How I Finally Ended My Struggle With Bloating & Reached A Healthy Weight*

Of course, I wholeheartedly believe in the concept of body positivity—that we need to feel good in our bodies, that each and every one of us has our own definition of "healthy weight." No one should be ashamed of being overweight, full stop. At the same time, it's important to reflect on how it can affect overall health.

I'm an open book here at mindbodygreen: Many of you might know how yoga saved me from back surgery or how supplements helped take my homocysteine down from 63 to 12. Here's something you probably don't know: I've also struggled with my weight. 

After a season-ending basketball injury in my freshman year of college, my weight went from 240 pounds to 273 pounds. I followed a restricted diet during the summer to return to my baseline in time for my sophomore season, only to gain 10 pounds back. And the moment the season ended, my weight skyrocketed once again, by way of too much partying and late-night pizza.

Bloating and irregularity were also major challenges for me: The photo from 2013 below was taken on vacation in Tulum (surely, a relaxing experience, no?), but I felt terrible and lacked energy. My bowel movement frequency was all over the place—sometimes multiple times a day but oftentimes only two to three times a week—never daily and never consistent. I slept over eight hours daily so, theoretically, had no reason to feel fatigued, yet I was exhausted. Was this my new normal at age 39? I was beginning to accept it. 

Fast-forward to today: I'm stronger, leaner, more energetic, and feel better than ever. This is the first time in my entire adult life that my weight has stayed in a balanced 5-pound range, and I no longer have the excess fat around my waist.

This may come as a surprise, but I now work out less, not more. There was a period of my life when I did strength training three to five times a week for an hour or so; I frequented 90-minute yoga classes three to five times a week, as well. Today, as a busy CEO and parent of two young girls, those days are long gone. Instead, I strength train and practice yoga two times a week for 10 minutes. And guess what? I feel more fit than ever! That said, I am also in constant motion: I take the stairs whenever I can, and I walk about 11,000 steps a day.

This new approach got me about 80% to where I am today, but it didn't exactly help conquer my bloating and irregularity or help me shed those last extra pounds. I often find that no matter how hard we try, or how smart we become with regards to our personal health, you can only do your best—sometimes, your best gets you 80% of the way there.

This is where targeted, high-quality supplements come in—for me, they optimize my well-being and help me get to 100%. My personal experience became the inspiration for our mbg probiotic+ formula, which was designed to beat bloating, support regularity, and promote healthy weight.* 

In fact, probiotic strain inclusion and dosing should be rooted in published clinical science. I went on a mission, partnering with experts, to find the most efficacious, targeted strains that had a strong science backing, to help those who might have similar health support needs to mine.* We discovered these four workhorse strains:

We are the only brand in the world combining these four targeted, science-backed probiotic strains together into one powerhouse formula. I value efficiency and efficacy in well-being—whether it's my workout routine or probiotic strain. Less can certainly be more: I don't have time for BS. 

I'm so excited for you to feel the power of these strains yourself. Optimize your well-being journey with probiotic+—I can't wait to swap stories.*