Is anyone else like this.. please help
soon2beeskinny
Posts: 28 Member
Hello all, it does not matter how much water I drink, when I eat foods with salt in them I retain water. The foods I eat aren't really all that high in salt, but for me any salt is a problem. I must eat protein and most proteins have salt. I drink and drink and my weight still stays up 5 or 6 pounds. I drink 80 ounces a day of water. That is plenty for me who is 5 foot. I also have coffee. They only way I can get rid of the salt is to not eat any salt for 5 days and then the water weight comes off. That's impossible. It's also hard to see what I have lost for the week because I'm carrying so much water on me.Please advise.
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Replies
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How do you know how much "water weight" you have? Your body needs water, I'm not sure what the problem is...11
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We need salt.
I'm a woman, 5'7", regularly get well over 3000mg a day. I don't have water retention. Have you talked to your doctor? If you have swollen ankles or legs, it needs treatment. Otherwise, just keep eating and drinking water, the "retention" is not usually worrisome.4 -
I know how much water weight I carry because I weigh myself daily. Just from last week I'm up 7 pounds, but I'm dieting. I can't get rid of the excess water. I have to completely eat things without salt to get rid of the salt. Then when I eat normal it comes right back on. When I'm not carrying around extra salt water I feel great. I can't go without eating salt. It's impossible2
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5 pounds up from water wont stop you losing fat and getting thinner, Not sure why people freak out about it. Are you even sure its water weight and not just the weight of our food/water? When you try to cut water weight chances are your making more changes thn just lowering salt intake and may not even realize it. Dont stress over it, Keep on keeping on. Losing 5 pounds is still losing 5 pounds, Even if the scale range is 5 pounds higher. Your made of water you need water dont fight the water. Its a fight you will lose.6
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Well if you consistently consume salt and "retain water" your scale weight isn't going to have much fluctuations because of it.10
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Are you feeling the fluid accumulating in any specific place? 7 lbs is a lot of fluid retention.1
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soon2beeskinny wrote: »I know how much water weight I carry because I weigh myself daily. Just from last week I'm up 7 pounds, but I'm dieting. I can't get rid of the excess water. I have to completely eat things without salt to get rid of the salt. Then when I eat normal it comes right back on. When I'm not carrying around extra salt water I feel great. I can't go without eating salt. It's impossible
Women of childbearing age gain and lose quite a lot of water in conjunction with their cycles.
If you keep good records, it will become just a pattern you recognize.
It's not good to mess with your electrolyte levels significantly by restricting/adding back salt. Just keep going - eat a well-balanced nutrition plan, and try to let go of all this worry about water.8 -
I would also add, living in Florida you are subject to big swings due to temperature and barometer, too. It's a thing!6
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I have had heart failure in the past and my grandmother was also intolerant of a lot of salt. My doctor told me years ago that I should NEVER, for the rest of my life, consume more than 2,000 mg salt per day and I try to stick with that pretty closely. If I eat salty foods, I retain water. Here is what I recommend:
- Eat real, whole foods, not packaged prepared foods, so you can control your own sodium intake.
- Switch to "No Salt" substitute and add a potassium supplement, which will help you drop some of the water weight.
- Eat plenty of cucumbers, celery, tomatoes and other veggies high in potassium.
- Be sure to ask your doctor about it next visit and don't let "diuretics" be the answer.
- Do exercise that makes you sweat regularly. It will help regulate disposing of the salt.
5 - Eat real, whole foods, not packaged prepared foods, so you can control your own sodium intake.
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Basically my stomach just pouches out, my face and stomach get bloated. The only way to get it off is to eat cereal and pb sandwiches for 5 days straight. Then I lose the water weight. When I go back to normal everyday eating it comes right back on. It's like I'm carrying this constant 5 pounds of water weight that makes me fell like crap. That's the best way to describe it. I can't get rid of the water weight no mater how much water I drink on a daily basis6
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Please be aware that eating too little salt is dangerous too. Our bodies need salt.
In fact, too much salt is only dangerous for people with hypertension.
"In both groups, low sodium intake (less than 3,000 mg/day) was associated with 26–34% greater risk for heart events and death compared to moderate sodium intake (4,000–5,000 mg/day). However, high sodium intake (more than 7,000 mg/day) only increased risk for heart events and death in adults with hypertension."
https://www.cardiosmart.org/News-and-Events/2016/07/Too-Much-and-Too-Little-Salt-is-Associated-with-Increased-Heart-Risks
Remember, you're trying to lose fat, not water. Just download a weightrend app, and you can smooth out the day to day fluctuations, which are meaningless.
The scale is not a good indicator of progress, esp if you exercise a lot, live in hot climes, etc. Its a tool, and should be used wisely.
Take some body measurements and use that as your guide if the scale is throwing you off.
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I don't think drinking water gets rid of the water retention. It's just something your body will do with time. You might want to relax on the water.
So, I can't see your diary or how you eat, but let's just say that you are sodium sensitive. More so that other people. What you describe is how I feel after I go to my local Japanese restaurant. I get a noticeable "roll" on the front of my lower stomach and my eyelids and fingers swell. This lasts for about 24-48 hours and I might notice a 1-2 lb blip. I don't do anything special to counteract it but I also don't consider myself extra sensitive to sodium.
Barring any health issues, I actually don't think there is really anything you can "do" about this. My first thought would be that on your next physical, mention it to your doctor. He can run some screening bloodwork just to ensure that your kidneys are functioning properly and that you don't have any cardiac issues that would be causing it such as some sort of slow heart degeneration. If there is nothing, this is just how your body handles sodium and you may very well just have to accept it. @Patriot_Mom gave great advice for you if that is the case.2 -
The human body is about 60% water. You will always retain some water. That's just normal. So, if you check with your doctor when you do think you are retaining too much water and s/he says you are normal then you need to recalibrate what you think of as normal. If what you think is right requires you to do a five-day salt fast, then the result you seek is not normal.4
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"most proteins have salt" ?? There are plenty of high-protein foods with low sodium levels. ETA: if you have a medical condition causing fluid retention, such as congestive heart failure, you can find nutrition advice about reducing dietary sodium here: https://www.ucsfhealth.org/education/diet_and_congestive_heart_failure/0
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OP, it's odd that 5 lbs of water weight would make you feel crappy. It's a pretty normal fluctuation. I don't mean this as a insult or to belittle how you feel, but sometimes we convince ourselves that something is a problem because we hear so much about it. Is it possible that's the case here?
If you are concerned, the next time you feel that way go to the doctor and get checked out. If anything unusual is going on, you can go from there.
Messing with salt and electrolytes every month in an effort to control water weight fluctuations is a dangerous game. Your body holds and releases water all the time to help it function properly. I hope you figure it out!6 -
Have you had your kidney function checked at the doctor recently? Retaining water too easily is one of the warning signs of renal disease.1
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How do you know that you aren't forcing yourself to be dehydrated and what you consider extra water weight is not normal hydration? If you have to eat an abnormal diet to maintain a look/feel, perhaps that look/feel is not healthy.13
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Just a few thoughts. Measure your salt and log every smidge. Read all labels on canned/frozen foods (even veggies) and buy the lowest possible or no-salt/sodium versions. Use lite salt or a salt substitute (these can take some getting used to but I'm trying very hard to do so). Use lemon juice, spices, ..., to brighten flavor. AND THEN, ONCE YOU'VE TAKEN A FEW PRACTICAL STEPS JUST WORK YOUR PLAN! I'm watching salt very diligently these days because a high blood pressure issue has developed, but it is in line with your goals as well.0
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I absolutely have the same issue as well . During the month of August, I lost no weight at all. I then realized I had in fact ate too many pickles! I retain so much water and the only thing that seemed to help is eating less sodium, time, be more active and I eat a banana every night. This is for potassium, becuz potassium is soppose to help rid the excess sodium from the body according to what I've researched. I would check with yr Dr. First though. I can understand yr frustration. Good Luck!0
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soon2beeskinny wrote: »Basically my stomach just pouches out, my face and stomach get bloated. The only way to get it off is to eat cereal and pb sandwiches for 5 days straight. Then I lose the water weight. When I go back to normal everyday eating it comes right back on. It's like I'm carrying this constant 5 pounds of water weight that makes me fell like crap. That's the best way to describe it. I can't get rid of the water weight no mater how much water I drink on a daily basis
This seems disturbingly unhealthy to me.
Your eating habits worry me.
Is it the water weight that makes you feel bad, or the IDEA of the water weight?
I'm fairly sure it would just be the idea, and it's an idea you shouldn't have such strong feelings about, let alone such worrying behaviour "controlling" it.7 -
Most of us don't eat enough potassium to balance out the salt in our system. Salt and potassium work hand in hand to control water levels in the cells. Salt draws water into the cell and potassium releases it. You might try eating foods that are rich in potassium and see if that helps.3
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Lemon juice, or apple cider vinegar helps. I drink a shot of acv and two glasses of water. You'll be peeing all day.12
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soon2beeskinny wrote: »Basically my stomach just pouches out, my face and stomach get bloated. The only way to get it off is to eat cereal and pb sandwiches for 5 days straight. Then I lose the water weight. When I go back to normal everyday eating it comes right back on. It's like I'm carrying this constant 5 pounds of water weight that makes me fell like crap. That's the best way to describe it. I can't get rid of the water weight no mater how much water I drink on a daily basis
If you truly believe that salt is causing water retention and that the above diet "fixes" it, perhaps you should take a good look at how much salt is in your "fix" and what you are eating that's "healthy" that supposedly contains even more salt...5 -
soon2beeskinny wrote: »I know how much water weight I carry because I weigh myself daily. Just from last week I'm up 7 pounds, but I'm dieting. I can't get rid of the excess water. I have to completely eat things without salt to get rid of the salt. Then when I eat normal it comes right back on. When I'm not carrying around extra salt water I feel great. I can't go without eating salt. It's impossible
You could talk to the doctor about a dieuretic or something if it's really bad. But iny experience, even diuretics can be harmful if not taken as directed. But yeah that'd be for a doctor to help u with.1 -
soon2beeskinny wrote: »Hello all, it does not matter how much water I drink, when I eat foods with salt in them I retain water. The foods I eat aren't really all that high in salt, but for me any salt is a problem. I must eat protein and most proteins have salt. I drink and drink and my weight still stays up 5 or 6 pounds. I drink 80 ounces a day of water. That is plenty for me who is 5 foot. I also have coffee. They only way I can get rid of the salt is to not eat any salt for 5 days and then the water weight comes off. That's impossible. It's also hard to see what I have lost for the week because I'm carrying so much water on me.Please advise.
You have posted the same question in other threads. There is no way to diagnose what is going on with you on a community forum, and it is dangerous for anyone to suggest otherwise. There is a possibility that there is an underlying health issue causing this significant fluid retention.
Please take the advice of many here and seek medical advice from a doctor.5 -
soon2beeskinny wrote: »Basically my stomach just pouches out, my face and stomach get bloated. The only way to get it off is to eat cereal and pb sandwiches for 5 days straight. Then I lose the water weight. When I go back to normal everyday eating it comes right back on. It's like I'm carrying this constant 5 pounds of water weight that makes me fell like crap. That's the best way to describe it. I can't get rid of the water weight no mater how much water I drink on a daily basis
Cereal and bread (pb sandwiches) have quite a bit of sodium as a rule. It is odd to me that eating those things exclusively would get RID of the water weight. Are you on any medications which may cause water retention?0 -
Water weight isn't FAT weight. If your clothes are looser, then who cares what the scale says.soon2beeskinny wrote: »Hello all, it does not matter how much water I drink, when I eat foods with salt in them I retain water. The foods I eat aren't really all that high in salt, but for me any salt is a problem. I must eat protein and most proteins have salt. I drink and drink and my weight still stays up 5 or 6 pounds. I drink 80 ounces a day of water. That is plenty for me who is 5 foot. I also have coffee. They only way I can get rid of the salt is to not eat any salt for 5 days and then the water weight comes off. That's impossible. It's also hard to see what I have lost for the week because I'm carrying so much water on me.Please advise.
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Are you sure it is water retention? You say you are "Dieting" how much weight have you lost overall?
If your weight is going up and down by 5 pounds or so I would suggest that perhaps you are eating at maintenance and that when you go on the 5 day PB sandwich and cereal diet to get rid of the "water" you are actually cutting your calories back to a deficit and that is why the weight comes off. When you go back to eating normally the weight comes back on again.
If you are sure it is water retention then like the other posters I would suggest getting a proper diagnoses from your doctor as this could be a sign of an underlying health issue. You can't deal with any problem until you have verified the cause.
Hope you get it sorted out soon.
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You mention bloating being in the mid section.
Are you eating a lot of vegetables and fibre?
Fluid retention will affect extremities more so than the midsection.1
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