How to Remove Water Weight

Water weight retained in your body can make you feel puffy, bloated and overweight. While your body is generally good at regulating the amount of water it holds, you may be doing things to cause it to retain more. For instance, not getting enough exercise or eating too much sodium can cause your body to retain water. If you need to get rid of water weight to detoxify your body or fit into a dress, you can do so with a few methods of removing water weight.

Step 1

Limit your sodium intake to under 500 milligrams per day for two days to jump start the removal of water from your body. Personal trainer Jillian Harris notes that this is an effective way to remove water weight quickly. After the two days, keep your sodium intake under 1,500 milligrams per day and read labels to stay informed about your intake; the more sodium you consume, the more water you'll retain.

Step 2

Drink as much water as you can. Although it may sound counter intuitive, drinking water notifies your body that it no longer needs to store water in your system, so the water weight will be removed. Distilled water is best, as it has been boiled and is one of the most pure forms of drinking water.

Step 3

Exercise daily. Getting up and moving makes your body generate sweat, and excreting sweat from the sweat glands is an effective way to remove water weight. A brisk hour of cardiovascular activity each day will help to remove excess water weight.

Step 4

Skip the caffeinated beverages for a few days. Caffeine is a known diuretic, and according to a 2006 Journal of Amino Acids, a diuretic deprives your body of water, resulting in dehydration. Dehydration causes your body to retain as much water as possible. While some models and actors will swear by diuretics as dieting tools to remove water, they are mistaken. They will cause you to retain even more.

Step 5

Consume extra potassium. Potassium is the mineral that is responsible for regulating the level of water in your body. If your body doesn't seem to be doing a very good job with water regulation, a banana, handful of nuts or potato can help.

References

Article reviewed by MER Last updated on: Nov 13, 2009

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