Is it normal to get this bloated?!

noobletmcnugget
noobletmcnugget Posts: 518 Member
edited November 15 in Health and Weight Loss
I'm 5' 6", about 130 pounds. By the end of the day most days my stomach is very bloated (as in the picture). At other times (especially in the mornings) my stomach can be pretty flat. At least half the size of what it is in the picture.

I didn't even eat a ridiculous amount or particularly unhealthily today. I just ate at maintenance.

Any tips on what to do to reduce the bloating? This seems to happen whatever I do, whether I eat mostly veg and lean meats all day, or whatever else. The only way to lessen it is to just eat way less, but that's not sustainable at all (it means going below 1000 calories at least).

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Replies

  • summers09jo
    summers09jo Posts: 83 Member
    Hi I'm sorry I can't help you as I'm having the same problem too :( it's the end of the day I always seem to be bloated also and I've eaten chicken and vegetables and not large potions either .. Very strange :(
  • MrCoolGrim
    MrCoolGrim Posts: 351 Member
    Drink alot of water and watch your sodium intake
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    I get like that after eating a big meal, usually dinner. I thought it was normal??? Annoying, but normal
  • noobletmcnugget
    noobletmcnugget Posts: 518 Member
    MrCoolGrim wrote: »
    Drink alot of water and watch your sodium intake

    Even when I do that, and make sure I get lots of fibre, it doesn't particularly help. :(
  • noobletmcnugget
    noobletmcnugget Posts: 518 Member
    christinev297 wrote: »
    I get like that after eating a big meal, usually dinner. I thought it was normal??? Annoying, but normal

    Hm, maybe it is normal then. That's a reassurance!
  • daniebanks
    daniebanks Posts: 179 Member
    i always feel bloated by the afternoon too, worse time for progress pics lol
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    noobletmcnugget wrote: »
    christinev297 wrote: »
    I get like that after eating a big meal, usually dinner. I thought it was normal??? Annoying, but normal

    Hm, maybe it is normal then. That's a reassurance!

    My tummy is alot flatter in the morning. By bed time i can look 4mths pregnant :disappointed:

  • MrCoolGrim
    MrCoolGrim Posts: 351 Member
    christinev297 wrote: »
    noobletmcnugget wrote: »
    christinev297 wrote: »
    I get like that after eating a big meal, usually dinner. I thought it was normal??? Annoying, but normal

    Hm, maybe it is normal then. That's a reassurance!

    My tummy is alot flatter in the morning. By bed time i can look 4mths pregnant :disappointed:

    Me too
  • maroonmango211
    maroonmango211 Posts: 908 Member
    This happens to me often, especially when I eat more inflammatory foods around "that" time of the month. I do find that drinking water all day with meals and in between helps a lot, not just chugging it a few times a day when I forget more often. I also find that if I'm not.... regular... its more of a problem (for obvious reasons) which with IBS is an ongoing problem.
  • crfeen
    crfeen Posts: 85 Member
    possible you have IBS or some kind of inflammatory disease? I have IBS and I CANNOT eat kale or spinach--my stomach gets SO bloated.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    I wish i knew the difference between normal bloating and medically induced bloating. I don't think i have any IBS issues, i drink alot of milk and haven't cut anything out of my diet. I'm sure i would know if a food was bloating me, right? As surely there would be other symptoms other than bloating??
  • maroonmango211
    maroonmango211 Posts: 908 Member
    edited April 2015
    christinev297 wrote: »
    I wish i knew the difference between normal bloating and medically induced bloating. I don't think i have any IBS issues, i drink alot of milk and haven't cut anything out of my diet. I'm sure i would know if a food was bloating me, right? As surely there would be other symptoms other than bloating??

    Which foods cause IBS symptoms to arise are different for everyone. For me, too many raw vegetables (brassicas in particular) and wheat are huge triggers. My main symptom is bloating and gas but if I am too inflamed it can also cause major digestive upsets. For my MIL its spicy foods or dairy that cause issues, she could eat as much raw cabbage and broccoli as she wants.

    For the most part it's trial and error and in the end what symptoms you are willing to deal with in order to eat certain things.

  • knittnponder
    knittnponder Posts: 1,953 Member
    I have IBS too and cauliflower is a big trigger for bloating for me. I'm also sensitive to garlic and if I have too much milk or milk products I'm bloated. A little bit of bloating isn't abnormal but if you're getting REALLY bloated, especially if you're uncomfortable, then you might want to pay close attention to what you're eating when you bloat.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    I'm always bloated. But I love the foods I eat and feel okay so have never changed it. I notice my fiber being on the very high side and wonder if that's it.
  • beachlandia
    beachlandia Posts: 45 Member
    I get really bloated at night too, I just try to ignore it because this has always happened to me and I know it's not "real" weight gain and it'll probably be gone in 12 hours.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    I hope I'm not out of line but...that is some serious bloat, OP. Can we see a before bloat pic?
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
    arditarose wrote: »
    I hope I'm not out of line but...that is some serious bloat, OP. Can we see a before bloat pic?

    +1
  • HeySwoleSister
    HeySwoleSister Posts: 1,938 Member
    edited April 2015
    christinev297 wrote: »
    I get like that after eating a big meal, usually dinner. I thought it was normal??? Annoying, but normal

    Same here, my mother as well...my stepfather always calls us "the boa constrictors" because if we eat a big meal, we might as well be pregnant.

    We both have rather slight frames....I think we just don't have room to contain our innards when they are full of food. By morning all is right with the world again. I'm in the neighborhood of OPs height and weight, so I kind of get that....you are likely pretty small framed to begin with, one big meal and you're like....

    Vollgefressen1.jpg
  • hstull82
    hstull82 Posts: 116 Member
    edited April 2015
    Align probiotics, fiber gummies, lots of water, & low sodium/gluten free help keep my bloat in check. Have you checked with your doctor?
  • Justygirl77
    Justygirl77 Posts: 385 Member
    edited April 2015
    Try excluding wheat and dairy from your diet for a week. You'll probably find those are problem foods for your body, unfortunately.
  • angelexperiment
    angelexperiment Posts: 1,917 Member
    I think you need to see a doctor, a g.i dr. You may have some food intolerances. I think being that bloated is not normal. I used to get so bloated like 6 months prego bloated! Try to take a gas pill or phazyme after you eat it may be gas buildup in your tummy. That worked for me when I eat something to trigger it that bad. I have ibs c so I know about it a bit.
  • kikichewie
    kikichewie Posts: 276 Member
    Yeah that doesn't seem normal to me. I'd take measurements at specific times of the day for a few weeks and keep an accurate food diary with the times you ate each food. And take that info to the doctor. Maybe also take daily pictures. The doctor can help more if shr or he can see exactly what's happening.
  • BeginnersBootcamp
    BeginnersBootcamp Posts: 90 Member
    Some foods make me bloat, like raw carrots! Check your food diary and look for a pattern
  • Kymmu
    Kymmu Posts: 1,650 Member
    Look into FODMAPS to work out what isn't agreeing with you. I can't tolerate fructose and end up like you then IBS too.
  • noobletmcnugget
    noobletmcnugget Posts: 518 Member
    arditarose wrote: »
    I hope I'm not out of line but...that is some serious bloat, OP. Can we see a before bloat pic?

    Of course you're not... I literally look as though I could be 6 months pregnant hahaha. I'll post a pic tomorrow when/if it's gone down.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    It goes down right?
  • noobletmcnugget
    noobletmcnugget Posts: 518 Member
    edited April 2015
    kikichewie wrote: »
    Yeah that doesn't seem normal to me. I'd take measurements at specific times of the day for a few weeks and keep an accurate food diary with the times you ate each food. And take that info to the doctor. Maybe also take daily pictures. The doctor can help more if shr or he can see exactly what's happening.

    I'll try and keep track of my bloating on my diary for a while and will arrange a doctor's appointment. I have no idea how I'd narrow down the foods causing it if it is IBS though - it feels like this happens most of the time, irrespective of what I eat.
  • noobletmcnugget
    noobletmcnugget Posts: 518 Member
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    It goes down right?

    Lol it usually goes down significantly by the morning. But then as soon as I eat something I get bloated again. Today was pretty extreme though haha.
  • noobletmcnugget
    noobletmcnugget Posts: 518 Member
    Thanks for the replies guys! I think I'm going to keep track of when I bloat worst and see a doctor to see if they think it could be IBS or something. Ugh.
  • jennifershoo
    jennifershoo Posts: 3,198 Member
    Do you bloat like this every day or have you noticed it happens 1 week per month? Some women bloat right before their period. I bloat for a week before my ovulation.
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