Other women simply experience a shift in the distribution in water with no weight gain. Slacks and blouses often fit more snugly, however. Water retention also occurs among women past menopause who take estrogen replacement hormones. In late pregnancy, many women find that their legs feel like heavy water balloons. That's because the enlarging abdomen presses on the vein that returns fluids back to the heart.
Fluids then pool in the legs.
In some cases, water retention signals something more serious. If your skin remains plump or your finger leaves an indentation when you poke your skin, you may have a problem with your heart, kidneys, liver or thyroid. Skip the junk food. Too much sodium in your blood can waterlog the tissues, so reducing your salt intake makes sense, says Dr. Tifft. Besides avoiding obviously salty fries, pepperoni pizza and convenience foods, cut down on foods containing hidden salt.