A: There are no studies in existence to support this claim. Water retention can be a by-product of inflammation (disturbed homeostasis) and/or well-stocked muscle glycogen stores (which is actually a good thing) and/or high sodium intake. Any diet that recommends increasing your protein intake or cutting back on salt and/or pro-inflammatory foods (which include high glycemic load carbohydrates), will almost certainly increase water losses during the first week or two.

A well-designed diet and exercise program that compliments human physiology should have you shedding fat and gaining muscle long before you’ve dropped 12 pounds of body weight, water or otherwise. In fact, I can attest with 100 percent certainty that 12 pounds of water weight loss is never a prerequisite for either fat loss or measurable improvements in body composition.

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Dr. Chris Lydon is a graduate of the Yale School of Medicine. She is a health writer and physique model.