Unique stomach issues

[smfurry]

I did some searching and couldn't find a thread on this topic, but I'm on Day 14 and have been much less regular than usual (and I'm not referring to my menstruation cycle).

 

Usually, I'm a gold medalist. But now I'm not even qualifying for bronze. 

 

Before starting Whole30, I did eat a lot of veggies and lean protein, but plenty of sugar. I'm not sure why this is different, other than the level of natural fats I'm eating now.

 

Also, I am super queasy after eating the richer proteins, like bacon or approved beef patties. It's also happening after having almond butter.

 

I'm getting a little frustrated/tired of being uncomfortable, and would appreciate any insight/similar experiences others may have!

[ShannonM816]

Some people who are not used to eating as much fat and meat may find digestive enzymes helpful. You may also want to include probiotic-rich foods like raw sauerkraut or kimchi and other fermented vegetables. Also be sure you're drinking plenty of water -- aim for at least 1/2 oz per pound of body weight, so someone who weighs 120 lbs would need at least 60 oz.

 

We could give you more feedback if you listed a couple of days' worth of foods with approximate portions sizes, water intake, and activity level. Maybe something will stand out that you could change to get better results.

[smfurry]

Hi, Shannon:

Thanks so much for your thoughts! I will most definitely try to incorporate digestive enzymes. 

 

And here's a bit more feedback on my day-to-day food/drink intake...

Breakfast: two eggs, spinach, sweet potato hash

Lunch: Two links of chicken sausage, spinach/steamed squash

Dinner: Egg, chicken sausage, avocado, spinach

 

Sometimes a snack of blackberries or apple/almond butter. Plus an occasional LaCroix. 

 

Water intake is between 66 and 100 oz per day.

 

Activity level is taking my border collie Henry for walks 2-3 times per day. 

 

Would really appreciate anymore thoughts/insight you might have!

 

Thanks so much. :-)

[smfurry]

Also, I have really cut back on bacon and beef. Trying to aim for less rich/fatty proteins. 

[SugarcubeOD]

Hi There;

I"m not sure what the exact bathroom issue is... loose stools or constipation/lack of going?

It doesnt look like you're eating enough... below are some thoughts on how you can get your meals to more closely mirror the meal template (linked below)

I don't see added fat to your meals which is what I suspect is driving your need to snack.

Eggs when they are your sole source of protein are as many as you can hold without dropping. For even the smallest adult, that's usually 3-4.

Greens are great but they chew/steam down to almost nothing, so when you're relying on greens to be your vegetable, you need to be thinking serving bowl size.

Take a look at the meal template linked in my signature and try and make your meals mirror those recommendations.

Digestive enzymes will help as will the fermented foods and if you're having constipation problems, consider trying a magnesium supplement like Natural Calm (unsweetened) as it will help draw liquid into your digestive tract.

[smfurry]

This is great! I will look into adding fermented foods, as well as that Natural Calm supplement. I feel like I'm getting enough food. I don't often snack - maybe two or three times in the last two weeks.

 

And sorry for the miscommunication - it's constipation. I'm used to a 2-a-day on average (sometimes 3!). And now it's more like every other day...if that.

 

The fat is the main difference in my old food intake compared to the Whole30 approach. This is more fat than I'm used to. 

 

I'm also still unsure of the queasy feeling I get after eating some proteins. But maybe that will be diverted once I mix in more digestive enzymes.

 

Thanks again for your thoughts!

[SugarcubeOD]

I do wonder if it's constipation or if really, you're not eating enough to make the waste... which we sometimes think is constipation but is really just a lack of going... Only you know that but it would be worth looking at the meal template. Sometimes our hunger indicators can be messed up because our hormones are messed up... and lack of eating enough begets lack of appetite, begets lack of eating enough...

Also concerning is your statement that this is more fat than you're used to. The only fat that I see is an avocado (and no indication of you ate the whole thing)... fat should not be feared, it is a necessary food group in our diets!

Good luck with the digestive enzymes and the magnesium... come back and let us know how you're doing...

[CherylS67]

This is great! I will look into adding fermented foods, as well as that Natural Calm supplement. I feel like I'm getting enough food. I don't often snack - maybe two or three times in the last two weeks.

 

And sorry for the miscommunication - it's constipation. I'm used to a 2-a-day on average (sometimes 3!). And now it's more like every other day...if that.

 

The fat is the main difference in my old food intake compared to the Whole30 approach. This is more fat than I'm used to. 

 

I'm also still unsure of the queasy feeling I get after eating some proteins. But maybe that will be diverted once I mix in more digestive enzymes.

 

Thanks again for your thoughts!

Reading this sent up a red flag to me.  Have you ever been tested for celiac disease or suspected a gluten problem?  I have a problem with gluten, I will find out how severe of a problem this week, I had small intestinal biopsies a couple of days prior to starting W30.  The red flag for me was because the amount of BMs you had prior to W30.  That sounds like me.  My first few days of W30 I actually thought I was constipated, I didn't go every day and when I did go, it was far smaller  and more formed than I was used to.  I looked into it, and my current BM situation is more normal than what I was previously doing.  I seem to be a little ahead of the W30 timeline, I'm day 7 and the past 2 days I've had the day 8-9 bloating and some loose BMs.  Sorry if this is TMI, after all the gluten testing and appointments, I'm not even shy about talking about poop, lol.

[praxisproject]

Starchy veg can help too, there's more bulk than in greens and some people find they digest fat easier with them too.

 

Kombucha is another fermented option as well, I have a bit of trouble with fermented veggies sometimes but never with Kombucha.