hat if I told you there was a way you could look leaner instantly – without even having to workout any more? Well, as it happens, there is – and it’s a trick that’s used by pretty much every professional bodybuilder and every celebrity who has ever had to go topless in front of the camera. Ready to find out what I’m talking about?
The Enemy: Water Retention
Of course what I’m discussing here is water retention. Water retention simply means that your body is hanging on to extra water weight, normally by storing it just under the skin. This is a big problem you see, because it takes away from that lean look and from the definition you get when your skin is nice and thin. You lose your cuts and you can even end up looking bloated.
That’s why every bodybuilder will work hard to fight water retention before going on stage and it’s why someone like Hugh Jackman will go through a program to get rid of excess water right before key scenes.
You don’t need to go mad though and look like a dried up prune. Instead, you just need to be aware that water retention plays a role. And if you don’t look as good as you think you should, it might be because your body is hanging on to that fluid.
Signs that you may have some fluid retention include:
- Swelling around the ankles
- The feeling of puffiness
- Stiffness
- Weight fluctuations
- Indentation marks from the skin taking a few seconds to disappear
Let’s take a look at how that happens and what you can do to stop it.
Top Causes of Water Retention
There are several factors that may be causing water retention and thereby preventing you from looking as lean and ripped as you should. These include:
- Hot weather
- Dehydration
- The menstrual cycle or on being on the pill
- Excess oestrogen
- Medications
- Diet
The first interesting thing to note here, is that dehydration actually leads to water retention. This seems counter intuitive but it basically means that one of the best ways to prevent water retention and puffiness is actually to drink more rather than less!
Preventing Water Retention
Now you know that you have water retention and what’s causing it… What can you do to get rid of it?
A good starting point is to see a doctor and thereby to make sure that there isn’t some additional factor leading to your fluid retention.
Next, try fixing your diet. This means drinking more water and eating more fiber, vegetables and fruit. While fiber will help to flush various systems in the body, eating more fruit and vegetables will replenish your nutrients and thereby hopefully prevent any nutrient deficiencies from causing that fluid retention.
Obviously you should also drink more water to fight dehydration and at the same time you should avoid anything that might be contributing to extra dehydration. A good example is caffeine.
Finally, and perhaps second most importantly (after drinking water), is to reduce your sodium intake. That means staying away from fries and no more pouring tons of salt onto your eggs! Sodium encourages water retention and that’s why many pro bodybuilders steer clear of it.
