Stomach pains

[DannyMegan Tracy]

Still having stomach pains, cramping and upset stomach on my third week in- is this typical?

[Carlaccini]

Hi DMT

 

I just read your other thread about weighing yourself - so I am aware that you have a few medical issues.

 

That being said, cramping and upset stomach are not really normal symptoms.  Would you be able to post a couple of days worth of meals here?  Please include portions sizes, and specifics such as types of vegetables you are eating because it is quite possible for certain vegetables to cause bloating and discomfort. 

[DannyMegan Tracy]

Ok- I didn't meal plan very well this week and I don't measure so it may be rough but---

Meal 1- chicken sausage with eggs and peppers and spinach, 1/2 banana

Meal 2- roasted chicken potatoes carrots

Meal 3- ". "

Meal 1 eggs and bacon spinach and a pear

Meal 2 ground beef with peppers over a bowl of steamed broccoli cauliflower and carrots with clarified butter.

Meal 3 turkey bacon avocado unwich

I don't remember specific breakfasts and lunch cause I usually have eggs with a veg for meal 1 and leftovers for lunch but I've also down the vegetable curry with chicken from the W30 book for dinner, vegetable stir fry, roasted pork with avocado and salsa on a bed of lettuce...

[DannyMegan Tracy]

I know that's not the best info ^ but I've followed it pretty perfectly (I also have macadamia nuts If there's not enough fat in the meal)

[Carlaccini]

Okay meals look okay - they frankly look a little small and like they could use more fat.  Cooking fat doesn't really count as most of it stays behind in the pan.   Eat more than you think you should.  Not less.  Make sure your meals hold you for at least 4 to 5 hours.  You should not be hungry in between.  If you are hungry and need a snack - you are probably not eating enough.  When you do snack - make sure it is at least 2 out of the 3 main macros - protein, vegetables, and fat.  Avoid - fruit, nuts and nut butters as a snack.  You will only be feeding into sweet cravings.

 

M1 on your first day contains no fat, and day 2 you list as having only 1 egg without any other added protein. Bacon is actually a fatty condiment not a protein.  There is not enough protein in bacon to be considered a protein.  When eggs are your sole protein in a meal it should be the number of eggs you can hold in one hand without dropping them.  For most females that is 3 to 4.

Vegetables - is you spinach over a cups worth of wilted, cooked spinach?  Aim for 1 - 3 cups of vegetables with every meal.  Do not let fruit push vegetables off your plate.

[DannyMegan Tracy]

Oh I don't eat just 1 egg I eat 3 It says meal 1-eggs. I typically have enough that I am full and finish before my food is all gone. I eat fresh spinach. At any rate (I agree I see some areas I need to improve on), i'm not sure any of these things would merit running for the bathroom after every meal and having stomach pains.

[ShannonM816]

The only thing that really stands out to me is that you've had potatoes and peppers, which are nightshades, and they can cause issues for some people. If they're something you've been eating a lot more of on Whole30 (not just the potatoes and peppers, but anything on the list in the article I linked to), it's possible that's the culprit. The only way to know if that's what's going on would be to cut those foods out for a while and see what happens. 

 

Is there anything that you're eating now that you didn't eat before Whole30? Or that you're eating a whole lot more of now than you did before? Maybe there's something else that's causing issues -- there are always people who react to foods that are okay for most people, so some react to coconut, especially coconut milk or coconut flakes, or they may react to avocado or eggs. 

 

It's also possible you've just picked up some kind of stomach bug, though that seems less likely if this has been going on for several weeks.

[Chachers04]

I had a similar problem during my 1st W30. Turned out to be eggs (sadly)

[Carlaccini]

I would also like to add that cauliflower, broccoli, onions, and garlic can be hard on the system to if eaten multiple times a day.  They are part of a family of fruits and vegetables called FODMAPs.  Now some people are more sensitive to them than others.  So if you didn't eat a lot of broccoli and cauliflower before and are now eating it more frequently - that could be giving you some digestive issues as well.

[praxisproject]

Eggs can be a real surprise and often people who don't do well with them only eat them in low volume before Whole30. I get itchy from the cheapest eggs, but seem to do okay with organic and free range eggs (I think it's what they feed the chickens).

 

FODMAPs are also really weird, so if you're not familiar with them you may be surprised what is and isn't a FODMAP. Pears, apples, garlic and onion were a surprise to me and they are in a lot of foods and recipes: http://www.ibsdiets.org/fodmap-diet/fodmap-food-list/

 

Are you eating extra for your workouts as well?

Consuming any magnesium or salt?

 

Keep a detailed food log with portions and also how you feel, you may find a pattern just in reviewing it.

Raw foods can be a real problem for some people, you could have a specific one which you have a reaction to (avocado & banana are linked to the unusual latex allergy), nuts and seeds can cause stomach issues, coconut is often a new ingredients for those on Whole30 or it could be the total load of a whole bunch of mild irritants (nightshades + FODMAPS + nuts + eggs etc). If the meals you are eating now are making you feel sick, changing them up is a good idea and it will likely help you find the culprit/s.