How To Lose Water Weight: 9 Water Retention Remedies

You may wonder how to lose water weight if you have excess fluid retention and swelling. Cutting down on salty and sugary foods, drinking plenty of water, getting enough sleep, and staying physically active are some ways to shed water weight.

About 60% of your body weight is water. You might gain water weight if there’s a build-up of water in your body. Edema is the swelling—commonly in your ankles, feet, and legs—that results from excess fluid. Too much water weight may make you feel uncomfortable or be a sign of a severe health condition.

You might think putting more water into your body adds more water weight. It turns out that the opposite is true. Your body will hold on to whatever water it has if it’s dehydrated. Make sure you get plenty of water, especially if you are eating salty or sugary foods. It might help to limit alcohol, which can dehydrate you.

Choosing hydrating foods is a safe way to lose excess water weight and helps hydrate you. Taking in more fluids, even in the form of hydrating foods, can help your body excrete water. Try eating more potassium-rich foods like leafy greens and potatoes. Potassium also helps you get rid of excess sodium.

Other hydrating foods include fruits and vegetables like:

• Cantaloupe
• Cauliflower
• Cucumber
• Grapefruit
• Oranges
• Peaches
• Strawberries
• Watermelon
• Zucchini

Physical activity is key to losing water weight. Not only will you sweat out some fluid, but you will also need to rehydrate. Moving around can also help reduce puffiness. Stop the car regularly if you are driving long distances to get out and stretch your legs. Move around if possible when riding buses, planes, and trains. You can even do simple exercises with your feet and legs while sitting.

Regular exercise is also important if you are pregnant. Pregnancy increases swelling in your legs and ankles. Resting with your feet up also helps reduce that swelling.

Quality sleep is generally essential for your overall health. Experts advise that adults get about seven to nine hours of sleep per night. It turns out that sleep may also help decrease water weight. Research has found that your kidneys can effectively manage the amount of water and sodium they store when you get adequate rest.

Salty and sugar foods make your body hold onto more water than usual. Try cutting down on high-sodium foods like bacon, cookies, donuts, and ham. Salt, a preservative in many processed and restaurant foods, makes up roughly 70% of your sodium intake. Replace sugary drinks with water flavored with pieces of fruit or cucumber slices.

Cook from scratch when you can, and use fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Read the label if you need to use a packaged item. Compare the sodium and added sugar contents across similar products.

Your body stores excess carbohydrates that it does not use immediately in your cells as glycogen. For each gram of glycogen stored, 3 grams of water are stored with it. Most people on a 2,000-calorie diet need 275 grams of carbohydrates per day. Try swapping simple carbohydrates like bread and pasta for complex carbohydrates like potatoes and brown rice.

Excess cortisol, the stress hormone, may increase water weight. Cortisol levels directly correlate to antidiuretic hormone (ADH) levels. ADH communicates with your kidneys to control the amount of water in your body.

Electrolytes like magnesium and potassium help manage the amount of water your body stores. You might gain water weight if your electrolyte levels are out of balance. Water does not have electrolytes, so reach for a sports drink to replenish them. Many sports drinks have added sugar, so look for sugar-free sports drinks when you can. You might also consider electrolyte supplements if you significantly increase or decrease your water intake.

Dandelion and magnesium supplements might help manage water weight. Research has found that dandelion has a diuretic effect. Magnesium is an electrolyte that helps control the amount of water inside your body. Some evidence suggests that vitamin B6 supplements also reduce bloating and decrease premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms.

More research is needed to know exactly how these supplements affect water weight. It’s important to talk to a healthcare provider before starting a new supplement.

There are several factors that result in excess fluid in your body. Some of the most common causes include:

• Certain medications: Blood pressure drugs (e.g., calcium channel blockers) and certain anti-inflammatory drugs (e.g., corticosteroids) can increase fluid retention.
• Cortisol levels: Although rare, fluid retention might result from high cortisol levels, such as Cushing’s syndrome. Some people with hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid) may have swelling around their eyes.
• Hormonal birth control: Estrogen and progestin, which are both found in birth control pills, might temporarily increase fluid retention.
• Menstruation: Hormone changes may cause water retention, swelling and tenderness in your breasts, and swelling in the legs.
• Poor circulation: Aging causes the valves in the veins of your legs that keep blood flowing to your heart to collapse a little. Blood pools in your legs and causes fluid retention. Conditions like congestive heart failure also cause poor circulation.
• Pregnancy: Hormone changes and the growing fetus may cause swelling in your hands, feet, or ankles.
• Salty and carbohydrate-heavy foods: Sodium and carbohydrates can hold onto water and trap it in your body.
• Travel: Sitting for long periods on flights or road trips can cause water retention in your feet and legs.

Water weight is not typically a cause for concern. You can typically lose water weight using home remedies. Still, excess fluid build-up and swelling are sometimes signs of congestive heart failure or deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which is a severe blood clot.

See a healthcare provider if you have symptoms like:

• Existing heart or kidney disease and worsening swelling
• A fever 
• History of liver disease and develop abdominal or leg swelling
• New or worsening swelling in one only limb
• Sudden swelling that occurs during pregnancy
• Swollen body parts that are red or warm to the touch

It’s essential that you talk to a healthcare provider if you have any of these symptoms. You might require blood thinners or diuretics, depending on the cause.

There are many possible causes of water weight, such as eating many salty and sugary foods, sitting for long periods, and taking certain medications. Some lifestyle changes might help. Try getting enough sleep, reducing your salt intake, and staying hydrated. Talk to a healthcare provider for additional help if water weight affects your quality of life and makes you uncomfortable.