Water weight gain is condition that some dieters go through when they are trying to lose weight by supplementing their diet with water. Usually, this is combined with exercise that is too strenuous that causes dehydration. Oddly, it is the body’s reaction to dehydration that causes water to be retained in the tissues. Most people who go on a weight loss regime indulge in heavy exercise. This can result in some quick losses of weight from the tissues; however, this is not the loss of fat but that of water. If the water is consumed in adequate quantities then this weight loss will be immediately reversed. Therefore, rehydration is important after a session of heavy sweating from exercise to ensure that weight gain is not from the loss of water.
When the body dehydrates, the first reaction of the body is to save water by shrinking the tissues. This is done by removing the water out of the tissues to ensure that there is no imbalance to the blood. The next area from where the body removes water is the colon. In the normal course of digestion, the feces that are created are very watery. When they reach the colon, some of the water is recycled back into the blood. In a case of dehydration, this process is accelerated to ensure that there is no wastage of water in feces. The kidneys are then the next stop where water is recycled and is the cause for darker urine. Ideally, one should maintain a state of colorless urine as that is the best indication that the body is completely hydrated. If all these measures are undertaken by the body, a person can buy some time before the next drink of water; however, beyond this point, things may start to really go wrong. The electrolyte balance is the first casualty and this can result in improper muscle function and nerve function as well. The typical symptoms of a hangover can occur. Muscle cramps, decreases in blood pressure, hallucinations, and a swollen tongue are usually the last signs of dehydration before death occurs.
Water weight gain, though not a medical emergency, is a sign that you need to keep your water intake in proportion to your water loss; again, use the thumb rule of the color of urine as a bench mark. Also ensure that your electrolyte balance is in place by drinking lots of lemonade that has just the right amount of sugar and is not too sweet. In fact, you can do away with the sugar altogether.