# IBS food and dieting: Possible?



## Esther Story (Dec 11, 2001)

I have recently been diagnosed (well, after many tests and drugs, that's what they THINK it is!) with IBS. Since I've been having all these problems, I've gained about7 or 8 pounds. Mostly water gain and inability to exercise due to pain or discomfort. But my question is to you all that are familiar with the SCD diet. I have been on it for about a month now and it helps. But how do you lose any weight with such high fat flour (almond flour) that is in almost everything? Lunch and dinner I can usually stick to lean protein and a veggie or salad. But breakfast gets boring with eggs EVERY SINGLE DAY! I like the bread and muffins and such but they seem so incredibly high in calories and (good) fats. Anybody have a suggestion? I want to eat (now that I can!) But I have got to start losing some weight so that I can fit back in my clothes again. What do ya'll think?Oh, I'm IBS C and D, alternating between stressful situations and diet.Thanks!


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## smurf1 (Oct 23, 2001)

First: Start thinking outside the box. Eat lunch or dinner type foods for breakfast instead of eggs every day. Just eat smaller amounts. A food that is safe to eat in the afternoon and evening, is safe to eat in the morning as well. Second: Starches are always at risk of causing one to gain weight because if they are not burned off quickly, they are converted into fat. High-fat starches are even worse. They are both high-carbohydrate AND high-fat. The SCD diet is more about keeping your body/digestive system happy than it is about losing weight.Maybe eating more meals that are primarily lean meats and vegetables, without the starches, could help you lose weight. It did for me.


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## anita-ariel (Oct 28, 2001)

hi peanuttface,i didn't do SCD or whatever, but i did start a similar, low-carb regimen almost two years ago, to lose weight, and the pounds just fell right off. A few months into the diet, i was probably eating at least 100 g of fat per day (mostly good fats, from olive oil, soy, flax seed, and nuts). i compeletely avoided garbage like donuts, muffins, etc. anyways i lost something like 10 lbs in the first 6 weeks i was on the diet, which was really good for me (i wasn't that overfat to begin with, so i didn't have much to lose). note that on a low-fat diet, i didn't lose a single pound, and constantly felt hungry and deprived.So yeah i know you are really skeptical about eating things that are high in fat, I was too which is why i did low-fat diet for a number of years before finally giving up. i finally convinced myself that fat was not the "enemy," but those non-nutritious refined carbohydrates that not only screw w/ your blood sugar but (at least for me) aggravate IBS symptoms.So go ahead and use the almond flour--I love that stuff, i use it along w/ flax seed meal and soy flour to make waffles in the morning..yummy!







Yes, it does have a lot of fat, but (1) it is unsaturated, or "good" fat, (2) it tastes better, in my opinion, and (3) it is MUCH more nutritious that that Bisquick instant-mix #### (sugar, preservatives, hyrdogenated oils, other bad stuff) that would wreak havoc on my digestive system.anyways, i initially did the low-carb thing to lose 10 lbs, but I lost 20 and now I am actually struggling not to any lose any more (see my other posts). ironically, however I still follow low-carb eating because it drastically reduces my IBS symptoms, and IMHO, is a lot healthier. if i eat one of those big store-bought muffins or eat a bowl of pasta, i am bloated like a balloon for *days*, and have more gas that one can imagine.







P.S. For me, exercise (jogging, doing Stairmaster, doing aerobics, etc) really helped the gas pains and discomfort. others on this BB have said the same. yes, i know IBS can feel like you're getting stabbed in the stomach sometimes, but for me it always got WORSE when i would stay at home and just sit there in pain. 100% of the time that i exercise, i get relief in some form of another.-Izzy


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## smurf1 (Oct 23, 2001)

I 100% agree with Izzy. Fat is not the enemy.For years I ate low-fat high carbohydrate. I ate meals with no taste in the hopes of losing weight. In addition to ruining my stomach, I wasn't losing weight the way I wanted.Since making the switch away from the refined carbohydrates, I am eating a lot more fat then I used to. Guess what? I am not gaining weight. I am losing weight. The funny part is, I am not trying to lose weight. I am only trying to keep my stomach happy.I also feel extremely bloated when I eat pasta, breads, and sugars. I do not feel this way when I eat meats and vegetables only.


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## Esther Story (Dec 11, 2001)

Thanks Izzy and Smurf for the encouragement. This "IBS-thing" is the strangest thing! I had raw cauliflower today and it was delicious. But I almost had to go home due to the PAIN and bloating at work. I absolutely wanted to die. Also, I wondered about the honey on the SCD diet plan. If I eat to much of it (or too many nuts) I can be really sick with bloating and gas. Is that because of the carbs in both or what? I agree with you Smurf. When I have had the dynamite willpower to stick to protein and veggies (a little cheese and occasional fruit)all day, by day 2-- I feel pretty darn good. I am the happiest person. One more thing I was wondering...does HOW MUCH you eat bother you as much as WHAT you eat?? I eat the smallest meals in the whole world! Like 100 to 150 calories and my stomach is almost distended. And then it takes FOREVER to digest. Just wondering...I thought I had read somewhere that this may be a possible side effect. Thanks again for all ya'll's help.peanutt


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## Esther Story (Dec 11, 2001)

By the way,I was wondering Izzy, with your weightloss due to the low carb regiment, how low did you go? Was it liket the Atkins? Would you mind posting a normal days menu for me for reference. I'd love to try is. I have found that it also curbs my sweet tooth after several days. The first days are hell though!Thanks so much for your help,peanutt


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## anita-ariel (Oct 28, 2001)

well i didn't go as low as the Atkins diet (in induction periiod, it calls for no more than 20 g carbs per day). i actually did the opposite, i gradually decreased my carbs as i went along (when i started, i had to use up all the juice, bread, pasta left in my kitchen). i got a lot of recipes/ideas from that Protein Power book written by the Eades. their plan calls for 30 g carbs/per day in phase I, and then 55 in phase II or something like that. anyways, since i only had wanted to lose a few lbs, i think the lowest i would go is 30-40 g per day. but after a few months or so i had to increase it since i had already lost enough weight. (plus, i would get terrible leg cramps due to low potassium levels, which can be a side-effect of low-carb diets.)nowadays i probably do around 70-100 g carbs per day or something like that.and as for a typical day's menu, i eat 3 square meals a day, about 500-600 cals each. for breakfast, i might have some cottage cheese w/ berries, and some Fiber-One cereal and a protein shake... or sometimes i make almond-flour waffles or 3-egg omelettes w/ cheese. lunch is something like a salad and some almond butter on a wasa cracker, or a veggie burger w/ cheese and unsweetened ketchup. dinner i might have stir-fry tofu & bell peppers w/ chicken apple sausage. or i might just grill some chicken and eat it w/ peanut sauce. for desserts i usually have fruit or sugar-free jello or pudding. drinks are usually water or club soda. and i drink soy milk (i don't like regular milk).p.s. and yeah, the first few days of low-carbing *are* hell, at least for me anyways. i think i had a headache for like two days (due to sugar withdrawal). but don't get discouraged, you'll feel tons better in time!


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## smurf1 (Oct 23, 2001)

I went on the induction diet a few years back. It was tough. I developed a severe sweet tooth.I found a couple trick though. Sugar free Jello with whipped cream is a very safe desert. Sugar free Popsicles were another. Thank goodness for Nutrasweet.This time around I am just trying to be good about not eating sugars, and starches. However, I still keep the Jello and Popsicles handy.As far as feeling full...It is the high carb meals that make me feel stuffed. Spaghetti will make me feel stuffed. On the contrary, I can eat a steak and green beans without feeling stuffed. If I eat a steak and a baked potato, I WILL feel stuffed however. Interesting, huh?


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