You're Not Fat, Just Bloated

by Jacki Donaldson (Subscribe to Jacki Donaldson's posts)
Apr 10th 2009 5:00PM

Categories: Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements

Turns out you might not be fat, just bloated. And since getting rid of the bloat could be a whole lot easier than shedding pounds, the four tips that follow might be all you need to feel slim and trim.

Bloating is usually caused by either a buildup of gas or fluid retention, say the "Body Talk" folks at Ladies Home Journal. Both can make your belly feel heavy and distended, and we all know that zipping jeans over a poochy tummy is a real downer. Help is here -- LHJ offers these ideas for blasting the bloat.

Fiber. If you have a bowel movement less than three times per week, your digestion might be on the sluggish side, and your gut may be growing as a result. A high-fiber diet can help -- get 25 grams per day if you're under 50 and 21 grams after that. Increase your fiber by three to five grams per week (one apple, one cup of oatmeal) -- any faster and you might make the bloating worse.
Gassy Foods. Fried and fatty foods, and some high-fiber goods, like beans, broccoli and cabbage, can boost your bloat. Try avoiding some of these items for a few days and see if your mid-section melts away. You don't want to eliminate veggies, though, so just cut back and try to find some options that don't bother you. You can also try Beano drops or tablets before eating your favorite foods. Anti-gas medications can help too.
Gulping Air. When you chew gum, drink through a straw, down sodas and smoke, you swallow air, and this can put carbon dioxide into your digestive tract. You don't want that, so stop smoking, cut back on the gum and straws and eat and drink slowly to reduce air intake.
Hormones. Progesterone surges prior to your periods, and water retention and slower digestion follow. Avoid salty foods and alcohol consumption prior to your period, and up your exercise to stimulate your system.

As always, we think you should consult your physician for anything that could signal a medical problem, and in some cases, bloating might be more serious than you think. If it occurs for more than a couple of weeks or is accompanied by other symptoms, like abdominal pain, a change in bowel habits or nausea, be sure to get yourself to a doctor.

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Comments (2)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Mark Inglis 4-11-2009 @ 4:02AM

This is may be true for people who are not carrying any excess fat however most people who carry excess belly fat are over weight.

www.planet-weight-loss.com

David Friedman 5-13-2009 @ 12:47PM

After reading your article on "Bloating" you reminded me of an article I had written on "Beer and Fitness-Can you Drink Beer and Stay Fit?" Here is a small excerpt:This week I was asked an interesting question concerning drinking beer and exercising. It seems that a former Navy Radioman has developed quite a gut since retiring, and was curious about whether he should give up his beer to lose weight? Not only does the gentleman enjoy drinking about 2-4 beers daily, he also has quit exercising. Moderate beer consumption is actually healthy, so I set out to define “moderate” as well as educate on the basics of caloric intake and caloric expenditure. The radioman is not suffering from a beer belly but an INACTIVITY BELLY! Yes, you can still drink beer and be very fit.
Drinking moderately has been proven by many doctors, as well as the New England Journal of Medicine, to be a healthy component of longevity. In fact, moderate consumption of alcohol, including beer, has been proven to reduce the effects of high cholesterol, heart disease, some forms of cancer and even impotence. by David Friedman
www.fitnessbuilding.com