Crazy bloating after drastically changing to healthier diet

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My background is that I had fallen into some pretty bad habits the few months prior to going on a diet. I've always been one of those lucky people who ate whatever they wanted and never gained weight, which led to me not being disciplined and eating pretty unhealthy food for the last few months. I was eating WAY too much sugar, carbs, starches, and empty calories in the form of chips, cookies, candy, etc., and getting my required nutrients like fruits and vegetables through fruit-vegetables juice and calcium through supplements. I was also drinking tons of calories in the form of juice, sugared coffees, and pop. Anyway, I ended up gaining ten pounds over the Christmas holidays, which was a good wake-up call to majorly change my diet and lifestyle.

For the past two weeks my diet has pretty consistently been:
Breakfast - Green smoothie (four cups spring mix/spinach, two cups unsweetened almond milk, one cup frozen fruit) with a multivitamin
Lunch - Some type of lean protein with vegetables
Mid afternoon Snack - Apple, yogurt, and a slice of cheese
Dinner - Same as lunch, protein and vegetables
Snack before bed - yogurt parfait (rasberries, yogurt, and 1/2 cup of granola)

I'd have about 5 cups of water a day.

(You can also look at my diary to see exactly what I've been eating)

I pretty much cut out completely juice, pop and empty calories. I also cut way back on the carbs.

I burn about 150 calories a day with walking on the treadmill so I'm eating an average of 1350 calories a day (Myfitnesspal recommended I do a net of 1200/day).

Anyway, about two days ago after dinner my stomach became hugely bloated, and now it looks like I'm four months pregnant! I've had my stomach stick out after a big meal, but it usually went away overnight, but this one has stuck around for two days.

It looks like a food intolerance reaction, but I'm confused because from what I've read and heard from other people it's mostly bad carbs and starches that cause bloating. Since I cut most of my carbs out, I can't figure out what I'm eating that would cause this reaction. I know certain vegetables like cauliflower and cabbage can cause it, but I'm mostly eating spinach, kale or spring mix as my vegetables (foods that I've read actually are supposed to DECREASE bloating).

Anyone else have this reaction when they drastically changed to a healthier diet?

Thanks in advance for any help anyone could give!

Replies

  • asiak88
    asiak88 Posts: 8 Member
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    It might be the amount of fiber in your diet. Maybe your body still needs time to get used to it?
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,976 Member
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    Increased fiber (i.e. fruit, vegetables, whole grains and nuts) will make you uncomfortable. Like the previous poster said, you will adjust. Maybe cut back on your fiber a little bit and get some more fats. Fat won't make you fat, in fact it is a necessary nutrient and will help your digestive system.

    Fiber is tracked by default on the Full Version/Printable Version of your Food Diary (scroll to the bottom of the Food page and click the green button).
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    If you are eating more vegetables and fruit you are getting way more fiber than your body is used to...essentially, your body is in shock from the fiber...it takes some getting used to which is why I generally recommend people sorta ease into things.
  • Cakewalk25
    Cakewalk25 Posts: 71 Member
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    Thanks for the replies everyone. I just talked to an RN who agreed with what you guys said - my body is just adjusting to all that extra fibre from the vegetables and fruit. I had incorrectly assumed bloating only happened with carbs and gluten intolerance....Thanks for the help everyone!
  • LunaGreen
    LunaGreen Posts: 118 Member
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    Drink more water :flowerforyou: