Tim's Tips are Written by Tim Rigby, M.A., NSCA-CPT
If you’re like many people embarking on a weight loss journey as we enter 2023, you may be going out of your way to trim the fat from the foods and drinks you consume. This is an intuitive move and it does have some validity. After all, eating clean is highly essential for leaning out, but eating clean involves much more than avoiding fat; there are two other big culprits of weight gain you may be overlooking.
To begin, keep in mind that water weighs more than fat. When you’re retaining excess water, you’re going to pack on the pounds more readily than simply consuming medium ground beef instead of extra lean. Sodium itself is something you should monitor earnestly. Even in “fat free” foods which include some packaged meats, you’ll find a heap of sodium acting as a preservative. This isn’t healthy for your cardiovascular system, and it also causes you to retain the bloat. In addition, sugar is responsible for water retention in a big way; in fact, it takes 30 molecules of water to flush out one molecule of sugar
So, keep your sodium to a healthy level (it’s not something to avoid completely) and maintain a low level of sugar – for most people, it’s simply not necessary. Also keep in mind that caffeine and alcohol have diuretic properties, which mean they initially flush out excess water, but ultimately due to homeostasis, your body rebounds and you end up holding onto unwanted H2O. So, keep your caffeine low or in moderation and try to avoid alcohol completely if you’re serious about losing weight in 2023.
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