Nobody wants to look at their midsection and feel like the Pillsbury Doughboy. Be that as it may, bloating is a common challenge that many people have to overcome. It can be especially annoying if the primary goal is to achieve a flatter stomach. All of your workout efforts may seem like they aren’t effective if your stomach remains bloated.
It’s important to understand that bloating and weight gain are not the same, despite the fact that they can appear that way. Fat is not the direct result of gas and water, which typically contribute to bloating. If you balloon up overnight or over the course of a couple days, true weight gain is not the culprit. That’s a little reassuring, but it doesn’t solve the problem. You need to de-bloat and get that stomach back to a flatter state. How do you do that? We have seven simple ways that can help you below.
Foam Roll Your Belly
Roll out your stomach to relieve stomach tension and built-up gas bubbles that may cause discomfort and bloating. According to several research studies, abdominal massages may relieve bloating. To give yourself an abdominal massage, lie facedown on top of your foam roller. Gently roll up and down to help relieve pressure from the sternum to the pelvis. Not only does this help eliminate gas, but it may even improve digestion.
Avoid Dairy
If you are lactose intolerant, the body cannot properly process dairy. An estimated 68% of the world’s population has lactose malabsorption, which isn’t the same as intolerance. It just means that people are more sensitive to dairy. When the body cannot properly break down dairy, the most common bodily response is gas, diarrhea, or bloating. Do your best to avoid dairy products and opt for one of the many plant-based dairy alternatives that exist.
Put The Soda Away
Bubbly beverages beget bloating and burping. Alliteration aside, carbonated beverages like sodas typically lead to bloating. When bubbly beverages are responsible, it’s typically because the body cannot release gas via belching. Focus on consuming water, tea, or freshly made juices instead of carbonated beverages if you want your bloating to calm down.
Eat Fermented Foods
The common saying is, “Happy wife, happy life,” but it should be, “happy gut, happy life.” That’s not as catchy, even though consuming beneficial bacteria encourages a healthier digestive system. Fermented foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, miso, fermented vegetables, kefir, and kombucha can promote a healthier microbiome. Repopulating the gut with beneficial bacteria helps break down food and reduce puffiness. Some studies found that probiotics in sauerkraut may reduce belly bloat. Not all probiotic strains work to reduce bloating, so you must choose your fermented foods wisely, as some are not as healthy as you think.
Don’t Chew Sugar-Free Gum
People chew sugar-free gum because of the low calorie content, but the sugar alcohols are quite harmful to your system. These sugars have been bound with alcohol so that the body can only digest part of that sugar. As a result of partial digestion, the body experiences negative gastrointestinal side effects like gas and bloating.
Eat Fiber, But Don’t Go Crazy
Fiber is necessary as it helps the body move food through the digestive tract. Additionally, fiber assists with the growth of healthy bacteria in the gut. You can go overboard with fiber, though, and encourage the growth of unhealthy bacteria that can cause bloating or gas. If you experience bloating and you eat a lot of fibrous foods, consider tapering off the fiber-rich superstars. Alternatively, you may need to consume more fiber if you don’t have enough in your current diet.
Water Is The Answer
Despite that fact that water retention can contribute to an inflated midsection, drinking water will not cause more ballooning. If you don’t drink enough water, the body will retain water to avoid dehydration. When you regularly drink water, however, the body flushes out some of its stores and can reduce bloating. Coffee and tea do not take the place of water, so make sure to focus your efforts on water consumption if you want belly bloat to go away.
