Are you BLOATED or just DIGESTING?

 As a Fitness Nutrition Expert, I have taken the time to understand the way foods interact with each other, how digestion works and the role of food and mental health. An extremely unhealthy pattern that I have come to notice is the worrying thoughts of your stomach expanding after eating or as my clients say, “I am feeling fat after eating…”

Now the real culprit of this is the internet which has lead us to believe, we are meant to have a flat stomach all day and year long, causing a serious impact on mental health, leading to eating disorders. 

So let’s break it down ⬇️

What makes a HEALTHY digestive system?

According to science, it is a combination of enzymes and gut bacteria which efficiently absorb nutrients and flush out toxins while preventing any growth of harmful bacteria. 

BUT what does it look like on the outside?

After you finish eating, your stomach breaks down food into digestible size pieces which are then passed on to your small intestine for the digestion & absorption process. The breakdown of carbohydrates and the fermentation of fibre leads to production of gas which EXPANDS (just like pumping air into a flat tyre). When you wake up, your digestive system is like that flat tyre and right after your first meal of the day, the tyre is pumped up and put to work again. 

This expansion is most often termed BLOATING. Even though it settles down in sometime, most people like to believe there is something wrong with them - coming to a conclusion that any bloating at all is BAD for the body. 

As a domino effect, this has caused a massive rise in research around gut health and introduction of digestive health products to ‘reduce bloating’. Reports show the digestive health industry to be valued at USD 44.4 billion in 2022 with projections expanding 8.2% by 2030. 

Adding on, social media has lead us to idealise body types and influencers mindlessly promoting products to give you that ‘flat tummy’ effect is only pushing women further down into unhealthy eating habits. Not to mention, most of these products have zero scientific clearance and are marketed in all the wrong ways possible. An industry survey has shown 70-80% women (ages 16-24) trusting health information found on social media - especially when it comes to that “gut health” products. 

This has lead us to believe that if your stomach isn’t flat then you have digestive issues or you’re unattractive & you can tell I am pissed at both those beliefs. 

Now you may ask what if I actually have digestive issues?

The easiest way to rule out digestive issues is: 

a) by asking yourself do you feel any other symptoms such as - constipation, diarrhoea, nausea, heartburn

b) by seeing your physician or concerned doctor who will put you through an actual medical test that will help you identify any food allergies or intolerance 

The idea shouldn’t be to avoid the bloat but it should be about understanding that persistent bloating could just be one symptom to a larger medical issue. But for most people, who experience bloating and show no other signs of a distressed gastrointestinal, it is just your body’s natural response to digesting FOOD. 

So the next time you find yourself, standing in front of the mirror, feeling absolutely disappointed with that stomach popping out after a meal (and no other digestive issues) you need to remind yourself THIS IS NORMAL. We have to accept the daily shift of our body is just natural. Our body is only trying to support us in the best way possible. 

It’s time we speak out against weight bias and fat stigma and completely disregard the myth that not having a flat stomach is something to be fixed. 

Do better and speak to yourself with kindness.

& if you still find yourself in a toxic cycle with your body and food, know I am just on the other side of this page❤️

REMINDER OF HOW I LOOK PRE & POST MEAL 🔽