How do you get rid of 'water-weight' ?

shadowlydarkness

For the past few weeks I have been using this as an excuse to explain my recent weight gain. However I am sick of it and want to find out once and for all if I actually have this or if I have just been slacking off.

So my question is: how does someone get rid of their 'water-weight'? I know it involved drinking more water but I need specifics, like how much water for how many days, and any other specific tips that can help.

I have read a few other topics around this and all they say is to drink more water, I really am only looking for specific tips here that can help everyone that is facing the same problem as I am right now.

Thanks guys!

michael300891

'Water weight' is typically due to high sugar (glycogen) in the muscle and water retention associated with sodium.

If you really care about shedding 'water weight' then either fast for 12-16 hours or go for a small-moderate length jog/cardio session.

Both will moderately deplete glycogen stores and sodium.

You will see a substantial reduction of weight on the scales!

Unfortunately it means nothing as you will put it back on at the next meal.

Focus on a proper long-term dietary approach to lose weight

Cheers, Mike.

shadowlydarkness

Thanks Mike, definitely in it for the long haul but just got frustrated because I seem to be gaining weight instead of losing it while I have been doing really well the last few weeks (ignore yesterday haha)

So you think one cardio session would do it? would a 30 minute run on the crosstrainer be effective?

Francl27

Typically for me it totally depends on where in my menstrual cycle I am. If it's just after my period... a couple days. If it's up to 2 weeks before my period... 3 weeks.

cmriverside

I agree with MIke somewhat: a long-term balanced diet with no more than about 1500mg sodium a day, lots of vegetables, sufficient water, exercise, and 7-9 hours of sleep every day will balance you out.


There is no magic formula for having taken in too much salt - it's a pattern of behavior that will level this out.

One day of exercise is not going to fix this - you need to adjust your life to remain balanced.

If you are actually gaining weight, you are eating too much.

michael300891

Yeh that will have an effect although it depends how many calories you burn. Typically muscle glycogen is about 400g and liver about 100g. Each g stored with about 4g of water so thats nearly 2kg of 'water weight'. However to deplete the lot (which is impossible as its constantly replenshed) youd be looking at 2000kcal energy expenditure.

My advice would be to have an early meal, sleep overnight, get up, 30 minute cross trainer session. Give it an hour or two without eating. That should give you maximal reductions.

But again, its all about long-term changes - that being said if your doing this to give you motivation to crack on with the goals im all for it!

shadowlydarkness

I agree with MIke, a long-term balanced diet with no more than about 1500mg sodium a day, lots of vegetables, sufficient water, exercise, and 7-9 hours of sleep every day will balance you out.


There is no magic formula for having taken in too much salt - it's a pattern of behavior that will level this out.

I hardly ever get that much sleep on a regular basis. Definitly trying the other stuff though, sodium is hard because most things dont have an accurate calculation on MFP but trying to keep it low as possible.

shadowlydarkness

Yeh that will have an effect although it depends how many calories you burn. Typically muscle glycogen is about 400g and liver about 100g. Each g stored with about 4g of water so thats nearly 2kg of 'water weight'. However to deplete the lot (which is impossible as its constantly replenshed) youd be looking at 2000kcal energy expenditure.

My advice would be to have an early meal, sleep overnight, get up, 30 minute cross trainer session. Give it an hour or two without eating. That should give you maximal reductions.

But again, its all about long-term changes - that being said if your doing this to give you motivation to crack on with the goals im all for it!

that is the idea: just need some motivation again to know that what I have been doing the past few weeks is working but my increased activity requires more water intake which I have always been slacking in. Thanks for the advise Mike

michael300891

No probs, just let me know if you have any other questions.

Cheers, Mike.

Doc_V

If I stop eating by about 5pm, the next morning I will wake up with some serious water weight loss, no matter if I'm in calorie deficit or not. I only noticed this incidentally, but it's a good trick if you need to fit into a skinny dress on Friday night! Lowering carbs will do it as well.

jayb0ne

Water weight is a necessary evil I'm afraid.

It's a false economy really, but you can manipulate water weight quite easily should you wish. Steps as follows to lose a huge amount of water weight in just 6 days.

Water - drink 12 glasses a day for 2 to 5 days. This convinces your body it doesn't need to hang onto water as it's in feast state not famine. You can lose a pound or 2 a day for 2 or 3 days running if you go from a state of retaining water to drinking 3 litres plus per day.

Salt - cut it out, it dehydrates you and makes your body hold onto water. This includes salty foods like soy sauce etc.

Once you're lovely and hydrated after a few days, you can shock your body into shredding away yet more water and get yourself very very dry should you choose to. After having drunk 12 glasses of water a day for 5 days, drink at least 2 bottles of dry white wine and go to bed (drunk of course). When you wake in the morning (with a pounding headache) you should find yourself about 4-6 pounds lighter - this is your water weight gone! You peed it away the night before... This only really works if you've been hydrating a lot for the prior week by drinking 3 litres+ per day of water.

At this point you're very dehydrated and your body is like a sponge. You can cheat the scale for a morning if you need to, but you will pile the water weight back on once you start eating/drinking... I did say it was false economy!

Of course, none of this is really good for you. The best way is to simply eat less processed food, drink more water and do regular cardio exercise.

shadowlydarkness

Water weight is a necessary evil I'm afraid.

It's a false economy really, but you can manipulate water weight quite easily should you wish. Steps as follows to lose a huge amount of water weight in just 6 days.

Water - drink 12 glasses a day for 2 to 5 days. This convinces your body it doesn't need to hang onto water as it's in feast state not famine. You can lose a pound or 2 a day for 2 or 3 days running if you go from a state of retaining water to drinking 3 litres plus per day.

Salt - cut it out, it dehydrates you and makes your body hold onto water. This includes salty foods like soy sauce etc.

Once you're lovely and hydrated after a few days, you can shock your body into shredding away yet more water and get yourself very very dry should you choose to. After having drunk 12 glasses of water a day for 5 days, drink at least 2 bottles of dry white wine and go to bed (drunk of course). When you wake in the morning (with a pounding headache) you should find yourself about 4-6 pounds lighter - this is your water weight gone! You peed it away the night before... This only really works if you've been hydrating a lot for the prior week by drinking 3 litres+ per day of water.

At this point you're very dehydrated and your body is like a sponge. You can cheat the scale for a morning if you need to, but you will pile the water weight back on once you start eating/drinking... I did say it was false economy!

Of course, none of this is really good for you. The best way is to simply eat less processed food, drink more water and do regular cardio exercise.

Lol I love this idea, but dont think I will follow this as I hate dry wine But definitely going to increase my water intake for a few days to 10 glasses a day and see what happens.

jayb0ne

Lol I love this idea, but dont think I will follow this as I hate dry wine But definitely going to increase my water intake for a few days to 10 glasses a day and see what happens.

Ha! Other booze will work.. The basic premise is simply to get as drunk as a skunk to purposely dehydrate after a week of excess hydration - a 40% spirit (vodka, gin, bourbon etc) and a diet drink for mixer is the cheapest way to drink calorically speaking.

shadowlydarkness

Lol I love this idea, but dont think I will follow this as I hate dry wine But definitely going to increase my water intake for a few days to 10 glasses a day and see what happens.

Ha! Other booze will work.. The basic premise is simply to get as drunk as a skunk to purposely dehydrate after a week of excess hydration - a 40% spirit (vodka, gin, bourbon etc) and a diet drink for mixer is the cheapest way to drink calorically speaking.

Thanks, will keep this in mind for when I have a party coming up maybe