Bloating can hit us in our waistline, face, fingers, and ankles making us feel puffy and uncomfortable. But the good news is that we can deflate that bloat with a few quick changes and have you feeling leaner and more like yourself by the weekend.

1. Drink up!
While it may sound counter intuitive to push out the water you’re retaining with more water, it is the most effective line of defense for bloating. Drinking more water will actually flush out the extra fluid you’re holding onto and help you deflate. Add in a slice of lemon or cucumber for some extra flavor. And skip the bubbles, the carbonation in club soda and sparking water may cause you to feel even more bloated and gassy thanks to those air bubbles.

2. Switch your starch.
Refined white bread products, like white bread, pasta, rice, and cereal will make you hold onto water. Instead ditch them and aim for whole grain bread or brown rice because these items are less processed and are high in fiber. Fiber will fight constipation and gas, which can contribute to that bloating feeling and help your belly feel flatter and leaner.

3. Pack in the potassium.
Potassium is a nutrient that actually helps our bodies debloat. Our bodies often like to retain water due to the amount of sodium we consume from various foods in our diet and potassium helps push that extra sodium and water out. So add in a combination of spinach, avocados, mushrooms, squash, sweet potatoes, edamame, beet greens, swiss chard, and bananas to your day and watch them work their magic. You can find some great recipes for these potassium-rich foods at bznutritionny.com

Whether you have a wedding, a hot date, or night out with the girls, or just night in at home, these tips will have you feeling leaner and flatter by Saturday. Have more questions, email me at Brigitte@bznutritionny.com or find me on Instagram @brigittezrd.