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wikiHow to Drop Water Weight

Two Methods:Adjusting Your DietAdjusting Your LifestyleCommunity Q&A

Not all weight gain is caused by fat; sometimes it can be caused by water retention! If you need to drop some water weight, read this wikiHow for some helpful tips and advice.

10 Second Summary

1. Drink at least 8 glasses of water each day.
2. Reduce your sodium intake.
3. Consume more fiber and diuretics.
4. Cut back on drinking alcohol.
5. Get more exercise. Consider going to a sauna.

Adjusting Your Diet

  1. 1
    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]
    • 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]
  2. 2
    Reduce your salt intake. Eating high amounts of sodium can cause your body to store water and lead to bloating.[3] 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]
    • 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.
  3. 3
    Eat more fiber. Consuming fiber rich foods helps to cleanse your urinary tract, kidneys, and your colon, thereby releasing excess fluids.[5]
    • 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 vegetables
      as this removes a lot of the nutrients and healthy fiber.[6]
    • Be sure to snack on fruits like blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries, which are packed with fiber and other antioxidants.
  4. 4
    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]
    • You can also drink cranberry juice, a natural diuretic that will help to flush toxins and fluids from your body.[8]

Adjusting Your Lifestyle

  1. 1
    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]
    • 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.
  2. 2
    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]
  3. 3
    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.

Community Q&A

Add New Question
  • Do I need to worry if my weight gain is just on my feet? What do I do to lose it?
    Michele Dolan
    Personal Trainer
    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.
  • What can I do about my left leg swelling?
    Michele Dolan
    Personal Trainer
    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.
  • When you drink coffee, should you have it with sugar?
    wikiHow Contributor
    There is no "should". How you drink your coffee is up to you. No sugar would be the healthier option, of course. However, everything is fine in moderation and is less likely to have you craving food you shouldn't be eating.
  • I've lost 3 stone in water retention recently but now I'm left with saggy, deflated skin. I also have lost my muscles. How do I take care of this?
    wikiHow Contributor
    There are some inexpensive OTC creams available, like the ones used post-pregnancy by ladies. Also, a healthy high-protein diet with a muscle building regimen in a gym should quickly bring you back to normal.
  • I only want to reduce my belly fat. How can I do this?
    wikiHow Contributor
    You won't easily be able to lose fat from just one area of your body. Any exercise will eventually use stored fat as energy, no matter where that fat is stored. However, you can target your abdominal muscles, which will make your stomach flatter and more toned as you lose weight.
  • My doctors have put me on a lot of steroids in the past 3 months and I have noticed I have quite a bit of water retention. You can literally touch my leg and leave an indent for over an hour, does this sound like true water retention?
    Hunter Thompson
    The condition you describe may be a type of water weight fluid retention called "pitting edema" or edema, generally. In the most basic explanation, this retained fluid is comprised of waste (urine) which may not be processing efficiently through the renal and kidney systems and this can be very hazardous, so do get in touch with your doctor as soon as possible.
  • How can I lose 30 pounds of water weight in a few months?
    wikiHow Contributor
    It is unlikely that your 30 pounds are all water weight. Water weight is more likely to account for a few pounds, though it does make a difference in appearance. To lose 30 pounds, eat a healthy diet and exercise. You can boost your weight loss by fasting periodically and going to the sauna.
  • If I can tuck in my tummy, does that mean the excess is water weight?
    wikiHow Contributor
    No, tucking in your tummy involves contractions of the stomach muscles, which is usually more effective on an emptier stomach. You should notice that when you have eaten a big meal, you cannot "tuck in" you tummy.
  • I have 7 days to lose 6 pounds. How do I lose the water without adding more pounds (I'm a varsity wrestler)?
    wikiHow Contributor
    Check out Dukan's Diet. The attack phase is really good for quick weight loss within 7 days.
  • I have been drinking water for weight loss, but I gained more weight in three days. What could be the cause of this? Will I lose any weight?
    When you drink a lot of water, this causes bloating. If you are suddenly drinking a lot more water, you will temporarily see an increase in weight as it is also counting the water in your body. Check your weight after going to the toilet, and make sure to combine extra water with diet and exercise.
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    • 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.

    Article Info

    Categories: Losing Weight

    In other languages:

    Italiano: Perdere Peso Eliminando Liquidi, Deutsch: Wassergewicht abnehmen, Português: Diminuir a Retenção de Água, Français: lutter contre la rétention d’eau, Español: perder peso por la retención de líquidos, Русский: избавиться от лишней жидкости в организме, 中文: 减掉体内水分, Nederlands: Watergewicht kwijtraken, Čeština: Jak odvodnit tělo, Bahasa Indonesia: Mengurangi Kadar Air Tubuh, العربية: خسارة الوزن المائي, 日本語: 体内水分量を減らす, 한국어: 수분 체중 빼는 법, Tiếng Việt: Giảm trọng lượng do nước, ไทย: ลดน้ำหนักที่มาจากน้ำ

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