If you are working hard, eating a healthy diet and still find that your abs are not showing, your body is probably holding water.
Water retention in the body is caused when subcutaneous fluid is stored in our cells. As a result, the muscle definition that we have earned gets covered by the puffy, inflated look of the skin.
Water retention can be caused due to various factors, namely dehydration, excess sodium or supplements.
There are various natural methods that can help drop water weight. However, it is important to note that flushing excess water from your body to reveal muscle definition only works if your body fat percentage is low.
To learn how to cut your water weight to showcase your six pack abs, take a look at some of these simple tips listed below.
Tips to Lose Water Weight:
#1: Drink more Water
It may be contradictory, but increasing water intake can play a crucial role in preventing water retention. Water is required by the body to flush out cells. When we consume less water, mild dehydration causes the body to store remaining water in the body as a precautionary measure.
To allow our body perform optimally, it is essential that we drink about 8- 10 glasses of water (64oz) daily. Additionally, staying hydrated also will relieve constipation and helps prevent the feeling of puffiness often caused due to infrequent bowel movements.
A great tip for drinking water is to try sipping it instead of chugging. While sipping water helps in proper digestion, chugging water can cause our belly to bloat.
#2: Reduce Sodium Intake
A diet high in sodium can affect the way our kidneys control the water balance in the body. Eating too much of salt can cause our body to retain water leading to swelling or bloating.
To prevent water retention, you should avoid high sodium foods such as canned foods, frozen meals, soups, seasoning, baked goods, cheese and condiments.
Use spices and table salt sparingly while preparing food to cut back on sodium. Since our body requires only 200- 2500mg per day, eating fresh, whole food items will help keep our metabolism function properly preventing water retention.
#3: Sweat it out
Sweating out the water stored in the body is the quickest way to lose water weight. Working out hard or spending about 30 minutes in a steam or sauna room will help cause the toxins and fluids to sweat out from our body naturally.
Another great advantage of sweating it off is that it also helps get rid of the excess sodium in the body, reducing the risk of water retention.
However, remember the weight will return once we re-hydrate ourselves. Sweating it out is a good option to shed water weight temporarily for an upcoming event or important occasion.
#4: Watch your Supplements
Creatine is a highly popular supplement among body builders planning to add size to their frame. However, taking creatine boosts protein synthesis by pulling water into the muscles. Body builders taking creatine often experience two to four pounds of water weight gain.
To look shredded, it is advisable not to take the supplement for about a week earlier.
#5: Avoid Alcohol
Drinking alcohol can lead to dehydration causing the body to retain fluid to compensate for fluid loss. Drinking wine, hard liquor or any form of beer can cause water retention in hands and feet.
To stay hydrated and drop water weight, avoid alcoholic beverages before and after workout. Avoid drinking alcoholic beverages at night to avoid carrying any water weight. To have well defined muscles, it’s highly recommended that you avoid drinking alcohol totally.
#6: Eat Asparagus
A green veggie super food, asparagus is low in sodium and contains no cholesterol and fat. Including asparagus in your diet helps facilitate removal of water, helping reduce discomfort and bloat.
In addition, asparagus is also a natural probiotic and helps boost probiotics in our digestive system, alleviating gas and bloating and encouraging better food absorption. When preparing these, avoid using salted butter or salt, instead grill or chop them in a salad.
#7: Drink Cranberry Juice
Drinking Cranberry juice is one of the best home remedy to lose water weight. A mild diuretic, cranberry juice works effectively in getting rid of excess water and toxins from the body. For best results, consume about 6-8 oz (about one cup) of cranberry juice every day.
Choose to drink cranberry juice concentrate instead of cranberry juice cocktail to avoid consuming unnecessary added sugar. Taking cranberry supplements can also be a great option.
#8: Consume Vitamins Daily
Vitamins deficiency can often lead to water retention in the body. Vitamins can either be consumed by eating vitamin rich food or taking vitamin capsules. Certain micronutrients namely Vitamin B1, B5, B6 and vitamin D are essential to help our body function properly.
Foods such as tuna, red meat, salmon, brown rice and bananas contain B5 that help reduce the effect of fluid retention. Similarly including low fat dairy products and fresh fruits in your diet helps provide the body with Vitamin B5, Vitamin B1 and vitamin that help reduce water retention.
#9: Try Dandelion Root
Dandelion root is an effective natural remedy to treat water retention or edema. A natural diuretic, this herb contains properties that increase urine production and helps get rid of the excess salt that has been accumulated in your body. When urine production is stimulated, dandelion affects the water balance in our body, getting rid of the excess fluid from the body tissues.
Unlike regular diuretic, dandelion root is a powerful diuretic that not only helps you lose water weight within a few hours, but is also completely safe and does not cause heart palpitations or jitters.
Water retention levels can vary depending upon the diet of a person. However, apart from including the above -mentioned tips on how to cut water weight, exercising regularly and following a healthy lifestyle can help lose water weight from your body in an effective way and help showcase our abs.
Original Source: 9 Tips On How To Cut Water Weight
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