B L O A T

[Morrigainz]

Okay, so feeling (and looking) generally fat and ugh. I've been eating pretty good (although by no means perfect), lifting 3x a week, but I dropped cardio because I was running myself into the ground. I'm going to Florida in a week and I look like I'm pregnant. This is not acceptable. This is probably a stupid question, but is there anything I can do, other than getting my water in and eating generally clean, to speed up the de-bloating process? Here's what I ate yesterday..has been fairly representative of my days in general, besides the day I was at my in-laws and they cooked lasagna for lunch....

Oh and I don't usually have chocolate. That was an anomaly. Although I was still at 1482 calories.

Also these are as close as I can get...most stuff I weigh/measure out, but some things like the sweet potato I didn't get a chance to.

Breakfast

Pace - Medium Chunky Salsa, 2 tbsp

Breakfast monster v. 2, 1 serving

Lunch

Fishin (the Fishin Company) - Tilapia Fillets (Value Pack), 5 oz raw (113g)

Spinach - Raw, 1 cup

Peppers - Sweet, green, raw, 50 g

Mashed cauliflower v. 2, 0.25 serving(s)

Dinner

Michigan Brand - Small Curd Cottage Cheese, 1/4 cup 60

Generic - Tyson All Natural Chicken Drumsticks, 4 oz. 150

Spaghetti Squash - Spaghetti Squash, 1 cup (155g each)

Jif Natural Creamy Peanut Butter - Peanut Butter, 2 tbsp

Snacks

Strawberries - Raw, 1 large (1-3/8" dia)

Wal-Mart Great Value - Plain Non Fat Yogurt, 0.75 cup (225g)

Bananas - Raw, 0.5 medium (7" to 7-7/8" long)

Amish Market - Dark Chocolate Cashews, 20 g

Muscle Milk - Cytosport - Muscle Milk Light, 8.5 fl oz

Sweet potato - Cooked, baked in skin, without salt (Sweetpotato), 1 medium (2" dia, 5" long, raw)

[Elastigirl]

Well, the question is what caused the bloat? Is it just that time of month? Raspberry tea helps. Or Something you ate? Do you have problems with milk? That's the first thing I'd try, is just taking milk out of your diet. Possibly the peanut butter, since their legumes. What is in the all natural drumsticks? Is there any gluten or milk in there, that could cause a problem. SOmetimes caulflower will do that to me.

I'd do some exercise and stretching and see if that helps

[Morrigainz]

I dunno...I've been feeling this way for a couple of weeks and I thought Roos' "red party train" was to blame...but it never came. Looking back at my food diary I don't see any major changes, except I haven't eaten apples or sunflower seeds in the last couple of weeks. I did add cottage cheese last week, but I was feeling gross before that, and consuming other dairy products (yogurt, milk) when I felt not gross. Maybe it's just a hormonal thing but it sure is frustrating!

Edited to add: apparently the ingredients in the chicken are "chicken wing drumettes non-grade."

And also...gas. So it must be a diet thing? Argh.

[Mama T]

are you getting enough sleep?

[Morrigainz]

I think so...7.5-8ish hours a night, more on the weekends...I haven't been dead tired + needing an entire pot of coffee to wake up in the morning since I cut out the cardio.

[Mama T]

i'd say just try to be as strict as possible over the next week, drink a lot of water, keep up your sleep, and try not to stress about anything (cortisol, boo). if you're super serious about it, cut back on the fruit and nuts, like no more than three servings of each for the week, if you eat any at all. also, i'm not sure if you already do, but add some HIIT. great way to kick your butt in gear.

[Morrigainz]

Ugh. Sucks because I have ALL THIS FOOD and my husband won't eat it.

Anyone in the area want some cottage cheese, yogurt, strawberries, bananas?

[catspaw]

Anyone in the area want some cottage cheese, yogurt, strawberries, bananas?

Freeze em. Berries/bananas freeze exceptionally well for smoothies. Frozen yogurt can later be eaten (smushed with a fork) as frozen yogurt.

[catspaw]

Oh, and drop the Muscle Milk. It has creatine in it which can cause bloating.

['Roos]

Dude, I've been in the same boat recently, though I'm inclined to believe it was from dietary deviation during the red party train in my case. Were I you, and aiming to be awesome for an event just a week away, I would cut out all dairy and really focus on getting as much protein as humanly possible to go with some good fats. That always makes me feel much less bloaty and like I could fight a bear.

[Morrigainz]

Oh, and drop the Muscle Milk. It has creatine in it which can cause bloating.

Really. I wonder if that's it. Before MM I was drinking the Walmart brand because it was cheap and available...but soooo much sugar.

*goes off to Google creatine*

Any suggestions for other post workout protein? I'm at school so no access to blender or anything. Bought the shakes because they were easy and portable.

[Morrigainz]

Dude' date=' I've been in the same boat recently, though I'm inclined to believe it was from dietary deviation during the red party train in my case. Were I you, and aiming to be awesome for an event just a week away, I would cut out all dairy and really focus on getting as much protein as humanly possible to go with some good fats. That always makes me feel much less bloaty and like I could fight a bear.[/quote']

Mmmmmmm bear fighting...

I think I will try this. I like my dairy but I guess I just need to eat MOAR MEAT om nom nom.

[spatzcat]

Really. I wonder if that's it. Before MM I was drinking the Walmart brand because it was cheap and available...but soooo much sugar.

*goes off to Google creatine*

Any suggestions for other post workout protein? I'm at school so no access to blender or anything. Bought the shakes because they were easy and portable.

A good quality protein powder will mix just fine with water in a shaker.... plastic cup with lid.

I bring my protein to work in a plastic baggie, dump in my shaker, add water from water cooler, shake - drink - done.

Crappy protein powders won't mix right and it's really gross drinking chunky water.

[Morrigainz]

Crappy protein powders won't mix right and it's really gross drinking chunky water.

Agreed. So what do you recommend?

[spatzcat]

i like this one for it's awesome mixing:

http://www.supplementscanada.com/iso_pro_low_carb_strawberry_precision_6_lb.html

It never chunks.. never!

['Roos]

I bring tins of boneless skinless sardines (something like 30 g of protein per tin!) and a fork to school. Hard boiled eggs. And yeah, protein powder should mix fine in a shakey cup - even better if you have somewhere you can just leave a tub of the stuff.

[Morrigainz]

Oh yeah I spend half my day at school so I bring a ton of food...just nice to have something super quick like a shake after my workout. Thanks for the suggestions everyone...hopefully by this time next week I will be feeling better about myself!

[Corbab]

This is coming in a bit late, but I find that high-protein diets can cause some digestive problems. I went on the slow-carb plan for a while (lots of protein and veggies, no bread, rice, cereal, etc), and I was getting gas a lot. Other people I know who have taken excessive protein have the same problems. Check your macronutrient percentages--maybe more fat and less carbs?

[spatzcat]

This is coming in a bit late, but I find that high-protein diets can cause some digestive problems. I went on the slow-carb plan for a while (lots of protein and veggies, no bread, rice, cereal, etc), and I was getting gas a lot. Other people I know who have taken excessive protein have the same problems. Check your macronutrient percentages--maybe more fat and less carbs?

I am a POOP MACHINE on high protein high veg.

[Morrigainz]

I poop a lot less with my new diet. The bloating doesn't feel like THAT kind of bloating though. Right now I've got my ratio around 35 carbs/30 protein/35 fat - of course I'm still adjusting so it's difficult for me to get enough protein and to cut down on the carbs properly. Anyway I think I am feeling a little better today - I didn't have my customary yogurt/cottage cheese/fruit, as was suggested up above - but I still had my muscle milk cause that's the only protein powder I have. And I'm still pretty gassy...but oh well.

[Heathgirl]

My favorite thing to lose the bloat is the Jillian Michaels recipe. I do it only ONCE a month.....

60oz of distilled water add:

1 bag of dandielion root tea (they have this most places, even walmart... but warning: its a bit bitter; on occasion when I don't have this I'll just use green tea)

2 tbs sugar free cranberry juice

2tbs lemon juice

(Drink 60oz each day for 7 days)

Hope this helps

[Morrigainz]

Really...I might have to investigate this option. What makes it work?

['Roos]

From what I understand dandelion tea is a diuretic.

[Morrigainz]

Oh good. I've been thinking about buying a bunch of cukes and nomming on those, but they have no flavor and are boring.

[spatzcat]

I make this awesome veggie dip: 1/2 cup greek yogurt + 1/4 cup low cal low fat low everything kraft miracle whip...and about 1 tsp celery salt and about 1-2 tbsp of dried dill.

dip away! cucumbers taste good this way.