A: Bloating can stem from a number of issues, says Kim Oddo, a trainer and competition coach based in Temecula, CA. “I run a checklist with my clients to home in on exactly where the issue is coming from.” This includes making sure they are getting enough essential fatty acids to aid digestion and adequate dietary fiber to push food through the intestines. He also looks for allergies to gluten, dairy, and sugars, which can cause bloating in the lower intestine, and makes sure dietary proteins aren’t too high (especially too many whey shakes, since whey can be processed too quickly, causing distention). But one of the easiest fixes is to drink more water, he adds, since the extra fluids help push waste through the intestines and alleviate belly bloat.
