Salt and weight gain?

Question

I know salt does not add fat to your body, but it does make your body retain water and gain water weight. This weight "added" by salt can later be lost, correct? Since water weight is not fat weight, it will eventually be flushed from the body. Am I correct?

Basically what I'm asking is if salt will cause you to gain weight in the LONG RUN, not temporarily as water weight.

Answer 1

No, salt causes water weight gain. Drink more water to combat this (I know...sounds backwards, but it flushes the salt out).

Answer 2

Salt and water bind chemically and are like two opposing magnets - they grab each other. The more water you drink, the more sodium you will lose. If you take in a lot of salt, it will require a lot of water to get the salt out of your body. HOWEVER, too much salt can cause heart issues, down the road. Adding salt to food is not a good idea. There is naturally occurring salt in so many foods. But to answer your question, salt will not permanently add weight to your body.

Answer 3

Too much salt causes fluid retention in the body. Most people have swollen ankles and feet but can hold the water anywhere. When you are outside working, and your body sweats, you lose the water, also salt and potassium.

Taking in salt to a minimum wont hurt a thing, but too much is not good for you. Old saying, water follow salt, so, too much salt, too much water.

Only reason to get put on a diuretic would be if you have a chronic problem retaining fluid or congestive heart failure.

Most prepared foods have more than enough sodium in them so, don't add salt to your food.

Answer 4

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RE:
Salt and weight gain?
I know salt does not add fat to your body, but it does make your body retain water and gain water weight. This weight "added" by salt can later be lost, correct? Since water weight is not fat weight, it will eventually be flushed from the body. Am I correct?

Basically what I'm...

Answer 5

Salt will not cause you to gain weight in the long run. It will cause many other problems besides bloating, but no it won't cause you to gain weight, it will cause you heart problems and hyper tension in the long run amongst other things.

Answer 6

Here is what you need to do, if you are serious about losing weight and keeping it off. Eat 6 small meals a day about every 4 hours. Here what that will do for you, your metabolism will increase (i.e. Loose weight) and you will have more engry. If you go on a diet and eat less, your metabolism will slow down and store to fat. That is why diets dont work. Only the size of your fist, carbs (examples:baked potato, pasta, oatmeal, beans, corn, melon, apples, fat free yogurt, whole wheat breads)in one and protien (examples:chicken breast, swordfish, shrimp, turkey breast) in the other. You can also eat vegetables and salads with any meal, they dont have none or little fat). 30min cardo exercise every day. Any of these(examples: walking, jogging, swimming,running, biking, ect), Monday cardo, tues upper body (arms: curls, tricep extensions,pull ups, front press)(abdominals: leg pull crunch, leg raises), (chest: bench press, butterfly, pullover)(shoulders: front press, arm pullover, cross county skier machine)(back:seated row, lat pull downs, back extension)(YOU DONT HAVE TO DO IN ONE DAY, mix it up) wed cardo, thurs lower body (legs: leg pull,leg press, squats, lounges) fri cardo, sat upper. Sunday eat anything you want and dont exercising, you do this on sunday so your body doesnt go into starvation mode. YOU NEED TO TAKE SUNDAY OFF. If you stilck with this you will have a great body. also drink aleast 8oz of water daily! Stay away from Mcdonals, Wendys, ect because there is nothing good for you on the menu's even the salads are bad (beaon bits, cheeze, dressing, ect) Good Luck :)

Answer 7

If you're trying to lose lbs, which means losing fat, it'll be harder to lose the lbs b/c that *water* weight is what your body will try to get rid of first.
And too much salt is bad for you in the long run, just like everyone else above said.

Answer 8

You are correct.

To get rid of excess salt ... Cut it out of your diet. Use diuretics. Drink excess water which carries some salt with it through the kidneys.

Answer 9

If you keep taking large amounts, you will continue to bloat. If yoou lay off it or take take smal amounts, then your body will adjust. The real problem is that if you consuming amounts of salt that will bloat you, then you are putting excess pressure on your heart, which needs to work harder to pump the added water in your system

Answer 10

well im not sure if it does or not, but im in nutrition and wellness and i know that salt is bad for u (it has lots of sodium. so dont have alot of it cuz it will probably lead to weight gain.