How do I beat bloating?

Doing everything right but still bloated? Here are our top tips to beat the bloat.

Eating well, exercising correctly and looking after yourself are undoubtedly the three golden rules of good health and a hot body to boot. But sometimes this isn’t enough to achieve the washboard abs you’re after – there may be some underlying issues as to why you just can’t shift that bulge.

1. Avoid fizzy drinks
Fizzy drinks – even sparkling water – are carbonated with gas, so it’s normal to feel gassy after drinking them. Try to cut back on the sparkling stuff, as it’s a surefire way to bloating. Stick to still water, or better yet, sip on a stomach-soothing peppermint tea.

2. De-stress
Storing extra fat around the belly can often be confused for bloating, especially if you’re not experiencing weight gain anywhere else. Belly fat storage can often be attributed to high stress levels, so make sure you’re getting enough sleep, relaxing when you can and avoiding high-stress situations (easier said than done, we know!).

3. Try probiotics
A sub-optimal digestive system is usually to blame for stomach bloating and can even pose problems like constipation and cramping. Supplementing with a high-quality probiotic can help tackle these problems by providing your stomach with healthy bacteria to battle the bad.

4. Cook veg
Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower are really good for you, but can be a little gassy. There’s no need to cut them out, but gently cooking them can help with the digestive problems that the high levels of insoluble fibre can pose. Stick to light steaming to avoid cooking away all their goodness!

5. Ditch salt
We do need some sodium in our diets, but too much can cause our bodies to retain water to try to dilute the high amounts. Monitor your intake and try not to add table salt to food – instead get it naturally through foods – you’ll find healthy amounts in fruits and vegetables.