You’re getting your workouts in, you’re eating only the healthiest of meals. But for some reason, you still look fluffy and not as toned as you know you should. If this is you, you just might be bloated. Sometimes, even our healthy habits can wreak havoc on our digestive systems and bodies, causing a bloated belly and physical discomfort.
Bloating can be triggered by pretty much anything from hormones, to digestive issues, to eating artificial sugars. And while it’s totally natural to have a little bloat from time to time, there are ways to keep it from ruining your flat belly goals.
How to Get Rid of Bloated Belly
Check out this list of habits that may be standing in the way of your six-pack, and learn how you can slim down in a matter of days by avoiding these belly-bloaters.
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Not Drinking Enough Water
One cause of a bloated belly can be excess water retention. When your body holds onto too much water, you might look swollen and puffy in your face, joints, and in your midsection. It may seem counterintuitive to drink more water if you are bloated, however, drinking plenty of water on a regular basis can help your body rid itself of excess water.
When you’re hydrated, you keep your body’s cells from going into survival mode and hanging on to excess fluid.
To combat bloat caused by dehydration, start every day with at least an 8-ounce glass of water, and drink at least 64 ounces every day to help your body function properly and avoid bloating. Water temperature matters too.
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Whenever possible, try to drink room temperature or warm water after meals to help your body’s digestive process.
Eating Too Much Salt
Just as your body can hold onto water if you don’t get enough, consuming too much sodium or salty foods can force your body to store water to offset the amount of sodium in your body.
When you consume too much salt, your body instinctively tries to hang on to every drop of water it can to dilute the sodium levels. But once you cut back on salt, you’ll quickly notice that your body flushes excess liquids and it won’t take as much water to maintain proper hydration.
CHECK THIS: 5 Vitamins That Can Shrink Your Bloated Belly
In this case, it’s important to listen to your body. If you’re thirstier than usual, take a look at what you’ve been eating and make adjustments to reduce the salt and increase your H20.
OD’ing on Heavy Vegetables
We all know that too much of a good thing is never a good idea. Surprisingly this is true even when it comes to eating your veggies. Vegetables are absolutely essential to a healthy diet, with their high amounts of vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
But all that fiber isn’t always so easy for the body to break down. If you are feeling bloated, you may need to cut back on those heavier, super-fibrous vegetables like broccoli, asparagus and brussel sprouts.
This isn’t to say you can’t eat these vegetables. Rather, it’s something to look out for. Instead of cutting these veggies out of your diet altogether, first, try eating them in smaller portions. Also, aim to eat dense veggies more slowly so that you can give your body a hand in breaking them down.
The easier your body can digest these foods, the less gas and bloating you’ll notice! Pretty simple, right?
READ THIS: 7 Habits That Make You Bloated
Swallowing Air (yes, air)
You probably haven’t thought about how much air you take in when you’re eating and drinking, but swallowing unnecessary air is a major cause of a bloated belly. You might be creating that extra fluff if you chew on gum often.
When you chew gum—no matter how quietly—you are most likely taking in more air than you need.
That air usually gets trapped in your digestive system, which in turn, makes you look like you have a little more pooch than you actually have.
Likewise, drinking from straws can bring in large amounts of air into your belly, making that “food baby” appear larger than it really is. The fix here is easy: swap those sticks of gum for mints and toss that straw aside and drink from the glass.
READ THIS: 5 Flat Belly Breakfasts
These small tweaks to your eating and drinking habits can do wonders for your appearance, all without a diet in sight! Try one or all of these tips to watch that extra fluff disappear!
Sharita Jennings is the creator of Get Fit Like That. She is a health policy attorney and ACE certified group fitness instructor and fitness nutrition specialist. She provides online fitness plans and leads group fitness classes in Washington DC. Check out more fitness tips and workouts at GetFitLikeThat.com.
