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Photo:Getty Images. EatingWell design.
Getty Images. EatingWell design.
Whether it’s a holiday potluck or summer barbecue with friends, eating past the point of fullness happens—and that’s totally normal. Sure, it’s not something we’d recommend doing every day, but when a special occasion hits and you’ve enjoyed a few too many dishes, it’s nothing to beat yourself up over.
At the same time, we get that overeating can come with some uncomfortable side effects, like bloating. That’s why we’re here to help. We’ll cover one of the easiest things you can do to help you debloat fast. Plus, we’ll share nutrition experts‘ science-backed tips to help you get back to feeling your best.
What Happens to Your Body When You’re Bloated
We’ve got a great alternative to unbuttoning your pants and sitting on the sofa after a big meal: the No. 1 thing you should be doing to debloat fast isparticipating in some gentle movement, like walking!
Let’s make this clear: somebloating can be perfectly normaland not a cause for concern. Whether you’ve eaten a big meal, tried a new food or vigorously exercised, bloating happens. And, if your meal was higher in protein or fiber or both, you may experience bloating as well, since more water binds to these nutrients during digestion.Instead of sitting in discomfort and getting into a negative mentality, nutrition experts and researchers agree that you should try some gentle forms of movement.
A 2021 study, published inGastroenterology and Hepatology from Bed to Bench, found that a short walk improved feelings of bloat and discomfort in patients fairly comparably to medication for bloating.And, the best part, walking doesn’t require a prescription and can easily be performed almost anywhere.
Why, though, is walking just so beneficial for debloating? Well, it comes down to simple biology.Natalie Rizzo, M.S., RD,author ofPlanted Performanceand founder of Greenletes, shares, “Gentle movement, like walking, may reduce bloating after a meal since the abdominal muscles contract while walking. This increases fluid and gas movement into the bowels and reduces bloating.”
Plus, a post-meal walk can do more than just relieve abdominal discomfort. A 2023 study published in theInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Healthfound that simply engaging in walking after a carbohydrate-dense meal can help decrease blood sugar and insulin levels. In fact, a 30-minute walk proved to be more effective than exercises like wall sits or bench stepping.The beauty of this is that it’s easy to incorporate into your post-meal routine and you don’t have to spend hours hitting the pavement to reap these benefits.
Bazilian notes, “What’s especially encouraging is how even a short walk—just two to five minutes—can significantly impact blood sugar levels. Light-intensity walking has been shown to reduce post-meal blood sugar and insulin levels compared to prolonged sitting. This can help prevent the sharp blood sugar spikes and crashes that can lead to sluggishness and discomfort—and other symptoms like bloating—after eating.”
6 Sneaky Reasons You’re Bloated That Have Nothing to Do with Food
Other Tips for Relieving Bloating
Moving mindfully is a great way to debloat, but that’s not the only thing experts recommend to help alleviate those symptoms. Consider these other tips from Bazilian and Rizzo to put you on a path to feeling better.
The Bottom Line
Nutrition experts (and science) agree that the fastest way to reduce feelings of bloat after a big meal is to do some gentle movement, like a short walk. This helps stimulate gastric emptying, allowing food to more easily pass through your digestive system. While bloating can feel uncomfortable, rest assured that occasional bloating is totally normal. However, if your symptoms don’t subside and you’re chronically feeling bloated, it’s best to speak with a medical professional like a gastroenterologist.
6 Things Dietitians Eat and Drink When They Want to Debloat
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SourcesEatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.Capuano E.The behavior of dietary fiber in the gastrointestinal tract determines its physiological effect.Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. 2016;57(16):3543-3564. doi:10.1080/10408398.2016.1180501Bhutia YD, Ganapathy V.Protein digestion and absorption.In:Elsevier eBooks. ; 2018:1063-1086. doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-809954-4.00047-5Hosseini-Asl MK, Taherifard E, Mousavi MR.The effect of short-term physical activity after meals on gastrointestinal symptoms in individuals with functional abdominal bloating: a randomized clinical trial.Gastroenterol Hepatol Bed Bench. 2021;14(1):59-66.Bellini A, Nicolò A, Rocchi JE, Bazzucchi I, Sacchetti M.Walking attenuates postprandial glycemic response: what else can we do without leaving home or the office?International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2023; 20(1):253. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20010253
Sources
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.Capuano E.The behavior of dietary fiber in the gastrointestinal tract determines its physiological effect.Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. 2016;57(16):3543-3564. doi:10.1080/10408398.2016.1180501Bhutia YD, Ganapathy V.Protein digestion and absorption.In:Elsevier eBooks. ; 2018:1063-1086. doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-809954-4.00047-5Hosseini-Asl MK, Taherifard E, Mousavi MR.The effect of short-term physical activity after meals on gastrointestinal symptoms in individuals with functional abdominal bloating: a randomized clinical trial.Gastroenterol Hepatol Bed Bench. 2021;14(1):59-66.Bellini A, Nicolò A, Rocchi JE, Bazzucchi I, Sacchetti M.Walking attenuates postprandial glycemic response: what else can we do without leaving home or the office?International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2023; 20(1):253. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20010253
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.
Capuano E.The behavior of dietary fiber in the gastrointestinal tract determines its physiological effect.Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. 2016;57(16):3543-3564. doi:10.1080/10408398.2016.1180501Bhutia YD, Ganapathy V.Protein digestion and absorption.In:Elsevier eBooks. ; 2018:1063-1086. doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-809954-4.00047-5Hosseini-Asl MK, Taherifard E, Mousavi MR.The effect of short-term physical activity after meals on gastrointestinal symptoms in individuals with functional abdominal bloating: a randomized clinical trial.Gastroenterol Hepatol Bed Bench. 2021;14(1):59-66.Bellini A, Nicolò A, Rocchi JE, Bazzucchi I, Sacchetti M.Walking attenuates postprandial glycemic response: what else can we do without leaving home or the office?International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2023; 20(1):253. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20010253
Capuano E.The behavior of dietary fiber in the gastrointestinal tract determines its physiological effect.Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. 2016;57(16):3543-3564. doi:10.1080/10408398.2016.1180501
Bhutia YD, Ganapathy V.Protein digestion and absorption.In:Elsevier eBooks. ; 2018:1063-1086. doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-809954-4.00047-5
Hosseini-Asl MK, Taherifard E, Mousavi MR.The effect of short-term physical activity after meals on gastrointestinal symptoms in individuals with functional abdominal bloating: a randomized clinical trial.Gastroenterol Hepatol Bed Bench. 2021;14(1):59-66.
Bellini A, Nicolò A, Rocchi JE, Bazzucchi I, Sacchetti M.Walking attenuates postprandial glycemic response: what else can we do without leaving home or the office?International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2023; 20(1):253. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20010253
