Let’s be honest for a second: we’ve all felt bloated or puffy at one time or another.
When you’ve had a few too many nutritional indulges, the result is often feeling (and looking) bloated – and it’s not fun.
Here’s the bad news: when you indulge or get off track with your nutrition, many times the increase in insulin causes your body to store water. (aka bloat). But the good news: is that water is easy to shed and with a couple simple tips & tricks, you can look (and feel) better quickly.
4 Tips to Reduce Bloating:
Hydrate. When you’re feeling full of water you may be tempted not to drink as much, but that’s the wrong strategy! In fact, increasing water intake actually helps your body shed some of the water that it’s holding. Make sure you drink at least ½ your body weight in ounces of water, focus on black coffee or green tea, and avoid other beverages like sodas, juices, etc.
Don’t “make up for it” with cardio. It’s easy to get into the mindset of “making up” for food transgressions by adding extra workout sessions, going for a run, or spending some more time on the elliptical in an effort to burn the extra calories or undo what has been done nutritionally. Unfortunately, that’s not the way our bodies work, and this mindset actually causes added stress on your body – both mentally and hormonaly – and will keep you looking bloated and puffy longer. If you’re itching for a good workout and want some ideas that will help de-bloat faster, think sprints, metabolic conditioning, and high intensity weight training circuits.
Walk. When we talk about leisurely walking, we are NOT talking about powerwalking or “cardio” to burn calories. Rather, we’re talking about slow, stress reducing strolls. Put on your favorite worship music or grab your husband and kids and take some time to distress. In addition to lower fat storing hormones like cortisol, leisurely walking is a great restorative activity mentally as well.
Catch up on your zzzzz’s. I know it’s hard as a busy mom, but when you’re bloated and puffy, you’ve got to get your sleep! Poor sleep elevates our stress hormones, which can also increase the puffiness. Aim for at least 7 hours when you can. And if that’s not realistic, sleep when your kids sleep, or schedule some time for a weekend nap.
P.S. Need some more healthy living tips? We have tons of delicious, healthy and easy recipes at BeyondFit Life!
If you need ideas for healthy week night dinners, fat loss friendly snacks, quick and easy breakfasts, and more… you will love the recipe section of the portal!
And to make things even better: you can download all our member recipes INSTANTLY!
For more resources to help you live a healthy, happy and balanced life, check out: www.beyondfitphysiques.com.
By Kate Horney, Healthy Living Contributing Author, Beyond Fit Physiques