HOW TO AVOID BLOATING AND SWELLING TRAINING DURING PERIOD AND PREGNANCY

May 05, 2020

I have always been into fitness. I started weight lifting at 16 years old and I was addicted. I have worked out 5-6 days a week ever since! But unfortunately, because I struggled with consistency in my diet I wasn’t able to achieve my desired results. I often found myself maintaining a healthy diet most of the month and then destroying all of my progress the week of my period by giving into all of my cravings and giving up on my intense training.. It sure it has only been MORE challenging for all of us being in quarantine the last month. 

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All women have been there, gorging ourselves with salt, chocolate wine and advil. For many of us “that time of the month” there are NO RULES. I used to give up once a month and just make a tray of cream cheese stuff Jalapeno poppers and power down on Oreos while I drank myself into my happy place to avoid cramps. But without fail, my jeans go tighter, my feet and hands would swell and I would avoid stepping on the scale until a good week and half after my period bloat was over.

For me, waiting until I was 35 to get pregnant was the best decision of my life. However, it has definitely come with it’s own set of challenges! A healthy, fit pregnancy requires special consideration and planning. Your body is changing. That doesn’t mean you can’t set goals and guidelines for yourself for the next 40 weeks. Every woman’s pregnancy journey is so very different. Every woman’s cycle is so different. But there are so many things that can help us stay on top of hormone changes and alleviate “regular” ailments. I’ve just refused to be a swollen uncomfortable mess for an entire pregnancy…. or for a solid week every single month. I really wanted to know the answers to keep mobile and healthy! So I dug and here are the solutions I have implemented that have really paid off.

First things first - we get bloated for many reasons but predominately it comes from progesterone and estrogen change before our period starts. Water retention playing the largest roll. Edema happens when your small blood vessels leak fluid into nearby tissues.

 

HERE ARE MY SOLUTIONS FOR REDUCING THE MONTHLY BLOAT:

1. AVOID SALTY FOODS

   Good idea to eat 1500mg or below.

2. DRINK MORE WATER

   64oz a day or more

3. AVOID REFINED SUGAR AND REFINED CARBS

   Refined carbs, fries, bread, cookies, white flour and refined sugars will spike your blood sugar which increases insulin in the blood causing your kidneys to retain more sodium.

4. AVOID EATING OUT

   Restaurant food is full of sodium and preservatives! One good thing that has come out of being quarantined during pregnancy means I have cooked and eaten all of my meals at home. While this isn’t always an option for everyone, as a whole, AMERICANS could eat out a LOT LESS! One night of take-out leaves me swollen like a balloon. -NO THANKS.

5. EXERCISE MORE

   It might feel like the last thing you want to do, but a 2013 study shows that regular exercise combats PMS symptoms. You can literally get rid of feeling like a tub of lard, by NOT being a tub of lard! lol. Get Up. Get Moving.

6. POOL/WATER WORKOUTS

Water workouts such as swimming, water walking, or water aerobics will reduce symptoms of edema. The force exerted by muscles against the pressure of water helps in moving the fluid buildup from tissues. Get in the pool up to your shoulders and plan a workout for 30 minutes or more. THE COLDER THE WATER THE BETTER!

7. EAT FOODS THAT REDUCE BLOATING

Potassium-rich foods will surprisingly satisfy your cravings and also decrease sodium levels.

Try these:

Avocados

Bananas

Sweet Potatoes

Dark Leafy Greens

Tomatoes

8. NATURAL DIURETICS

1. A diuretic is something that increases urine production. Producing more urine helps the body to get rid of water. In this way, diuretics help to reduce water retention.

   Foods that act as natural diuretics include:

   Asparagus

   Pineapples

   Peaches

   Cucumber

   Leeks

   Ginger

   Garlic

i know that many of you might think I am being mean, lol but no joke, when you are sick and tired of being sick and tired, you’ll look for solutions to feel good ALL YEAR LONG! If you are interested in fitness or nutrition coaching check out FEMFIT!

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