Water Weight Gain

I know about water weight.  I'm a girl, after all.  All of us chicks (fat or skinny!) experience bloating every month.  But, you know what? Even though I know this, I fell prey to water weight gain's evil curse last month. I weighed in at a whopping 3.8lbs more than expected.  Crap!  I wanted to throw that evil, sneering scale into the wall.

But, no.

I gave myself a few days and the weight fell off like magic.  It was great.  But, I didn't trust it.  Know what I mean?  Like some evil fairy had pulled back some pounds when I weighed in and then would magically plop them back on my mid-section by morning.

I thought I would give you all some facts about this menace to society, to women's self-esteem everywhere!  This nemesis to fitting into a bathingsuit by summer!

Go to war!
Instead of throwing the scale through the wall or creeping back under the covers, let's go over how to tell if that jump on the scale is real weight or water weight.  According to "Real Weight Vs. Water Weight" (http://www.truelemon.com/live-healthy/nutrition/608-real-weight-versus-water-weight.html) you can tell if your weight jump is real or water if you have have gained more than half a pound since the day before. Check this out from the article:

If you have kept track of your body fat percentage with a body fat monitor, you can   compare your current percentage to your results from a month ago. If the new measurement is greater than before, you’ve gained fat. If your body fat percentage has decreased but your weight has increased, the weight gain is not from added fat.

Check your extremities: are your hands, feet and ankles puffy? If yes, it is likely that your gain is water related. When you are retaining excess water, you might also notice imprints in your skin left by your socks, or your wedding ring may be tighter than usual.

Many possible causes exist for retaining water, including too much salt, sugar, dehydration, too much alcohol, dieting and women’s monthly cycle. Among other tips, if you are concerned about water weight, make an effort to drink more plain water. While it seems like the opposite of what you need to do, drinking 8 to 10 glasses per day will help flush sodium and excess fluid from your system. A well-hydrated body is healthier and is less likely to retain water.

So, don't freak out if you suddenly jump on that scale.  If you are being a Lifer and not a Dieter, it will all work out in the end.  One day or a few of being a little higher won't kill you.  

Challenge of the Day:

Less salt!  More water!  Get it?? :) Until next time!