How to Reduce Bloating

Poached asparagus

Thanks to Tom Corson-Knowles for submitting this guest post about ways to reduce bloating.

Feeling bloated?

Honestly, bloating has got to be one of the most uncomfortable feelings you can have, especially if it's chronic. Some people have been bloated for so long, they forget what it feels like to be normal!

But here's the deal - bloating is not normal. It's a sign that there's something going on with your body and it usually stems from poor digestion which, of course, is all about what you eat!

There are two categories of foods you need to know about to overcome bloating once and for all. First, there's the foods to avoid. These foods can cause bloating or make it worse. Second, there are the foods to add to your diet - these foods help aid good digestion and help your body rebalance the gut ecology, which is crucial to good digestion and getting rid of the symtoms.

Foods To Avoid

A lot of people who are chronically bloated have some kind of food intolerance. The most common are dairy and/or lactose intolerance, gluten sensitivity or celiac disease, and sensitivities to processed foods and artificial food additives.

The first thing I would do to get rid of bloating is to cut out all dairy products for two weeks. After 14 days, you'll be able to find out pretty quickly whether it's the dairy that's causing the problem or not. And, trust me, it's much better for your health to limit your intake of dairy products in the first place. In fact, cutting out dairy is one of the first things that anyone should do when trying to naturally treat digestive disorders.

If you cut out dairy and nothing's improved, it's time to cut out the second most common food intolerance - gluten. Gluten is a protein found in wheat and a few other grains that causes bad reactions for many peoples' immune systems, and one of those reactions happens to be bloating. Yes, I know, it's hard to go on a gluten free diet - at first. But trust me, it's worth it! Most people will notice a HUGE difference in their health and energy levels after just cutting out gluten from their diets for 3 or 4 days. Trust me, you will love how you feel!

Another big mistake people make is drinking soda pop and carbonated beverages. These can cause bloating as well as a myriad of other digestive and health issues. Other common foods that make bloating worse are things like processed foods - chips, crackers, cookies, etc. and foods with a lot of white table salt.

Foods To Eat

Now here's the good stuff - the foods to focus on eating. These foods help rebalance your body's digestive system and get rid of your digestive problems once and for all.

Foods loaded with probiotics and prebiotics are the best! Everyone's heard about yogurt, but I find cultured vegetables like sauerkraut or kimchi work best for probiotic enhancement. This is because your body not only needs the probiotics (the good bacteria) that help your immune and gut function, but these bacteria need the prebiotics (the roughage from vegetables and produce) to function properly. Just eating yogurt and taking probiotic supplements won't do much if those good germs don't have the right kind of food for them - which is plant roughage.

Asparagus can also be a great food to eat for bloating because it helps fight water retention. Bananas are also great as their high potassium content helps flush out excess sodium from the body.

About The Author: Tom Corson-Knowles is the founder of the Authentic Health Coaching show, the #1 Alternative Health Podcast show on Podomatic. Tom blogs regularly about healthy eating, natural weight loss and how to live a healthier lifestyle.

In Superb Shape After Four Pregnancies

Dani a few months after her third birth, at 187 pounds - and a few months after giving birth to her fourth child.

Well, this is not the typical success story we read about here. Dani has never really had a weight issue.

She has four children age six and younger! She is 38 years old and has an incredible body after four pregnancies.

How does she do it? Mostly she eats very healthy foods. She also exercises.

She's just started a blog about food and fitness. I found her pics of healthy food really inspiring, hope you enjoy them too.

 See her (very new) blog at fitness, food and style

Losing 50 Pounds and Keeping it Off

Shira at age 25, 175 pounds

Shira at age 45, 125 pounds

When Shira was 25 years old she weighed 175 pounds and felt she was about 50 pounds overweight given her height of 5'4".

She went on to lose the weight starting from the inside out through jornaling, positive self-talk and visualization in addition to lots of exercise and eating better.

What is doubly wonderful about her story is that she has successfully maintained this weight loss for twenty years. At age 45 she still weighs 125.

Check out her website at The Lighter Perspective. Congrats Shira!

Success With Mega Weight Loss

Jeffrey at 425 pounds

Five years later, Jeffrey at 175 pounds

Jeffrey (at 175 pounds) with his wife

Jeffrey got up to his highest weight of over 425 pounds five years ago when he was 42 years old. He had never been an overweight child or youth but had started piling on the weight at age 23.

Five years ago his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer and they feared that their children might soon become orphans. That's when Jeffrey became determined to lose weight. He made changes in the foods he ate but did not exercise for another two years. He did not weigh himself but after two years he felt confident enough to join the gym at his work. Since then he's been working out on a regular basis.

Now at age 47, he feels fabulous and much younger, his wife is back to good health and life is fantastic! Check out the great video about him below from a Joy Fit Club TV segment;

Losing Weight: From Size 20 to Size 8

Stacy at size 18-20, 245 pounds

Stacy at size 8

Thanks much to Stacy for sending in this story of true determination and success. She has lost 100 pounds and has gone from size 18-20 to size 8. 


Hi my name is Stacy Langston, I am 27 years old and living proof that plain old diet and exercise work if you stick to it. 


I've tried all the diets out there, cleansing, Nutrisystem, diet pills, I even had my colon cleansed to help push the extra weight out. Of course I lost weight, but eventually I got bored and discouraged so I stopped; I gained everything back. Yo-yo dieting about sums it up.

Since January 2011 I have lost a total of 97 pounds. I went from a size 18-20 and now my size 8 pants are sliding off!!! I'm currently working on the last 10 pounds. I have been over weight my entire life. I now weigh what I weighed in 8th grade. Please read my story I'm eager to share my success with you.

Ive had weight issues since puberty. I started gaining and gaining, eating and eating, I was depressed, lonely, and found comfort in the foods that were always there for me. My peers, teachers, and even church leaders would make comments about my weight. I tried to not let it bother me but it did. I was so sad and upset I almost dropped out of school in my senior year. I had friends yes but nothing felt better than curling up on my bed or my best friends bed as we ditched school indulging in fast food and ice cream. After getting suspended from school for not attending I went to an adult high school so I could save my chances of graduating. I had no friends and the depression grew.

My mother took me to my physician after school was over who put me on anti depressants and a weight loss pill; at the age of 18 I weighed a whooping 260 pounds. I struggled with my weight for years after that and my inner demons of constantly putting myself down. I moved to Jersey in 2004 to be a nanny (I was born and raised in Southern Utah) I joined a gym a few years later, lost 40 pounds! I was so proud of myself but would get discouraged as I watched all the other thin girls at the gym. They made me feel like a big whale when I went to work out, after about 20 minutes I would put myself down so much I'd leave the gym and hit Mc Donalds. I ballooned up again to 240.

In 2007 my coworkers had a biggest loser competition. I did pretty good. After receiving free food from nutrisystem and a guide I lost about 40 pounds, it taught me how to eat and learn portion control. But once again my old eating habits would sneak their way in and I'd gain everything back.

In the summer of 2010 my current employer and her assistant lost a ton of weight, they looked amazing and I was totally convinced if these women in their late 30's who had demanding jobs and families to take care of could lose weight then there is NO EXCUSE for myself. So when New Years came along I set a resolution to finally become healthy.

I started my diet weighing 245 pounds. At first it was hard to get into the routine. I started following the nutrisystem guide I had done a few years back, just not eating their food. I struggled but would somehow fight those inner demons and push myself to eat healthy. There were days when I would throw myself to the ground in hysterics saying "I cant do this I cant do this," but there was always my coworkers and family members by my side to cheer me on and give me support, my boss even threw away cookies I had in my hands during teacher appreciation week.

In the months to follow I came across a book from the Biggest Loser. It had a calorie guide and suggestions to keep a food journal. So I bought myself a notebook and started counting those calories. I became excited about trying new fruits, veggies, and meals. The weight began flying off.

I started adding some exercise into my diet and more and more pounds were being shed. I was waking up every morning at 5 am so I could work out at home to numerous dvds. I did (and still do) yoga, Zumba, cardio, and even strength training all in the comfort of my living room. By the end of December 2011 I lost a total of 75 pounds. Not seeing my family since December 2010, they were completely shocked about my weight loss and made me feel so good and happy with myself.

May 2012 I am so close to my weight loss goal ten pounds to go!!! I am so proud of myself and have never in my life worked for something so hard like this. I didn't think I could ever reach this goal I set for myself and am shocked from my determination to reach it. Not only has my recent success helped me look good, but now I feel good. I don't hide my personality as much as I had in the past. I feel beautiful and confident. I'm finally starting to truly love myself, that's what its about right? My work has inspired me so much I would love to go back to school to study nutrition so I can help people loose weight the healthy natural way. I would love to coach people to work out, make meal plans, and encourage them to keep going.

Diet and exercise do work, you just have to stick with it I am living proof. Its hard work but totally worth it, don't you want to look in the mirror and say "I'm healthy, happy, beautiful, and strong, look what I accomplished."??? Surgeries, pills, and fad diets are replacing the real way to lose weight, wouldn't you want to feel this feeling of accomplishment? I surely do, I am committed to my new life style 100 percent and will never again go back to my old habits, I cant just throw this work away. Its not about looking good but looking at yourself from the inside and finding who you are. I believed in my self and I want everyone to!

Thanks for taking the time to read my success story and I hope to be somewhat of an inspiration, here's to a long healthy life!!!!

Extreme Weight Loss Without Surgery

Thanks much to Ben for sending in this story. Ben is 6'3" and weighed 560 pounds at his heaviest. He was refused gastric bypass surgery because of the health risks but has succeeded in losing over 200 pounds on his own since then. 

I just wanted to share my story, but I am still a work in progress!  I'm 34 years old and stand 6'3 I have always been a big boy! All my adult life, including childhood I have dealt with weight issues.

Like everyone else that ever had weight problems I denied I was that bad or that big, even with the border line type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, with all the Drs warnings, and such I ignored them all. I wasn't that big and no one told me what to eat, through the years.

 I tried diets and I would do them for few months and I would double my weight back that I lost and I did this for years! I was told by my physician that bariatric surgery was the only way I could get my weight off, (at that time i weighed around 420lb) but I didn't have the money and insurance didn't want to help me out on it, so that was a no go.

Fast forward a little and about two years ago, I hurt my back while I was at work, I learned at that time that I would have to have surgery. All the physical therapy and injections in my back didn't work, I knew that surgery would be risky because I was overweight, but I was left with no other options. Drs didn't want to touch me because I was such a health risk, finally after several drs one said he could help me!

So he scheduled a surgery but I would have to pass all the pre surgery physicals first, well at that time I thought I was weighing around 470lb, "again with all the denying" so when I weighed in I was a staggering in at over 560lb and it could been more than that because I really couldn't get accurate weight because I was so heavy! So I flunked the weight part, and then I learned my blood work was horrible because of a fatty liver!

So, at this time, the Dr. had to cancel my surgery. The Dr. told me that bad news and told me that if I didn't get my weight off somehow that my back was gonna cripple me and then I would probably be immobile and dead within 2 years. I knew I was in bad shape because I couldn't even walk to Wal-Mart, because I was out of breath. But here I was in my early 30s and I'm being told I would never see 40 and or be in a wheel chair!

That day was the lowest absolute worst day of my life I hit rock bottom all my years of ignoring my weight and denying myself caught up with me! I felt so ashamed and humiliated! I couldn't have gastric bypass to fix my weight issues! What was I to do? After about a couple days feeling sorry for myself I picked myself up and went down to our local YMCA! There I began a weight journey that has changed my whole life!

I started counting my calories I would only allow myself 1400 a day and I would keep a journal of everything I ate and drank. I would go to the gym 5-6 times a week and I had to start with water aerobics because I didn't have the energy to do more, I took baby steps. And more and more the weight would come off! The more I saw the disappearance the more determined I became.

22 months later here I am still determined! I've lost well over 200lbs by going to gym 5-6 days a week for hour and half a day, and by counting calories and that being around 1400 or less a day, and I would allow myself one cheat day a week. I don't allow myself to go crazy on my cheat days. My blood work is now all stable and I am having surgery in 4 weeks.

All I know is if I can do it anybody can do it. I had the word SACRIFICE & DEDICATION tattoo on my forearm to let me know everyday that I can do it. Even though i still have a ways to go, I know I found the tools to continue success because this is forever, not just a fad thing anymore!!

Thank you for letting me share my story and I hope I can help inspire others... P.S. At my heaviest I was over 560lb now I'm around 350 and "counting" went from size "58" waist to size "44" here few pics from my heaviest to just last week.. Ben Stanton

An Inspiring Weight Loss Video (for Men)

Okay, you gotta see this video. It's five minutes long and incredibly inspiring.

Not only did Arthur lose 140 pounds in ten months but he is now able to run, whereas for 15 years his doctors told him he'd never be able to walk unassisted again.

Losing 157 Pounds and Getting Super Fit

Hi all, sorry about the long hiatus. I haven't posted here in six weeks but have received several excellent weight loss stories which i will post over the next couple of weeks.


Here's Heather's story. It's incredibly inspirational. Be sure to check out her short video highlighting lots of before and after pics along her journey.


Heather used to weigh 315 pounds. She is 5'7". She has since lost half her body weight over the past four years. Here is her story;

Heather at 315 pounds

Hi Isadora, 
I stumbled across your blog and have really enjoyed reading all the success stories! I have a weight loss success story I'd LOVE to share with your readers. 


In 2007 I weighed over 315 pounds which was a little much on my 5'7" frame. Over 4+ years I've slowly lost over half my body weight (157 pounds!) through diet and exercise. 


In 2009 I decided I needed an event to keep me motivated to work out and lose the weight. So I signed up for a sprint triathlon and completed it even though it was difficult at 250 pounds! I fell in love with triathlons after completing that race. 

Heather after losing 157 pounds

Since then I've completed 1 10k, 2 half marathons, 4 sprint triathlons, 3 olympic distance triathlons,  3 half-Ironman triathlons and 2 full Ironmans. 

Right now my quest is to win a slot in the 2012 World Championship Ironman in Kona. The Ironman folks are giving away 8 slots to inspirational athletes who best embody their mantra "Anything is Possible". 


I've uploaded a 90 second video here that talks about my journey. 
Heather's Story in a 1.5 minute video 






Please do check out this video. You won't regret it. It's super inspiring, thanks much to Heather for this story.