Normal Adjustments to Clean Eating?

[270quest]

Around the first week of August of this year I had a come to Jesus with myself and my wife as I weighed myself and was 278 pounds at 5'11. I was FAT!!! Just let myself loose control on my eating and sucking down sodas left and right. I had to do something, so we locked in on clean eating, calorie reduction, more workouts, basically take back control of my life and health.

Since that's first week, we have gone to a hard core unprocessed food plan, I dropped the sodas, been working out 5 days a week - basically said I am all in from day one and either I am going to make this happen or die trying.

My food intake is basically a modified carnivore - I eat lots of meat (Beef, Elk, Deer, Salmon, some Chicken) lots of veggies, and will sneak in some rice in the veggies in limited quantities - basically just cooking good clean sensible meals. I do drink milk still - usually just a glass a day and lots of butter and cheese here and there. Since that first week of August, I am down 19 pounds to 259 - 19 pounds in just less than a month. (My goal is 78 pounds to be at 200 by the end of this year)

It seems all was/is going well except for one thing - Within the last week, I feel like my guts are tore up every day. When I'm on the toilet, its just water coming out - nothing solid and there's times throughout the day when I feel like if I sneeze too hard, there's going to be a scene. Not trying to gross anyone out, but should I be doing something different? Is this normal? Is my body just adjusting?

 

[BBob]

A big portion of people that quickly switch to carnivore will get the bowel effects you mention. There’s a transition time. It’s a pretty well known effect.

 

[mtnbound]

Just go slow any time you make such big dietary changes. Your body does not know what to do with this eating style.


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[IAm_Not_Lost]

There definitely can be a transition with any new diet but making sure you get enough dietary fiber is huge, and plays a massive role in regulating your bowels, as well as having a lot of other health benefits such as on cholesterol and blood sugar. So, you may consider adding a morning scoop of Metamucil or generic equivalent since you aren't seemingly getting much of it.

I'm not purporting to be a nutrional expert, but I am a family NP and I would caution against dietary extremes. While they can often have short term benefits, or result in short term weight loss or gains, there is usually a reason that we developed certain traits historically such as a balanced omnivore diet. Moderation is key. If you can just cut out soda, excessive alcohol, fast food, and generally try and avoid processed foods when reasonably possible in combination with reasonable exercise, you'll do great. Congrats. After two kids and ten years of marriage I'm also at the same point where I need to buckle down and eat less and work out more.

 

[Coach Chris]

Try dropping the dairy

 

[S.Clancy]

So, you've basically gone from the "average American diet" of trash, then on a dime, stopped that immediately and began eating foods you were unaccustomed to all while working out significantly (if not infinitely) more than you have in the foreseeable past....How much fiber were you taking in a day before? I would bet it is way more now. Not to mention the stress on your body of losing 19 lbs in a month......no wonder you have gut issues.

Slow your roll a bit, diet is a lifestyle (like, for the rest of your life) not some spiritual suffer fest you are currently doing (and unlikely to maintain long). Good luck.

 

[strattonje2020]

So, you've basically gone from the "average American diet" of trash, then on a dime, stopped that immediately and began eating foods you were unaccustomed to all while working out significantly (if not infinitely) more than you have in the foreseeable past....How much fiber were you taking in a day before? I would bet it is way more now. Not to mention the stress on your body of losing 19 lbs in a month......no wonder you have gut issues.

Slow your roll a bit, diet is a lifestyle (like, for the rest of your life) not some spiritual suffer fest you are currently doing (and unlikely to maintain long). Good luck.

This.

 

[Watrdawg]

I've been eating clean except for milk since December. Feel a million times better. Eating meats, fish and poultry, veggies and fruit. I'll eat rice and Greek Yoghurt also. Not giving up Milk. My all time favorite drink is cold milk. Regardless, my stomach was a bit upset for a week or so also and then it went away. Now if I cheat and eat something with a lot of sugar or simple carbs I feel horrible! My snacks are yoghurt and berries. We are also saving money by not buying the junk foods or cereals and other processed foods. As others have said it's a lifestyle but the benefits are astounding. Ease into it but you don't have to go too slow.

 

[Shootinsurveyor]

Been eating grilled chicken breast or thighs, ny strip and homemade skin on red mashed potatoes made with a little olive oil and salt for 3 months for lunches. Checks all the satiety boxes to keep me on the straight and narrow. And noticing real weight loss overall looking better. Dont overthink, just eat real food and get in your routine. You will notice changes just from not eating trash. I did and I loved gas station food for 20 years.

I had to focus first on consistency with working out and keeping that going and on schedule. Then I added focusing on the diet once the working out was deeply entrenched in my daily schedule. Eating real food and consistent working out has been the winning combination. Harder than it sounds to get it all implemented.

Good luck!

 

[ScreamingPotato]

Your gut bacteria has to adjust, but if it's been a month it should have adjusted by now I would have thought. My diet has always been heavily meat based and I have a lot of experience with general keto and "healthy keto," my guts will get torn up when I rely too much on almonds and walnuts for my fat source so I can't eat a lot of lean meats or I won't get enough fats. Unlike most people I don't bother with fiber or veggies at all, when I want to drop weight quickly a strict keto melts it off without gut issues if I avoid piles of nuts. For my body the fiber only seems to add bulk to the turds, without it I spit out very small volume of little nuggets. Enough rambling, if your guts are torn up just in this last week, assuming you're not sick with a cold, take a look at what you've been consuming in excess this last week. More dairy perhaps? Add any supplements? I see a lot of keto people doing MCT oils and "bulletproof coffee" recipes, adding MCT oils will do it every time if your body isn't use to them.

 

[Jason Snyder]

Try dropping the dairy

This was my first thought as well.

 

[Old_Norther]

20lbs is a huge achievement, you should be stoked on that. As for the diet, you are eating a lot of dietary fat. All the meats and yogurts and butter are going to contribute to the hot trots on the can. That said, you don’t need to stop eating them. Maybe just shoot for a little more balance. The foundation of every meal should be vegetables and meat. A little butter on toast or steak is not a deal killer.
Goos rule of thumb for diet is this; when did it die?

If the food you eat is so processed that you really don’t or can’t identify when it was alive you should make a different choice.

I’ve said it before on Rokslide and I’ll say it again, you can’t diet your way into fitness. The body shape you see is a reflection of your ability to do work in the mountains. 5 days per week is a good start, but if you want to make a permanent change you have to train 7 days per week. Naturally, this means you can’t put the hammer down every single session or you will die. Some training days might be a 20 minute walk, or an hour of pickle ball. But it can’t be a full day of go to work and then ride the couch.

 

[Old_Norther]

I have a bunch of buddies who are in the same boat you are. Professionally I am strength and conditioning coach, currently I work for an NHL team full time. I have put together a couple of programs that are, I hope, pretty easy to follow and perfect for goals like what you are working on. You can download them on my website.

Totally free. I do it as a service for other guys just trying to live the life. Training and being fit to hunt shouldn't be another huge expense. Feel free to DM or email me any questions. Find the program at the link here:

jakejensenstrength.com/about-6

 

[Jimbee]

I've never been what I would consider fat, but I had a bit of a "dad bod". I have been avoiding sugar, flour and potatoes. I quickly lost 20+ pounds. I'm now 5'11" and 180lbs. I still eat as much as I want. Almost 47y.o.