How to Lose Water Weight Quickly

If you're retaining fluids, you may be wondering how to lose water weight quickly so that your clothes fit comfortably. For the average person, water comprises about 70 percent of our total body weight. Muscle tissue contains about 75 percent water while body fat holds around 50 percent water.

Retaining Fluids and Diet

Retaining excess fluids can leave you feeling bloated and puffy. If this is the case for you, it might surprise you to learn that diet can contribute to considerable fluid retention. Diet factors contributing to the retention of fluids include:

* Salt
* Sugar
* Inadequate protein
* Insufficient amino acids or B-vitamins

Diuretics for Edema

If your body tends to accumulate excess fluids, it's best to make a visit to your doctor to learn the cause. Diuretics are often prescribed to help those suffering from edema (accumulation of fluids in the body tissues).

Medical Reasons Contributing to Edema

A visit to your doctor can determine whether there is an underlying medical condition causing your edema. Although edema can be harmless, it is also a common symptom for the following medical conditions:

* Filariasis
* Glomerulonephritis
* High blood pressure
* Heart disease
* Kidney conditions
* Liver conditions including cirrhosis of the liver
* Lymphedma
* Nephrotic Syndrome
* PMS symptoms such as bloating
* Pregnancy
* Thyroid condition

Taking a diuretic aids the body in getting rid of excess fluid retention. However, using diuretics indiscriminately when trying to lose weight can lead to other serious consequences like dehydration and potassium deficiency.

How to Lose Water Weight Quickly and Naturally

If a medical condition has been ruled out and you are looking for a safe natural way to lose water weight fast, there are natural foods and herbs which offer diuretic properties. However, even though these "remedies" to water weight gain are natural, caution and moderation must still be used.

Natural Diuretic Aids

* Apple cider vinegar (maintains potassium levels)
* Celery
* Celery seed
* Cranberry juice
* Dandelion
* Green tea
* Dandelion leaf tea (also helps in detoxification and urinary tract infections)
* Fennel
* Juniper berries
* Nettle
* Parsley

Diuretic Foods

Eating foods which have high water content is another way to increase the elimination of excess fluid retention. Other foods contain elements that boost kidney performance and in the case of beets actually help fight floating body fats and fatty deposits. These foods would include things like:

* Artichokes
* Asparagus
* Brussel Sprouts
* Cabbage
* Carrots
* Cucumbers
* Lettuce
* Oats
* Tomatoes (also aid metabolism)
* Watermelon
* Watercress

Along with these foods, another tasty tip if you're looking for how to lose water weight quickly, is garlic. It has been proven not only to be a natural diuretic food but also aids in the break down of fat. Along these same lines, horseradish, radishes and raw onions also speed up your metabolism.

Beverages that have a diuretic effect include:

* Coffee
* Tea
* Coke

However, it's important to note that some studies show a connections between caffeine and weight gain.

Making a Plan to Lose Water Weight

If you are suffering from PMS symptoms like bloating and headaches and want to lose water weight quickly while steering of prescribed diuretics, make a diet plan that follows these guidelines:

* Avoid sugary food
* Avoid salt and high sodium foods
* Drink plenty of water
* Drink herbal teas
* Eat small amounts of starchy carbohydrates
* Include the foods and herbs listed above and eat fruits and vegetables

Adding these herbs and foods to your diet can help in alleviating water retention, but if you decide to take a diuretic supplement, it is important to understand that they should not be taken for more than a few days. This is because necessary minerals and nutrients may also be flushed from your system along with the unwanted water weight. Instead, make a healthy diet plan incorporating these foods and be sure to add exercise to your daily routine.