Experiencing diet challenges? Get answers to common questions about weight loss plateaus due to fluid retention, constant hunger, and bloating, plus solutions to improve your diet journey.
Following a specific diet to lose weight can sometimes lead to undesirable side effects. These might include not losing enough weight, experiencing fluid retention in the body, or even feeling constantly hungry. Let’s explore some of these issues in more detail:
Feeling Like You’re Not Losing Weight Even Though You’re on a Diet?
First Question: I’m committed to following a strict diet and exercising regularly, but I feel like I’m not losing weight. Despite this, I’m retaining fluids in my body. What could be the reason for this, and how can it be addressed?
Here’s what a nutritional expert has to say about managing obesity and its treatments:
Losing weight successfully involves more than just reducing calorie intake. In fact, it’s the combined effect of reducing calories that leads to fluid retention (or swelling) in the body.
The Main Causes of This Phenomenon
Many reasons contribute to this phenomenon. Here are the most important ones:
A. Excessive Sodium Intake (Salt): The human body needs less than a quarter of a teaspoon (less than ten small pinches of salt) per day. However, most of us consume much more than that, either through heavily salted foods or through the consumption of processed foods that contain very high amounts of sodium. High levels of salt lead to water retention because the body lacks sufficient weight loss to effectively eliminate excess fluids, thereby exacerbating symptoms.
B. A variety of hormonal reasons can cause fluid retention, especially in women, which can lead to increased fluid retention.
C. Other hormonal disturbances, like a decrease in thyroid gland activity or kidney issues, can cause issues in balancing water levels in the body, potentially leading to fluid retention.
D. Different medications, such as lithium, insulin, cortisone, various mood stabilizers, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (like Advil), can also contribute to fluid retention.
E. Psychological factors, especially anxiety, and consequently, biological factors, such as exposure to high temperatures, can also lead to fluid retention.
F. Dietary factors, especially excessive caffeine intake or a diet very high in carbohydrates or very low in proteins, drinking a lot of coffee, and other similar habits can lead to fluid retention, as can issues with menstruation.
Are these all the reasons? Not at all!
Solutions
To address this issue and limit unwanted fluid retention, it’s recommended to focus on the following key points:
A. Limit salt intake in foods.
B. Eat plenty of diverse vegetables rich in potassium (bananas, broccoli, etc.), which can help eliminate fluids from the body.
C. Reduce daily caffeine consumption (coffee, caffeine-containing colas, chocolate, etc.).
D. Follow a healthy and balanced diet while focusing on increasing water intake.
E. Maintain good daily habits (consistent consumption of fiber during constipation, etc.).
It’s important to note that you are likely following the right diet, but fluid retention during weight loss can often be quite noticeable. There is no need to worry about the lack of weight loss causing despair:
The comparison in diet articles refers to the lack of significant results in weight loss. The real key to losing weight is burning fats, not merely reducing hunger. Thus, the real goal of losing weight is burning fats and limiting the accumulation of new fats. In contrast, what you are feeling and what social media promotes may be very different from the fat loss itself. If the fluid retention continues for an extended period, it’s recommended to consult a doctor to look for appropriate medical treatment and seek advice from a nutritionist.
Feeling Hungry While Following a Diet?
Second Question: From the start of my healthy diet, especially during the evenings, I often feel hungry. What causes this, and how can it be treated?
Here’s a response from a nutritional expert on obesity and treatment methods:
The reason for hunger is the return of stomach acid to the esophagus. Overeating causes more pressure on the stomach. Food that you eat stays longer inside so you feel very hungry more and more frequently.
This phenomenon is widespread, and it affects about 10% of people in the Western world daily. This hunger often appears during certain times, like after eating a meal, drinking soda, or especially after consuming everything you crave in the evenings.
Reasons
The reason for the backflow of stomach acid to the esophagus or the reasons for hunger can vary. Some of these include:
A. Relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), as this leads to increased stomach openings and prevents food from returning to the esophagus.
B. A large increase in pressure inside the abdomen – for example, due to overeating. (The stomach may be required to expand) immediately after eating.
C. Hernias in the diaphragm, which cause some stomach contents to leak above the diaphragm and reduce the activity of the lower esophageal sphincter.
D. Pregnancy – This is another reason for increased pressure inside the abdomen. The fetus develops, the muscles and uterus expand against the stomach. Another question may be asked about hunger during pregnancy: Since fetuses are small, the hormones produced by the uterus cause relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter.
E. A problem with the esophagus can lead to feelings of hunger, even without the return of stomach contents to the esophagus, causing discomfort from hot foods that remain for a long time in the stomach.
F. A problem with stomach inflation (due to a variety of reasons in the digestive system) can also cause hunger.
What Is the Treatment?
The general treatment for hunger combines both medication and dietary changes. Studies have shown that combining both approaches—dietary changes along with medication—is more effective than medication alone. In severe cases of hunger, relying solely on dietary changes may be sufficient.
The medication typically addresses the condition without causing side effects. It’s best to focus on dietary changes, which include:
1. Consume small meals regularly, while focusing on chewing food well and avoiding drinking too much water while eating.
2. Avoid eating before bedtime or any activity involving bending over.
3. Avoid foods that have a high potential to cause hunger, such as:
Chocolate, fatty foods (or those high in fat), alcohol, spices (especially mint and hot spices), sugary foods, carbonated drinks, coffee. Similarly, some types of milk, which are used by some to help with hunger (calcium can reduce stomach secretions and alleviate hunger), may sometimes counteract the effect, leading to increased secretion of acids.
4. Those who suffer from excessive weight loss can greatly reduce the severity of hunger.
5. Elevating the head of the bed (even by a few centimeters, like pillows) can greatly reduce the severity of hunger.
6. It is proven that smoking greatly increases the relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter, so avoiding smoking can greatly assist those who suffer from hunger.
If all these methods do not help, there are effective medications for the condition. Consulting a qualified doctor is recommended.
Feeling Bloated While on a Diet?
Third Question: For about two months, I’ve started following a healthy diet. However, I’ve noticed that I frequently experience bloating. I’d like to know what causes this and how to treat this problem?
Here’s what a nutritional expert on obesity and its treatment has to say:
The correct treatment for bloating starts from the basics and often, if only for those with specific and clear issues. Good luck!
The causes of bloating may be physiological (inherent), but in most cases, they are related to behavioral factors. Below we will explore the more common reasons for bloating:
Factors Related to Diet:
Reducing cellulose in the diet—in most diets, which you would naturally follow—occurs from cellulose and water. Cellulose is a composite found most in vegetables (especially leafy greens) and cannot be located in the skeletal system, helping to preserve the appropriate amount of water and maintain digestion.
Drinking non-caffeinated beverages: as we mentioned, the correct diet should be based on cellulose and water. Drinking non-caffeinated substances enters the body in a constant state, which causes digestive problems. This happens when digestion becomes hard and digestion becomes a priority.
Other dietary factors that may cause bloating: a decrease in B vitamins, decrease in potassium, excess coffee-drinking, a sharp decrease in fat and protein, and other issues. Some medicines, such as different types of antidepressants, painkillers, etc., can also cause bloating.
Inherited (Physiological) Reasons:
Diseases of the colon or problems in the urinary tracts can cause problems with digestion and bloating, such as hypothyroidism or elevated levels of calcium in the blood, disorders of the skeletal system, and so on.
Behavioral Reasons:
Situations in which the body lacks comfort (chronic illness, fatigue, etc.) can create the right condition to encourage dieting.
Preventative Measures to avoid bloating:
1. Diversify your diet with emphasis on foods with plenty of the types that your body needs and is comfortable with.
2. Prioritize drinking plenty of water or liquids, 10-12 cups daily. It’s recommended to drink a portion of the liquid before every meal.
3. Exercise, especially if you are sitting for a long time, such as on a job.
Treatments to treat bloating:
First, it’s important to avoid the behavioral causes that could cause bloating. If only one of these causes is present, it’s best to initially treat these causes. If, however, the bloating appears regardless of the cause, it is best to seek the advice of a doctor (it may be due to a disease), who will prescribe medical tests.
What should you avoid when you feel bloated?
It is very important to not neglect bloating that continues. It is better, especially if the bloating is accompanied by significant difficulties to see the doctor soon because medical examination may be necessary, in which the organs can be treated and reduced by their natural movements, and the number of treatments can be changed, and so for that reason the individual must stay as simple as possible. In order to avoid that, take dietary fiber and basic nutritional content.
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FAQ
What’s the best way to overcome the feeling of not losing weight despite dieting? It’s essential to track your progress, focus on non-scale victories like increased energy and better sleep, and ensure you’re following a balanced diet with regular exercise.
How can I manage hunger pangs while on a diet? Incorporate high-fiber foods, drink plenty of water, and choose protein-rich snacks to keep you feeling fuller for longer.
What are some natural remedies to alleviate bloating? Drink peppermint tea, avoid carbonated drinks, and try incorporating probiotic-rich foods into your diet to support gut health.
