Water Weight vs Real weight?

Happy World Water Day!

World Water Day was founded by the United Nations and has designated March 22nd to focus attention on the importance of fresh, clean water and to advocate for the sustainable management of fresh water resources.

Before talking about water retention, did you know that:

1. Over 1 Billion people don’t have access to clean, safe drinking water.

2. World Water Day is intended to raise awareness to this seemingly trivial problem which kills 4500 children daily.

3. Meanwhile, here in the America, tap water in over 90% of faucets can be safely enjoyed.

4. U.S. consumers pay between 240 and 10,000 times more per unit volume for bottled water than for tap water.

Our bodies don’t normally gain or lose significant amounts of fat or muscle overnight. Instead, when the scale shows a gain or loss of half pound or more from the previous day, the cause is instead likely to be the amount of water your body is retaining.

Is your weight gain fat or water? How to find out?

Figuring out whether your recent weight gain is fat or water can help you decide if you should cut down on calories, or focus on managing the amount of water your body is holding. To find out, you can compare your current weight to your weight yesterday. More than half a pound gained since yesterday is probably water weight, and you can reduce it by cutting down on salt and increasing plain water consumption.

When we weigh in at Club Fitness, we keep track of your body fat percentage with the body fat monitor, we then 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 waterrelated. 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.

Reasons for gaining water weight and how to overcome them

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 at least 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.

Table salt is the most common cause of water retention. Excess sodium makes the body hold extra fluids in the cells. When you cut down salt and high sodium condiments like soy sauce, you can quickly lose water weight.  If you are concerned that your food tastes bland, use spices!!

Read labels of your foods and snacks and avoid those high in sodium. Anything canned or packaged probably has high sodium. Instead add fresh fruits and vegetables, especially potassium-rich foods that help your body balance its fluids. These foods include bananas, apricots, and avocados. Other foods can help improve digestion and help fluids move through your body: plain Greek yogurt, brown rice, cabbage and cranberry juice.

Sodium also leaves the body in your sweat during exercise, so be sure to exercise regularly, at least four times a week, to reduce water retention. 

Sugar is a culprit in water weight along with salt. Too much sugar raises insulin levels, which in turn lessens the body's ability to expel sodium. Avoid high sugar foods and opt for fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats instead.

Alcohol and coffee act as a diuretic which can lead to dehydration that makes the body hold on to fluids. When having these drinks, make sure to balance them with water.

Dieting by eating less than 1,200 calories per day can cause your body to retain water. When we restrict calories, especially carbohydrates, the body begins to break down its proteinand carbohydrates stores that hold water. When eating returns to normal and the body starts to store protein and carbohydrates again instead of breaking them down, water weight increases. For real weight loss, you must gradually reduce calorie intake to a healthy level, with a balance of carbohydrates, healthy fats and proteins.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Jessy at 689-1400!

What's In Your Pantry?

Does your kitchen pantry work with or against your healthy eating habits? By having a pantry stocked with healthy items, planning and cooking meals and preparing snacks will be easier, making eating wholesome food a breeze. Buy bags and containers that allow you to store food in serving-size portions. Stock up on snack, sandwich and quart-size storage bags, airtight containers, twist ties, and measuring cups of varying sizes.

Breakfast

Oatmeal is a must-have, but move away from the instant variety unless you can find a brand that has no added salt or sugar. Try Quaker Oats’ Old Fashioned Rolled Oats which takes no more than 5 minutes to cook. If oatmeal is not your thing, purchase a whole grain cereal with no added sugar. Shredded wheat is an option, but you can also try Kashi’s Cereal. Adding fresh fruit to oatmeal or cereal is the best way to get a kick of energy-boosting natural sugar. 

Lunch

Store canned tomato products including whole, crushed, diced, or pureed tomatoes. Make your own salsa, pizza sauce and spaghetti sauce instead of buying them prepackaged, which are loaded with sodium. Another item to add to your pantry is low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock for homemade soup. By making your own soups and sauces, you’ll skip the added salt and preservatives, and gain a cleaner, fresher taste in exchange. Also, keep beans of different varieties including black, red kidney, and black eyed peas. If you go canned, be sure to get those with no salt added. You might also add lentils and lima beans into your legume experience. Add these to rice cooked in vegetable stock with a variety of vegetables for a hearty lunch. For a great source of protein, keep salmon and tuna pouches handy as well.

Dinner

Kick the instant rice out of your cupboard and pick the boil-in-a-bag brown rice or quick-cooking barley instead. Some additional whole grains to have are quinoa and bulgur, both of which can be used instead of rice in most recipes. When cooking with oils, extra virgin olive oil and olive oil cooking spray are mainstays. Spray a pastry brush and coat a frying pan to grill vegetables or cook fish or chicken. Use the oil in salad dressings or toss with whole wheat pasta. You can also add canola oil to your pantry for cooking at higher temperatures as olive oil burns at a lower temperature. Fresh garlic is best stored in a cool, dry place in an airtight container or storage bag. Jars of minced garlic and ground ginger are fine before opening in the pantry, but need to be refrigerated after opening. Regarding spices, check to make sure they are not expired. A good stash includes garlic and onion powder, cumin, turmeric, pepper, cayenne pepper, oregano, basil, thyme, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, sage, poultry seasoning, and chili powder.

Snacks

You can keep nuts, seeds, and dried fruits around for eating in between meals, but keep the serving size in mind! Just a third of a cup of dried raisins is 143 calories and almost 38 grams of carbs. Nuts like almonds, walnuts, and sunflower seeds are also high in calories and fat if overdone, so use small storage bags to divide them into single serve packets. Frozen fruits are also a great way to enjoy a sweet treat if the fresh variety is not available.