Explain the Water Wight thing to me.

mkrafick
mkrafick Posts: 68 Member
edited September 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
OK, don't laugh - but I don't get this. Short of my wife talking about "water weight" during her monthly visit, I am kind of clueless.

Last weekend I fell off the wagon pretty hard for the first time in a year - had access to only bad food, ate lots of it, and scarfed down anything not nailed down. Pizza, meats, cheeses, ice cream, popcorn, soda, you name it, I had it. First time that bad in a year so I am friustrated but not killing myself for the slip.

I weighed myself and bumped almost 3lbs (which I thought was an unusually high amount for 2 days of bad eating). Calories were not off the charts - probably pushing closer to 2600-2900, just bad bad food and bad portion control.

In venting my frustration someone mentioned not to worry it is probably mostly water weight. Sure enough after one day of eating right, I lost 3/4 of what I gained. Almost rightback to normal.

What the heck just happened? Is this water weight loss - if so, how did it work? (I am assuming it ties into sodium somehow).

My weightloss has been very slow and steady - but signifigant over a year. I know my trainer touted losing this way means it comes back on just as slow. So 3lbs in one weekend caught me off guard - but I guess a false alarm?

Any ideas?

Replies

  • superhippiechik
    superhippiechik Posts: 1,044 Member
    I want to know too. I lost 6 of the 8 lbs. I gained over the holidays in 1 week just by eating right and drinking tons of water.
  • scagneti
    scagneti Posts: 707 Member
    Your body is approximately 60% water. If you have too much sodium (and there are other reasons too), your body holds on to excess water, which results in higher numbers on the scale. So you did gain 3lbs -- but you didn't gain 3lbs of FAT, which is all that any of us really care about getting rid of. Water is pretty easy to get rid of, as you found.
  • reneelee
    reneelee Posts: 877 Member
    Your body is approximately 60% water. If you have too much sodium (and there are other reasons too), your body holds on to excess water, which results in higher numbers on the scale. So you did gain 3lbs -- but you didn't gain 3lbs of FAT, which is all that any of us really care about getting rid of. Water is pretty easy to get rid of, as you found.

    Yes and if you dont drink enough water your body will hold on to what water you do drink. So drink up!
  • scagneti
    scagneti Posts: 707 Member
    Your body is approximately 60% water. If you have too much sodium (and there are other reasons too), your body holds on to excess water, which results in higher numbers on the scale. So you did gain 3lbs -- but you didn't gain 3lbs of FAT, which is all that any of us really care about getting rid of. Water is pretty easy to get rid of, as you found.

    Yes and if you dont drink enough water your body will hold on to what water you do drink. So drink up!

    There are a bunch of reasons our bodies hold on to water and not enough water is a good one! Also, if you worked out and your muscles are sore, they'll hold on to water (I think it's to soothe them or something!) Women tend to gain water weight during their TOM also. I'm sure others can think of a lot more!
  • kwardklinck
    kwardklinck Posts: 1,601 Member
    Yep water retention happens when we eat foods full of sodium. I'm usually up 2-3 pounds after one restaurant meal (even if it's on the healthy choice menu) because they put about 3 times the sodium in their food as what you'd get in a home cooked meal. If I'm retaining water, I increase my water the next day and put a little lemon juice in it. That helps me get rid of the excess sodium.
  • pyro13g
    pyro13g Posts: 1,127 Member
    Part of that weight is also increased intestinal contents and of course any additional water pulled in those contents by fiber. When your intake goes back to normal it disappears quickly. Just be smart when you weigh yourself. Sometimes it's best to skip a week if you had a big day or two before your next weigh in.
  • bikerbiz
    bikerbiz Posts: 179 Member
    :-) Pyro said it nicely. It isn't just "water weight", you also filled your colon back up!!! It too, shall pass. :laugh:
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