How to Get Rid of Bloating
Water retention can be SUCH a pain. Trust me, I know. When that time of the month comes around it is guaranteed that I am going to put 5 pounds of water weight on… and then promptly lose it post period. It’s uncomfortable and you just don’t feel good when the bloat takes over! I wanted to put together some tips that I have used to reduce bloat for both myself and my clients who have battled that annoying water retention.
- Drink more water.
This is probably the most important tip and also the least intuitive. You’re probably thinking, “Emily, why would I drink MORE water if water is the problem?”
Water retention can be caused by the water and sodium ratio in your body falling out of balance. Your body likes to maintain a specific proportion of water and sodium and when this is disrupted, your body finds ways to try and fix it. If your sodium levels are too high, your body will work to get rid of sodium to keep it in line with your water intake. If you’re dehydrated, your body will start trying to hoard whatever water it has to maintain the balance. So your water retention could very well be because you aren’t consuming enough fluids. Drinking more will essentially flush you out and put a stop to the bloat.
- Consume dandelion root
Dandelion root is a natural diuretic. I actually used this myself pre bikini competition when, of course, I got my period right beforehand. The bloating was so real, guys. To put it simply, dandelion will make you pee more, helping you get rid of excess fluid your body is holding onto. I think that, first and foremost, you should always just plan to consume more fluids. But if you just cannot kick the bloat, this is a great natural, emergency solution.
- Cut down on fiber
Fiber is definitely important! You should be consuming 15 g for every 1,000 calories in your diet to help your body get rid of waste. Fiber’s job as an indigestible carb is to push the waste through your digestive tract and help to remove it from the body. But if your body is not used to your new fiber consumption or you are over consuming it, it can cause bloating and other digestion issues.
If a client is experiencing serious bloating for an extended period of time, we will often take some of her carbs away and increase her fats to help the process along. It usually does the trick!
- Do some cardio
This one is pretty simple but oh so effective! If you’re experiencing bloat, a quick easy way to get rid of excess fluids is to sweat ‘em out! Go outside for a run, do some high intensity cardio on a spin bike, try circuit training, etc. Get your sweat on and you will find it much easier to drop the water weight.
I hope you found these tips helpful! There are plenty of other ways to reduce the bloat but these are the strategies I have personally tried and use for clients routinely. If you’re looking for some free workout help to get your sweat on, definitely check out some of my workouts and high intensity exercise strategies here.
If you’re looking for more extensive help with an exercise routine, the Lose Weight in 8 Program is another great, low cost way to get started!
And remember, if you’re drinking enough water and getting the nutrients your body needs, bloating is temporary. We have all been there! Don’t stress out too much about water weight. For all you know, you’ll wake up tomorrow having lost it all anyway.
