How to Drop Water Weight

Co-authored by Michele Dolan

Weight gain due to water retention can make you feel bloated and uncomfortable. Luckily, you can drop excess water weight quickly and easily with a few simple steps.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Adjusting Your Diet

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]
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- 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]
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2
Reduce your salt intake. Eating high amounts of sodium can cause your body to store water and lead to bloating.^{[3]
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Research source} 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]
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- 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.
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3
Eat more fiber. Consuming fiber rich foods helps to cleanse your urinary tract, kidneys, and your colon, thereby releasing excess fluids.^{[5]
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- 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]
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- Be sure to snack on fruits like blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries, which are packed with fiber and other antioxidants.
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]
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- You can also drink cranberry juice, a natural diuretic that will help to flush toxins and fluids from your body.^{[8]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Adjusting Your Lifestyle

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]
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- 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
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]
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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.

Dietary Changes and Exercises to Drop Water Weight

Foods and Drinks to Have to Drop Water Weight

Foods and Drinks to Avoid to Drop Water Weight

Weekly Exercise Routine to Drop Water Weight

Expert Q&A

Question

Do I need to worry if my weight gain is just on my feet? What do I do to lose it?

Michele Dolan
Certified Fitness Trainer
Michele Dolan is a BCRPA certified Personal Trainer in British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002.

Michele Dolan

Certified Fitness Trainer

Expert Answer

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.
Question

What can I do about my left leg swelling?

Michele Dolan
Certified Fitness Trainer
Michele Dolan is a BCRPA certified Personal Trainer in British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002.

Michele Dolan

Certified Fitness Trainer

Expert Answer

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.
Question

Can you lose weight by drinking water?

Michele Dolan
Certified Fitness Trainer
Michele Dolan is a BCRPA certified Personal Trainer in British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002.

Michele Dolan

Certified Fitness Trainer

Expert Answer

There is some evidence (onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1038/oby.2009.235) that consuming water before meals promotes greater weight loss.

Warnings

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.

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