I struggled with weight loss for about a decade before finally seeing my abs.

What’s interesting is that for the majority of the time, you wouldn’t be able to tell how thin or fat I was just by looking at me clothed.

Perks of living in skinny-fat land.

But hey, if you look thin enough with clothes, problems are solved, right?

WRONG.

Let me introduce you to my arch-nemesis.

THE BLOAT.

If you have dealt with any sort of body image issues, you already know that dreaded feeling of waking up and looking 10 times worse than usual.

It’s like all the french fries and desserts have decided to team up and hit you on the same day.

And the worst part is that they know where to attack.

YOUR STOMACH AND FACE.

This happened way too frequently and I realized there were only 2 possible options I had going forward:

1. Stop eating tasty food

2. Figure out a way to manage bloating and puffiness for an event

Before you say “Just eat junk food in moderation”, I’ve tried and it doesn’t work.

Also, there is just something about the greasiness or sugar in “junk” food that alters my body composition visually, for the worse, even if I just consume a few 100 calories.

So my only solution was to figure out how I could manage my appearance ahead of an event; or risk looking like an egg in every picture?? 

Don’t get me wrong, you can’t keep hacking your way to look lean. 

And you can’t get a fat person to look thin with any sort of short-term nutrition manipulation.

But I wasn’t looking for a solution to get ripped quickly.

I just wanted to ensure I look decent in an outfit and in pictures on a certain day.

So my experimentation began.

Guaranteed Way To Fail 

Before I tell you what worked for me, let me tell you what is definitely NOT going to work;

1. Inconsistent sleep routine or fewer hours of sleep 3 days before an event 

2. Dehydration or low water intake 

If you do any of the above, I’m sorry to let you know, you have already reduced your chances of looking your best in the following days.

While consistent sleep hours and hydration are key for reaching your fitness goals, they are uncompromisable if you intend to look a certain way in the short term.

Experimenting With Fasting 

I started experimenting with fasting before events.

Sounds very logical to begin with.

Best way to look thin on a specific day?

Don’t eat the previous day.

Turns out, life doesn’t work that way.

For someone who already didn’t have the best relationship with food, fasting just triggered my stress response.

High stress led to elevated cortisol levels and this in turn made my body retain even more water.

Not just that, some glycogen depletion from my muscles made me look even more skinny-fat, and the fact that I was starved just showed up on my face.

All in all, I looked worse.

And if you know this feeling, you know this feeling.

Lesson: Don’t starve yourself before an event 

Experimenting With No Carb 

My next attempt was cutting out carbs for a day or two before an event.

This seemed like a fix for the starvation problem.

I rationalized that now I was still eating the previous day, just cutting out carbs.

Now, as someone who eats a carb-heavy diet, cutting out carbs drastically led me down the same path as fasting.

High stress > High Cortisol > Water Retention

Don’t forget the lightheadedness that comes along with drastically cutting carbs.

And of course, cutting carbs is a sure shot way to deplete glycogen from your muscles and look and feel even more skinny fat.

Lesson: Don’t drastically cut out carbs before an event 

How I Finally Managed Bloating and Puffiness 

I was stubborn enough to not give up on my experimentation, and after countless permutations and combinations, here’s what finally worked for me.

1. Eating at a slight 300-500 calorie deficit for at least 3 days before the event (Not too aggressive but below maintenance)

2. Cutting out gluten from my diet at least 3 days before the event (This was key)

3. Eating a moderate-carb diet. (Not low, not high, but ensuring I’m eating carbs leading up to the event)

4. Doing at least 30 minutes of Low-Intensity Steady State Cardio on a machine at least 3 days before  an event (Not just walking outdoors) 

5. Ensuring I’m getting 8 hours of sleep at least 3 days before the event 

6. Ensuring I’m very well hydrated leading up to the event (Takes conscious effort)

7. Ensuring I am consuming enough fiber at least 3 days before the event (This is crucial but the right amount is an art and not a science)

Conclusion 

Now while this 7 step process can sound cumbersome, it’s what’s given me the best results on a short-term basis.

It just gives you a little extra tightness so you can focus on more important things.

That said, the real game-changer is Confidence.

If you are confident, bloat or no bloat, you will be able to steal the show.

So while I do think these tips definitely help with the outward presentation, confidence exudes an aura that overpowers vanity, and hence should be what you need to be working on long term.

Beauty standards evolve, and most probably will only get more unrealistic over time.

So while you work on your body, it is equally, or more so important, to work on your mindset.

Overcoming body image issues is a process, and I believe that losing weight plays a huge part in it.

But if you think losing weight alone will fix your problems, you are setting yourself up for a huge disappointment.

I hope these tips help you show up to an event feeling secure and confident.

Until next time,

Vinay Kodnani 

New reader? You can learn more about me here.