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Weight gain due to water retention can make you feel bloated and uncomfortable. Luckily, you can drop excess water weight quickly and easily with a few simple steps.
Steps
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Drink more water. It may seem contradictory to try to lose water by consuming water. But staying hydrated is essential to helping your body release fluids (including water) and cleanse your body of any food that may be causing bloating.If your body is dehydrated, it will store water to compensate,leading to more water weight. Ensure you have at least eight glasses of water a day. [1] X Research source
- Try to sip, rather than chug, water. Sipping water allows your body to digest food properly. Chugging water can actually make your belly swell up. [2] X Research source
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Reduce your salt intake. Eating high amounts of sodium can cause your body to store water and lead to bloating. [3] X Research source Your diet should include no more than 2000-2500mg of sodium a day to allow your metabolism to function properly without leading to water retention. [4] X Research source
- Avoid canned soups and frozen meals as salt is used as a preservative in these foods. Go for fresh meat from the butcher over deli meats, which is full of sodium.
- Use table salt sparingly in your cooking and use less spices in your food to cut back on sodium.
- Avoid pre-made salad dressings and sauces, as these are often high in sodium. Cheese is also a high sodium food, so cut back on cheese if possible.
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Eat more fiber. Consuming fiber rich foods helps to cleanse your urinary tract, kidneys, and your colon, thereby releasing excess fluids. [5] X Research source
- Have a breakfast high in fiber, like a bowl of whole grain cereal, or add a few tablespoons of flax seed to your breakfast cereal, your yogurt, or your morning smoothie. Flaxseed is high in fiber and omega-3 fatty acids. They can be ground in a coffee grinder or a food processor to then add to foods.
- Have steamed or raw vegetables as part of your lunch and dinner. Avoid boiling or roasting your vegetablesas this removes a lot of the nutrients and healthy fiber. [6] X Research source
- Be sure to snack on fruits like blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries, which are packed with fiber and other antioxidants.
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Consume more coffee, tea, or cranberry juice. Coffee and tea are known diuretics, which help to release fluids from your body. Always balance your coffee and tea consumption with glasses of water to prevent dehydration. [7] X Research source
- You can also drink cranberry juice, a natural diuretic that will help to flush toxins and fluids from your body. [8] X Research source
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Spend time in a sauna or a steam room. Sweating out water is one of the quickest ways to drop water weight. If you have access to a sauna or a steam room, take a 30 minute soak to sweat out the fluids and toxins in your body. [9] X Research source
- Spend only 30 minutes at a time in the sauna to avoid dehydration.You will likely gain the water weight back after drinking or eating, but this is a good way to temporary shed water weight for the night.
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Cut back on your alcohol consumption. Drinking alcohol can lead to dehydration, which will will then force your body to store excess water to stay hydrated. Avoid that glass of wine or pint of beer before and after exercise to stay hydrated and skip alcoholic beverages for the night if you want to avoid carrying any water weight. [10] X Research source
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Adjust your exercise routine for the week. Get your heart pounding to pump fresh blood and oxygen to all your tissues, increasing circulation of body fluid and helping the excretory system get rid of waste. Increase the frequency and intensity of your workout for the week to encourage your body to release water weight through sweat. Exercise also elevates your cortisol levels to a healthy level, which helps you work through stress and tension.
- High intensity interval training (HIIT)can help you burn fat and sweat out water weight. This type of training is structured around simple, intense exercises, followed by short bursts for recovery or rest.You can perform HIIT exercises with gym equipment, or an exercise mat and a few free weights. There are several popular HIIT programs listed here .
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Can You Lose Belly Fat By Drinking Water?
Dietary Changes and Exercises to Drop Water Weight
Expert Q&A
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QuestionDo I need to worry if my weight gain is just on my feet? What do I do to lose it?Michele Dolan is a Fitness Trainer based in Sidney, British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002, and was certified as a Personal Trainer by the British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA). Michele is also a Registered Clinical Counselor, and uses her 20+ years of fitness coaching experience to help clients understand their mind-body connection. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and Certified Clinical Counsellor (CCC), certified by the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. In her work, Michele uses the tools of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectic Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. She practices and teaches mindfulness and acceptance in all of her coaching work. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology.Many people get swollen feet, especially in warmer weather. Drink more water, and try raising your feet or soaking them in cool water if they are uncomfortably swollen. You may have to do this often to keep swelling down, but regular exercise and a healthy diet will help.
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QuestionWhat can I do about my left leg swelling?Michele Dolan is a Fitness Trainer based in Sidney, British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002, and was certified as a Personal Trainer by the British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA). Michele is also a Registered Clinical Counselor, and uses her 20+ years of fitness coaching experience to help clients understand their mind-body connection. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and Certified Clinical Counsellor (CCC), certified by the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. In her work, Michele uses the tools of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectic Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. She practices and teaches mindfulness and acceptance in all of her coaching work. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology.Swelling in one leg and not the other could be a sign of an injury, impaired circulation, or some other problem. Seek medical attention from a doctor to rule out injury or something more serious. Then consider massage plus the tips provided here to improve the mobility of fluids throughout all your limbs.
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QuestionCan you lose weight by drinking water?Michele Dolan is a Fitness Trainer based in Sidney, British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002, and was certified as a Personal Trainer by the British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA). Michele is also a Registered Clinical Counselor, and uses her 20+ years of fitness coaching experience to help clients understand their mind-body connection. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and Certified Clinical Counsellor (CCC), certified by the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. In her work, Michele uses the tools of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectic Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. She practices and teaches mindfulness and acceptance in all of her coaching work. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology.There is some evidence (onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1038/oby.2009.235) that consuming water before meals promotes greater weight loss.
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Warnings
- Always consult a doctor before undertaking any type of alteration to your diet or exercise plan. The steps mentioned above are for temporary water weight loss only. They are not intended to replace a healthy, calorie reduced diet and adequate physical activity for long-term weight loss.Thanks
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References
- ↑ http://www.muscleandfitness.com/nutrition/lose-fat/9-ways-cut-water-weight-and-reveal-your-abs/slide/3
- ↑ https://www.shape.com/weight-loss/management/8-ways-beat-bloated-stomach
- ↑ http://www.muscleforlife.com/water-retention-and-weight-loss/
- ↑ http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/water.htm
- ↑ http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/water.htm
- ↑ http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/water.htm
- ↑ http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/water.htm
- ↑ http://www.muscleandfitness.com/nutrition/lose-fat/9-ways-cut-water-weight-and-reveal-your-abs/slide/9
- ↑ http://www.muscleandfitness.com/nutrition/lose-fat/9-ways-cut-water-weight-and-reveal-your-abs/slide/5
About This Article
Article Summary
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It might seem counterintuitive, but if you want to drop water weight, the first thing you should do is to make sure you are drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day. If you are dehydrated, your body will fight to store as much water as possible. Reducing your salt intake will also help your body retain less water, so cut canned soups and deli meats, if possible. Read on to learn how adjusting your lifestyle can help you lose water weight.
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Reader Success Stories
- "All of the things listed to do to help lose the water weight are everything I haven't been doing. It was good to read this article to see what I've been doing wrong. I tend to sip closer to bedtime to help me sleep. I have not been getting enough water." ..." more
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"All of the things listed to do to help lose the water weight are everything I haven't been doing. It was good to read this article to see what I've been doing wrong. I tend to sip closer to bedtime to help me sleep. I have not been getting enough water."
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"This article helped me understand how our bodies retain water and how to lose that water weight. Everything it said you shouldn't do seemed like some of the main things I do. I'm going to try some of the suggestions and see what happens. :)"
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"Drinking more tea, coffee, and water helped a lot with dropping water weight. While I did use exercise (leg exercise, as most of my water weight was thigh-related), it did not show as much results as the fluids."
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"On my quest to reduce my weight and change my lifestyle, it's been very helpful knowing there are easy ways to quickly reduce excess water weight. "
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"I loved this article. It actually helped me gain more knowledge about water weight, because I actually did not know what water weight was."
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