Our bodies can store water weight regardless if we are on a low-carb diet or no diet at all. Dieting is the main cause of weight loss, but can you lose water weight and fat at the same time?
It might be possible, but it generally depends on what you eat and drink in a day. Making changes to the diet plan might affect overall weight loss, but the water content will vary all the time.
If you want to ensure you are losing water and fat at the same time, you should consider multiple factors and follow the body changes and signals. Learn more below!
Can You Lose Water Weight and Fat at the Same Time?
Yes, you can lose water weight and fat at the same time but at a different rate. The water weight varies all the time, depending on the foods and drinks we take in a day. However, our body can flush away the water much faster than the fat accumulations. The body needs more sweat to get rid of fat.
A perfect example is the first days of dieting. In the first week of practicing a low-carb diet and any physical activity, almost everyone notices that the stomach is less bloated. The lighter feeling that motivates us to keep on going with the diet is exactly the water weight loss.
The first couple of pounds down on the scale are just water accumulations that have been stuck in our bodies due to eating salty food, being inactive, or eating a lot of processed food.
Also, you may notice a couple of pounds up on the scale if you somehow eat more calories than you should, consume more alcohol than you should, or are less active than you should. This is the process where your body can store water weight again, even if you lost it a few days ago.
Water Weight: Causes, Facts, and Ways to Lose It
Causes
The main causes of water weight gain are generally processed and salty foods and hormonal changes.
The main signals of having extra water accumulations in the body are puffiness and bloating in the stomach and upper and lower extremities.
Salty food
Consuming higher amounts of salt makes the body retain extra sodium, resulting in increased body fluid amounts.
If you are a salt lover, try to replace it with mineral-rich salt and slowly reduce the amount of salt consumption.
Hormonal changes
This factor is common in females, especially in the PMS period. Being pregnant, on a period, in menopause, or on hormonal birth control therapy might be the reason why you feel bloated. The bloating and swelling are the result of increased water retention.
Other causes
Other causes that might be the reason for increased water retention are some medications, high-carb foods, traveling, being inactive, and poor circulation.
Moreover, the water we drink in a day plays a huge role in the body’s water retention and its flush.
Also read: How Hard Is It to Lose 15 Pounds in a Month?
How to fix it
Drink more water
Numerous healthy habits might help you get rid of water retention’s bloating and swelling. Begin with drinking more water. Drinking more water helps the body flush away toxins and unnecessary liquids.
Exercise
Being physically active will support the toxin-flush process, reducing the water weight and bloating. The excess water in our body can be easily flushed by sweating and through urine.
Reduce salt and carbs
Salt and heavy carbs are the main reason for increased water retention. Reduce their consumption, and you will notice immediate changes.
Lowering the salt and heavy-carb foods consumption might reduce the bloating in the first week.
How do we lose fat and water weight at the same time?
Losing overall weight results from practicing physical activity and eating healthy and balanced foods. Not all the pounds we want to lose are fat, and not all the pounds we lose in the first weeks are fat.
Eating healthy and exercising support water and fat weight loss but at a different range because fluids are easier to flush than solid accumulations like fat.
Read more: How to Lose Upper Body Fat Without Exercise
Conclusion
So, can you lose water weight and fat at the same time?
The answer is yes. Water weight may vary, no matter if you are dieting or not. Its liquid condition allows it to flush off of the body easily by making tiny changes.