When transitioning, we lose a lot of water weight.
But while following 20g carbs/day, do any of us experience water retention? Most commonly this seems to be resulting from electrolyte imbalance, but are there other examples of water retention on keto?
If a ketonian is retaining despite following high fat/moderate protein/low carbohydrate, what strategies would you recommend?
Just responding to tag @SlowBurnMary. She posted some info about this recently
Just an observation… when I was eating a lot of cucumbers I would pee a lot more. I think they are diuretic.
Since going OMAD I don’t take anything to work even my cucumber salad #SimplifyMyLife
Yeah! If you use the search bar and search “Swoosh” and “Woosh” and “Squishiness” and stuff like that there are some good threads. Water cycles are part of fat recomposition - for those who are recomposing.
For myself, after the initial water loss and happy first season or two - I had edema/retention combined with humid heat in my present location and mosquito bites that was slow to move. I did everything I felt I should do, and figured my body might be on hold for a few months before it swooshed again.
I vaguely recalled that pre-LCHF/keto seasonal pattern was to hold winter water weight till about mid summer, then drop it in late August. And that’s exactly what happened to me again recently, but with all the benefits of keto’s recomposition 
I recently read that for those who are otherwise-healthy but dealing w/ edema, it can be beneficial to avoid the high end of salt supplementation until the edema passes. And then once it swooshes, you better have enough sodium/magnesium/potassium or you’ll get the tension headache feeling due to the mineral imbalance. That’s what happened to me - I’ve been dropping regular inches every 2-3 months, and it requires diligent salt levels.
I have no more distal water retention (apart from usual squishiness cycles in proximal places like the belly) - not sure if it’ll come back next summer or not. But it sure is nice not to have puffy ankles right now!
Being that we’re around 65% water, the hydrological cycles of the body are significant and amazing in their intercellular and intracellular and lymphatic system transformation. 
Drinking excessive water when your really not thirsty vs. lots of physical activity?
References:
- ”…Putting a pinch of Himalayan salt and a teaspoon or so of organic raw apple cider vinegar in your purified water will replenish electrolytes rapidly. I recommend this to some of the pro athletes I have consulted with. …” - Dr. Edward Group
I had to struggle to the kitchen to do this at 4.00 am today, when my bitch of a foot cramp wouldn’t go away. As always, it worked!
#3 is very helpful! I periodically get foot & lower leg cramps and it is definitely hard to walk when I am in the midst.