How To Tell If Your Fat Or Bloated

Does Your Stomach Look Different It’s Probably Bloated

BLOATING VS BELLY FAT | How To Tell The Difference, Reduce Bloating and Lose Fat

When you’re feeling normal as can be , give your stomach a good look. Keep that image clear in your mind, because it’s going to help you determine when you’re bloating or not.

“Bloating typically happens after a meal,” says Michalczyk. “Notice how your stomach looks at that time how it usually looks to begin to determine if it’s bloating or weight gain.”

According to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, bloating will cause your stomach to wildly expand. Your stomach will feel kind of hard compared to your usual soft tummy, so give it a poke. If it feels different than normal, it’s probably bloating.

What Causes Belly Bloat

In terms of what causes bloating, Michalczyk says it could be a myriad of things.

First, most women will experience some bloating and weight gain around the time they are menstruating.

“It’s totally normal to be a couple of pounds heavier around your cycle, because we tend to retain water weight,” says Michalczyk. “So if you are around that time of the month, that’s a good indication that it’s not weight gain but changes associated with your period instead.”

Secondly, bloating can also be a result of what you are eating. And not just unhealthy foods , but all kinds of foodslike cruciferous vegetables.

“If you find that after eating certain veggies you are always bloated you may be more sensitive to these gas-forming veggies and probably want to limit the amount you have of them at a time,” says Michalczyk. She also mentioned that sugar alcohols can easily be a culprit for bloating.

If You Press On Your Skin And An Indentation Stays There For A Couple Of Seconds That’s A Sign You Have Water Weight

One way to check if you’re retaining water is to press on swollen skin. If there’s an indention that stays for a little while, that’s a sign that you could be retaining water.

“We’ve all been on a plane … got off the plane, you press on your ankles and there’s a bump and it stays there for a little while. Well, that’s a sign in the setting of someone who has a normal heart function, that you’re retaining some water weight,” Holly Lofton, MD, director of the Weight Management Program at NYU Langone Health told INSIDER.

The Differences Between Bloating And Fat

When your stomach is bloated, you may experience flatulence, rumbling or gurgles in your belly, or frequent burping. While the foods you eat can cause bloating, so can other seemingly innocuous activities like chewing gum or smoking. All of this can cause your abdomen to distend, resulting in bloating, according to Healthline.

One way to know your bloat is not fat is that fat accumulates over a long period of time as a result of excess calories. In addition, you can grab belly fat with your hand, while you cannot do that with bloat, per University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Remember, bloat is something that can cause your stomach to expand throughout the day as you eat, but will often disappear after you’ve had time to digest your food correctly. If you want belly fat to disappear, you need to watch your caloric intake and up your exercise, causing fat to melt away gradually.

Is It My Time Of The Month

Is It Bloating Or Belly Fat 4 Signs Which Will Help You ...

Oh, yes, good ‘ol Flo. Throughout the menstrual cycle, changes in female sex hormones, especially estrogen and progesterone, can result in serious water retention. The fluid can spread around the body, but seems to affect your tummy most of all, says Lisa M. Davis, Ph.D., chief nutrition officer of Terras Kitchen, a meal delivery service.

You May Like: Align Probiotic Prebiotic

How To Beat Bloating And Belly Fat

But, both the good news is that making simple lifestyle changes can help you to get rid of bloat and belly fat in very less time.

Remedies for bloating

Avoid or limit intake of foods known to cause wind and bloating, such as beans, onions, broccoli, cabbage, sprouts, cauliflower.
Eat fruits like papayas and pineapples that can help you get rid of the stomach bloating fast.
Drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration.
Eat smaller meals and avoid eating too much at a time.
Rule out food allergies and intolerances to common foods that are common causes of bloating.
Avoid swallowing air and gases that can contribute to bloating.

Remedies for belly fat

If Your Extremities Such As Your Wrists Ankles Or Fingers Are Swelling It’s Probably From Water Weight Gain

If you’ve noticed your wrists or ankles are swollen or your rings are tighter than usual, that probably means you’ve retained some water.

“For the general public, they can just see swelling and fluid around their ankles, socks that leave indentations, for example. That’s all water retention, water weight, that’s causing weight gain,” Dr. Salerno said.

Also Check: What Does It Mean When You Keep Having Heartburn

What Causes Abdominal Fat Gain

Unlike stomach bloat that comes and goes throughout the day, abdominal fat, also called visceral fat, sticks around unless you make permanent changes to eliminate it. Abdominal fat usually the result of overall weight gain. This happens when you consume more calories than your body is burning.

For some people, abdominal fat is the result of an unbalanced diet and minimal physical activity. But for others, it might be caused mainly by diet, and more specifically, eating too many calories. This can happen even though they exercise regularly.

Foods that can contribute to abdominal fat gain include:

sugary foods and drinks
alcohol
foods with high levels of trans fats

According to a 2021 research review, carrying excess fat around your midsection can put you at risk of:

type 2 diabetes

Tips To Decrease Bloating

How to Tell the Difference Between Bloating and Belly Fat

Eat Larger, Consolidated Meals: Wait WHAT?! Yes thats right. Larger meals. This will help you trigger whats called the gastrocolic reflex , a nerve signal that stimulates your colon . This works by activating stretch receptors inside the stomach, which detect how full the stomach is getting from a meal. The receptors then send the message down to the colon to make more room for incoming content by pushing everything onward and outward. The greater the trigger, the stronger the response. Small mini meals will not have this same effect. So, when trying to clear out constipation eat three more sizable meals each day to take advantage of this natural evacuation mechanism.

What is a sizeable meal? Its something that fills you up, but doesnt push you over the edge. One a scale of 1-10 hunger with 1 being famished and 10 being the fullest, you should be at about a 7. Also, its a meal, so it should include a good mix of fiber-filled carbohydrates , protein, and healthy fats .

Eat Enough Fat: Dont avoid all fats in an effort to lose weight. Fat stimulates the release of bile from the gall bladder, which naturally stimulates the movement of your intestines and facilitates propulsive contractions of your colon which helps get the waste out. Focus on healthy fats like nuts, avocados, olive oil, coconut oil, fatty fish, nut butters and full fat dairy.

You May Like: Peanut Butter Heartburn

What Are The Signs Of Bloating And How To Deal With It

Is your stomach is hard?If your tummy feels hard and tight, then you may be bloated as otherwise, our tummy feels soft.

Is there a constant change in stomach size?The constant switch in stomach size is another sign of being bloated too often and poor digestion. Many women get bloated before their periods and during the days of heavy flow. Constipation is also one of the reasons. So, keep a check on your food intake, constipation and belly size.

Only the stomach is bulgy?Another way to know if you are just bloated or gained weight is to see if you have more bulges in other parts of the body like under your arms, at your back and legs. If yes, then it is definitely the time to lose weight. But if you have just tummy bulging out then you have to work on releasing the extra gas.

How to deal with bloating?Manage stressManaging stress and anxiety with the help of yoga and meditation should help you as they can cause bloating. Stress can adversely affect digestion and can lead to gut-related issues including bloating. Stress puts pressure on digestion and imbalances hormone and neurotransmitters. This leads to an environment where foods that could normally be digested easily end up being digested poorly, leading to the production of gas and bloating.

Keep a check on your salt intakeToo much salt can lead to an excessive build-up of water in your stomach. So, try and avoid water retention by drinking more water and avoid salty foods.

Is It Bloating Or Belly Fat 4 Signs Which Will Help You Find The Difference

You might have had days when you thought that you have suddenly gained too much belly fat and then, ignores the feeling thinking it is just a baby fat until it enlarges and hardens your stomach giving you a feeling of uneasiness. Well, the fact is bulging stomach is not always a sign of weight gain or fat accumulation bloating can also be the main hidden culprit behind it.

Both fat and bloating are different from each other in terms of causes and potential health issues related to them. Therefore, it is very important to understand the difference between the two as any wrong approach in their treatment methods may cause harm to the person.

Here are a few signs which will help you identify the difference between belly fat and bloating.

Also Check: Do Bananas Make You Gassy

When Was The Last Time I Pooped

Being backed up‘ causes you to weigh more until your body releases the waste it’s holding onto, says Davis. And it can literally expand your stomach. While every womans regular is slightly different, if yours isnt on a pretty reliable schedule, its not regular. Irritable bowel syndrome, PMS, dehydration, low fiber intake, stress, sleep changes, and even traveling can all contribute, she says.

Is The Swelling Localized Or Widespread

To begin with, examine your stomach visually. Is the swelling localised, or can you identify bulges in other places on your body? If you answer yes to the former, you are most likely suffering from bloating that has targeted the stomach and the abdominal regions. If you notice additional bulges elsewhere and particularly on the thighs, hips and buttocks, however, you are probably carrying excess fat.

Recommended Reading: Align Digestive Care Probiotic

Is My Fish Pregnant Fat Or Just Bloated

Sometimes fish may appear swollen and larger than usual. Its important to know why your fish has a swollen belly. So, how can you determine if your fish is pregnant, fat, or just bloated?

First things First:

Youll need to identify the symptoms related to each condition. Fish may become fat or swollen due to pregnancy and develop a gravid spot. A bloated fish may have scales with a pinecone-like appearance. If none of these symptoms are present, your fish may just be getting fat.

In this guide, we will learn to distinguish a pregnant fish from a sick or fat one. Lets go!

What Causes Bloating

Bloating has several potential causes. Here are some of the more common triggers:

Gas buildup in the intestines. This is a common cause of bloating, but its also a symptom of other gastrointestinal issues or disorders. Speak with a doctor if you have concerns or if you have recurring or constant bloating.
Diet. Eating too much fiber, beans, dairy products, and other foods is a major cause of gas and bloating.
Constipation. Having infrequent or unproductive bowel movements means that stool stays in your colon longer than it should. Olesiak says this gives bacteria more time to ferment it, which leads to excess gas and bloating.
Inflammatory bowel disease. In Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis, inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract can trap gas and cause bloating.
Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth . With SIBO, an atypical increase of bacteria exists in the small intestine. When the colon has an imbalance of bacteria, known as dysbiosis, Olesiak says bacteria can overgrow into the small intestine. This leads to many digestive symptoms, including bloating.
Eating too quickly. Li says eating too quickly can temporarily cause you to feel bloated.
Other medical conditions. Certain medical conditions can make you feel bloated. Li says the following conditions can slow the transit of food in the gut, change the microbiome from healthy bacteria to unhealthy gas-producing bacteria, or cause constipation:

Recommended Reading: Probiotic Appetite Suppressant

When To See A Doctor

Bloating is rarely a sign of a serious medical problem. However, bloating that is chronic and doesn’t respond to changes in eating habits or OTC treatments sometimes is associated with certain diseases and conditions.

Bloating that is accompanied by abdominal pain, bloody stools, persistent diarrhea, or vomiting are especially concerning and can be a sign of any of a number of serious diseases and conditions, including colon cancer, bowel obstruction, celiac disease, and irritable bowel syndrome .

If you notice you’re frequently or constantly bloated or that you become bloated after eating certain foodsespecially those that contain wheat or dairymake an appointment to see your doctor. It will be helpful for them if you jot down when you’re most likely to experience bloating and under what circumstances.

Reduce Your Carbohydrate Intake

BLOATING vs. BELLY FAT: How to Spot The Difference and REVERSE Both!

In case you werenât aware, irritable bowel syndrome remains the most common digestive disorder in the world, affecting an estimated 14% of the global population . Bloating is a common symptom of this ailment, but even if you are not suffering from IBS, this conditions may offer an insight into the root cause of your problem.

More specifically, indigestible carbohydrates known as FODMAPS are known to drastically increase stomach bloating and exacerbate the symptoms of IBS, so reducing or at least modifying your carb intake can lead to a dramatic improvement in your condition over time.

You May Like: Do Bananas Help With Bloating

When Your Stomach Feels Hard

The next time you overeat, do feel your stomach. If it feels hard and tight, then you’re definitely bloated. The stomach, under usual circumstances, feels soft. It remains even after gaining weight. If you are able to gasp an inch of your stomach, then it can be because of excess fat.

Also read: These Are The Proteins You Need To Get A Flat Stomach

Create A Protein And Fibre Rich Body

The cultivation of a protein and fibre rich body can also help to reduce stomach fat over time. Protein is known to reduce unhealthy food cravings by 60%, for example, while also boosting metabolism by between 80 and 100 calories. A diet containing soluble and viscous fibres also triggers a slower and more effective digestion process, making you feel fuller for longer and maintaining a reduced, natural appetite.

Just remember that fibres are similar to carbohydrates in terms of their complexity, so you will need to determine which ingredients are the most conducive to fat and weight loss.

Also Check: What Does It Mean When You Keep Having Heartburn

Questions That Will Reveal Whether Youre Gaining Weightor Just Bloated

Weight gain doesnt happen all at once, but it often feels that way. One day you pull on a pair of pants that you havent worn since last falland ah, crap.

But are you really gaining weight or just dealing with some belly bloat? While youre probably hoping for the latter, these eight questions will help you identify the issueand fix it.

Consider If Your Bloating Is Lining Up With Your Menstrual Cycle

Bloated? Here Are 5 Tips to Help You Digest Fats & Get ...

If youre someone who has periods, thats another factor to track when youre looking for patterns in your bloating, says Dr. Cohen. A 2014 study in BMC Women’s Health asked 156 women about their gastrointestinal symptoms before and during their periods. The results showed that bloating was the most common GI-related symptom pre-menstruation and the second most common during menstruation. Unlike bloating due to digestive issues, bloating related to your period could happen because of fluid retention rather than gas.

Bloating thats connected to your menstrual cycle is pretty normal. But that doesnt make it much fun. If youve also noticed that certain foods make you feel bloated, consider limiting them in the days leading up to your period . To help reduce water retention, the Mayo Clinic recommends steps like curbing your salt intake if you think sodium may be a factor.

You May Like: Are Probiotics Good For Colitis

Has My Lifestyle Changed At All

Start off with some real talk: Assess whether or not weight gain may be a possibility in the first place, says Alex Caspero, R.D., owner of Delish Knowledge. Have your eating patterns changed? Activity habits? Stress levels? Even the smallest of lifestyle changesfrom getting an hour or two less sleep per night to taking a new medicationcan influence your caloric balance.

You’re Experiencing Other Chronic Symptoms

If you’re experiencing just bloating by itself, it’s probably no big deal, but if it consistently comes along with a slew of others symptoms, you’ll want to get checked out. “I recommend tracking your symptoms, including bloating, for a few weeks and then making an appointment with your doctor,”gut-health expert Robyn Youkilis tells Bustle. “The more information you have, the better able your doctor or other health care professional will be able to help you get to the root of your issue.”

Recommended Reading: What Does It Mean When You Keep Having Heartburn