Cutting Excess Water

Bigger Stronger Leaner Competitive Bodybuilding
21

[quote]Angelbutt wrote:
Actually, water retention can make a noticeable difference.

I know I retain water; I’ve seen myself on days when I don’t. Muscle definition is much more prominent, and I’m constantly running to the bathroom. On days when I am retaining water, my socks leave lines on my legs, my feet and fingers are puffy, and muscle definition fades. It happens quite frequently, and it’s a difficult thing to conquer, but it’s not all in my head.

Also, I doubt it has much to do with being female either, since in my case, water retention is very sporatic.

So it could very well be that you are retaining water. A clean diet can help, but if you are already eating clean, like I am, then it’s a mysterious condition.[/quote]

Sorry Angelbutt but I just don’t buy it. Usually carbohydrate intake and inadequate water consumption is the problem with storing excess water. I mean, isn’t muscle comprised of around 70% intracellular water? If you sort out the diet (not just ‘eating clean’ which could mean many different things) then you should be taking the water into the muscle and not just subcutaneously (under the skin). IMHO this is a dietary/training problem and not a ‘condition’ as a lot of trainees like to call it.

If you still think that it is a ‘mystery’ then change your diet/training frequently and monitor what effect that has on your ‘fluid retention’. Keep training, evaluating and adapting.

Good luck

22

[quote]johnman18 wrote:
okay, well this was a pointless thread. I don’t know if you guys are impatient to read my posts. Those pictures are the most recent ones I have, they are from 1 AND A HALF MONTHS AGO, since then I have dropped 10 lbs. I never mentioned have a genetic dispositiong to gaining excess water. Someone mentioned it and I thought it would be a good idea to see how much leaner I look after getting rid of some excess water.

To the retard who posted lose weight, wow thanks that statement is full of so much information. And gain muscle? the pictures could be crappy but I have a significant more muscle then most people I see my age. Anyway this is a good site, but I think these discussion boards are pointless, I’ll just go look somewhere else and just read the articles. [/quote]

1)how old are you 2)why dont you post a recent picture then seeing as how you keep sayin those are old ones and you are now much different…we cant give an accurate assessment with seeing recent photos

23

[quote]johnman18 wrote:
okay, well this was a pointless thread. I don’t know if you guys are impatient to read my posts. Those pictures are the most recent ones I have, they are from 1 AND A HALF MONTHS AGO, since then I have dropped 10 lbs. I never mentioned have a genetic dispositiong to gaining excess water. Someone mentioned it and I thought it would be a good idea to see how much leaner I look after getting rid of some excess water.

To the retard who posted lose weight, wow thanks that statement is full of so much information. And gain muscle? the pictures could be crappy but I have a significant more muscle then most people I see my age. Anyway this is a good site, but I think these discussion boards are pointless, I’ll just go look somewhere else and just read the articles. [/quote]

Whoa man! You did ask for help regarding the water retention and that is what was given. It may not have been the advice that you wanted to hear but it is GOOD advice! All that matters is how you see yourself. It sounds like you enjoy your training and take it quite seriously but dude, sometimes we have to put the pride away to learn from others.

Honestly bro, it looks like you could be leaner and gain more muscle. Thats not saying that your progress isn’t good. It just means spend less time looking at the minor details (fluid retention!) and more time on the ‘big picture’ (gaining muscle and cutting bodyfat!).

24

[quote]johnman18 wrote:
okay, well this was a pointless thread. I don’t know if you guys are impatient to read my posts. Those pictures are the most recent ones I have, they are from 1 AND A HALF MONTHS AGO, since then I have dropped 10 lbs. I never mentioned have a genetic dispositiong to gaining excess water. Someone mentioned it and I thought it would be a good idea to see how much leaner I look after getting rid of some excess water.

To the retard who posted lose weight, wow thanks that statement is full of so much information. And gain muscle? the pictures could be crappy but I have a significant more muscle then most people I see my age. Anyway this is a good site, but I think these discussion boards are pointless, I’ll just go look somewhere else and just read the articles. [/quote]

Dude, all we’re telling you is that there is no healthy way to ‘lose water’ if you’re already well-hydrated, eat potassium rich foods, and don’t take in too much salt. Sorry that that’s not what you want to hear.

25

[quote]francisbouillon wrote:
Also, if those marks on your arms are stretch marks, then you might want to take action in preventing more, like drinking plenty of water, and taking vitamin E, or better yet, rub vitamin E oil onto the effected areas.[/quote]

I talked to this guy at the gym who use to compete in BB and said that he use to have them too. He gave me the same advice to put cream and they have been going away. Thanks for that tip though.

26

There is an article on that here, but I forgot who wrote it and the name of it.

It has a lot of good info on cutting water and gives a certain guideline to take leading up to it.

It also says how this is for people who are already lean, and is for short times when you want to ‘peak’ for a show or the beach or something like that. Definitley not long term.

27

[quote]johnman18 wrote:
okay, well this was a pointless thread. I don’t know if you guys are impatient to read my posts. Those pictures are the most recent ones I have, they are from 1 AND A HALF MONTHS AGO, since then I have dropped 10 lbs. I never mentioned have a genetic dispositiong to gaining excess water. Someone mentioned it and I thought it would be a good idea to see how much leaner I look after getting rid of some excess water.

To the retard who posted lose weight, wow thanks that statement is full of so much information. And gain muscle? the pictures could be crappy but I have a significant more muscle then most people I see my age. Anyway this is a good site, but I think these discussion boards are pointless, I’ll just go look somewhere else and just read the articles. [/quote]

WAAHHHH! I asked for advice and people didn’t say exactly what I wanted! WAAHH! I’m gonna take my great, big fat ball and go home.

You’re “genetically disposed” to retain water? Was your mother a sponge?

Do some cardio, ya oompa-loompa.

28

[quote]Gregatron wrote:
Sorry Angelbutt but I just don’t buy it. Usually carbohydrate intake and inadequate water consumption is the problem with storing excess water. I mean, isn’t muscle comprised of around 70% intracellular water? If you sort out the diet (not just ‘eating clean’ which could mean many different things) then you should be taking the water into the muscle and not just subcutaneously (under the skin). IMHO this is a dietary/training problem and not a ‘condition’ as a lot of trainees like to call it.

If you still think that it is a ‘mystery’ then change your diet/training frequently and monitor what effect that has on your ‘fluid retention’. Keep training, evaluating and adapting.

Good luck

[/quote]

Trust me, I’ve thought of many possibilities. I have been paying close attention to things that my trigger water retention and am planning to start a log to help me figure things out. I thought it might be carbohydrates, but that doesn’t seem to be the case, nor does water intake.

I’m not sure how training would affect it other than elimating some retention following a workout. Perhaps it is postural?

I have researched this, and there are cases of idiopathic edema, where the cause is uncertain, so your assumption that it HAS to be diet or training isn’t absolutely true. Plus, hormones play a big part, too.

Like I said, though, it’s hard to figure out when the usual culprits don’t fly.

29

Trust me, I’ve thought of many possibilities. I have been paying close attention to things that my trigger water retention and am planning to start a log to help me figure things out. I thought it might be carbohydrates, but that doesn’t seem to be the case, nor does water intake.

I’m not sure how training would affect it other than elimating some retention following a workout. Perhaps it is postural?

I have researched this, and there are cases of idiopathic edema, where the cause is uncertain, so your assumption that it HAS to be diet or training isn’t absolutely true. Plus, hormones play a big part, too.

Like I said, though, it’s hard to figure out when the usual culprits don’t fly.

I agree. There are many conditions that can increase fluid retention. Kidney disease, hypothyroidism, poor heart function, pregnancy, allergies…
I just don’t think that the majority of exercise enthusiasts that complain of ‘fluid retention’ have any of these.

In cases of idiopathic edema, apart from using pharmaceutical help (specific diuretics and/or ‘water pills’) regular exercise is prescribed to help control the ‘retention’. Exercise forces blood through the body and helps transport fluid away from subcutaneal areas and back into the blood stream. Kinda like turning on a big water pump.

From a postural point of view extended periods of sitting or inactivity will cause fluid to ‘pool’. So the answer to this is to move more.

Start the food diary. It’s all hormonal in the end. Don’t blame your hormones. Learn how to work with them ie - nutrient type, timing (check out Berardi’s articles) and your training (type, duration, pre/during/post workout nutrition)

Honestly though, in the end it does come down to what you do with what you have.

30

[quote]harris447 wrote:WAAHHHH! I asked for advice and people didn’t say exactly what I wanted! WAAHH! I’m gonna take my great, big fat ball and go home.

You’re “genetically disposed” to retain water? Was your mother a sponge?

Do some cardio, ya oompa-loompa.
[/quote]

Yes im an oompa loompa, im so fat probably like 30% BF, And you douche bag show me where I said that I am genetically dispose to retain water?

31

[quote]Angelbutt wrote:

Trust me, I’ve thought of many possibilities. I have been paying close attention to things that my trigger water retention and am planning to start a log to help me figure things out. I thought it might be carbohydrates, but that doesn’t seem to be the case, nor does water intake.

I’m not sure how training would affect it other than elimating some retention following a workout. Perhaps it is postural?

I have researched this, and there are cases of idiopathic edema, where the cause is uncertain, so your assumption that it HAS to be diet or training isn’t absolutely true. Plus, hormones play a big part, too.

Like I said, though, it’s hard to figure out when the usual culprits don’t fly.
[/quote]

I agree. There are many conditions that can increase fluid retention. Kidney disease, hypothyroidism, poor heart function, pregnancy, allergies…
I just don’t think that the majority of exercise enthusiasts that complain of ‘fluid retention’ have any of these.

In cases of idiopathic edema, apart from using pharmaceutical help (specific diuretics and/or ‘water pills’) regular exercise is prescribed to help control the ‘retention’. Exercise forces blood through the body and helps transport fluid away from subcutaneal areas and back into the blood stream. Kinda like turning on a big water pump.

From a postural point of view extended periods of sitting or inactivity will cause fluid to ‘pool’. So the answer to this is to move more.

Start the food diary. It’s all hormonal in the end. Don’t blame your hormones. Learn how to work with them ie - nutrient type, timing (check out Berardi’s articles) and your training (type, duration, pre/during/post workout nutrition)

Honestly though, in the end it does come down to what you do with what you have.

32

Another thing Harris, how did i not get the advice I wanted? did i aks for people to critique my body? I put the most recent pics that I had because someone asked. I asked for advice on losing excess water. And since i didnt really know how haha how can i not get the advice i wanted other than people not telling me how, huh you f*cking retard? People talking shit on here is pointless haha

33

[quote]Gregatron wrote:
Honestly though, in the end it does come down to what you do with what you have.

[/quote]

…which is what I’m currently trying to assess, and what I think this poster wanted to do, as well.

Just to clarify…I’m not blaming anything or giving excuses. I know I can control this - once I figure out what to control. I posted because I think it’s important that everyone considers all possibilities instead of assuming that everyone, including the original poster of this thread, is just dumb.

34

I’m not sure if this is the article I was talking about, or if there’s another one that is just about cutting water, but here’s what I found so far from a search.

http://www.t-nation.com/findArticle.do?article=266seven2

35

[quote]SWR-1222D wrote:
I’m not sure if this is the article I was talking about, or if there’s another one that is just about cutting water, but here’s what I found so far from a search.

http://www.t-nation.com/findArticle.do?article=266seven2

[/quote]

You may also have been thinking of the old “Strut your stuff” thread.

36

Thank you SWR-1222D and SKman, thats all I was looking for from this thread was information on losing excess water.

37

[quote]SWR-1222D wrote:
There is an article on that here, but I forgot who wrote it and the name of it.

It has a lot of good info on cutting water and gives a certain guideline to take leading up to it.

It also says how this is for people who are already lean, and is for short times when you want to ‘peak’ for a show or the beach or something like that. Definitley not long term.[/quote]

It’s 7 Days to Ultimate Leaness by Chris (Swolecat) Januz. And yes, it’s very temporary for the beach or a competition. It’s not very healthy and certainly not to do regularly.

38

[quote]SWR-1222D wrote:
I’m not sure if this is the article I was talking about, or if there’s another one that is just about cutting water, but here’s what I found so far from a search.

http://www.t-nation.com/findArticle.do?article=266seven2

[/quote]

Yeah, that’s the one.

39

[quote]johnman18 wrote:
Thank you SWR-1222D and SKman, thats all I was looking for from this thread was information on losing excess water. [/quote]

Just be aware that as soon as you go back to normal (healthy) eating and hydration, the water comes back.

40

The big problem with the article that you are referring to (7 Days to Ultimate Leaness) is that it is for THE FINAL stage of gaining a ‘shredded’ look. The first paragraph of the article states “You?ve been dieting for a while now with great success. You?ve shed your layer of winter blubber and now you?re ready to show everyone the new you.”

Judging by your pictures johnman18, this does not apply to you. Thats not being critical either. Just an observation. These ‘tricks’ are usually reserved for the final week of contest prep before a show to gain that dry, shredded look that competitive bodybuilders look for. It is not sustainable (I usually get down to 3-4% for comp and by 2 days post comp i’ve put on 8kg of weight, a large chunk of which is subcutaneal fluid). Plus, in this fluid retained state I usually achieve some of my best lifting PR’s.

IMO the only sustainable form of managing water retention is through manipulating diet and training. I’m starting to sound like a parrot so i’ll leave it at that.