An adult human body has around 60 per cent of water and the amount of water an individual retains fluctuates depending upon their eating habits and health condition. For example, eating a diet high in salt can trigger your cells to soak up and retain water. The excess water your body holds on to is called water weight.

Excess water retention in the body can lead to swollen feet, hands, ankles and legs. Water weight is not usually a thing of concern but it may lead to some discomfort. In fact, in some cases excess water weight might be the reason you aren’t able to lose those few extra kilos.
So, here we give you seven easy tips on how to lose that stubborn water weight. Reduce your salt intakeThe first step to lose water weight is to reduce your salt intake. Replace the foods that are high in sodium with low-sodium alternatives. Too much salt when coupled with less water intake and no exercise can lead to water retention. Exercise regularlyAn easy but short term solution to lose water weight is exercising. Sweating through daily exercise helps you lose the excess fluids from your body. An average amount of fluid loss during an hour workout session is between 16-64 ounces. Stay hydratedAnother good way to prevent water weight from piling up is by staying hydrated. If you do not keep yourself hydrated, your body prepares itself to run out of fluid by holding onto more water. Staying hydrated helps to get rid of excess salt from the body. Manage your stress levelsIncreased cortisol levels in the body lead to water retention. Cortisol is a stress hormone that is produced in response to stressful situations and low blood sugar. And every cell in your body has receptors for cortisol, which means it can impact our body severely. Cortisol doesn’t lead to water retention in normal condition but only when you are stressed. Switch to healthier carbsCutting carbs from your diet entirely may help you lose water weight very quickly but this may lead to a dip in your energy levels. So, switching to healthier carbs and limiting carb intake can be a better option. When you eat fewer carbs, you will eat more protein and fat, which are supposed to encourage water loss.

Consume potassium-rich foodsPotassium helps you get rid of water weight in two ways. First by decreasing the level of sodium in your body and second by increasing the production of urine. Potassium regulates the fluid around your cells and prevents your body from retaining water. Some examples of potassium-rich foods are beans, coconut water, green leafy vegetables, fish, avocado, raisins, dates, spinach, broccoli, banana, white potato and sweet potato.

Start taking magnesium supplementsMagnesium helps your kidneys to flush out the excess sodium and water from your system. Magnesium level of body cells is strongly related to potassium in the cells. These two minerals can work in synergy to reduce water retention in the body.

Tip

Severe water retention might be a sign of kidney or liver disease. But in most of the cases, water weight is temporary and goes away with some easy lifestyle modification. But if you feel there are other problems along with swelling of your body (due to water retention), you should immediately consult your doctor.

Source: indiatimes.com