Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards | Re: Please help me out, I'm new!

Hi there,

Welcome to the boards, first off!

I totally understand where you're coming from in terms of not knowing exactly what to eat so just eating the same thing all the time. I think you're right, though, pretty soon you'll get pretty tired of bananas and sourdough so definitely best to try and find some other staples that can get you through most of the day.
With you being at college and relying on the cafeteria, it does make it a little trickier but there are definitely things you can do. I agree with the other reply that mentioned getting some food off campus and keeping it handy. I don't know if you have a fridge at your disposal, but I would stock up on safe things that you can just keep in a cupboard or something. As an example, these are the things that I used to always have on hand when I was rushing between classes and work, etc:
- Rice Cakes
- Pretzels
- Dry Cereal
- Baked potato chips (ie. Baked Lays)
- Motts "Fruitsations" unsweetened applesauce cups
- Flour tortilla wraps
- Nut Butter (look for lower fat and, if possible, organic)
- Canned fruits (peaches and pears)

Those are just a few things, obviously if you do have access to a fridge and maybe a microwave than you can get a lot more creative. If you can invest in some plastic baggies and small tupperwear containers, you can make sure you are carrying around safe snacks with you.
In terms of "how much", I don't think there is one answer for that. I think it is okay for a short while to eat the same thing, but you really want to get to a point where you are incorporating a lot more foods so that you are giving your body the nurishment that it needs. The amount of soluble fiber depends on how much it takes for your tummy to be okay to digest that, as well as some other things that are NOT soluble fiber. As in, if I go out to eat I will have a bread role and then I am okay to eat a small salad. Then with a dinner, I will have some soluble fiber (say rice, for example) but will also have some grilled chicken or fish and vegetables.
You asked "how do you eat with IBS?" and I think that once you do get a handle on it, it's just like eating for anything else. There are certain things you avoid (like you mentioned dairy) and things you know you can have. It does take a while to get used to it, though, and I think the best way to do it is to start out simple (like you are) and then gradually add in other things and see how your body reacts. For me personally, I have access to my kitchen and an organic store across the street so I manage to make really healthy and tasty meals that you wouldn't even know are following any specific "diet".

As for losing weight, I think that is a tricky question because not everyone uses the diet in the same way. If you go from eating a fairly "average" diet of high-fat foods, a lot of red meat and dairy and all that and then you cut out those triggers, you are automatically cutting out a lot of unhealthy fat from your diet which can help you lose weight. The only problem that I seem to notice happens with some people is that they become reliant on eating only soluble fiber foods and so are injesting a LOT of simple carbohydrates, which are higher in sugars. Now, there is nothing wrong with eating carbs and you can definitely lose weight while eating them, but the problem seems to arise when you are eating only carbs, all the time.
You want to make sure that you are using carbs to protect your tummy like a buffer from other foods sort of, but you need to get the protein and vitamins from other foods to have a healthy diet that will allow you to have healthy and sustainable weight loss.
The goal of this diet is not weight loss, though, so there isn't really a way to answer whether or not you are supposed to lose weight when you begin the diet. My guess would be that if you are eating only small amounts of bread and bananas that you might lose some weight, but that your body will think it's starving and you might find some weight fluctuation from that when you do start incorporating other foods and start properly feeding your body.
My advice would be to put the scale away and leave that part alone for now, until you are eating a regular and healthy diet that you can maintain. Cut out trigger foods like high fat and dairy and concentrate on eating foods that will nourish your body and keep your tummy safe. My guess would be that if you do this, and try to incorporate some regular exercise, you will notice your body changing.

Hope this helps, and let us know how you're doing!

Cheers,
Steph

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~~I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell-I know right now you can't tell~~Matchbox 20
IBS-D,pain.

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