You added chia seeds to your breakfast, remembered to take your probiotic, swapped your usual snack for a fiber bar, and tossed a generous handful of greens into your lunch. On paper, you’re checking all the “good for you” boxes. So why do you feel so bloated when you’re doing everything “right”?
First, the reassuring news: Feeling bloated after making healthy changes doesn’t automatically mean those habits are “bad” for you, or that your body’s rejecting your new routine. In many cases, it simply means your digestive system may need a little time (or a gentler pace) to adjust, explains Chicago-based gastroenterologist Andrew Moore, M.D.
While there’s no need to panic every time your stomach feels slightly inflated, it’s important to understand what may be setting your gut off. This way, you can make changes in a way your system can tolerate (and know when something’s worth bringing up to your doctor).
Ahead, gut-health experts explain which well-intentioned habits are most at fault for bloating and how to build a healthier routine without wreaking havoc on your digestive system.
- ABOUT OUR EXPERTS: Andrew Moore, M.D., is a Chicago-based gastroenterologist. Avery Zenker, R.D., is a registered dietitian and owner of Avery Zenker Nutrition. Marilia Chamon, Dip.N.T., m.F.N.T.P., is a London- and New York-based nutritionist and gut health expert. Jenna Volpe, R.D.N., L.D., C.L.T., is a functional dietitian and founder of Whole-istic Living in Austin, TX.
What’s Actually Happening When You Feel Bloated
Bloating is not abnormal, clinically speaking, but it can indicate a few different issues—some serious, some harmless.
“Bloating happens when gas or pressure builds up in the digestive tract faster than the body can move it through,” says Moore. Some of that gas is a normal part of digestion. When you eat certain carbohydrates and fibers, bacteria in the gut ferment them and produce gas in the process. For some people, this feels like fullness or pressure after eating. For others, it’s more like gas, burping, and a distended stomach.
While these symptoms can be benign, they’re pretty uncomfortable. When stool backs up in the colon, it makes everything feel more crowded, Moore explains. Constipation, slower gut motility, and even fluid retention can all contribute to that tight, full feeling, adds registered dietitian Avery Zenker, R.D.
Bloating can also be tied to what experts call visceral hypersensitivity. In this condition, nerves in the digestive tract respond more intensely to normal digestive activity. Moore notes that bloating can also be linked to underlying medical conditions, including irritable bowel syndrome, celiac disease, constipation, gastroparesis, and inflammatory bowel disease.
Read More: I Tried Kiwi Chews To Alleviate Constipation—And They Actually Worked
These many possibilities are part of what makes bloating so frustrating. It doesn’t always follow an obvious pattern, explains Moore. “Dietary factors, sleep, stress issues, hormonal fluctuations, constipation, etc., can all play a role, so it’s difficult to tease these things out,” he says.
The Habits Most Likely To Cause Bloating
Not every healthy habit is a bloating culprit, of course, but here are a few of the most common ones experts say can backfire—plus how to make them a little easier on your gut.
1. Increasing Fiber Too Quickly
Most of us could use more fiber. In fact, according to the American Society for Nutrition, just 7% of U.S. adults meet fiber recommendations (about 25 grams per day for women and 38 grams per day for men).
That said, if your gut isn’t used to much fiber, piling it on too quickly can make things uncomfortable fast. As Moore explains, that sudden increase gives gut bacteria more fiber to ferment. The fermentation process creates extra gas, pressure, and bloating.
Moore recommends increasing fiber slowly over a few weeks instead of trying to hit your goal all at once. Consider adding about 5 grams per week and sticking with one new higher-fiber food at a time. And, because fiber pulls water into the digestive tract, Moore advises aiming for at least two liters of water per day.
The same “start smaller than you think” logic applies to fiber supplements, too. If a label suggests one to two teaspoons up to three times daily, Moore says he often advises patients to start with just one teaspoon daily, see how they tolerate it for a week, and build from there.
2. Consuming Way Too Much Protein
It’s hard to scroll through social media (or even order a coffee) without being reminded that we’re all supposed to eat plenty of protein. While protein absolutely matters, more is not always easier on your stomach. In fact, high amounts of proteins can actually lead to gas and bloating, warns Moore.
Read More: Are The New Protein Dietary Guidelines Right For You? Here’s How To Know
If protein supplements are a regular part of your routine and bloating is a regular part of your life, Moore recommends checking ingredient lists. Watch out for things like sugar alcohols (such as sorbitol, xylitol, and erythritol), as well as added fibers, which may be harder to digest. And if you’re sensitive to dairy, try making the switch from whey protein to a plant-based alternative.
“You might also feel better using a smaller serving, choosing a simpler formula, or spreading protein more evenly across meals instead of trying to cram half your day’s intake into one giant smoothie,” he adds.
3. Eating Tons Of Raw Vegetables
Yes, vegetables are good for you, but the saying “everything in moderation” wins here. “Cruciferous vegetables are nutrient-dense and known for their health benefits, but eating too much can contribute to bloating,” says Zenker. “Cruciferous veggies contain sulfur compounds that increase gas production in the gut—plus, they require more effort for the digestive system to break down, which can also cause bloating.”
A simple fix: Cook some of your vegetables. “Steaming, roasting, and sautéing help break down plant fibers and can make veggies easier to tolerate,” says nutritionist and gut health expert Marilia Chamon, Dip.NT, mFNTP. “If you’re in a bloaty season, a warm bowl with cooked greens may go down a lot better than a massive raw salad.”
4. Leaning Hard On Legumes
Beans, chickpeas, and lentils are often framed as gold standards for plant-based eating. After all, they contain fiber, plant protein, and plenty of nutrients. The issue is that they’re also highly fermentable. Again, this means they produce gas as gut bacteria break them down, explains Chamon.
While there’s no need to cut legumes out of your diet, serving size and preparation matter. If legumes leave you bloated, Chamon recommends starting with smaller portions. “Rinse canned beans well, soak dried beans overnight, and consider building up gradually rather than going from ‘occasional hummus’ to ‘bean bowl for lunch every day.’”
5. Constant Grazing
The “small, frequent meals” thing has had a very long run, but for some people, eating every hour or two can quietly work against digestion, especially if bloating is already an issue.
Functional dietitian Jenna Volpe, R.D.N., L.D., C.L.T., says this has to do with the migrating motor complex (MMC). This wave-like movement pattern helps sweep debris and bacteria through the small intestine between meals. It runs on a three- to five-hour cycle and works best during fasting periods between eating. “Every time we break the fast (take a bite of food) between meals, the MMC cycle must reboot from the beginning,” she says. If this happens regularly, it can increase your risk of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), a common culprit of bloat, she explains.
6. Exercising intensely too soon after eating
A post-meal walk can be one of the best things for your digestion (not to mention your blood sugar), but a three-mile run right after lunch might do the opposite.
After you eat, your body needs time (i.e. a few hours) to break down and absorb the carbs, protein, fats, and other nutrients in a meal. “When we exercise, it diverts blood flow and nervous system activity away from the digestive organs, to the legs, heart, and lungs, essentially shifting us out of ‘rest and digest’ mode into ‘fight or flight’ mode,” says Volpe. When your digestive system doesn’t get the blood flow it needs, it can leave undigested food hanging around. This gets fermented, causing gas and bloating. If you’re prone to bloating, save the higher-intensity workouts for a few hours after a full meal.
7. Intermittent fasting
Intermittent fasting has a multitude of benefits, but it can also backfire for bloating. When you shrink your eating window, you’re asking your gut to handle a lot of food in a shorter amount of time, explains Zenker. That matters because your digestive tract can only process so much at once.
“It’s recommended to have an overnight fast of at least 10 hours to promote healthy digestion, but when the fasting period extends further into the day, like 16 hours or more, there’s a shorter eating window,” she says. “When the eating window is small, the volume of food consumed during that time can cause bloating and distention.”
Read More: The Best Natural Ways To Ease Bloating
If longer fasts leave you bloated, overly full, or eating huge meals to “catch up,” Zenker suggests trying a wider eating window and more evenly spaced meals.
Keeping an Eye on Bloating When You’re Doing Everything “Right”
A little digestive weirdness can happen any time you change your diet or supplement routine, notes Moore. The important question is whether symptoms are improving over time.
“Mild-to-moderate bloating in the first week or two of a genuine dietary change is often a normal adjustment response,” he says. But if after three to four weeks nothing has shifted, Chamon recommends reconsidering your approach. “Some symptoms to pay attention to include abdominal pain, excessive flatulence or belching, or altered bowel movements, like diarrhea or constipation,” says Zenker. “Red flag symptoms include vomiting, unintentional weight loss, bloody stool, extreme chronic bloating, or rock-hard abdomen.”
Unsure if your bloating is a harmless transition phase—or a sign of something more serious? A healthcare provider can help you figure it out. Don’t be shy about bringing up digestive issues with your doctor.