Why You’re Bloated (And Why It’s Not About Food Alone)

Most women assume bloating means something is wrong with their diet.

Too much bread. Not enough greens. Dairy, gluten, maybe FODMAPs.

But the truth is, it’s rarely just food.

When I moved to Dubai, my gut completely gave up on me.

I was eating well (or so I thought), but I was working two jobs, running on caffeine, training through exhaustion, and sleeping maybe five hours a night.

My stomach was so bloated it hurt to sit down. I couldn’t go to the toilet. My skin broke out. I felt sick after every meal. I ended up on Movicol just to function. I did tests for IBS and Crohn’s.

But what I really had was burnout.

Here’s what I wish I knew sooner:

Your gut doesn’t just digest food... it digests stress.

When cortisol stays high, digestion slows down.

Food sits longer, stomach acid drops, and your body stops absorbing nutrients.

That’s why you can “eat clean” and still feel awful.

The real fix isn’t restriction, it’s regulation.

What healed me wasn’t a cleanse or a supplement. It was:

✅ Cooking whole foods from scratch.

✅ Reducing training volume and intensity.

✅ Sleeping properly and setting boundaries.

✅ Drinking enough water and eating breakfast.

✅ Managing stress instead of ignoring it.

Once I rebuilt my routine, everything changed, my gut calmed down, my mood lifted, and my body trusted me again.

So if you’re constantly bloated, tired, or stuck in the cycle of restriction and guilt… stop blaming food.

Start asking: what’s my body trying to tell me?

Because your symptoms aren’t flaws, they’re feedback.

And when you listen to them, everything becomes easier: fat loss, training, recovery, even confidence.

Your body isn’t fighting against you. It’s fighting for you.

You just need to give it the right conditions to win.

🎧 Listen to the full story on The Fuelled Female

📲 And if you want my free Gut Health Reset Checklist, click here