I got sick with the flu 8 days ago and couldn't get to the gym. Usually at the gym I use the bike and cross-trainer/elliptical and burn a total of 300-350 calories with >30 minutes of cardio..... at least 4 days a week. Since gettign the flu, I only made it to the gym once last week but couldn't stay because my throat hurt too bad from breathing through my mouth. I also started eating those new lean cuisine meals that have on average 25-30% sodium per package. I've also been consuming lots of chocolate.

I usually have a very flat stomach, even without sucking it in. I'm 5'5'' 120 lbs but look much slimmer than 120 for some reason, anyway... this past week has been horrible. My stomach is huge. I seriously look about 4-5 months pregnant, and 3 months pregnant when I wake up. From all that I've said on here, could it be my recent diet?
Please help me, it's so uncomfortable. Could it be not going to the gym? Could it be the lean cuisine meals? Could it be all the chocolate?

I've also been eating green beans, from the frozen section. I usually don't get any vegetables, unless they're in the pannini sandwiches by lean cuisine. I know, I'm bad for not eating vegetables, but I used to when I ate my mom's cooking, but I didn't like all the gas and bloating I got from her food.

Sounds like your diet of chocolate and sodium is the problem. Try cutting back on that and see what happens.

I had/have the flu and took nightly cough syrup with codeine. The codeine got me SO constipated and my weight went up in spite of very little food. Things are getting back to normal...no codeine <cough,cough.>

I think Lean Cuisine is a good dieters choice. For a frozen food, the sodium is on the lower side.

Sounds like it's the chocloate and sodium, but it could also be from gluten. Gluten is a protein found in many grains including wheat, rye, barley, spelt, kamut, and oats. It's in MANY foods we eat (breads, pastas, pretzels, even stuff like soy sauce, and products you'd never think of. Check labels). Many people have an interolerance to it without realizing it. It can cause bloating and stomach upset. However I know when I eat too much chocolate, my stomach is a bloated, aching warzone and I get headaches.