Gaining unexplained water weight can leave you feeling bloated, fat and anxious. If you retain water often, it's important to first check with your health-care provider before trying to remedy the problem yourself, since constant water retention might have a medical cause, says MayoClinic.com. However, most of the time, just by making slight changes in your diet and adding more cardio exercise to your workouts, you can get rid of water retention.
Water Retention
The body relies on water and ions for various natural processes. Due to different physiological factors, though, such as hormonal changes or excessive salt intake, the body retains extra water. Electrically charged molecules, or electrolytes, are essential minerals the body needs to function properly, including sodium and potassium, according to Bodybuilding.com. Regularly taking synthetic or natural diuretics to get rid of water retention can deplete your body of necessary electrolytes and other nutrients, ultimately causing it harm, according to MayoClinic.com. Getting rid of water weight naturally is the best solution for water retention.
Exercise
Perspiring is one of the most effective ways to reduce water weight. Any type of regular cardio exercise not only induces perspiration but also encourages natural functions in the body. Despite the fact that some people follow a healthy diet and work out regularly, sometimes they have trouble getting rid of puffiness in certain parts of their bodies, such as the abdomen, says Bodybuilding.com. This is often due to excess sodium. Cardio exercise, such as jogging, bicycling or aerobic dancing, helps reduce excess body water through perspiration, and eventually, it also helps eliminate excess sodium. Exercising too much without proper hydration, however, isn't healthy and may lead to dehydration or more water retention.
Hydration
It's important to stay hydrated even if you're carrying extra water weight, especially if you're exercising and perspiring a lot. Reducing your water consumption won't relieve bloating or puffiness due to water retention, and it may lead to dehydration. In fact, drinking more water helps to get rid of water weight, according to Bodybuilding.com. Drinking plenty of water not only flushes out your body and promotes metabolism function, but it also encourages your body to release more water through excretion, therefore, reducing water retention. Consume plenty of water before, during and after exercise to avoid dehydration and help reduce water weight.
Sodium
Since sodium is the main culprit behind water retention, reducing your sodium intake can help minimize water weight gain. When you exercise, avoid drinking too many sports drinks in lieu of water. Although, some sports drinks provide your body with extra electrolytes, as well as hydration, there's no substitute for water, and many of these drinks are loaded with sugar, salt and other ingredients that cause water retention and weight gain, according to ABC News' medical contributor Dr. David Katz. Unless you're an athlete who participates in ultra-endurance sports that last four or more hours per event, it's not necessary to replace sodium or electrolytes during exercise, says Health Discovery. As an average exerciser, drinking adequate amounts of water along with regular exercise promotes natural processes in the body that eliminate sodium and other sources of water retention.
