10 Things We Hate About Bloat

9. "Period bloat actually sucks."

Hey babes, what’s up?! I’m Valentina and I’m just going to put it out there and say… period bloat actually sucks. I’m like at least 99.95% sure that I’m not alone when I say that when that time of the month rolls around, I know I’m gonna be down for the count for at least 2 days prior, and at least 3 days into it.

First of all, the cramps alone are enough to make anyone run for the hills. When they start.. I literally can’t sit still, I get massive headaches, my lower back feels like it needs to be cracked in 10 places and for some reason I feel like I need to go to the bathroom all the time #notcute. And I know I don't even get them as bad as other women.

Secondly, it makes me so freaking tired. I wake up feeling like I’ve slept for 10 minutes max and I just can’t ever seem to shake that gross, sluggish feeling. On top of that, the period bloat struggle is real. My tummy feels so hard and it’s actually impossible to try and suck it in… even if I try. Plus, wearing anything tight (or white) just isn’t an option.

Sooooo.... incase you haven’t guessed it, I used to be one of those girls that wallowed in self pity for the 5 days I had my period. That was until I started figuring out what I could do to make myself feel better… and trust me, as much as you might not wanna do some of these things… they actually do help.

The first thing is…. Exercise. Yep, I said it. And don’t hate me for it. It works. While exercise might be the last thing you want to do when you’re sitting at your desk hunched over and thinking about throwing in the towel and going home, hear me out. Getting up and about helps relax your muscles, which actually helps your cramps become less severe. It also gets everything moving (if you know what I mean) and makes you feel so much better. So for me, I usually try to walk around the block on my lunch break once every day, and then I try and get to the gym at least 2-3 times in that week to punch it out in the boxing ring. Ain’t nothin’ wrong with getting a little angry, letting it all out and kicking some ass.

I also make sure I bring a little hot water bottle to work. Not to put on my tummy, but to put on my chair behind my tailbone where I find I get really bad pains. I find it relieves the tension massively and acts as a little cushion as well. Plus it also makes me forget about my tummy for two seconds so that’s always a plus.

Hydration, hydration, hydration is also another massive thing. You’ll nod yourself and say "yes Valentina I know," but in reality most girls actually don’t drink enough water while their on their periods. It just helps keep you ticking along and I find the more water I drink the less sluggish I feel. It keeps your brain on point and also makes you feel a little less gross #winning.

Finally, my Flat Tummy Tea is my everything... for real. I never really thought there would be anything that could help me not look (and feel) like an actual heffalump while on my period until I started working here and tried it for myself. It’s crazy how it can keep your bloat under control even when it’s that time. Sure, I still have those days where the oversized jumper or dress needs to get whipped out, but that’s generally my own fault for eating everything in sight the night before. But if I want to wear a tight dress and not give a sh*t about bloat, Flat Tummy Tea has my back.