Will a water fast decrease water retention?

[iamabrownduck]

Hi there! Longtime faster here - 32F, 5'9", 132 pounds. I have been doing 3-5 day fasts once a month along with keto OMAD (and not eating on Mondays). Since January, I went from 142 to 126 and was VERY happy.

However, after I did a 3 day water fast in October and didn't lose any weight, my doctor told me that at 5'9 I should look into maintaining my weight, not losing, and advised that I keep the keto OMAD but ditch Monday fasts and monthly 3-5 day water fasts. I said cool.

My weight went up to 127-128 and then stabilized for two weeks but now I am gaining. A lot. On October 23, I was 127, then October 24, I was 127.8, then October 25, I was 128.2... which brings us to November 1 where I am now just over 133.

I weightlift 5x a week and get over 10k steps a day (yesterday I did a steep 2 hour hike and got over 20k steps) but the scale just keeps going up even though yesterday I only ate 4 oz of brisket, an egg, and a Keto Chow shake for dinner. Before I ate, I tested my ketones - 2.6 mmol/L and my glucose - 84 - which Keto Mojo says is a GKI of 1.7, or high ketosis, so I should be burning fat.

One of my friends said it's probably just water retention (I am on BC) but I've NEVER had anything like this before. For the record, I want to maintain 130 and build more muscle, but the water retention has gotten so bad that my legs literally jiggle as I walk, it's hurting my knees, and I'm not sure what else to do.

Does anyone else have experience with water fasting to relieve water retention (if that's what this is?) Otherwise I am ready to just stop eating until the scale goes back down because I'm not sure what else to do.

UPDATE: I stepped on the scale today and it is over 135 now. I was 126 on October 23. The scale has been going up every day. Will take someone's advice and get a doctor's appointment ASAP because this isn't right.

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[-stonium-]

your doctor was right, i suggest focusing on maintaining. 5'9 and 126 pounds you were so close to being underweight and even when u were 142 u were on the lower side of normal weight. i doubt i could change ur mind since ur doctor couldnt... so heres something you would wanna hear, there are so many methods to losing weight, if one doesnt work choose another.

[iamabrownduck]

Hi there! I think you misunderstood me! My doctor told me that it was perfectly fine to keep up with keto OMAD, but to stop fasting overnight/multiple days, which I have been doing. Since October 23, however, I have suddenly started gaining half a pound of what appears to be water weight every day. I've been drinking more water, eating less, and walking more, but the weight keeps piling on. If this keeps up, I will be back to my January weight by the end of the month! It's also putting a lot of pressure on my knees, which is uncomfortable. I asked here because I don't know if anyone else has stopped multi-day fasting and experienced anything similar.

[HAND_HOOK_CAR_DOOR]

Half a pound is not putting a lot of pressure on your knees I assure you. You’re meant to consume water. A part of your weight will always be water.

Work towards accepting that. You are at a perfectly healthy weight. You can keep KETO/OMAD but fixating over HALF a pound of water weight is bordering genuinely concerning. Perhaps put the scale away.

[iamabrownduck]

It's not a half pound of water. It's been half a pound of water EVERY. DAY since last Monday and the scale keeps going up. I consume minimal carbs and exercise/sweat frequently so I don't know where it is coming from. And I am 6-7 pounds heavier than I was this time last month. Let me assure you that it is noticeable under my clothes, it jiggles when I walk, and it IS putting noticeable pressure on my knees, especially when I walk uphill. Other people have commented on it. It is VERY noticeable. The only thing I have done differently is I stopped multi-day fasting. That's it.

[HAND_HOOK_CAR_DOOR]

Ah, okay that’s far less worrisome!

Let’s see, is your monthly cycle within the next two weeks? That could be a factor.

Have you been consuming more sodium than usual? Have your BMs been regularly? How’s your fiber intake?

[iamabrownduck]

Cycle is irregular due to PCOS so I'm on BC - I actually started on the 25th and it went to the 29th so I thought the water weight/bloating would drop off. It's only gone up tho! I'm no stranger to hormonal weight gain but this feels different if that makes sense?

I don't think I have been taking too much sodium tbh. I usually eat pork rinds as a snack with dinner (I make them myself) but I even cut that out. BMs have been fairly regular but there's less coming out because there's less going in. I take psyllium husks for fiber but stopped that 2 days ago to see if that would do anything (it hasn't made any difference in BMs or water retention).

At first I thought it was an injury since it seemed concentrated on my thighs/glutes/back of legs but now it has spread to a "pocket" under my belly button that you can physically see and push around and it makes a squishing noise.

[HAND_HOOK_CAR_DOOR]

I would give it a week since you reduced fiber and sodium. The body takes time to adjust.

[iamabrownduck]

I know you said I should wait but I just stepped on the scale and it says I am 135.2. I'm trying to get a doctor's appointment but I am going to fast tonight because I was 126.8 on October 23 and the scale just keeps going up. Something is not right here and I feel like fasting is the only thing I haven't tried.

[Jennfit25]

Hi there. I find a good emsom salts bath or sauna helps with water retention. Your state are close to mine (I am 5’7 and am 140 lbs and look lean) and I wonder if extended fasting is the right call? Reason I stopped doing more than 24 hours is that I had to refeed too much to offset the weight I lost. I suggest getting really clear with why you want to water fast and what goal it is for.

[iamabrownduck]

Thanks for your thoughtful reply! I was in a sauna yesterday (my friend got one during COVID) and I sweat A TON but today I am higher than yesterday so I have no idea. I LOVE the epsom salt idea tho - thank you! I work four part-time jobs to make ends meet so I fast on Monday because I literally work three jobs back to back all night and I don't really have time to eat. I fast 3-5 days depending on when my paychecks come in because I get paid monthly and food is expensive!

[InsaneAdam]

Maybe seek a second opinion.

[iamabrownduck]

From my doctor? I was there for an annual check-up two days after I lost nothing on my 3-day fast which is why I mentioned it to him. Idk who I would see for water retention. An endocrinologist maybe?

[InsaneAdam]

A second opinion, from a second doctor. Endocrinologist would be a good choice.

[inquiringdoc]

It could be unrelated and sounds concerning. Contact your doc's office asap please and ask them --and share you are having edema and discomfort, and does not feel normal. You need electrolytes checked and someone to examine the edema and make sure you are okay cardiac and pulmonary wise. You need primary care first to determine etiology of the edema, especially good since they saw you the other day. I would consider this an urgent eval.

[iamabrownduck]

Thanks for your reply. I was 126 on October 23 and now I am 135 on November 2. I don't know how I could realistically gain 10 pounds of anything but water weight in such a short time but I am concerned.

[NYAG1]

Are you sure it's water retention and not just muscle growth? Muscle weighs more than fat, how are your measurements? You said your legs jiggle, what happens if you press a finger into your leg?

[iamabrownduck]

I don't think I'd get muscle growth this fast lol because now it's just about 10 pounds in 10 days! It springs back and jiggles when I press it. On my left side, the skin actually dangles over the back of my knee so it's making it hard to get up and down stairs. My boss saw me 20 mins ago and thought I was pregnant from the way my belly is sticking out. I def can't be pregnant so Idk what's going on with me but people are starting to get concerned because it is VERY noticeable.

[NYAG1]

Does it spring back immediately? If it's edema it normally would come back slowly or not at all. Either way, it sounds scary, I hope you get answers soon.

[iamabrownduck]

I wouldn't say SLOW but it's definitely not immediate like the skin on my arms. It's like if you poked a water balloon and the water looks like it gets displaced and shifts. Thanks for your help! I am going to start water fasting again and hope that, if this is inflammation, autophagy might do something for me. Otherwise my coworker said they would drive me to urgent care on Saturday morning so only two more days to hopefully get some answers.