Is muscluar development feasible on the IBS diet?
#297163 - 01/18/07 01:53 PM
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Christian Bale
Reged: 01/17/07
Posts: 20
Loc: Staffordshire, United Kingdom
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Hello again
I am a tad impatient. I've ordered Heather's book, "Eating for IBS" to accompany "The First Year" I have just bought, so I may be jumping the gun. Here goes anyway: -
I was on a fitness programme where the principal aim was to lose fat and maintain lean body mass. The programme advocated attempting to lose no more than 1 to 2lbs per week or around 0.5% to 1% in body fat. Maintaining muscle mass was crucial. The programme was devised in the following way to achieve this aim:-
1. You were encouraged to eat around 5 times a day taking a with macro-nutrient ratio of 55-50% carbs, 30% protein and 15-20% fat. With each meal you were supposed to have a complex carb and some protein.
The nutrition side of the programme emphasised unrefined food i.e. anything that came out of the ground or off a tree and had not been processed. Think shredded wheat, brown bread, brown rice, chicken, salmon, and then plenty fibrous carbs.
For this to be done conservatively and to prevent invoking the starvation response the idea was to eat around 10-15% less of what your body required. For me that was around 2200Kcal.
2. Rather than try to "starve" the fat off you would eat normally and exercise heavily. For me that was around 40 minutes per day on a cross trainer at 70% max heart rate 5 days a week.
3. Finally to maintain muscle mass you would weight train heavily for about 45 miutes 3 times a week. The protein consumed would provide the "building blocks" for keeping your muscle intact.
It was a very sound and methodical programme. Well since I got "The First Year" yesterday my whole diet has been shaken to the core. Things that were on the banned list on the old programme (white bread primarily) are back on and all those unrefined foods are off well, some to be consumed later anyway after the consumption of soluble fibre.
The question is this. Is it possible to achieve the goals set out on in my programme, mainly to lose body fat and maintain muscle mass and if I want in the future build muscle mass by going into a calorie surplus?
When it comes to the crunch, I'd rather be contented-that is IBS free or IBS under control than have a body that would shame Adonis but if I could have both that would be good.
The nutrition aspect of the programme has definitely worsened my IBS. For instance to ensure I was getting the protein intake I would substiute "real" protein like salmon and chicken for whey powder and I realise now from reading Heather's book that this is a recipe for disaster.
Just a few thoughts.
I would appreciate and welcome your responses.
Kind regards in anticipation
Tim
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For the first part of your diet phase to lose fat and build lean muscle it is definetly feasible. Trigger foods for IBS can be avoided completely. The only thing you need to change from the fitness program is staying away from too much IF (whole wheat, whole grains) and eat more SF. This will not make you gain weight if you are watching calories and fat. Some good sources of SF that maybe fit a bit better are white rice (some tolerate brown rice well too), oatmeal, barley, sweet potato, mushrooms, squash, carrots, banana, applesauce etc.
Fish, shrimp, egg whites, chicken breast and turkey breast are all great for IBS, so try to eat some with each meal. Also, eating 5 small meals a day is great for IBS.
Some people on here have used protein supplements with no problems, just stay away from the whey. Look for egg white, rice and soy protein powders. Try making smoothies with a milk alternative (soy, almond, rice). Also, Cliff/Luna bars are good protein bars to consider.
You don't mention if you are IBS-D or IBS-C?
If you are IBS-C the extra intense exercise will help a lot, especially the cardio portion. If you are IBS-D you may have some problems doing that much exercise. I find as IBS-D, I can't do too much cardio or ab workouts without having to 'go'. Weight training seems fine with me though. Starting off slowly and letting your stomach get used to the extra exercise may help.
The second phase you mention gaining lots of muscle by a calorie surplus, well it may be a bit tougher. Having IBS doesn't allow for too much fat in the diet, and over-eating can make symptoms worse. Unfortunately I want to gain weight and haven't had any success yet 
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Kat
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Re: to add..
#297166 - 01/18/07 02:09 PM
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K2
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 1191
Loc: Canada
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I just read your other post. The exercise can help a lot with gas/bloating and C. It'll get things moving in there so the gas and C don't build up all day. Also you may want to try Beano, a digestive enzyme that prevents gas from foods. Most veggies and whole grains cause gas so I take Beano before eating those foods. If you've been eating more whole grains lately then that could be the reason for the gas.
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Kat
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Thanks a lot for your post. Just a quick question I live in the UK. What is beano?
Thank you again
Tim 
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Re: to add..
#297187 - 01/18/07 03:41 PM
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K2
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 1191
Loc: Canada
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Beano is a digestive enzyme I think maybe only in Canada. The main ingredient is alpha-galactosidase enzyme. Maybe they have an equivalent in the UK, just look for that ingredient.
"Beano® contains an enzyme from a natural source that works with your body's digestion. It breaks down the complex sugars found in gassy foods into simpler, easily digestible sugars before they reach the colon, thereby preventing gas before it starts."
If you can't find it, then figuring out which foods are causing gas and limiting them may help too.
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Kat
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