Pelvic Floor, Bloating, or Both? Why It’s Not Always “Just Weight”

Pelvic floor and core strength isn’t just about looks. It’s about being able to lift your baby or carry your toddler without strain, move car seats, jump, laugh, and not worry about leaks. Many women silently struggle with these physical challenges, and too often they’re brushed off as part of motherhood or aging. But they’re not something you have to accept.

That heavy, distended feeling in your belly? It’s not always weight gain. More often, it’s bloating — and it can stem from deeper root causes like a sluggish liver, low stomach acid, or bacterial overgrowth in the gut.

Many women don’t realize how much bloating and weakened pelvic floor muscles can overlap. If you’ve been feeling like your body has changed, or if your midsection just feels different — less strong, more inflamed, heavier — this is your sign to explore what’s really going on.

Inside The Graceful Strength Method, we break down what’s truly behind unwanted weight gain, bloating, and pelvic floor challenges — and how to approach healing from the inside out.

Let’s take a closer look at the two common issues that may be at play.

What’s Really Behind Bloating?

Bloating can be incredibly uncomfortable. It affects how we move, how our clothes fit, and how confident we feel in our bodies. And when it becomes chronic, it can even lead to food fear — questioning every bite, every ingredient, wondering what’s causing the distension.

But bloating is not the same as body fat, even if it looks or feels like it. And most of the time, it’s not your fault. It’s the result of internal imbalances that can be supported and reversed with the right approach.

Here are three of the biggest root causes behind chronic bloating:

1. A Sluggish Liver
   According to Medical Medium, a sluggish liver is often overloaded by toxins, adrenaline, high-fat diets, and chronic exposure to pathogens and environmental pollutants. When the liver can’t filter properly, digestion slows down and bloating worsens.
   
   Fatty meals, caffeine, stress, and processed foods all play a role. But even emotional stress and trauma can trigger adrenaline spikes that impair digestion. Many women find their symptoms intensify during the holidays, busy seasons, or emotionally charged times of life.
   
   Supporting the liver with fresh fruits, leafy greens, cucumber juice, and key herbs can help reduce bloating by restoring balance to the body’s filtration system.
2. Low Hydrochloric Acid (HCL)
   Low stomach acid is another major cause of bloating, even though conventional medicine often treats it with acid blockers.
   
   Without enough hydrochloric acid, food ferments in the stomach instead of digesting efficiently. This leads to ammonia permeability — a condition where the intestinal tract fills with gas, causing cramping, discomfort, and visible distension.
   
   To support stomach acid production, celery juice is one of the best tools available. Consumed on an empty stomach, it can help raise HCL levels naturally while also cleansing the digestive tract.
3. Chronic Streptococcus Bacteria
   Streptococcus bacteria — especially antibiotic-resistant strains — are behind many cases of chronic bloating, SIBO, and gut issues. These bacteria can be inherited or picked up during life through intimate contact, contaminated food, or exposure to shared environments.
   
   Even when antibiotics are prescribed, the strep strains often remain active in the system. As they feed on undigested food, they release byproducts that irritate the gut and contribute to chronic bloat.
   
   This is where herbs like cat’s claw, goldenseal, thyme, and oregano can be helpful. Antibacterial support — alongside a diet that minimizes fat and strengthens digestion — is essential for long-term healing.

Nutritional Support for Bloating

Try incorporating or considering the following supportive tools:

• Celery juice daily on an empty stomach
• Peppermint tea and papaya
• Leafy greens, onions, oranges, and kiwis
• Ginger, garlic, and the Heavy Metal Detox Smoothie
• Supplements such as zinc, B12, vitamin C, monolaurin, and magnesium
• Lowering a high-fat diet to support the liver and reduce digestive burden

Pelvic Floor Weakness: More Than Just Postpartum

While bloating comes from internal imbalances, pelvic floor issues are structural — but just as important to address.

Pelvic floor strength impacts our ability to move through life with ease. Weakness in this area can result in:

(Please keep in mind that many of these symptoms also overlap with other underlying issues and factors as well):

• Diastasis recti (abdominal separation)
• Urinary incontinence — leaking urine when sneezing, coughing, laughing, running, or jumping
• Difficulty lifting, bending, or carrying children
• A heavy, dragging, or bulging sensation in the pelvic area
• Feeling like you can’t fully empty your bladder or bowels
• Constipation or straining during bowel movements
• Lower back pain or a sense of instability when lifting
• Pain or discomfort during intimacy
• Frequent urge to urinate, even if little comes out
• Poor posture or slouching, especially after sitting or holding kids for long periods
• Feeling “disconnected” from your core — like you’ve lost strength or control in your midsection
• Prolapse or downward pressure in the pelvic region

These symptoms are common, but they’re not normal.

Whether you’ve had a vaginal delivery, a C-section, or haven’t had children at all, your pelvic floor may need support. Age, stress, hormone changes, viral loads, and daily habits can all contribute to weakening.

Strengthening this area isn’t just for postpartum recovery — it’s a core part of functional movement and long-term vitality.

How to Support Your Pelvic Floor

Gentle, intentional movement is the foundation of rebuilding strength. That’s why The Graceful Strength Method includes daily practices that restore both function and confidence.

This program is a comprehensive approach to rebuilding your strength, reshaping your body, and supporting your skin naturally. It’s perfect for postpartum recovery, perimenopause, and busy moms seeking natural wellness solutions. You can explore it here: The Graceful Strength Method.

Inside the program and in my daily practice, I teach:

• How to properly engage your core without strain
• Movements that restore pelvic floor integrity
• How to identify and reverse diastasis recti
• Techniques that support posture, circulation, and healing
• Support for bloating, digestion, and hormone balance

No matter your age or experience, it’s never too late to build strength — and it doesn’t require intense workouts or gym time.

Which One Is It — Or Is It Both?

If you’re unsure whether you’re dealing with bloating, pelvic floor weakness, or both, know that you’re not alone.

So many women look in the mirror and don’t recognize their own bodies — wondering why their belly feels swollen or uncomfortable, why their pants don’t fit the same, or why lifting their toddler feels harder than it used to.

In reality, both issues often coexist. Weak core muscles can’t support proper digestion, and bloating can stretch and stress the abdominal wall. Supporting one often helps the other — and healing is absolutely possible.

You deserve to feel strong, steady, and confident in your body again.

Join me inside The Graceful Strength Method and let’s take that next step together.