bloating? large intestines?

[sandymac]

At the end of the day though, we are all nerds and here for each other...

It's true. We're all here for one cause and it's to help each other, even when we disagree.

Like family...better than family sometimes.

Simply adorable haha

Shiggles, not quite sure what you're suggesting, but I think you're asking whether I'm possibly just imagining the stomach issues and have a negative mental image of myself and my appearance? Not that I don't sometimes (as possibly everyone does), but no, it is a marked change in my digestion phase, that much I think I can tell you for sure. I'm no biologist or nutritionist so I honestly don't understand the process of bloating (I'm sure I could Google it, but...), so I couldn't tell ya exactly what's going on or why I don't feel actual pain when I bloat up like I'm describing, but I am positive that something changes physically. It just so happens to be apparent to my eyes and hands. Sorry, I'm not sure how to answer this one. Though perhaps you were giving a rhetorical suggestion.

[shiggles]

No, I don't think you have a negative mental image of yourself. I think your mental image of yourself is likely too positive.

Let's break it down.

You call yourself a fitness professional. You said "I feel like I am always bloated". You say your are generally in good shape and eat well but don't offer any specifics. You don't mention any measurements that may have changed so I'm going to presume for now you don't keep a regular track of these, otherwise you would have noticed and mentioned if something was irregular. And 'irregular' includes body changes that are not correlated with changes in measurements. So if you don't keep track of your weight which is pretty simple, I'm also going to presume that you don't keep a food log, and you haven't mentioned noticing your distended abdomen occurring after any particular food choices. After all, you are sort of asking for assistance and including the details helps people help you. Yes, there are quite a few assumptions here, but feel free to prove me wrong in any of them.

To be perfectly honest here, I think the most likely scenario is that you have put on a bit of weight and what you are really noticing is some extra fat around your belly that wasn't there before.

You can easily test this. Keep a closer track of your weight and measurements around the waist and hip area. Better yet, get someone else to take the measurements so they aren't influenced by how you may think you look but make sure not to influence the results yourself by being a bad body (slouching during measurement etc). Again, I'm happy to be proven wrong with this. But it sounds like you don't know if you weigh any more than you used to or have a larger waist, or have been consuming more calories or exercising less than usual to cause this. You also aren't getting any of the GIT issues associated with real bloating and you mention being bloated all the time.

I would suggest trying Whole30. 30 days of whole and unprocessed food without grains and similar - google further details or ask if you need some help. This removed the vast majority of foods that have the potential to cause you problems. So if it happens to be a certain food causing your issues this can act as a sort of healthy elimination diet. And problems are sometimes insidious in the way they can cause whole-body inflammation, another possible contributor to your issues.

I'm sure I could Google it, but...

But what? You seem pretty concerned about this, so why not look it up?

[Guest Eduard]

As an aside, Eduardo is a wise ass, but we love him...

Eduardo? How would you feel if I called you Alejandra?

I appreciate the civility of your comment, Eduard, but this "organization" you speak of - it just sounds like we're pushing all women's questions into the guild, non?... mine wasn't specifically aimed at women (though apparently it happened to be without my intent), I had just said it might be. So I don't agree that just because I happen to be female means I shouldn't be asking a question in an open forum... it's not like I was asking about my uterus expanding....... OR WAS I?! ~suspense~

Well, men don't get pregnant. I guess.

On the other side, although the questions related to your obvious pregnacy (I hope you get the joke) should be posted in Women's Guild, you're welcome to post in The Tavern which gender the baby is so we can all congratulate you! Haha, YOU'RE GONNA BE A MOMMY SANDY, ISN'T THIS CUUUTE? Little cute babies! <3

Or maybe they're twins! In this case, if you're a real nerd, you'll call them Heracles and Iphicles! Or Apollo and Artemis if they're boy and girl! And if they're both giiirls... weeell... Renee and Rosie I guess! Of course, if you find my suggestions retarded, you can post in The Tavern and ask for better ones. I've still put some effort into it, tho.

Edit: What about calling one "Nerd" and the one "Fitness"? I'd do it if I had a few spare twins.

[sandymac]

But what? You seem pretty concerned about this, so why not look it up?

Ah, sarcasm doesn't come across on the internet. I never seem to remember this. I was joking. I've looked into it of course; I was merely trying to get some other people to relate to my situation and to belay any comments like "Stop asking here, go educate yourself." Obviously my plan backfired there...

So hey. Shiggles. Yikes. Talk about feeling attacked. Indeed, you did make a lot of uncalled for assumptions. It's your prerogative to assume I'm just another ignorant female whining about an issue I know nothing about or haven't tried to solve with a little hard work since I didn't give any specifics or measurements, but that's completely incorrect, and still I don't see the need to explain myself to strangers when I know I'm doing everything I need to and am at a healthy weight and size.

1. I'll just be blunt and say, by "irregular" I was referring to bowel movements, giving a little more info about my "bloating process" since you were adamant that my problem was not physiological or that I was not experiencing a normal bloating situation.

2. You are absolutely right. I do, in fact, weigh more than I used to. This is due to muscle gains though, not fat. If anything, after increasing strength training and watching what I eat, I have lost inches (not weight, since that its a moot factor in weight loss if you do it right), not gained. I can assure you I'm not in any sort of denial about my size. This is an issue I've dealt with for a long, long time, back into my high-metabolism days when I didn't have a lick of fat on me. It's just a weirdo quirk (that evidently other people share and could possibly be cause by a food sensitivity or just eating too much who knows).

3. I am absolutely aware of every single thing I put into my body. I kept a food log for 2 years straight a few years ago, grew accustomed to the process, and don't see the need anymore. I also just don't feel the need to affirm everyone on this board of my eating habits and discuss it since I know what I need to be eating.

4. Yep, as other people have suggested, I'll look into an elimination diet type of situation. Just gotta solve the mystery.

And Eduard, all fantastic ideas. I think I might possibly go with Lee and Kara though. Please, anyone, get the reference.

[oystergirl]

Eduardo....my mother and father call me Alejandra....so I wouldn't mind at all. Sorry I added the o...

[UncleTone]

I think I might possibly go with Lee and Kara though. Please, anyone, get the reference.

I approve of those names but only if you use the obvious nicknames of Apollo and Starbuck.

[shiggles]

No need to feel attacked there as it was not my intention.

I clearly said I was making assumptions/presumptions and what they were. I also said you can feel free to correct me which you have. I was only trying to help you out with limited information and so I don't think any of those assumptions were uncalled for. And no, I don't think you are dumb.

[katscratch]

I'm another chiming in for a food trial -- for me also 'bloating' is very visible and obviously not added weight/fat, i can drum on my belly or push and it sounds/feels hollow but not gassy. Grains are the biggest player for me but I know several people that have soy or corn issues, and as said earlier, corn is in everything, even toothpaste. Not that you are eating your toothpaste! My period cycle affects this too, but not nearly as badly since cutting out grains/legumes.

[gerbilOFdoom]

Alright, so funny thing: I have a gluten allergy. When I eat gluten, my stomach swells right up in what I presume is something along the lines of "bloating", but really just a lot of gas... stomach feels the same way you described it. Plus, irregular bowel movements are the trademark of gluten intolerance (I would know ). So, my suggestion: Go gluten free, and I mean COMPLETELY gluten free for 2 months. If it solves your problem, or the problem gets better you likely have a gluten intolerance and should see your doctor to make sure. If you don't want to exclude gluten, you might want to talk to the doc anyway to see what the problem could be.

[sandymac]

Oh boy. A bunch of people telling me what I didn't want to hear.

Want to avoid truth...

Must listen...

Can't hear while I'm eating my glutenous oatmeal...

[Loren Wade]

Come to think of it, gluten does make me bloated... but I assumed it was due to Crohn's disease. It's probably not.

[aj_rock]

Ok, I'll chime in because I know what you're referring to and gone through it on a weekly basis.

My workout/diet schedule called for weekly carb re-feeds, and, while my eating never got ridiculous (never more than 3500 cal in a day), large intakes of grain products combined with ample water intake will probably make you bloat.

Not that it's negative really, just a side effect. But you know how, when you cook pasta or rice, you boil it in water and it gets large and soft? That process continues in your digestive system, I'm pretty sure.

I know you didn't want to hear that its grains, but its probably grains to be honest. IANA paleo eater, but I'll admit grains cause some bloating, especially when combined with water (salt may add to the effect). Other than that, I have never experienced any negative side effects from consuming grains, other than avoiding food in general a few hours prior to exercise.

[AuroraNorth]

This may be in Captain Obvious territory, but how are your water and salt intakes? Do you have more of a problem at certain points in your cycle?