FitSugar

DrSugar Answers: What's the Deal With Losing Water Weight?

DrSugar — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 03:00:05 PDT

DrSugar is in the house! And she's answering your health-related questions.

Dear DrSugar,
What does it mean "to only lose water weight"? I hear people say this when talking about fad diets and juice cleanses and that it's a bad thing. I just don't know what it means.
-Confused on H20

This is a fantastic question because dieting is so common in today's society and we all hear about "losing water weight" and its connection with dieting and weight loss. So let's clear up our confusion.

During the first few weeks of weight loss due to dieting, a rapid drop in pounds is normal according to the Mayo Clinic. When you reduce your caloric intake, your body gets its needed energy by releasing and utilizing its stores of glycogen, which is a type of carbohydrate found in the muscles and the liver. Glycogen holds onto water, so when glycogen is used and burned up for energy, it also releases the water it holds onto. This is about 4 grams for every gram of glycogen. This results in the initial "water weight" loss that accompanies early weight loss from dieting and calorie restriction.

Detoxification diets and juice/fluid cleanses are marketed to the general public as a way to remove toxins from the body, purge pounds of excess fat, clear your complexion, and boost your immune system. However, there is concern that these cleanses do not improve a person's health but instead may actually harm it. In an article MSNBC Dr. Nasir Maloo states "Your body does a perfectly good job of getting rid of toxins on its own." The gastroenterologist adds, "There’s no evidence that these types of diets are necessary or helpful."

See what else Dr. Sugar says about the subject when you

read more. WebMD reports that there can be many serious side effects and complications from such a severe crash diet such as a cleanse. The Mayo Clinic lists dehydration, fatigue, nausea and dizziness as possible effects of a "detoxification" cleanse. Some detoxification diets include the use of laxatives as a way to "cleanse" the body, however, laxative use/abuse can result in severe dehydration, electrolyte abnormalities, dependence, and heart or colon damage in the long term. Given what we now know about losing water weight and detoxification/crash diets, it should be evident why in the long-term, these types of diets do not work. They are too restrictive to keep up with in the long-term and can cause a whole host of side effects. Most weight lost from these types of diets is water weight due to the body’s need for energy and when one resumes a more normal diet, they will likely gain back the weight (and even more than what they originally lost!). One positive thing to take away from detox diets is that it is important to drink lots of fluids and water and to eat more fruits and vegetables. However, the best way to lose weight and maintain it is to combine a healthy diet with lean proteins, whole grains, fruits and vegetables with a regular exercise routine! Have a question for DrSugar? You can send it to me via private message here, and I will forward it to the good doctor.

DrSugar's posts are for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment recommendations. Click here for more details.

Feel the Burn? Shake It Out!

FitSugar — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 08:00:41 PST

I hit a wall last year. I was working out a lot and eating well, but my body wasn't progressing. Whether it was doing that last pull-up, biking that last mile, or adding heavier weights to my routine, my muscles just gave up on me. This year as part of the Get Fit For 2010 challenge, I made it my goal to increase my strength and endurance.

To accomplish my goal I've been doing a lot of interval training, and it's definitely paying off. Still, it's not unusual to feel a slight burning sensation in my muscles during my workout and have them give up on me. Instead of stopping my workout like I did in the past, I take a small break and get on it again.

To see how I've overcome the burn,

Fact or Fiction: Not Eating Breakfast Before Exercise

FitSugar — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 09:30:00 PDT

I think it is safe to say that we all want the most out of our morning workouts. For many of us that means firing up our metabolism and burning fat, which are two benefits of getting the heart rate up. Is it beneficial to run on an empty stomach? Does it burn more fat and fire up the metabolism to skip breakfast? Take this one question quiz to see if this is a piece of fiction or a fitness fact.

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Take the Quiz

Nutrition Myths That Can Cause Weight Gain

Shape — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 04:04:23 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Shape here on FitSugar.

Myth: Going Vegan Will Make You Lose Weight
"While various research shows that vegetarians and vegans, on average, consume fewer calories and less fat than omnivores (a 2009 Oxford study found that vegetarians weigh 3 to 20 percent less than their meat-eating counterparts, and a National Cancer Institute study found that subjects who consumed four ounces or more of red meat weekly were 30 percent more likely to die of any cause than those who ate less), these numbers may be misleading," says Rania Batayneh, MPH, a certified nutritionist and owner of Essential Nutrition for You.

Going vegan solely for weight loss can backfire, big time. If you aren’t vigilant with a vegan diet, it’s easy to lack in vital nutrients, vitamins, and proteins, which give you energy and help keep your metabolism stoked. Many first-time vegans may also find themselves reaching for more processed foods like vegan cookies, chips, or even ‘ice cream’ more often with such a restricted diet, and many end up packing on the pounds instead.

If you do decide to adopt a vegan diet, be sure to keep the ‘treats’ to a minimum and plan balanced meals (we love ‘Domestic Vegan’ Diva Jessica Olson’s tips for "going veg"). "Aim to get about 10 to 20 percent of your calories from protein (or about 1 gram per kilogram of body weight), replacing animal protein with healthy plant proteins, like those found in beans, legumes, nuts, seeds, and soy products," Batayneh says. "And, whether you are vegan or not, eating more green, leafy vegetables is great for your health and your waistline."

See which other diet habits may also being causing weight gain after the break!

If You Run You Need to Lift Too

FitSugar — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 12:00:00 PDT

You all know that I believe in a well-balanced workout regimen with both cardio and strength training. I must confess that when I am training for an endurance event, I tend to skimp on the strength training and sometimes due to poor or over scheduling (the kids need to get to swim class or we have run out of milk, bread, and eggs all on the same day) I am forced to skip it all together. Professor of Kinesiology William Kraemer, Ph.D., reminds us that this is not a good idea; you need to keep on using the weights!

Running, when done for periods of time over 30 to 45 minutes can actually break down muscle. This happens when the glycogen stores (aka muscle fuel) is depleted and the body looks for other sources of fuel sometimes scavenging muscles for energy. Aside from properly fueling (like sipping a sports drink every 10 to 15 minutes) yourself on long runs and rides, you need to rebuild muscle with strength training. Kraemer suggests 60 minutes to 90 minutes a week, which I find can be hard to fit in. I try to fit in squats and wall sits (during TV commercials) whenever I can as well as focused strength-training workouts even if they are short.

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