11 Sure Fire Ways to Cut Bloat

There’s nothing more annoying than slipping into that slinky cocktail dress that you can barely zip up. In the worst case scenario, it might send you into a panicked thought spiral about whether you’ve actually gained as much weight as your favorite skinny jeans would have you believe. In short, you probably haven’t.

Bloating and actual fat gain feel the same, so it’s easy to confuse the two. But they really aren’t — fat is different from gas and water, which are what often contribute to bloating, and fat comes onto your body much more slowly.

The good news? There are 11 easy ways to appear as if you’ve like you’ve lost up to 20 pounds — and fast, without having to diet or exercise!

1. Start the day off right.

This is a staple of the celebrity beauty diet for a reason: It works. A glass of warm water with lemon in the morning jump-starts your digestive system and sets everything off on the right foot, right away. For an added kick, sprinkle in some cinnamon or cayenne pepper for extra anti-inflammatory power.

2. Drink only water.

It may sound counterintuitive, but drinking a lot of water won’t blow you up. Your body often holds onto water so as not to get dehydrated, but if you’re constantly knocking back bottles of water, that gives it permission to flush out some of its stores. Make sure you consume water consistently throughout the day. It’s not just that water trumps all other beverages in terms of hydration— the bubbles in popular carbonated liquids deliver air straight to your gut, and you might have a hard time processing dairy-based options. The result either way? Your body feels like a distended gas factory.

3. Eat bananas.

Bananas got lots of potassium. This mineral works alongside sodium to help regulate the fluid balance in your body, keeping bloat at bay. High-potassium foods include bananas, oranges, tomatoes, watermelon, and asparagus. That last one also contains an amino acid called asparagine that — bonus! — acts as a diuretic to flush excess liquid out of your system.

4. Avoid sugar alcohols.

Foods that are comprised of sugar alcohols, which are technically natural sweeteners, can still turn you into a roly-poly version of yourself. These sweeteners—xylitol, mannitol, and sorbitol to name a few—are used in everything from gum to energy bars. They play serious games with your gastrointestinal tract and can lead to gas, cramping, bloating, and even diarrhea if you eat too much of them. Those unpleasant symptoms are a hint that it’s hard for your body to fully break these sweeteners down during the digestive process. There’s also the fact that they tend to be present in lots of foods that are highly processed, which just compounds the digestion problem.

5. Avoid dairy.

Lactose sensitivity is way more common than you probably think — even if you possibly have the mildest case. Many people experience some form of negative side effects (most often gas and bloating) after milk, cheese or yogurt. We’re not saying cut these out for good, but ahead of a big event, steer clear of dairy just to be safe, since you never really know how your body is going to react.

6. Avoid salt.

Obvious but true: Salt causes the body to retain water, so it’s best to stick to pepper when you’re looking to feel slimmer.

Pay attention to your fiber intake.

Fiber is key for staying healthy. It keeps your digestive system chugging along smoothly and helps you feel satiated for longer, which is a plus if weight loss is what you’re after. The issue is when you go from eating very little fiber to taking in way too much, like when you’ve decided to overhaul your eating habits in an effort to get healthy. Overdoing the fiber when you’re not used to it can make you really bloated. Too much fiber can be tough to digest and create gas, both of which might puff you up. Try aiming for between 20 and 25 grams of fiber per day and drinking a lot of water along with any fibrous food to help your body digest it more easily.

7. Keep mum while you chew.

Sometimes the culprit isn’t what you eat, but how you eat. When you talk while you eat or eat too fast, you’re getting a lot of air in your digestive tract along with your food. Instead of chatting away as you chow down, make a conscious effort to eat slowly (chewing your food as much as possible makes it easier to digest, which can also lead to less bloating), and only talk in between bites.

Also, beware of habits that cause you to swallow excess air, like chewing gum, as that can cause bloat. If you’re a regular gum chewer, cut back by sucking on a piece of mint instead.

8. Choose fruits and vegetables wisely.

Pretty much everything in the produce aisle is fair game health-wise — obviously whatever you find there will probably be better for you than the wares in the frozen food section. But certain fruits and vegetables can still make you feel as plumped up as pufferfish. Fruit like cherries, peaches, grapes, and mangoes can bloat you even though they have also have plenty of awesome nutritional benefits. These fruits are healthy, but they naturally have a lot of sugar or sugar alcohols. When you’re trying to shrink down to your usual size, stock up on fruits like blueberries, strawberries, cantaloupe, and oranges, which have less sugar content. They also happen to be packed with water, which can help with the debloating action.

9. Cut the carbs.

You don’t have to quit carbs all together, but Raymond says you should lighten up your intake in the evening. Starches like bread and pasta may cause you to retain water, so it’s best to avoid them before bedtime so you don’t wake up feeling puffy.

Pop a probiotic.

This good-for-you bacteria works to keep your digestive tract moving regularly, which can ward off bloat. Check food and supplement labels for this strain, or opt for ingredients known for being rich in probiotics, including cultured milk products (AKA yogurt).

10. Nibble on parsley.

Research has shown that fresh parsley is another natural diuretic, so chop it up and add it to savory dinners to hinder bloat.

11. One last thing… you should try this 2-minute “after-dinner ritual” that burns up to 2 pounds of belly fat per day…

“All this by a 2-minute “after-dinner ritual?” I asked. 

I met an old friend for lunch last month and I was super impressed with how good she looked. 

She said, “It’s not so much about the “after-dinner ritual”, but more about how it gives you a regenerative form of deep sleep that is responsible for everything we need to dramatically increase our fat burning metabolism and improve our health and appearance.” 

Even though I was skeptical, I’ve been struggling with my weight over the last few years, so I gave it a shot and watched the same video she did. 

Well, it’s only a couple weeks later and you know what they say about how “you can’t transform your body overnight”… 

They’re right – it actually took me 16 days to lose 22 pounds. 

Now it’s my girlfriends asking ME what I’M doing differently 💅

Click here to see the 2-minute “after-dinner ritual” that helped me melt away 22 pounds in just 16 days