RIO Fitness Chicago® Exercise & Nutrition Blog

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Do you often feel & look bloated? Here's seven ways to lose the bloat.

1) Cut out the high sodium foods/seasonings. Sodium carries water in your body; so limit your sodium intake to 1200mg/day. You'll be surprised how quickly that adds up.

2) Eat high potassium foods which lower sodium levels and kick excess water. Foods like, bananas, cantaloupe, kiwi, spinach, tomatoes, beans, and asparagus — which contains an amino acid called asparagine that acts as a diuretic to flush excess liquid out of your system.

3) Steam your veggies. For example, eating 1/2 cup of steamed carrots has the same volume in your stomach as 1 cup of raw carrots.

4) Stop chomping on gum. Gum chewing creates gas in your stomach, making you look puffy. Eating quickly does too, so slow down.

5) PMSing? Be sure to get enough calcium (1200mg/day) & magnesium (300mg/day). Both crucial nutrients found to help relieve PMS symptoms like bloating.

6) Take the probiotic with the strain B. infantis. Can be found in supplement form or Dannon/Activa yogurt. Check the labels to make sure.

7) To help evacuate gas, try massaging your abdomen in the direction of your GI tract. Press your fingers near your right hip, slide up toward the ribs, across and down near your colon in a circular motion. Sounds funny, but it works.