You've been killing those ab workouts, have a clean diet, and are in the single digit body fat percentage, but your abs still aren't showing? That's because your body is holding onto water weight. There are a several elements that cause water retention. It can be too much sodium in your diet, supplements, and or even dehydration, just to name a few reasons. However, there is hope! You can naturally help your body get rid of that extra water so that you can reveal those hard-earned abs.
But remember this, cutting excess water to reveal muscle definition will only work if you have a low body fat percentage. If you don't have low body fat just yet, work on getting there before you blame water weight for obstructing that six pack. Here are the 9 ways to cut water weight:
#1 Decrease Sodium In Your Diet: A virtually certain way to store extra water is by having a diet high in sodium. The more sodium you eat, the more water your body will hold. Tip: Be sure to check out the nutrition labels and avoid foods that are high in sodium such as processed foods, like canned soups, canned foods, frozen meals, high sodium seasonings, and condiments. Important Note: We don't want to go to low since sodium is necessary for proper body function, but about 1,500 to 2,000 mg a day is ideal if you want to cut water weight.
#2 Drink More Water: This may sound a bit nonsensical, but you can steer clear of retaining water by escalating the the amount of water you drink. Water is necessary for the body needs flush out our cells, and if the body isn’t getting enough, it will store water until it gets enough. Providing your body with a sufficient amount of water will allow it to perform to its max capacity.
#3 Chase the Sweat: Sweat is just stored water in your body. If you have excess water weight, working out hard and sweating will help shed that water weight. But keep in mind that the weight will come back as soon as you rehydrate. With that being said, this is a good tactic to use if you have an event or competition coming up and need to shed a little weight.
#4 Cut Out the Creatine Supplements: Creatine is a great supplement for gaining strength and size. Our kidneys and liver naturally produce creatine, and red meat is also a great source of creatine. However, it pulls water into the muscle, which increases protein synthesis. While taking creatine, you should expect water weight gain from two to four pounds. If you want to look shredded, you might want to stop taking it for a while.
#5 Cut Out the Alcohol: Alcohol dehydrates your body, that may sound like a good thing since the goal is to lose water weight, but it's not. If your body is dehydrated because of alcohol consumption, it’s more susceptible to hold onto even more water from any other source in order to make up for fluid loss. It’s best to avoid alcohol of any sort if you want well-defined muscles.
#6 Eat Asparagus: It might make your pee smell, but asparagus is great for cutting water weight! Asparagus is a natural diuretic. They’re also an excellent source of fiber in addition to Vitamins A, C, E and K. When eating asparagus, make sure you skip adding salt or salted butter.
#7 Drink Cranberry Juice (without added sugars): Cranberry Juice is also a natural diuretic. It will not only flush excess water from your body, but toxins as well. Tip: Go for the cranberry juice concentrate instead of the cranberry juice cocktail so you can avoid unnecessary added sugar.
#8 Take a Multivitamin: I recommend everyone take a Multivitamin, no matter what. If you don't eat a lot of fruits and veggies, this is even more necessary for you. A lack of certain micronutrients such as vitamin B1 and B6 can lead to unwanted water weight. Be sure to take a multi-vitamin to ensure you’re getting all necessary nutrients to help your body work optimally.
#9 Try Dandelion Root: You probable will not be able to find this at your local grocery store, but you should be able to find it at an organic market. Dandelion is an herb that can increase urine production, which makes it a natural diuretic. It also helps remove excess toxins from your blood and supports liver function.