Bloating is often attributed to pregnancy and the hormonal changes associated with it. However, it is as common in men as in women and can happen to anyone. If you regularly consume processed foods, you may end up damaging your metabolism to a point where seeking treatment from a gastroenterologist would be necessary. Even joining a weight loss program may not offset the damage, then. Eating quickly can also cause bloating and weight gain. Here are some reasons why you might feel bloated all the time.

Because you have a sedentary job

Working at the desk all day, without any physical activity, is bound to make you feel bloated. Lack of physical activity impedes the normal functioning of the GI tract. Not drinking enough water while working all day can also cause bloating. Sodas and caffeine can further drain your water reserves, so keep a water bottle handy. Take short breaks to stretch or take strolls and start a weight loss program.

You have Digestive Problems

Flatulence is a common problem, and experiencing it about 10 times a day is perfectly normal. Common reasons for flatulence include food choices that promote wind problems, including pulses, cabbage, broccoli, apples. These foods take time to digest and release sulfur gas. Bloating followed by little, hard stool could also mean constipation. Incorporate oats, seeds, cereals, vegetable skins and other laxatives to your diet. Doing light exercises is also recommended.

You Suffer from Lactose Intolerance

Lactose intolerance is both a genetic disease and a condition where the body’s lactase production is low. If you have a natural aversion for milk and other dairy products, you most likely have lactose intolerance. Symptoms include stomach cramps, diarrhea, constipation, nausea, and bloating. Try switching over to lactose-free dairy foods, but do not self-diagnose. See a certified GI practitioner to confirm if you have lactose intolerance.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

IBS is a common functional disorder of the gut, and could be one of the primary reasons you are bloated. Experts suggest that people with IBS have over-sensitive guts and hence it is susceptible to bloating. In those with IBS, bloating can increase towards the end of the day, and hence seriously disturb one’s social life. Avoid having oats, muesli, whole wheat bread, cereal bars and the like.

You could have Coeliac Disease

Cutting out gluten from your diet can not only help with your weight loss program, but avoid bloating. Gluten is found in wheat, rye, barley or foods they’re present in, including even some sauces and gravies. Coeliac disease is an autoimmune disorder, where the peptides produced from gluten cause chronic inflammation. This damages the lining of the small intestine, and makes absorbing nutrients from food, difficult. This also causes anemia and osteoporosis. TCM techniques like acupuncture are beneficial in Coeliac disease.

Ovarian Cancer

Bloating isn’t just a problem; it’s an important symptom of other, much more serious problems. If it persists and is followed by abdominal pain, it could be ovarian cancer. Consult your GP while there is time. The symptoms are similar to IBS, and hence it often tends to get misdiagnosed.

Traditional weight loss advice often recommends having cheat days to people trying to lose weight. Some take it once every fortnight, where eating what you want and not working out to a reasonable extent is fine. However, skipping your weight loss regime on weekends can be dangerous. Studies have revealed that some people actually have a tendency to put on weight towards the end of the week. Here are some ways to avoid weekend weight-gain.

Stop compensating for sleep lost on weekdays

Often, you plan to compensate for the lost sleep by dozing off for longer than usual on weekends. This can seriously disrupt the body’s circadian rhythms, sending your hunger hormones into a tizzy. Sleeping late can not only cause cravings for calorie-laden food, but raise cortisol levels, adding to visceral fat.

To ensure that this does not happen, schedule your weekend visits to the slimming center in the morning. Do not have snacks or junk food for breakfast.

Don’t take complete workouts offs on weekends

Never treat exercise as punishment or compensation for a fatty diet. It should be enjoyable, creative, and something that you like to do on the weekends as well. Another idea is to reduce the intensity of your weekend workout, or take a break on Saturday for muscle recovery.

Remember your goals of weight loss and consult your physical trainer at the slimming center about different workouts to do throughout the week. One good idea is to opt for traditional Chinese treatment, which helps lose weight without strenuous exercise.

Keep your social outings food-free

For working people, weekends are for enjoyment and going out, but it need not make you put on weight. Plan social outings that are food and alcohol free, since even a few fried snacks and a can of beer can undo all the good work.
The best way to socialize is to go for activities like spa, movie outings, or cooking classes. Cut food out of weekend get-togethers and try to involve more of physical activity.

Avoid starving yourself on Friday

People that regularly binge on party food on the weekends, have a tendency to starve themselves on Fridays. However, doing this can be dangerous, as starving on Friday to avoid feeling guilty eating fatty food later can actually make one overeat. Eating less leads to hunger pangs, which makes you indulge in binge eating.
For this reason, one must construct a balanced diet plan for the entire week. Stock up on protein to feel full and regulate blood sugar.

Don’t be a couch potato

Lying all day on the bed or the couch is even worse than having a sedentary job. Research suggests that cutting down on sedentary time by just 20 minutes on the weekends can help lose 1.6% body fat annually. This proves that lack of physical activity on the weekends is directly related to weight gain.

A weekend getaway is a good way to unwind and get much-required physical activity. If not, you could simply take your dog for a stroll or visit your acupressure slimming center.

Having junk food is not always about simple attraction or losing control. It could often be about mood swings, a sort of psychological attachment to certain kind of foods and much more. Experts proclaim that the mind becomes most creative when justifying an act of binge eating! We are quick to find excuses for indulging in junk. The truth remains however that junk food always does more harm than good! Even the “feel-good” factor induced by a chocolate lasts for no longer than 3 minutes! However, the additional calories keep piling on, nullifying the impact of your slimming treatments and workout regimes!

So how do we steer clear of this nutrition-less foods? Here are some potent guidelines to follow.

Checking Ingredients

Make it a habit to check the ingredients before purchasing your food items. If you notice more than 5 ingredients in the list, steer clear of it immediately. Convince yourself that the “healthy” cookies you are craving for are not actually healthy at all! They are in fact processed and zero on nutrition. Keeping your red flags ready is important.

Changing Habits

If it is your daily habit to walk past the superstore or candy counter at 3 pm everyday when you pick up your candy bar too, it’s time for a change! If you wish to take a break from work, consider changing your route, walk around the building or take a few flights of stairs to the terrace instead! It is a great way to burn some calories and steer clear of the temptations surrounding you. When you consciously throw it out of sight, it will be easier to conquer your temptations.

Let Healthy Food Options Make their Presence Felt

If the first thing you notice when you open your refrigerator is a bar of chocolate, that is likely to capture your imagination for long enough. Battling craving will then become extremely difficult. Consider loading your fridge shelves with healthy food choices. You should be able to reach out to them in a jiffy, whenever you feel those hunger pangs gnawing at your tummy. This will definitely reduce your yearning for that stick-jaw or chocolate muffin.

Identify your Binge Triggers

Identifying binge triggers is extremely important. Each one of us have these trigger foods which encourage further binging. It could be potato wafers, a bar of chocolate or just about anything! Identifying them is half the battle won! So, be mindful about your eating habits.

Practice Chewing

Nutritionists are of the opinion that chewing more reduces the urge to eat more. So, if you happen to be indulging in your favorite cookie, crispy or chocolate cake, take time in enjoying your treat. Chew more than required. The more you chew, the easier it becomes to battle the hunger pangs! So keep the chewing on as you relish every bite.

Most importantly, you should learn to distinguish between a body need and a body suggestion. For instance, a rumbling in your tummy might tell you that you are hungry; however, a craving is a suggestion that you should consume something that’s oily or too sugary! It is important to listen to the orders and discard the unhealthy suggestions immediately. Give your slimming treatment a fair chance.

Losing weight sounds like a simple formula – manage the calorie deficit and exercise regularly. However, if looking at high-intensity videos tires you out, it’s time you target weight loss more creatively. Giving up on soda at once is impractical, but drinking them off skinny tumblers that make you drink less, isn’t.

If you have failed with gym memberships and hard routes to fitness, try visiting a slimming center that provides Traditional Chinese Medicine. Here are 5 simple, but smart steps to inch closer to your goal weight.

Get more plates of different colors

Baker-Miller Pink is a shade of pink that has been often proven to help relax the mind and trigger feelings of contentment. However, you need not re-paint your walls like Kendall Jenner. Expand your collection of plates in different colors to create contrasts with the color of your food.

Experts suggest that eating food off blue plates makes the portion seem larger and helps you eat less. Experts from the hospitality industry suggest that consumers alter or form perceptions on food based on color.

Have smaller dishes closer within reach

This is probably the most ignored weight-loss tip ever. Making drastic changes to what you eat can quickly backfire and send you into withdrawal. Instead, switch to smaller plates and bowls. The first reason why it helps is simply because it makes the serving size smaller. Secondly, it deceives one into thinking they are eating more. Studies have suggested that replacing your 12-inch bowls with 10-inch ones can make eat over 20% less.

Place a large mirror close to the table

Mirrors can be helpful with weight loss, much like in a gym or slimming center. Studies have proven that junk food doesn’t taste as good when eaten in front of a mirror. So, go ahead and hang a large mirror in your dining area. Firstly, it makes you conscious of your physical appearance, reminding you of your weight loss goal. More importantly, it allows you to see and judge yourself like others do, and feel uncomfortable eating unhealthy food.

Take the TV out of the dining area

When you’re distracted, you tend to overeat. Studies have revealed that watching TV while eating will make you overeat later in the day, too. Snacking in front of the TV is even more dangerous, since you don’t track how much of chips or cookies you have eaten. If you can’t help munching on something while watching TV, replace regular food with salads.

Get an essential oil diffuser

The idea is to go natural for your weight loss. Choose a TCM slimming center over a regular gym for the holistic healing the former provides. Choose natural, appetite suppressing scents over the smell of a cheese pizza. Smells can not only fire your appetite, but suppress it as well.

Getting an essential oil diffuser can bring about olfactory sensory-specific satiety or general contentment. For instance, sniffing peppermint scent every 2 hours can make you eat 400 fewer calories in a day.

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