These are the best supplements, topicals, and lifestyle hacks to reduce puffiness and increase muscle definition for the summer!
What’s keeping you from seeing the results you’ve been working hard for? It might be bloating. Many people see puffiness around their abdomen and assume it’s body fat, but it’s actually something far easier to manage.
Try these science-backed, athlete-beloved techniques this year, and your reward might be more defined abs and muscles all summer – and better digestion and energy levels every day.
Prioritize gut health with colostrum
Look around at articles online these days, and you’ll see “gut health” mentioned as a factor in pretty much everything. Your immunity, mood and mental health, energy performance, body fat levels – they can all be affected by the good and bad bugs in your intestinal tract.
This can extend to bloating, too! If the balance of your intestinal flora is out of whack, or you’re suffering from intestinal permeability, then it can result in puffiness, inflammation and bloating in your abdomen – and everywhere else.
So what’s the answer? Nearly everyone can benefit from a one-two punch of:
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Probiotic and gut-friendly foods like kefir, kimchi, yogurt, sauerkraut
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Gut-friendly supplements like colostrum
Colostrum has been shown to strengthen the intestinal lining, which can help to reduce inflammation and bloating. Many people (especially women) start taking SteelFit First Milking Bovine Colostrum for its immune benefits, but we’ve heard over and over again that the reduction of bloating is a huge reason why they keep taking it for weeks and months afterward!
Keep training… and walking!
When you’re feeling bloated or puffy, it can seem like there’s no point in continuing to exercise hard. After all, you’re not SEEING the results, right? But research supports the idea that exercise is actually a great way to reduce abdominal bloating. And one form of exercise really stands out.
In a recent study, subjects (and especially women!) showed notable reductions in bloating when people simply went for a quick walk after meals. Sounds too easy to work? It’s not! In fact, it’s a favorite summer prep technique of personal trainer and SteelFit Athlete Morgan Shapiro.
“Walking is an underrated tool,” she says. “It boosts daily calorie burn without adding unnecessary stress to the body. It supports fat loss without interfering with recovery, sleep, or muscle maintenance.”
Have an anti-bloat smoothie (or two)
A tried and true way to control bloating is to have a nutrient-rich, fiber-rich smoothie packed with fruits and veggies. But you can make it even more effective by adding another ingredient.
Taking 20g of collagen daily has actually been shown in recent studies to reduce bloating and improve digestive symptoms, especially in women. But don’t expect magic from a single smoothie. The subjects experienced the greatest benefits when they had a daily collagen smoothie for several weeks.
Don’t want to have a huge, filling smoothie? That’s fine; just have half of it! The subjects in the study split their daily 20g of collagen into two doses and still experienced these benefits.
Use Skin-Toning Topicals
When the goal is to look great for the beach, most of us focus only on what’s going on under the skin – like body fat. And that’s important, for sure! But toning and tightening the skin can also pay huge dividends in boosting muscle definition and reducing bloating. That’s why they’re an essential part of Shapiro’s beach prep.
“In addition to using Abs of Steel Fat-Burning Cream and Buns of Steel Cellulite Reduction Cream before cardio, I also use Steel Fit + Tone Total Body Toning Lotion every day after the shower to help hydrate my skin, reduce the appearance of stretch marks, and improve overall skin tone,” she says. “Hydrated skin not only looks tighter but also holds a tan better — and when you’re aiming for that swimsuit-ready look, healthy, glowing skin makes a huge difference.”
Use a diuretic… the right way
It can be tempting to reach for a diuretic supplement anytime you feel bloated or heavy. But these are powerful tools that need to be used a specific way to experience their benefits.
To get the most out of a diuretic like Hydra Steel All-Natural Diuretic, use all of these other techniques for at least a couple months FIRST. Then, start taking the diuretic no more than two weeks before your “big day.” And while you’re taking it, be sure to drink plenty – like at least 6-8 large glasses of water each day.
Start with the fundamentals to reduce bloating. Then dial in the details with a diuretic. That’s the formula for dropping a few jaws this summer!
