goes.

    Drink only water and you'll drink enough of it. :)

    Disagree, at least as a blanket statement to the MFP masses.

    Why do we continue to tell people to trust thirst/hunger cues. Some certainly can, but on a website full of people with bad habits/associations and even worse views on intake, nutrition, exercise, etc, many can't. Trusting themselves will often only make the problem worse.
  • lisac195
    lisac195 Posts: 54 Member
    Personally, I can't trust my body right now to tell me what it needs, thirst included. I have to make a conscious effort to drink.
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