It’s the same thing, different party. You’re having your favorite drink, a White Claw, a Twisted Tea, a Corona (not light) and who even knows what was in that punch at that party, probably a splash of vodka to every cup of sugar. You stumble to the bar of the night with your friends, do some chatting with the boy handing out shots to his friends and one thing leads to the next. As the night progresses, the worse your stomach starts to feel and you’re not sure if you’ll be able to make it through your potential one-night stand. These tips and tricks will help you calm your bloat before, during and after your night out.
“Skinnies” as a mixer
This is the mixer calorie counters have all been looking for. These packets are like crystal lights for water but for alcohol and anything else your little heart desires. They come in different flavors to go with numerous types of alcohol, even Prosecco, so you can bring them to your day drink without wondering how aggressive the punch might be this time. Slip some in your bag or jacket pocket, order your drink straight or with water and mix it up at the bar, lowering your calorie intake and eliminating carbonation from your mixed drink.
Skip the straw
Although some may believe that drinking through a straw may get you drunk faster, it is also said to cause excess bubbles to enter into your belly because of the extra air you’re sucking in through the straw. Pass up the straw the next time you’re getting a drink from an open bar to eliminate any stomach pains caused by the excess gas for a more comfortable night.
Don’t mix your beverage with a carbonated mixer
Although seltzer may have little-to-no calories and it might be your go-to mixer for the night, it may be causing that bloating and indigestion feeling you get after a night of drinking it. White Claws and Trulys definitely will make you full quickly and you won’t be feeling any relief before the night ends. If you like vodka crans, skip the seltzer and replace it with lime juice to mask the alcohol flavor. You’ll feel less bloated and won’t have to sacrifice the taste of a good drink.
Keep up your water intake
Water helps keep down the bloating because when you’re dehydrated, your body tries to retain as much water in it as possible. Another plus is that the more you drink, the more toxins your body will get rid of, so all those drinks from the night will get out of your body faster.
Skip the pre-pregame cardio
A lot of people are under the impression that a quick cardio session or a weightlifting session will help us look extra slim before getting ready to go out, but that seems to not be the case. Sometimes after a hard sweat session in a group fitness class or a StairMaster workout will make you feel more bloated afterward. This is because your body is trying to retain as much water as it just released through sweating, causing you to feel this way. If you’re looking for a way to get a gym session in without the bloated feeling, try doing a low intensity or low impact workout like yoga.
Once you get home from wherever the night has led you and you’re still feeling a little bloated, here are some “after hours” tips to help:
Add some turmeric to your diet
Turmeric is an anti-inflammatory, so taking a turmeric pill or adding loose turmeric powder to your tea will keep the bloating down in your gut and it’s also a great detoxifier. You can add this to your drink before you go out to keep down the bloat when you get back from the night.
Incorporate ginger into your diet
If you’re not feeling well after a night out, or your last White Claw has finally caught up to you, try adding some ginger to your tea. You can buy the powder at the store or there are ginger pills available as well. It’s great for your immune system and it helps alleviate gas as well as bloating, so incorporating it into your daily diet could be beneficial.