Carb bloat anyone ?

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nyaddryad
nyaddryad Posts: 10 Member
Hi everyone. If I eat carbs, any carbs, I blow up like a balloon. It dose not matter if my calorie intake is only 1200 per day , if there is a slice of bread in there I retain water, anything up to 7lbs.. I avoid salt like the plague, drink 3 + pints of water a day,and am active. Surely its not just my hormones doing this ? ( my periods are all over the place )

Replies

  • alipene
    alipene Posts: 945 Member
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    Yep, that has happened to me from time to time, but not from just one slice of bread. Why don't you experiment to see if you have a wheat intolerance? There are plenty of wheat-free breads, cereals and flours apparently. Good luck!
  • debneeds2beskinny
    debneeds2beskinny Posts: 227 Member
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    hormones do crazy things - but it might be the type of carbs you are eating. Wheat, Barley etc... all can have different affects on you. Try writing down when you have some and see what the result is. I found I have a wheat intolerance.
  • nyaddryad
    nyaddryad Posts: 10 Member
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    Thank you, I will give it a go. My other half is a Baker, oh the irony.
  • Bernadette60614
    Bernadette60614 Posts: 707 Member
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    Oh, yes, I actually made a doctor's appointment since I couldn't figure out why I was eating within my calories and still packing on weight...as much as 7 lbs in 3 weeks.

    I've cut out bananas, airpopped popcorn, potatoes, yams, rice cakes in the last week and bam, 4 lbs gone.

    Not only didn't my pants fit, but I felt so tired and bummed all the time.

    I just think that as we get older we become like "finely tuned machines". That's the motto I'm sticking with!
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    Yup, I just posted this on my profile. Going to try cutting back (removing the one grain and maybe cutting out my beloved quest bars) and see if I can get this bloat to go away.
  • lmjblues
    lmjblues Posts: 117 Member
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    Yep. Same here. I've had to cut out potatoes (my favorite), most breads (I still do have an occasional piece of 100% whole wheat bread with my eggs in the morning), popcorn, any processed snacky stuff (even pretzels).. and FINALLY the scale starts to move in the right direction. Doesn't seem to matter if I stay in my calorie ranges and workout like a beast...if I'm not eating the right combinations of foods I don't lose.

    Gotta love this new phase of our lives. :noway:

    Lisa
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    Yep. Same here. I've had to cut out potatoes (my favorite), most breads (I still do have an occasional piece of 100% whole wheat bread with my eggs in the morning), popcorn, any processed snacky stuff (even pretzels).. and FINALLY the scale starts to move in the right direction. Doesn't seem to matter if I stay in my calorie ranges and workout like a beast...if I'm not eating the right combinations of foods I don't lose.

    Gotta love this new phase of our lives. :noway:

    Lisa
    Yep. Gotta love it. and MAN does it change without any warning. What works one week, doesn't work the next. Sheesh. I have issues with bread (and tummy aches) but after much experimenting, I found I like (important) and can eat La Banderita low carb tortillas. Not the "cleanest" choice, but given the situation, I have been letting myself have one from time to time. So far that *doesn't* seem to add to the bloat. now POPCORN. I should probably try cutting that one out. Beer definitely adds to the bloat. Good bye new old friend (I tried allowing myself a pint from time to time. That didn't work).
  • Bernadette60614
    Bernadette60614 Posts: 707 Member
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    Yep, what the M.D. /Naturopath I'm doing the detox with recommends is: 5 servings minimum for veggies a day, focusing on cruciferous vegetables, 2 fruits, nongluten grains/beans. Not that other foods are "bad", but this is kind of the optimum nutrition program.

    Seems like quite a stretch for me, but just 13 years ago, I was a cheese chowing, donut/jelly bean, pack a day smoker and before that an Atkins addict...so I'm just going to have some faith in myself.

    The beauty of this age: Experience and perspective!
  • lmjblues
    lmjblues Posts: 117 Member
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    Yep. Same here. I've had to cut out potatoes (my favorite), most breads (I still do have an occasional piece of 100% whole wheat bread with my eggs in the morning), popcorn, any processed snacky stuff (even pretzels).. and FINALLY the scale starts to move in the right direction. Doesn't seem to matter if I stay in my calorie ranges and workout like a beast...if I'm not eating the right combinations of foods I don't lose.

    Gotta love this new phase of our lives. :noway:

    Lisa
    Yep. Gotta love it. and MAN does it change without any warning. What works one week, doesn't work the next. Sheesh. I have issues with bread (and tummy aches) but after much experimenting, I found I like (important) and can eat La Banderita low carb tortillas. Not the "cleanest" choice, but given the situation, I have been letting myself have one from time to time. So far that *doesn't* seem to add to the bloat. now POPCORN. I should probably try cutting that one out. Beer definitely adds to the bloat. Good bye new old friend (I tried allowing myself a pint from time to time. That didn't work).

    Ooooo... I'll have to try the tortillas you're talking about. I have to find something that works as a substitute from time to time. I'm missing the bread/starchy feel. I haven't given up my beer completely yet though... That's a tough one. I like my drafts on occasion. I know a friend of mine at work switched to red wine when she started battling the bloat through her change. That worked for her. I've bought some wine to try... haven't popped the cork yet. :drinker:
  • lmjblues
    lmjblues Posts: 117 Member
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    Yep, what the M.D. /Naturopath I'm doing the detox with recommends is: 5 servings minimum for veggies a day, focusing on cruciferous vegetables, 2 fruits, nongluten grains/beans. Not that other foods are "bad", but this is kind of the optimum nutrition program.

    Seems like quite a stretch for me, but just 13 years ago, I was a cheese chowing, donut/jelly bean, pack a day smoker and before that an Atkins addict...so I'm just going to have some faith in myself.

    The beauty of this age: Experience and perspective!

    Wow! Good luck with your detox. That would be tough for me. I'm kind of a carnivore... I like to have my meat protein with my meals. Keep us posted on how it goes for you!! :smile:
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    Yep. Same here. I've had to cut out potatoes (my favorite), most breads (I still do have an occasional piece of 100% whole wheat bread with my eggs in the morning), popcorn, any processed snacky stuff (even pretzels).. and FINALLY the scale starts to move in the right direction. Doesn't seem to matter if I stay in my calorie ranges and workout like a beast...if I'm not eating the right combinations of foods I don't lose.

    Gotta love this new phase of our lives. :noway:

    Lisa
    Yep. Gotta love it. and MAN does it change without any warning. What works one week, doesn't work the next. Sheesh. I have issues with bread (and tummy aches) but after much experimenting, I found I like (important) and can eat La Banderita low carb tortillas. Not the "cleanest" choice, but given the situation, I have been letting myself have one from time to time. So far that *doesn't* seem to add to the bloat. now POPCORN. I should probably try cutting that one out. Beer definitely adds to the bloat. Good bye new old friend (I tried allowing myself a pint from time to time. That didn't work).

    Ooooo... I'll have to try the tortillas you're talking about. I have to find something that works as a substitute from time to time. I'm missing the bread/starchy feel. I haven't given up my beer completely yet though... That's a tough one. I like my drafts on occasion. I know a friend of mine at work switched to red wine when she started battling the bloat through her change. That worked for her. I've bought some wine to try... haven't popped the cork yet. :drinker:
    They don't suck. And I'm a tortilla snob. They have them at simths/krogers here and wally world.
    I prefer white wine, but am trying to "go red".
  • Phoenix__Rising
    Phoenix__Rising Posts: 9,981 Member
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    I bloat if I look at carbs sideways! Actually I eat little of potatos/rice/bread when
    I'm behaving with my nutrition but I have pcos too. I try to eat 120 and under on
    the carbs. I'm not paleo by any means. I also try avoid corn/flour/high fructose
    fruit. I still bloat. lol

    I'm my leanest in years though! :)
  • jchrisman717
    jchrisman717 Posts: 780 Member
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    Sigh~~ I guess I should just admit that those types of food are what are keeping me from my goal. I work out hard, I stay within my calorie range, though I when I look back at my diary it is very carb heavy and I do eat the ocassional potato, breads, pasta, pizza (pretty much daily) and I'm not losing. Actually the only time I saw the results I wanted was when I did the Jay Robb plan some years ago which was no processed foods and alternating low carb/high carb days. The high carb days allowed you more fruit and a potato and some baked chips and the low carb days was basically lean proteins and salads. I have tried to follow that plan and keep getting off track. The difference between now and then is that I was single then, now I am married to a man who loves his pasta, pizza, we socialize alot which means more eating out and alcohol. And I will admit that I have such little will power when I am around it.

    I have also basically gone from drinking beer to wines and try to drink more reds, though I will have a bottle of white here and there.

    I tried the 5:2 diet because I thought the concept was great - I have no problem eating a low calorie day, but the problem came the next day when I started to eat a normal day I just didn't feel good. I read that the fasting diets are harder on a woman. So now I am trying to eat healthy and keep my insulin/sugar levels leveled out instead of up and down.

    I so envy those women who can just eat like they always have and don't have weight gain/bloat issues. I have several friends like that and I can't even talk to them about it because they don't understand and look at me and say "oh just work out and cut out so much carbs - its easy." No its not for me - if it was that easy I wouldn't be struggling this much!!
  • camtosh
    camtosh Posts: 898 Member
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    I am just back from a long weekend of parties -- lots of red wine, and I succumbed a bit to the carbfest going on around me. Since yesterday, I have been bloated and puffy all over, and the scale was up nearly 4 kg today! Mostly water, I hope... Am back on LCHF now and hoping to be down to the pre-party weight by this weekend, fingers crossed.