Sometimes a need may arise where you need to lose all subcutaneous water, whether it be for a photo shoot, bodybuilding competition or other event.  Losing water excess water underneath the skin can make a significant impact on your appearance, if done the right way.  Directing the fluid into the muscles versus having it stored under the skin allows for maximum muscular definition.  You achieve a hard, dry look with increased vascularity because the water binds with glycogen of the muscles.

In order to achieve this, some people resort to diuretics.  This can have a negative effect because it upsets the electrolyte balance of the body- which can lead to cramping, muscular weakness and even heart failure.  In addition, excessive water loss causes the muscles to flatten out- muscle are over 75 percent water.  You also can become excessively dehydrated with diuretics, causing the body to hold onto the water underneath the skin.

When your body senses a restriction in water, it tends to retain more of it.  Anti-diuretic hormone is released through your kidneys.  This is done to guard your body against dehydration.  On the contrary, the more water you drink, the more your body flushes it out through urine.  So the more water you drink, the less you will retain.

The correct way to achieve full and hard muscles is to tweak both your carbohydrate and water intake.  I have outlined a sample way of doing this, preparation for one week out from the even                  

Keep in mind that the only way you will peak properly for the event is if you are at a very low bodyfat.  If you are still carrying some bodyfat, the carb up and water loss process will not work effectively.  You start restricting your carbohydrate intake on Day 1, these will be your low-carb days.  Then you will slowly raise them as you approach the date of the event. You don’t want to carb up too quickly or the carbs will spill over out of the muscle and under the skin.  Then you will have a smooth look, which is the exact opposite of the look you are trying to achieve.  The idea is to fill your muscles with glycogen/water and to lose all subcutaneous water.

Water intake should be restricted starting on Day 2.  You should decrease the daily intake slowly each day for best results.  If you do it too fast, your body will sense a restriction and it will retain all of the water ingested.   Eliminating too much water will not allow your muscles to refill with glycogen, which gives you a hard, dense appearance.  Muscle glycogen binds with water in the muscle cells and causes them to fill out.  The day before your event, you should only take sips of water.  Your carb intake, on the other hand, should be high to fill the muscles with glycogen.  If you get thirsty, chewing gum can help, so can sucking on ice cubes or even rinsing your mouth out with water.

I would also suggest restricting sodium intake just a few days before the event.  Sodium causes you to retain water.  Condiments and canned foods have high sodium content.  Be sure to read labels to determine what foods are excessive in sodium and should be avoided at this time.  It is unnecessary to eliminate all sodium.  Some bodybuilders have been known to drink distilled water, which is not really good for you.  Many people recommend increasing potassium amounts while lowering sodium intake.  This is unnecessary and at the same time unhealthy.  Too much potassium causes heart problems.

An herbal diuretic can be beneficial in losing water the healthy way.  You can start taking this on Day 3.  Herbal diuretics can be bought at health food stores.  Look for ones that contains: Green tea leaf and/or guarana seed extract (natural forms of caffeine), juniper berry fruit, uva ursi leaf and dandelion root.  Be sure to know if other supplements you are taking cause water retention, like creatine.  I suggest getting off creatine 2-3 weeks before the event.

Continue to train and let your body sweat normally through exercise.  Resistance training and cardio get rid of a lot of water.  Posing is another great form of isometric exercise that can help squeeze water out of the body.  An overreliance on the steam room or sauna tends to deplete the body, so avoid this habit.

After you have lost the water the night before the event, you can pretty much have anything you want to eat (including high sodium foods).  As long as you keep your water intake to the bare minimum, it will not cause you to smooth out.  It is important to not restrict water for too long, your body flourishes off of it.  So after the event, be sure to re-hydrate yourself.  Drink plenty of water for several days afterward; it takes time to replenish your body.