Is Water Retention Contributing To Your Weight Gain?

September 12 2013

Is Water Retention Contributing To Your Weight Gain?

Can’t seem to lose weigh no matter how much time you spend sweating away in the gym? Losing weight isn’t always as easy as increasing your levels of physical activity. In some cases, you have to carefully analyze your body’s chemistry along with your diet to determine what exactly is preventing you from reaching your goals. One of the most common factors of weight gain is water retention, which can make it nearly impossible to reach your goals. But the good news is that water retention can be turned around in a few easy steps.

What Is Water Retention?

First and foremost, let’s take a closer look at water retention, as some people are likely hearing about it for the first time.

The human body is comprised of approximately 60-70% water content. Water is found in everything from our blood and organs to tissue and muscle. Because it’s such an important element for healthy growth and develop, most nutrition specialists recommend drinking eight, 8-ounce glasses of water a day. Unfortunately, some of this water may linger behind in areas where it’s not intended to, resulting in higher weight gain.

Reduce Fat Intake

If you believe water retention is a contributing factor to your weight gain, you should first take the necessary steps to reduce your overall fat intake. When body ‘retains’ water, it usually happens in the fat cells; therefore, common sense should tell you to reduce your fat intake. The two worst offenders are trans and saturated fat. A small amount of saturated fat is acceptable in your daily diet, but you should avoid ANY amount of trans fat, as it will raise your bad cholesterol levels.

Reduce Sodium Intake

Of course, another factor that contributes to water retention in the body is sodium intake. The average American consumes approximately 3,400 mg of sodium each day, which is far more than the recommended amount of 1,500-2,300 mg. There are several reasons why sodium is ‘bad’ for your health, one of which is the simple fact that it encourages water retention. The more sodium you consume, the more water your body retains.

Here’s a short list of foods known to contain high amounts of sodium:

• Potato chips
• Pretzels
• Crackers
• Canned sauces
• Canned vegetables
• Boxed meals

Try to get into the habit of reading the packaging of food products at the grocery store before buying them. This will allow you to see how much sodium and fat it contains. Taking steps such as this will naturally help you make smarter decisions for your health.