ok guys, I’ve been reading/following this site for a couple of weeks and this is my first post. I’m 29 and relatively new to serious work-outs. Yes, I am naive to a ton of health issues, but this is something that I am trying to resolve. I recently stopped drinking alcohol and started eating healthy and pounding the water(“recently” as in a few weeks)…now I know for a while, my body will be adjusting to the changes that I am bombarding it with, but I AM determined.
My question of the day is this…How long will I keep retaining the water until my body finally wants to expell it and regulate? I have been eating tons of protein and cutting sugars and additives to almost nothing. Also pounding 8-10 glasses of water a day…but according to my “smart” scale, my body fat % has gone up. I need insight here. I know there is an intelligent answer out there…anybody?
[quote]syrendyr wrote:
My question of the day is this…How long will I keep retaining the water until my body finally wants to expell it and regulate?[/quote]
Unfortunately, it depends on the rest of your diet, and your activity. Specifically, your carb intake and your cardio. If you want to encourage some water loss, drop the carbs a bit. So, eat less breads, grains, pastas, potatoes, whatever.
Yeah, that’s why those things aren’t acutally too ‘smart’. If it’s the kind that you stand on barefoot or whatever, it can be significantly swayed based on your hydration levels, or even the food you ate at your most recent meal. If you go to a gym, ask a trainer about getting a bodyfat skin caliper test. It’s a more accurate method.
Better yet, forget about the number of your bodyfat, and base your results strictly on a specific outfit. Pick a t-shirt and a pair of jeans, and try it on twice a month. If you see and/or feel results when you’re wearing the outfit, you’re headed in teh right direction.
[quote]Professor X wrote:
What is making you think your body is retaining water? [/quote]
Oh, hehe, yeah, I guess that would be a fair question to ask. My mistake jumping ahead of myself. It’s always those pesky follow-up questions that get skipped.
I think you might have nailed it minotaur…after my initial post, a buddy of mine told me that those scales that claim to read body fat levels can misread hydration for fat. But thanks for your advice…I am gonna try the t-shirt and jeans thing and drop down the carb intake. Thanks for the response.
You will, of course, retain your water forever. It will never leave your body and soon one day a simple prick by a grass blade could explode your watery innerds all over the place.