Weight Gain: Could it be Water Retention?
Puffy face, swollen fingers and ankles, unexplained weight fluctuations? Sure, sometimes it can be down to that extra slice of pizza or that chocolaty midnight snack (don't worry, we don't judge!). But if your puffiness persists despite a healthy diet & proper exercise, it may be time for you to consider water retention as an explanation. So let’s dive deep into this and kiss those bloated days goodbye!
What is Water Retention?
Water retention - sometimes called edema - is caused by fluid buildup in your body and happens when the body does not eliminate excess water. It is often temporary and is easily treated, however, it can sometimes be an indication of a serious medical condition.
Water Retention vs. Fat Weight, How Can I Tell The Difference?
Water Weight Comes and Goes (runs fast)
Water weight can happen overnight, while fat weight needs more work. That’s also true when you first start losing weight, most of those initial pounds lost are in the form of water. That's because when you restrict or burn off extra calories through exercise, your body turns to a substance called glycogen for energy which binds to water. So, when you burn through glycogen, you decrease the amount of water in your body.
Water retention stretches the skin, while fat “folds” it
water retention stretches your skin where it deposits, but when you have excess body fat, it causes layers and folds to appear, like belly fat and under arm fat. That’s why You can grab fat but not water.
Water Weight Doesn’t Affect Your Hunger Hormones
When you have too much water in your body, you may feel bloated and sluggish. But it will not make you want to eat more food. In contrast, you gain fat weight, your key hunger hormones – leptin and ghrelin – become activated.
Fat weight is seen, water retention felt
Excess fat deposits anywhere in the body, you can see it in the arms, abdomen, back, thighs ... etc., while water retention appears in certain areas as the ankles, wrists, fingers, and belly
You can do a simple test to see whether you are carrying water or fat weight. Just press your index finger into the fat on the back of your hand. If it leaves an impression, then you are looking at water weight. But, if it’s fat weight, the skin will bounce back to its original state with no mark left on the skin.
How Valeo can help
Valeo provides you with various blood tests that can help you find out the main cause of your water retention. Common blood tests include: your hormone profile given its direct relation to the menstrual cycle, your kidney function to look out for electrolyte imbalances and your aldosterone hormone (ADH) levels which helps regulate water and salt filtration by the kidneys. Your test results will give you an accurate picture and through the guidance of a Valeo health coach, you would uncover the proper approach to ease yourself out of this condition in a healthy sustainable way.
