1 week into Insanity, feeling bloated and heavy

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KaltieEm
KaltieEm Posts: 73 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey Everyone,

I'm looking for advice from somebody who had the same issue. I started Insanity a week ago and I'm feeling horrible. My stomach is bloated, I mean in the morning it's okay but as soon as I eat something it swells up, I feel like I've eaten half a cow by myself, and I look like I'm pregnant. In the short: I'm feeling like a balloon made of lead.

I tried google search, found some old threads, this one describes exactly how I feel, but unfortunately the author of the post didn't say if she found a solution to her problem http://www.teambeachbody.com/connect/message-boards/-/message_boards/message/156693293

Like in the above link, I eat 1300 - 1500 calories per day, some people will think right away that it's too less but I'm a rather petite person (5'1", 110 lbs) with mostly sedentary job, and my Insanity workout month 1 burns only about 250 calories according to my HRM. I eat a lot of fruits and veggies, whole grains, low sodium, high fiber, drink plenty of water (more than 8 cups per day). Prior to Insanity I did Jillian Michael's Ripped in 30, 30 Day Shred, 6 weeks 6 pack - and they all made my stomach feel nice and flat, overall I felt great.

Please, if you have had similar problem and was able to solve it - tell me how! I hate the way I'm feeling right now :(

Liz

Replies

  • jorge_007
    jorge_007 Posts: 70 Member
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    Hmm that's interesting. I've completed the insanity program before and never once have I felt bloated. From what I've learned in my health science class. The bloating and heaviness is caused by your diet. You said you eat a lot of fruits and vegetables. Now I don't know how much of it you're consuming exactly but the sugars and starches can cause you to feel bloated and gassy. You also have indigestible sugars that are present in legumes and other plant products that have to be broken down by bacteria in your intestines. The byproduct of the bacteria is gas which causes someone to feel bloated and gassy. Also, high fiber diets will cause bloating as well. You probably feel heavy because you are retaining a lot of water from the carbohydrates; fruits and vegetables. Try reducing your carbs and fiber intake. Too much fiber, carbs and water is asking for trouble when it comes to feeling bloated. Was your diet the same on the Jillian Michael's Ripped in 30?
  • KaltieEm
    KaltieEm Posts: 73 Member
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    Was your diet the same on the Jillian Michael's Ripped in 30?

    Thank you for responding! Yes, my diet was the same on Ripped, that's why I'm unpleasantly surprised with the Insanity makes me feel so far :/ I think I'll try to get a probiotic (couldn't hurt to try?), and maybe try to cut down on my fiber, although I've been always advised to eat more fiber because I tend to be irregular... Go figure...
  • KaltieEm
    KaltieEm Posts: 73 Member
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    bump
  • Timmi1978
    Timmi1978 Posts: 34 Member
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    Hi Kisserek,

    I experienced the same problem with food. There are several things you should try out that might help you:

    - No milk products (diaries)
    - No gluten (bread, pasta,...)
    - Avoid sugar
    - Reduce carb intake (white rice, pasta) - I always got bloated after eating rice!
    - Reduce stress (yoga, meditation) - Actually helped me a lot.

    Hope this helps,

    Timmi
  • lissagallagher
    lissagallagher Posts: 2
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    Hey, I'm experiencing the same thing. I've read that because our muscles are getting shocked so much from the intensity, we're releasing excess amounts of cortisol which can lead to belly bloat. The other part of it is, you may very well be under-eating; although it says you're burning 250 cal during your workout, you have to remember that repairing those muscles burns calories above your normal daily burn WELL after your workout. I struggle to eat more than 1500 cal in a day, but if I include an extra meal of a lean 4-oz chicken breast in the day and a handful of almonds, I feel MUCH better the next day. I know it's counter-intuitive and for a former anorexic who is dealing with her pudgy body after having 4 kids, it's REALLY frustrating, but it will get better and it doesn't have to be permanent. We can beat the bloat! :-)
  • Lulufifi1994
    Lulufifi1994 Posts: 51 Member
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    If you're bloating that severely then it's definitely worth cutting out dairy and other 'gassy' foods like beans and the like, if the bloating stops, introduce these foods one at a time with about a week in between and see if any of them cause the bloating to start up again, if they do cut them out entirely. If the bloating continues when you've cut them out maybe see a Doctor? I have a friend who bloats that badly and she's been diagnosed with IBS, which is not fun. (I also have it but with different symptoms, the only cure is to find your trigger and stop eating it.)

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