Do you suffer from a bloated tummy? This is seriously one of the biggest complaints I hear in my line of work. And what’s worse is that when you do feel bloated, uncomfortable and uneasy – you tend to skip the gym because you are simply not feeling up to it. When it comes to that bloated feeling – it can be down to a number of factors. Today I’m going to list just a few so that it might help you identify whats causing the discomfort and work on getting your body back to its best.
1: FOOD INTOLERANCES
This has really come to the foreground over the past few years with intolerance testing becoming really popular. I myself have not had it done but Dave has and found it very helpful. He also found that the foods he ate a lot of were the foods that ranked high in his intolerances. For me I opted to try a simple GLUTEN FREE test. What did I do? I simply went COMPLETELY gluten free for a period of two weeks. Then on day 15 I had a normal bagel and boy did I feel the difference. Bloated and uneasy. Now I make sure to opt for gluten free bread (I don’t eat it everyday but when I fancy some toast I have it – life is for living remember!) If you feel like something you are eating does not agree with you – cut it out for a week or two and then have it to see how you feel. It might take a while to pin point what it is. A lot of people
2: STRESS
Right I know what you are going to say – HOW can stress be avoided? Our lives are so fast paced these days. Work, school, college, kids, home-life, gym – we rarely have time to switch off. And when we get stressed the body’s digestive system suffers – it slows down – and results in that bloated feeling. Stress strikes us all. It’s not a weakness – it’s a real life issue and we all need to know how to manage it. A few simple tips would be:
i) Ban scrolling through social media at night – pick up a book instead
ii) Try some meditation – yes I know your first response might be “No way that’s not for me…” That was my initial thought. But I am currently reading a book on how to meditate – even for just 5 or 10 minutes at bedtime. Finding an outlet to switch off is vital to keep your body functioning properly on the inside.
3: EATING TOO MUCH
Overeating or eating too quickly is an obvious one but this is why I really push my clients to eat 5-6 meals a day instead of just breakfast, lunch and dinner. It’s too easy to overeat if you allow yourself to get too hungry. By having small healthy snacks between meals it means that you won’t be so inclined to overeat at mealtimes. A lot of people think “Oh I’ll have a big dinner now because I haven’t eaten since breakfast…” This DOES NOT WORK. You are playing with your metabolism and the only way to get the body functioning properly is to correct that. Of course a treat meal is different. But that is like once a week. And at least then the bloat is worth it!! Eat little and often, avoid the bloat!
4: LACK OF WATER
How tired are you of hearing you need to drink more water? Well I’m sorry to say it AGAIN but yep – it could be the cause of your bloated tum! How? Well if you have not had enough, your body is dehydrated – and then when you go to have a drink – your body holds onto that water – leaving you with a bloated feeling. Drink a glass of water first thing each morning, carry a bottle with you throughout the day and make sure to keep refilling. Like I’ve mentioned before adding different fruits to your water will make it a little more “interesting” too. I love pineapple and strawberries in mine!
Remember that if you are feeling anything but A-OK it’s your body’s way of telling you something. LISTEN to your body. It’s the only one you’ve got!!
Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and SNAPCHAT: Leanneacmoore