The weather has been super nice lately. Not too warm, not too hot. Although I hear cold weather is coming so I am taking advantage of warm runs as long as I can. Yesterday, I went for a great run. At first I was tired and had a hard time motivating but once I got my legs moving I felt great.
I got 5 miles in before before work and even added 15 minutes of toning afterwards. I was feeling strong and proud and took a picture of myself to share with you all, but after looking at the picture I felt so defeated. I looked swollen and big. My stomach is sticking out and my hips are Kim K wide. It’s frustrating because I am always working out and focused on my fitness. I need to take that same dedication to my nutrition. I know that your diet is the biggest factor in being toned and lean but it’s such a hard thing to do because it’s 24/7. Whereas fitness is an hour(-ish) commitment once a day. However my happiness, health and well being need to be a priority and if cleaning up my diet will help, I need to do it.
In addition, I have been having digestive issues for a while. I would say 80% of the week I am dealing with some kind of stomach issue ranging from frequent stomach pain and cramps, a lot of bloating and gas and occasional crazy gurgles and other noises. When it’s bad I complain about it and try to figure out what is causing it, but once the discomfort disappears I move on and forget about it. However, inevitably it comes back and most of the time worse.
I think it is all related. Not only is the stomach pain a lot to deal with but it’s hard to feel comfortable and confident (the whole point of this blog :)). I never really feel lean and toned. I am constantly battling with my own body image and I think it’s in large part due to the fact that I am always uncomfortable and bloated because of my stomach issues.
I know I need to go to the doctor, and I really do plan on making an appointment. In the meantime, I thought I would share some tips on how to ease abdominal discomfort.
1. Practice Yoga – If I am feeling really bloated, doing a few Vinyasa flows really helps to release the pressure. Downward facing dog and upward facing dog always seem to work really well. Here are a few other moves and tips here: Yoga Positions to Ease Bloating & Gas
2. Drink lots of water – I try to drink half my body weight in ounces of water a day. If I am feeling especially bloated and having stomach issues, I try to increase that to try to flush all the gunk out of my system.
3. Drink Herbal Tea – Peppermint tea is my favorite but Chamomile and Ginger are also great for soothing stomach issues. Yogi has some great Digestive Support Teas as well if you can’t decide what to get.
4. Relax – Lighting candles, putting on soothing music and wrapping up in a blanket always puts me in my ‘happy place’ and takes my mind off of all the stresses of the outside world. By relaxing my mind and spirit, my body tends to relax as well including my stomach
