De-Fluff Your Puff: 5 Exercises to Reduce Bloating

We all overindulge on food from time to time, and this can leave us feeling sluggish and bloated. Can you relate? Bloating is usually caused by an increased production of gas in the colon, which can happen for a number of reasons, such as: from the food you have eaten, consuming food too fast, inadequate amounts of fiber, or even stress.   Certain foods or drinks may help relieve bloating, but a more surefire way to soothe your distended belly is to do some simple stretching. Below I have created a stretching sequence that will help reduce any discomfort you may be feeling while also helping to beat the bloat.    This sequence involves rotational poses to massage and tone your abdomen, as well as restorative poses to help calm your nervous system and support full-body relaxation.  TOP TIP: Remember to inhale and exhale in each position and at the end of the sequence, sit upright and take 5-6 deep breathes to calm and center yourself.  The Sequence   Cat to Cow   How To  Start on your hands and knees, with your wrists directly underneath your shoulders and your knees directly below your hips.   Keep your fingers pointing forward with your hands shoulder-width apart. Keep your head and neck in a neutral position and gaze down at the floor. Exhale, and round your spine up toward the ceiling, drop your head down, draw your abdominals in towards your spine, tuck the pelvis, and keep your shoulders in the same position.   Make sure to draw your shoulders away from your neck in this position. Inhale, uncurl, and start to arch your spine by lifting your chest forward and allowing your sit bones to tilt up towards the ceiling.   Keep gazing forward, exhale, and repeat 8-10 times. Once completed, return to a neutral position on your hands and knees. Technique Tips   Try to avoid arching primarily in your lower back and pushing out your ribs when in Cow pose. Try to avoid tucking your chin into your chest when in Cat pose.   Perform 8-10 repetitions.  Seated Forward Fold   How To  Start by sitting upright on your mat, with your legs extended out in front of you, feet flexed and pointing up towards the ceiling.  Place your hands down by your sides with your fingers facing forward, palms facing down on the mat, with a soft bend in your elbows. Rock slightly from side to side to make sure your sit bones are as far away from your heels as possible.   Contract your thighs so you are pressing the back of your legs into the mat. Keep flexing your feet. Inhale, and lift your arms straight up toward the ceiling, feeling your spine lengthen. Exhale, and stretch your sternum forward, bending from your hips and bringing your arms with you. Keep moving forward slowly, lowering your abdominals to your thighs. Grasp the soles of your feet or ankles and keep a soft bend in your elbows. With each inhalation, lengthen your spine. With each exhalation, move deeper into the stretch.   Technique Tips   Make sure to avoid rounding your spine when lowering your sternum forward. If needed, you can place a folded blanket underneath your buttocks to help guide the forward bend from your hips.   If your flexibility is limited, please use a yoga strap to help support you in this pose. Place the ends of the yoga strap in each hand and place the middle of the strap against the soles of your feet. Remember to keep tension in the strap and avoid letting it sag. Alternatively, you can modify this pose by keeping the right leg straight out in front of you, bending the left knee and drawing the heel towards your groin, with the sole of your foot placed on your right inner thigh. Complete the rest of the movement as is and repeat on the other side.   Hold for 30-45 seconds.  Seated Twist   How To  Start by sitting upright on your mat, with your legs extended out in front of you, feet flexed and pointing up towards the ceiling.  Place your hands down by your sides with your fingers facing forward, palms facing down on the mat, with a soft bend in your elbows. Bend your right knee and place your right foot over your left leg. Your right foot should be flat on the floor outside of your left thigh. At the same time, bend your left knee, resting the outside of your left thigh on the floor. Your left heel should be next to your right sit bone. Inhale, and lift up through your spine and chest while keeping your shoulders relaxed. Exhale and begin twisting to the right. Place your left elbow on the outside of your right knee and bring your right hand on the floor behind your hips. Turn your head to the right. Twist deeper with each exhalation and keep length in your spine from the bottom up. Think of your head and neck reaching up to the ceiling and your tailbone rooting down toward the floor. Repeat on the other side.   Technique Tips   Try to keep rooting the foot of the raised leg down into the floor and avoid lifting it off.   Keep space between your shoulders and ears and avoid tensing and elevating the shoulders up.  Try to avoid rounding your spine when moving deeper into the twist.   Hold for 30-45 seconds.    Bow Pose   How To  Start by lying prone (face down) on your mat. Place your arms by your sides with your palms facing up. Place your chin on the floor and exhale as you bend your knees back towards your bottom. Reach your arms behind you, grasping the outside of your ankles with your hands. Inhale and lift your chest off the floor while simultaneously lifting your thighs, by pulling your ankles up with your hands. Make sure to shift your weight onto your abdominals and tuck your tailbone into your pubis. Keep your head in a neutral position and make

4 Pilates Exercises That Relieve Belly Bloat in 5 Minutes

By Emma Stessman Bloating can happen for a variety of reasons. Maybe you took a long flight and forgot to move around, or you ate too many salty snacks during movie night. Whatever the cause, when the uncomfortable symptoms of bloat strike, you want to get rid of them. Fast. The good news is, you can. And movement is a super-effective way to do it. Thankfully, we’re not talking about HIIT or cardio (likely the last thing you want to do with a bloated belly). Simple stretching and basic Pilates movements can help relieve the built-up water and gas that causes bloat, says Elaine Hayes, the founder of MNTSTUDIO, a Bay area-based chain of Pilates and barre studios.  “Moving your body helps increase blood flow and stimulate your lymphatic system, which helps the body drain excess fluid,” Hayes says, noting that Pilates, in particular, involves a lot of twisting and engaging of the core, which can expel air. Using proper breathing techniques can also be an excellent way to find relief. “The abs are connected to the diaphragm,” Hayes says. “So, when you breathe correctly, you send more blood to your abdominal region, which will then help alleviate any discomfort in the area.” RELATED: 8 Anti-Bloat Foods to Eat When You’re Feeling Puffy Try this quick de-bloating tip: Sit up tall and place your hands on the outside of your ribcage. Take a big inhale through your nose, trying to breathe into the back of your ribcage; you want to be able to feel your fingers spread apart, Hayes says. As you exhale, feel your belly button drop to your spine and your ribs zip together. Continue this rhythmic breathing for two to three minutes. This is called a Pilates breath. If you have a bit more time and are looking for relief after a big meal or before a major event, grab your yoga mat and flow through this 5-minute anti-bloat regimen crafted by Hayes. Each move is designed to stimulate the lymphatic system, increase blood flow, and release built-up air and water, so you can feel like your best de-bloated self. 4 Exercises to Relieve Belly Bloat Roll Over Start lying on your back, arms by your sides and legs lifted up toward the ceiling. Your feet should be positioned in a Pilates V (heels touching, toes apart). Take a deep breath in, dipping your legs slightly. Exhale, lifting your pelvis and rolling your legs up and over, so your thighs are above your face, and your feet and pointing toward the wall behind you. Keep your arms grounded at your sides. Inhale again and open your legs so each foot touches one side of the mat. Exhale, and roll slowly back down, touching one vertebra to the floor at a time. Once your tailbone touches the ground, bring your legs back to the starting position. Repeat the exercise 8 to 10 times. Twist Begin in a seated position, with legs extended out in front of you and ankles flexed. Extend both arms out to the sides in a T-position. Take a deep inhale, then exhale and twist to the left. Keep your hips completely square, twisting only from your waist. (A good way to check your form is to keep your feet side-by-side. If you’re twisting from your hips, your feet will move apart.) When you reach a complete twist, pulse twice. Inhale back to center and repeat on the other side. Do a total of 10 reps (5 on each side). Swimming Lie on your mat, belly-down, with your forehead touching the floor. Extend arms out in front of you and legs behind. Press your pubic bone down into the floor, to anchor your pelvis. Lift your chest, arms, and legs so you’re in a “superman” position. Flutter kick your limbs, as you control your breath, inhaling for five counts and exhaling for five counts. Continue pumping your arms and legs for a total of 5 to 7 controlled breaths. RELATED: 5 Smart Core Workouts You Can Do in 15 Minutes or Less The Hundred Lie on your back with your legs raised and bent at the knees, in a tabletop position. Reach your arms straight out toward the ceiling. Inhale, then exhale, curling your head, neck, and shoulders up, moving your arms by your sides so they hover above the floor. Keep your legs in tabletop or extend them out in front of you. Press your lower back into the mat, so there’s no empty space. Start breathing rhythmically, inhaling for five counts and exhaling for five. While counting, pump your arms up and down to match your breath, never letting your arms touch the floor. Repeat this 10 times. (Photos: Shutterstock and Elaine Hayes)