This may look like a before and after shot but it’s not. It has been taken one day apart. Yep super flat stomach one day and the next morning a slightly pregnant belly (and trust me I’m not).
This my friends is a bloated belly, plain and simple. Eat a few too many carbs the night before and voila! And guess what…EVERYONE GETS IT! We are all human and when we eat our bellies expand. Sometimes it happens on its own due to hormonal changes or food sensitivities. And personally there are times when I have no idea why I’m bloated. I’m sure many of you can relate to this.
NOBODY has a flat belly at all times.
Let me tell you that it is perfectly normal to bloat from time to time. Besides hormonal changes and food sensitivities bloating can be caused by water retention, constipation, gas, poor diet, stress, lack of sleep, medications, external factors such as pollution and candida. This is just to name a few. Bloating is usually a sign of digestive issues especially if it is persistent. If you constantly suffer from bloating, you should have a conversation with your doctor who can perform tests to rule out any medical issues that could be triggering the bloat. However if your doctor gives you a clean bill of health, below are some remedies you can incorporate to reduce the bloat.
1. Increase your fiber intake. I’m sure you have heard it before many times but it’s sooo important to do this. It will help regulate bowel movement thereby reducing the gas in your stomach and eliminate the bloat.
2. Drink lots of water. Water helps your body flush out various toxins and helps push the fiber through your intestines and your colon.
3. If you tend to get bloated right after a meal, you want to keep a log of what you are eating to rule out potential sensitivities. In the meantime try adding apple cider vinegar to your diet. What I like to do is have a glass of water with a table spoon of apple cider vinegar an hour before the meal. It helps improve digestion which in turn minimizes the bloat.
4. Add probiotics daily. Probiotics work by bringing good bacteria to your gut. The more good bacteria the healthier the gut flora. Also probiotics help strengthen the immune system since 80% of our immune system is in our gut.
5. Consider adding digestive enzymes with your meals, especially if you are having a meal you know you will bloat from (aka picture above).
These are all great tips but guess what? Even if you religiously follow them, eat healthy and exercise; there will be days when you will still look slightly pregnant when you are not. AND THAT’S OK!
There are days when I look at my bloated stomach and think that I need to exercise more and eat even healthier than I already do, but life is about enjoyment. And do I ever enjoy a nice meal with a glass of wine and a delicious dessert of some yummy fluffy pastries, mmmm pastries…..but I digress.
When I have those thoughts I pull myself back and realize that I am fit and healthy and if my stomach doesn’t look flat all the time it’s ALRIGHT. Even this morning as I put on my dress I had a fleeting thought of changing into something looser but quickly decided to own my bloated belly and YOU SHOULD TOO!
I would love to hear if you ever felt the way I do and what your favorite remedies are to get rid of the bloat.
Comment below and share away to make sure all women feel like goddesses regardless of how their belly looks.
Much love and less bloat.