What to Wear to the Gym When You Feel Bloated – Showing Up Anyway
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By Sophie @ STRYDE
Some days, it isn’t confidence you’re missing - it’s comfort. Bloating can turn the simplest gym session into a silent battle. Your leggings feel tighter, your reflection feels louder, and suddenly you’re questioning whether it's even worth going. But bloating doesn’t make you unfit. It makes you human. And showing up on days like these isn’t weak - it’s powerful.
Here’s how I handle bloated gym days, not by hiding, but by dressing for movement, not appearance.
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Comfort Begins Before Confidence
When you’re bloated, confidence doesn’t start in the mirror - it starts in your clothes. On these days, high-compression or restrictive fabrics can feel like armour you didn’t ask to wear. I reach for soft, high-waist leggings with stretch that moves *with* me, not against me. The goal isn’t to sculpt. It’s to breathe.
Bloat isn’t a flaw to disguise. It’s a feeling to accommodate.
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Loose Layers Aren’t Hiding, They’re Strategy
There’s a difference between hiding your body and protecting your comfort. An oversized tee, an open hoodie, a lightweight pump cover - these aren’t signs of insecurity. They’re armour. They give you a few extra inches of peace so you can focus on lifting, not adjusting.
Some days, I need fitted. Other days, I need flow. Both are valid.
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Movement Over Mirrors
Bloating can make the gym mirror feel like the enemy, amplifying every curve and crease you’d rather not see. On these days, I avoid angled mirrors and focus on form. I choose strength cues over physique checks. “How does this feel?” instead of “How do I look?”
Because when I’m bloated, progress isn’t measured in definition - it’s measured in resilience.
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Showing Up Still Counts
You don’t owe anyone a ‘shredded’ version of yourself to deserve your workout. The women who impress me most are the ones who still train on their off days - soft stomach, low energy, bloated and present. That’s not weakness. That’s discipline without punishment.
If you only show up on the days you feel lean, you’ll miss half your strength.
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We don’t dress to impress on bloated days.
We dress to cope, to move, to respect the body we’re in - even when it feels unfamiliar.
Showing up isn’t about how you look. It’s about refusing to disappear.
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By Sophie @ STRYDE