Is it common to lose fat and water retention as fast as I am?
Weight Loss and Water Retention: Can You Lose Fat But Not Weight?
There are several methods to sabotage a well-planned diet.
As an example...
- It's possible to eat more calories than you should by accident.
- It is possible to move your body insufficiently.
- Every day, you might overestimate the quantity of energy you expend.
- With gluttonous "cheat meals," you can put yourself back.
These are the most typical dietary blunders.
You go through a brief checklist, figure out where the water is leaking, patch the hole, and you're back on track.
The unexplained weight loss plateau, on the other hand, isn't that simple.
When your macros are on the spot, you know...
You get plenty of exercise...
You're doing a great job predicting energy use...
and you're not binge-watching your way back to the beginning every Saturday...
...and every week, you see the same depressing reflection in the mirror and on the scale.
If you're in this situation, don't do what the majority of people do: exercise more and eat less. It'll just make matters worse.
Water retention is the likely reason, and if you don't know how to deal with it appropriately, it can ignite an emotional conflagration of rage and frustration.
I don't want it to happen to you, therefore I made this essay to help you avoid it.
By the conclusion of this article, you'll understand what causes water retention, why so many individuals who are attempting to lose weight battle with it, and how to restore normalcy to your life, including your weight loss?
So let's begin from the beginning.
Contents Table of Contents
- When a Weight-Loss Plateau Isn't Actually a Fat-Loss Plateau
- What We Can Learn About Water Retention from a World War II Hunger Experiment
- How to Get Rid of WaterWeight
- The Bottom Line on Weight Loss and Water Retention
When a Weight-Loss Plateau Isn't Actually a Fat-Loss Plateau
We would lose weight in a tidy, organized manner in an ideal world.
Every day, we'd wake up a bit lighter and slimmer because we'd stick to our exercises and food plans like good little boys and girls.
The weeks would fly by, and we'd be the happy owners of a new set of six-pack abs before we knew it.
People also claim that dieting is difficult. Hmph!
At the very least, that's the fantasy.
But then we wake up and realize that weight loss in the real world may be extremely unpredictable.
You may lose a pound or two each week for several weeks, then notice no change for a few weeks for no apparent reason, as if your body has forgotten how to burn fat.
Then, just when you're about to give up and try gluten-free or Paleo voodoo (or literally voodoo), you lose four pounds in an instant.
What the hell is going on?
How can you sustain a calorie deficit only to see no change for long periods of time, only to see a huge movement in the right direction seemingly out of nowhere?
The solution is straightforward.
Additional water that your body is hanging on to can disguise the fat you shed via appropriate dieting, both on the scale and in the mirror.
Many individuals have heard this, but many are unaware of the magnitude of the consequences. Due to increased water retention, it's not uncommon to lose 3 to 4 pounds of fat over a period of 3 to 4 weeks without even realizing it.
The fat loss is only evident when the extra fluid is drained out of the body, giving the impression of rapid fat loss.
But why does your body retain more water when you diet? And what are you going to do about it?
Let's have a look.
If You Want To Lose Weight...
What We Can Learn About Water Retention from a World War II Hunger Experiment
Dr. Ancel Keys performed landmark scientific research during World War II in which 36 men willingly committed to a semi-starvation diet of roughly 1,500 calories per day for six months, as well as hours of hard labor every day.
The goal of the “Minnesota Starvation Experiment,” as it became known, was to learn more about the physiology and psychology of starvation, as well as to devise an appropriate regimen for reintroducing starving military captives to regular diets and metabolic health.
One of the study's many intriguing discoveries was that weight reduction initially followed a beautiful, linear pattern. Every week, men dropped an average of 2 pounds. However, after a while, it became inconsistent and unpredictable.
For several weeks, body weight would stay stable, followed by overnight “bursts” of significant weight loss (3+ pounds).
How is it possible to burn several pounds of fat overnight when it's physically impossible?
The scientists dug deeper into the anomaly and discovered the cause: water retention.
The guys were progressively shedding fat, even though their weight remained constant since as they dropped fat, they held more water.
This became apparent only when the extra water was drained, giving the illusion of fast weight reduction.
This phenomenon is well-known among bodybuilders. It's known as the "whoosh effect."
I'd want to emphasize something:
The calorie deficit did lower body fat levels over time, but the decreases in total body weight were frequently offset by increases in water retention.
I bring this up because many "gurus" like to argue that this experiment "proves" that calorie-based dieting "doesn't work" because the subjects didn't lose weight while being in a calorie deficit.
Bollocks.
If You Want To Lose Weight...
You might be wondering what caused these weight-loss "whooshes."
They may happen at any moment, but investigators discovered that a significant increase in calorie consumption was a consistent cause.
For example, to commemorate the halfway point of the experiment, a 2,300-calorie lunch was provided, and researchers observed that several of the guys woke up numerous times that night to pee, and in the morning, they were several pounds lighter than the day before.
You've undoubtedly experienced something similar after performing a refeed day if you've ever dieted down to a super-lean level (7 percent body fat and below for men, 16 percent and less for women).
But why is this the case? What is going on physiologically?
The explanation has to do with cortisol, a hormone produced by your body in reaction to stress.
Cortisol levels are substantially raised by a sustained calorie restriction, according to research. This has a number of negative consequences on the body, including increased water retention.
That is precisely what occurred in the Minnesota Experiment patients. Cortisol levels increased as a result of the combination of little food and a lot of physical exercises, causing water retention.
(This is why many people who follow fad diets and do a lot of exercise have the most trouble with water retention.)
Scientists discovered that the feast that caused the participants to "whoosh" substantially reduced their cortisol levels, which explains the massive water expulsions.
This is why a refeed day typically results in a weight loss "whoosh." This is also why, after a time of reverse dieting, weight loss typically continues.
How to Get Rid of WaterWeight
If you've read this far, you've probably figured out how to reduce water retention:
- Don't deprive yourself of food.
- Don't put in many hours of cardio each week.
- Eat a lot of food every now and again.
And it turns out that reducing cortisol levels makes such techniques efficient for shedding extra water.
Let's take a deeper look at each one, as well as a few more options for reducing water retention.
Don't go overboard with your calorie deficit.
You should be proactive with your calorie deficit if you want to shed fat quickly rather than muscle... But not irresponsibly.
One of the reasons for this is that eating too little causes a significant increase in fluid retention.
Maintain a 20 to 25% calorie deficit when dieting to reduce weight to avoid this.
If You Want To Lose Weight...
Don't overwork yourself.
Yes, this is a weight-loss article that tells you to eat more and exercise less, because if you're attempting to lose weight but have a lot of water on your body, you'll definitely benefit from both.
When it comes to cutting, I advocate doing no more than 3 to 5 hours of weightlifting and 1 to 2 hours of cardio each week.
This level of activity is sufficient to burn a significant amount of fat while maintaining muscle and reducing water retention.
Have Snack Meals
Don't you just adore me for this?
One of the reasons I advocate regular "cheat meals" when dieting is because a big increase in calorie intake might cause a "whoosh" of water weight.
However, you must understand how to "cheat" effectively, otherwise, your progress will be hampered.
You should probably reduce your sodium and potassium intake.
We haven't yet discussed how salt and potassium consumption impacts bodily fluid levels, but we should.
Because sodium is a mineral that draws water into cells, ingesting a lot of it can induce a lot of water retention (or "bloating," as most people call it).
This is something you've undoubtedly seen the morning after a heavy, salty restaurant supper.
This is also why water retention reduces when salt consumption is restricted.
Another mineral that has the opposite impact on cellular fluid levels is potassium. Sodium draws fluid in, whereas potassium pushes it out.
This is why studies suggest that limiting potassium consumption might lead to increased fluid retention.
Now, if you're like most people, you're probably eating a diet that's rich in salt and low in potassium.
If you're curious, go to Calorie King and start adding up the calories. Also, don't forget to include your best guesses about how much salt you've been using (salt has about 2.3 grams of sodium per teaspoon).
I'm willing to wager that your salt intake is at least 50 percent greater than the USDA's daily sodium recommended of 2.3 grams (and 1.5 grams for African Americans, individuals with hypertension, diabetes, or chronic kidney disease, and individuals ages 51 and older).
I'll also bet that your potassium level is at least 50% lower than the Institute of Medicine's daily guideline of 4.7 grams.
(And no, you're not alone; one of the most frequent nutritional deficits in Western diets is a lack of potassium.)
Water retention is a result of this mineral imbalance, but it's a lot worse.
Scientists from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Harvard University discovered that those with the greatest sodium-to-potassium ratio were twice as likely to die of a heart attack and had a 50% greater risk of dying from any cause than those with the lowest ratio.
If You Want To Lose Weight...
The basic line is that those who eat a high-sodium, low-potassium diet are playing with fire.
(It's worth noting, though, that those who sweat often may require extra salt to compensate for sweat losses.) I consume around 3.5 to 4 grams each day.)
So, here are some helpful guidelines for keeping your salt consumption in check:
- Examine the salt level in canned or packaged goods.
- Avoid deli meat at all costs.
The same rationale applies.
- Reduce the amount of salt and spices you use.
Salt should be used sparingly, and potassium-based salt substitutes should be used if necessary.
Mixed spices, such as chili or pizza seasoning, should also be avoided. They might have a lot of sodium in them.
- Sauces and salad dressings should be avoided.
- Cheese can also be a concern.
Include potassium-rich foods in your meal planning to increase your potassium consumption, such as...
- Banana Beans Dark leafy greens
- Potato
- Squash
- Yogurt
- Salmon
- Avocado
- Mushrooms
And don't worry if you're annoyed at having to plan/monitor yet another aspect of your diet–you won't have to watch salt and potassium consumption indefinitely.
Instead, plan/track first to identify what works and what doesn't, and then apply common sense to sustain positive behaviors in the future.
Yes, this means your sodium and potassium consumption may vary and occasionally drop, which is quite normal.
You'll be OK as long as your intake remains stable in the proper range most of the time and returns to normal quickly after occasional surges.
Allow yourself to unwind.
You may lower your cortisol levels by simply devoting some time each day to calming activities such as...
- I'm enjoying some fantastic music.
- Having a cup of tea
- Taking a rest
- Giving yourself a massage
Obtain Enough Rest
Due to rising obesity rates, job hours, TV viewing, video game playing, and other distractions that keep us awake at night, high-quality sleep is becoming increasingly uncommon.
One of the numerous reasons to get enough sleep is that lack of sleep raises cortisol levels, which, as you may know, leads to water retention.
Increase Your Water Consumption
The Institute of Medicine advises that we drink roughly a gallon of water each day, and while we receive some through meals, this necessitates consuming at least a couple liters of water on a daily basis.
Because I lose a lot of water with my daily workout and living in Florida, I drink around 1 to 1.5 gallons each day (sweating).
Water Retention and Weight Loss: The Bottom Line
If you've been counting calories, exercising regularly, and using weight-loss pills and powders but still haven't lost weight, there's a reason...
...then you're most likely dealing with a water retention problem.
Don't try to put out a fire by lowering your calorie intake and increasing your physical activity. It will just exacerbate the situation.
Instead, simply follow the advice in this article and you'll soon be smiling at the scale and mirror.
If You Want To Lose Weight...
Comments
Post a Comment