How to Avoid Bloating During Workouts

Hey Ziddis! Exercises should ideally feel energising and not uncomfortable. So many people experience bloating, gas or cramping during or after workouts. The good news is that with the right nutrition and habits, you can minimise your workout-related bloating and keep your fitness sessions running smoother than ever. If you want a solution to your pre- or post-workout bloating problem, you are at the right spot. Let’s go!

Working Out Without Bloating: Is It Possible?

It is ABSOLUTELY POSSIBLE to exercise without feeling gassy and bloated all the time. The key lies in understanding what is triggering your body to bloat. Once you understand that, you can adjust your pre- or post-workout nutrition and habits to fix it. It could be hydration, food choices, timings and more reasons that could play a huge role in making you feel bloated and gassy.

Workout Bloating Causes and Solutions

Let us understand some of the common reasons why you might be feeling gassy or bloated while exercising. Keep a lookout for the habits that feel familiar to yours.

Habit	Reason	Fix
Eating too close to your workout session	Large meals right before your workout can slow your digestion	Have a small but nutritious snack before you work out to fuel you up instead of slowing you down.
Having too many high-fibre or fatty foods	Beans, broccoli, fried veggies or dairy (if you are lactose intolerant) can cause gas	Stick to the required amount of fibre that your body needs.
Drinking carbonated drinks	Fizzy sodas or sparkling water can fill up your stomach with air	Avoid fizzy sodas and drinks altogether. They do worse than just make you feel bloated
You are dehydrated	Lower fluid intake can slow your digestion and cause discomfort in your stomach	Stay hydrated and drink at least one litre of water during your workout session
Swallowing air	If you breathe too heavily, chew gum, or drink with a straw, it can cause gas buildup, making you feel bloated.	Drink water from bottles or glasses instead of straws. Avoid chewing gum and do some breathing exercises before workouts to regulate your breath.

A simple, quick fix to all your bloating complaints is to stick to easily digestible foods 1–2 hours before exercise, and stay hydrated with plain water.

How to Prevent Bloating When Exercising?

You can prevent bloating when exercising by fixing each step of your workout. Here’s how:

Pre-Workout Tips:

• Eat a small but nutritious snack like a banana, oatmeal, rice cake or peanut butter about an hour before your workout.
• Avoid gassy veggies, fizzy drinks and artificial sweeteners.
• Sip water instead of chugging it.

During Workout:

• Take small sips of water after every set instead of gulping your water all at once
• Avoid energy gels or drinks with excessive sugar in them since they can cause energy spikes and drops and cramping.

Post-Workout Tips:

• Go for a light and protein-rich meal, always like chicken with rice, smoothie with protein powder and L Carnitine or yoghurt with fruits.
• Start using a fat burner in your weight loss phase.
• Add electrolytes if you sweat a lot
• Avoid salty snacks
• Stretch and cool down with gentle movements and breathwork to help digestion and reduce gas

Bloating Prevention Exercise

Can exercises actually help with reducing your bloating and discomfort? You bet! These simple exercises and habits can help you:

• Gentle yoga poses like child’s pose, cat and cow, and supine twist can help release the trapped gas.
• Walking post your meals, even for 10 minutes, can improve digestion and reduce the chances of bloating.
• Deep breathing exercises calm the guy and prevent swallowing excess air.

Read Also: How to Train Around Minor Injuries Without Losing Progress

Takeaway

Bloating during a workout is common but avoidable. By timing your meals smartly, choosing light and digestible foods, hydrating yourself and adding some gentle stretches can help you lose your gassy discomfort. Small changes and adjustments to your everyday life can go a long way in keeping your fitness routine.