Here’s why you’re always bloated by the end of the workday

If you’ve never performed the ceremonial task of unbuttoning your jeans once the late afternoon bloat comes around, you’re either lying or simply have some serious will power.

So, what’s the deal with this 3 p.m. meh feeling that has us counting down the hours until it’s no-pants time? We asked Eliza Savage, RD at Middleberg Nutrition to share some tips to reduce the bloat.

“In practice, I find that the biggest offenders for afternoon bloat are excessively large salads containing various gas-producing vegetables at lunchtime, lingering food intolerances such as dairy and gluten, and too much seltzer,” she adds. So you mean, you can’t just drink five seltzers and call that hydration?

Another part of your daily intake that might affect your midday discomfort is the amount of grains you’re ingesting. “For many people, grains can be difficult to digest,” Savage says. “From a more macro perspective, eliminating grains from the diet automatically reduces intake of unhealthy, cheap foods that contain processed flours and sugar, it also promotes active participation in food preparation and label reading,” she adds.

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Before you cross off all your favorites from your snack-time lineup, though, we have good news: FitJoy Grain-Free Pretzels nix the grains that can potentially be the culprit of your unwanted bloating—so your fave salty, crunchy snack-time classic is still on the table. Plus, with cassava and chickpea flour plus Himalayan pink sea salt, it’s got wholesome ingredients you can read.

Scroll down for 3 ways to reduce bloating at work—without sacrificing your snack game.

1. Eat smaller, more frequent meals

Rather than loading up on three large meals only, Savage suggests preparing snacks that provide a variety of nutritional value in between. “For an afternoon snack fix, I recommend a mix of protein or healthy fats (hard-boiled egg, nuts, seeds, nut butter, avocado) and a fruit or veggie,” she says.

If you want to minimize your time in the kitchen, opt for a grab-and-go munchie like a pack of FitJoy pretzels. They’ll help keep you satiated until you make it to the finish line (AKA the end of the day).

2. Go on an afternoon walk

Need another excuse to leave the office and enjoy the sunshine? Savage has you and your Vitamin D levels covered. “Use your 3 p.m. coffee break as an excuse to get in a few more steps,” she says.  “Movement helps to stimulate digestion and will help to beat the bloat.”

And if you’re still feeling some lingering stomach pains, Savage recommends adding in some seated spinal twists that’ll massage away the locked-in gas. Did you just complete a workout at work?

3. Opt for plain water

Who doesn’t love throwing back a few cold, refreshing seltzers to make the work day less of a drag? (Lots of love for carbonation.) But your afternoon bubbles obsession might be taking a toll on your digestive system.

“The fizz may be fun, but it can easily contribute to bloat, so stick to one seltzer per day max,” Savage says. Yeah, it might sound hard in theory, but your not-so-rumbly tummy will be completely on board.

In partnership with FitJoy

Top photo: BONNINSTUDIO/Stocksy