Flushing out more water may be the key to weight loss and muscle definition
It's no secret that drinking an adequate amount of water is crucial to keep your body hydrated, your mind sharp, your joints lubricated, and more. But when your body starts to retain water, it can have detrimental effects on your progress, especially if you're looking for muscle definition or weight loss.
Water weight is a real issue that many athletes and everyday people face. The foods we eat and the supplements we take can play a role in retaining excess water, leading to a bloated look and added extra pounds.
If you’re looking to drop a few pounds and to add more muscle definition to your muscles, especially your abs, dumping the water weight you’re carrying around can give you that extra boost of confidence you’re looking for.
But how do you do it? Read on for more information about water weight and some practical advice on how you can flush excess water from your body to achieve a more toned and muscular-looking mid-section.
When More Work Doesn’t Equal Results
Contrary to what most people believe, adding more ab workouts might not be the solution to toning your abs and making them pop. A recent study showed that regular ab exercises increased core strength but did not reduce abdominal fat.[1]
Carrying extra weight in your abdomen, whether visceral fat or water weight, will prevent your hard work from showing on the outside. For your results to be visible on the outside, you'll need to work on reducing the fat on your abdomen with a sensible diet and exercise regimen to help you drop visceral fat and water weight.
Drink More Water
While it may seem counterintuitive, drinking more water can help you reduce bloating and help you drop water weight. A dehydrated body holds onto water more readily than a hydrated body, so drink up to replenish and refresh your cells, and start to see results as your hydrated cells begin to flush water out of your body more efficiently.[2]
Decrease Your Sodium Intake
The more sodium in your diet, the more water you retain. Reducing your sodium intake might be just the solution you need to watch water weight fall off. By being more conscious about what you eat, you can avoid sodium-laden foods and beverages to help your body better flush itself of excess water.
Get Your Sweat On
By adding some sweaty workouts to your routine, you can help your body shed excess water and see your progress on the scale and with your eyes as you notice a less bloated, more toned physique. One thing to remember: rehydrating after a sweat session will result in the weight you lost from sweating out excess water to come back. But for those looking for quick wins or prepping for an event, engaging in sweat-inducing activities immediately before can help you achieve the results you're looking for.
Balance Out Your Micronutrients
Certain nutrient deficiencies can lead to water retention. We’re looking at you, B1 and B6. By eating a well-rounded, healthy diet and even supplementing with a high-quality multivitamin, you can fuel your body with the micronutrients it needs to function at its peak and effectively flush out excess water.
Avoid Alcohol
While a celebratory drink now and again won’t derail your progress, regular alcohol consumption can lead to water retention (and a whole host of other health issues). Alcohol dehydrates the body, causing it to hold onto more water, and consequently, more weight.
Final Thoughts
While following the above advice can help you get that six-pack you've had your sights set on, adding in high-quality supplements can help ramp up your results and offer the nutritional support needed to optimize your results.
BELDT Labs PRIZM is a Super Spectrum Multivitamin packed full of essential vitamins and minerals extracted from 42 different fruits, vegetables and superfoods. Adding it into your supplementation program can help you achieve internal balance and your body functioning at its peak at the molecular level to help flush out excess water.
And to further support strength and endurance gains in the gym while promoting weight loss, BELDT Labs SKALD is an excellent choice. SKALD helps optimize your workouts by supporting respiratory function while boosting your metabolism and energy levels. This fat-torching formula will give you the added energy boost you need to say goodbye to that extra weight you’re holding onto while also suppressing your appetite, for even better results.
[1]Vispute, S.S., Smith, J.D., LeCheminant, J.D., Hurley, K.S. (2011). The Effect of Abdominal Exercise on Abdominal Fat, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 25(9), 2559-2564. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181fb4a46
[2] Stookey, J.D. (2010). Drinking Water and Weight Management, Nutrition Today 45(6), 7-12. doi: 10.1097/NT.0b013e3181fe15a8
