Prone to bloating, need help with foods...

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KintsugiCurlyQueen
KintsugiCurlyQueen Posts: 68 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi!

Title says it all. I'm in the process of trying to cut my body fat % but stomach bloating is making it hard to see WHAT is fat and what isn't. I'm not perfect - a layer of fat IS there, but my belly looks significantly less prominent in the morning. Then, throughout the day, I blow up. The more stressed about it I get, the bigger it gets. The bigger it gets, the more stressed out I am about it. You see my problem!

Of course, my first thought was wheat intolerance. I've reduced my carbs greatly of late and, on most days, I don't touch anything wheat related. Even after going days without any kind of wheat, the battle of the bloat continues.

Does anybody have any advice regarding foods I should be including/excluding from my diet? I try to keep my carbs to under 100g a day (when I'm not working out) and try get as many of these from vegetables, including broccoli, green beans and cauliflower. Of course everything I'm reading online tells me to be very careful with 'gassy' foods like these. So what vegetables SHOULD I be eating? Most of the time my diet is also very rich in MUFCs, and I very rarely drink carbonated drinks.

...um, please help? I'm confused as to what I should be including in my meals now, when I thought I was doing so well!
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Replies

  • KintsugiCurlyQueen
    KintsugiCurlyQueen Posts: 68 Member
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    Any takers? :(
  • kjensen15
    kjensen15 Posts: 398 Member
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    What does your sodium and sugar in takes look like?

    As far as vegetables to eat, I like to take zucchini and squash slice them real thin, sprinkle with olive oil, sprinkle on some Mrs Dash seasoning, and then roast them in the oven.
  • shaycat
    shaycat Posts: 980
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    I have this problem too.
    I have been really trying to pay attention to what triggers it.
    I am thinking this week that it might be dehydration. I will start getting stomach pain and bloating after working out and sweating a lot. Drinking a lot of water seems to help.
    I was also thinking it was to much sodium.
    Just try to find what is causing it for you.
    Good luck.
  • foxyhotgal
    foxyhotgal Posts: 79 Member
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    lactose maybe?
  • hollyshields1
    hollyshields1 Posts: 5
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    Bloating Dos and Don’ts

    Don't skip meals
    Drink plenty of water (non-carbonated)
    Chew your food thoroughly
    Don't talk and chew at the same time. This causes you to swallow air, which causes more gas
    Avoid carbonated beverages, chewing gum, highly spiced foods, and too many sweets
    Avoid dairy products, a majority of people are lactose intolerant
    Eat only peeled, cooked seedless fruits and vegetables. Strain the seeds out of tomatoes
    Avoid beans, corn (including popcorn), and nuts. Vegetables in the cabbage and onion families, including broccoli and garlic
  • sleepytexan
    sleepytexan Posts: 3,138 Member
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    I am not a doctor; i just play one on MFP, however, you may have an overgrowth of yeast in the gut. Google for information about yeast (candida) and bloating -- it's faster than me reinventing the wheel here.

    However, there are things you can incorporate into your diet, such as coconut oil and/or apple cider vinegar (if you don't mind that), that can help control and beat back the candida. Those will also help reduce your sugar cravings (bc sugar feeds the yeast).

    good luck.

    blessings.
  • Kristy_Elizabeth
    Kristy_Elizabeth Posts: 435
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    There are several articles online that recommend foods for a flat tummy. I remember an apple a day is on the list, but I don't remember what else. It's clearly been a while since I read one. Maybe you could Google it. My tummy is my last area to slim down. It is very frustrating. I just added a fiber supplement to my diet when I noticed my intake was low. That is causing bloat and I hate it. Good luck! =)
  • KintsugiCurlyQueen
    KintsugiCurlyQueen Posts: 68 Member
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    Thanks for the responses!

    Sodium for the last three days has been between 1300 - 1600mg, although many days I'm under 1000mg. My sugars are pretty shameful (although that's normal because of fruit) - so that might be an issue?

    Candida! I did read something about that but clearly didn't pay as much attention as I should have. Will investigate!

    A lot of those Dos and Donts I've already incorporated into my diet (although now I will avoid eating raw veg). However it's the beans and broccoli bit that bugs me! It kind of leaves me just with the high carb vegetables, which defeats the object of keeping my carbs low! :(

    Dairy/Lactose intolerance could be an issue but I'd struggle to keep my protein up without it. Wow, it's a no win situation huh!

    And as for online articles - ach, all good and well if you've got the time and money to completely turn your diet upside down! Am going to give that 'Sassy Water' stuff a go, though. Will make a change from drinking crap loads of water - boooring!

    Thanks for the well wishes and support ladies!
  • secretlobster
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member
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    Lactose does this to me.
  • Picola1984
    Picola1984 Posts: 1,133
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    Do you use protein powders?

    I find when I first change brands of powders it doesn't help, also wheat as mentioned affects me too I have just discovered
  • KintsugiCurlyQueen
    KintsugiCurlyQueen Posts: 68 Member
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    I would love a 4 day stint without any lactose in my diet but REALLY wouldn't know where to start. Would I re-introduce wheat, or gassy veg, or just live off meat and water? Haha.

    No Picola, no protein powders for me. I'm poor!

    I know I should let my GP do her thang with this (I've got blood tests for celiac disease and anemia next week) but I'm kind of running out of time as I move shortly and it'll be too expensive to continue the investigation.
  • secretlobster
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member
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    If you had Celiac disease, you would be having some real digestive illness and not just bloating... It could be a wheat intolerance to a lesser degree but probably not Celiac. The reason I say "lactose" is because everyone is to a certain extent lactose-intolerant, some people (like myself) are just particularly sensitive to it. My stomach looks fine in the morning until I eat my yogurt, then it looks like I have a baby bump (well, to me it does). I would suggest cutting out dairy for a couple of days and seeing if there's a difference. Also, while it's important to get enough water, drinking A LOT of liquid will make your stomach look distended.

    Hope your tests come back ok! :)
  • KintsugiCurlyQueen
    KintsugiCurlyQueen Posts: 68 Member
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    Is just a couple of days without dairy sufficient time to see a difference? I'm clueless! Ach, what do I have for breakfast?! My other meals, no problem, but breakfast?! No oatmeal with milk, no omelette? Sacre bleu! Thanks for your help :)
  • secretlobster
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member
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    Is just a couple of days without dairy sufficient time to see a difference?

    Yes, absolutely. Foods that may induce GI inflammation will be apparent within a day or two without them. Not saying "never drink milk again!" just experiment a little and see if you don't feel a difference after a couple of days. Also, eggs are not lactose... Enjoy your omelets!
  • KintsugiCurlyQueen
    KintsugiCurlyQueen Posts: 68 Member
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    Sorry, bumping this again as it's been playing on my mind all night. Need honest opinions...bloating or just big tummy? I've not touched a morsel so far this morning.

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  • jade_85
    jade_85 Posts: 96
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    i have this ive just bought some tablets called dida for candida ill let u know how i get on lol xx
  • KintsugiCurlyQueen
    KintsugiCurlyQueen Posts: 68 Member
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    Thanks Jade, and good luck with them!

    Would still like to know whether it's actually bloating or just a pot belly. I'm 5'5 and 113lbs, and it just looks so out of place.
  • missprincessjenny
    missprincessjenny Posts: 104 Member
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    Cut out dairy and wheat and see if that helps. Google Tosca Reno. She has a link on the left side bar about apple cider vinegear decreasing bloating. Drink enough water. At least ten glasses a day. There are online water calculators. 8 glasses is usually not enough especially if you need to lose weight.
  • GoodMorningGirl
    GoodMorningGirl Posts: 103 Member
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    I had the same problem where I'd feel fine in the morning and by 1 p.m. be very bloated, especially if I ate yogurt or cheese at lunch. Sometimes it was very painful too. I stopped eating all dairy products (well, actually, I became a vegan), and the problem went away completely. It was like a miracle cure for my stomach issues. I did miss cheese for a while (I don't miss it anymore though), and I use either soy milk or almond milk for cereal, coffee, and baking. Both are good. Soy milk has as much protein as milk, but some people have food intolerance to soy. Almond milk is lower protein, but also very low calorie. My favorite brands are 8th Continent for the soy milk and Blue Diamond for the almond milk. Good luck!
  • KintsugiCurlyQueen
    KintsugiCurlyQueen Posts: 68 Member
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    Today has been lactose free and I'm just as bloated. I feel stressed about it, and my mood is through the floor - all a bit pathetic, I know, but I hate being "thin" (well, verging on skinnyfat) with a bloated belly. I feel so insecure.

    I don't have any pains, no excessive gas - just a big fat belly.

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