Fit Girl Bloat: Why You’re Puffy, Not Fat (And What to Do About It)

You know that one friend who swears she has no idea why she's always bloated—but then you peep her IG stories and she's lifting heavy, running 5 miles, squeezing in a megaformer class, and posting her post-workout protein shake... every. single. day.

Let’s talk about it: Fit Girl Bloat is real. And no, it’s not just about what you're eating.

What Is Fit Girl Bloat? It’s that feeling (and look) of being puffy, swollen, or inflamed even when your routine is locked in. You’re eating clean, hitting your workouts, but your body looks... softer? Rounder? Less defined?

You’re not gaining fat. You’re likely retaining water and inflammation from a combination of overtraining, stress, and lack of lymphatic drainage.

Here’s the Real Deal:

1. Constant Cortisol from Daily Intensity

Running, lifting, HIIT, Megaformer—these are all stressors.

• Cortisol spikes from every intense session.

• Your body stays in "fight or flight" with no time to shift into rest and digest.

• Cortisol tells your body to hold onto water and store energy (aka puff up).

2. Running and HIIT Specifically? Yes, They Cause Bloat Too.

Even though they burn calories, these workouts stress the system.

• Jostling your digestion: Running especially can disrupt your gut, leading to gas and bloating.

• Inflammation: Muscles get microtears, which your body repairs using water and nutrients—causing swelling.

• Dehydration or electrolyte imbalance: Your body holds water when it doesn’t feel safe.

3. Core-Intensive Workouts = No Drainage

Megaformer workouts, planks, ab circuits—they keep the abdominal wall tight.

• The lymphatic system relies on relaxed movement and breath.

• A constantly tight core = stagnant lymph.

• The puffiness isn’t fat—it’s fluid your body can’t move.

4. Heavy Lifting (especially compound movements like squats & deadlifts):
Lifting heavy is powerful—but intense sessions create tiny tears in your muscles, triggering inflammation and temporary swelling. If you’re always lifting with no lymphatic support or light movement to flush it out, you stay inflamed and retain fluid. The result isn’t fat—it’s post-lift puff.

So What Happens When You Do This Every Day?

You layer stress on stress. Workout after workout, with no time to:

• Flush out inflammation

• Recover fully

• Digest properly

• Let the lymphatic system do its job

Add that to eating on the go, shallow breathing, and skipping recovery walks?

You’re not just sore. You’re swollen. You’re walking around with Fit Girl Bloat 24/7.

Myth: "I Need to Train Harder to Tighten Up" Actually? That keeps you inflamed.

What you need:

• Recovery walks (aim for 7-10k steps daily)

• Breathwork to move your diaphragm and lymph

• Lymphatic tools like gua sha, dry brushing, body cupping

• Stretching, massage, sauna

• Hydration and minerals

• Anti-inflammatory foods and teas

The grind doesn’t always get you snatched—sometimes it gets you swollen.

Mini Myth Busters

• “I’m bloated because I ate carbs.” → No girl, it’s the non-stop tension.

• “I just need to add abs.” → Your abs are already working overtime.

• “I don’t have time for recovery.” → Then you don’t have time for results.

Thoughts: You don’t need to stop training. You need to recover like it’s your job.

Tight doesn’t come from tension. It comes from balance.

Flow first. Snatch second.