Guys, how the F do I stop eating so much?!
- Thread starter lostandtired
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- female fitness
@dshope Not medical tests but what I've figured out through my own experiments. Something like this: abstain for a few weeks of all foods that can be issues, then reintroduce one at a time and wait a day for reactions. I've realized tomatoes and spicey food are issues for me. Bc I have rosacea, my face is my indication that certain food doesn't work for me. I've backed up this by reading about treating conditions with food (or the elimination of them).
TMI: My bm's also are significant indicator of food issues. I get much better when I eat more healthy fats. In fact my sugar cravings decreased significantly with added fat and I've lost body fat and maintained muscle eating that way. If you haven't already, read Eat Fat, Get Thin by Dr. Hyman. Found it had helpful info for eating less carbs and more fat. I'm not carb phobic though. I need a balance to feel my best. But too much and it gives me bathroom issues. (learned by testing my food)
TMI: My bm's also are significant indicator of food issues. I get much better when I eat more healthy fats. In fact my sugar cravings decreased significantly with added fat and I've lost body fat and maintained muscle eating that way. If you haven't already, read Eat Fat, Get Thin by Dr. Hyman. Found it had helpful info for eating less carbs and more fat. I'm not carb phobic though. I need a balance to feel my best. But too much and it gives me bathroom issues. (learned by testing my food)
kfalla1984
New member
@lostandtired Have you been tested for intestinal parasites?
wingsofrefuge
New member
@lostandtired Hi- late to the party, but I wanted to mention the following because it has REALLY helped me. Like you, I used to have a lot of digestion issues and food cravings. I work in medicine (I'm a physician) and it drove me nuts not really knowing what was irritating my stomach. I saw multiple doctors for my symptoms over the years and never really got any answers and was just labeled as IBS. I didn't have anything "wrong" with me, but I was constantly bloated, having diarrhea, and a lot of reflux. Like you, I noticed an improvement when I decreased my alcohol intake and processed carb intake. I wouldn't say my symptoms were resolved, but they were better. BUT, over the past few years I have been paying attention to a lot of research coming out about gut flora and the microbiome. If you don't know about the mircobiome, read on it! Seriously interesting stuff. In all the medical conferences I've attended over the past year, the microbiome has been mentioned. A lot of the research is still in the fledgling state, but I think this is going to be a hot topic for years to come. We are finding that having certain gut flora helps curb appetite and is linked to decreased obesity. The microbiome has also been linked to autoimmune issues, heart disease, and endocrine disease. If you maintain a healthy microbiome, you are going to have less bloating, less food craving and binging, and better health in general.
"LURKFACE! HOW TO I MAINTAIN A HEALTHY MICROBIOME? PLEASE TELL ME?"
Girl, I gotchu! There is no magic Microbiome pill (wish there was, get on this pharma companies) but the research shows that eating certain foods help support the right bacteria and encourage them to flourish in your gut. The most important thing to eat is fermented foods- this helps introduce the good bacteria into the gut. These foods include yogurt, kombucha, sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles. Please note, store bought pickles and sauerkraut are often pasteurized, killing the bacteria that you need...I make my own, it's not hard, but time consuming. To avoid this, I think a good starting point is to have a kombucha or a yogurt daily because these are store-bought products that are easy to obtain and include in your diet.
In addition to including fermented foods, you want to eat a diet low in processed food, low in refined sugar and white flour. To make it easy for myself, I try to avoid anything that comes out of a box or a bag.
Veggies are good, especially leafy green ones.
Probiotic pills are shown to be effective as well.
I hope this helps you! When reading your post, I heard a lot of what I've experienced myself echoed there. It really is so exhausting, but I really feel this has helped me A LOT. Cheers! sips kombucha
EDIT- typo fixed
"LURKFACE! HOW TO I MAINTAIN A HEALTHY MICROBIOME? PLEASE TELL ME?"
Girl, I gotchu! There is no magic Microbiome pill (wish there was, get on this pharma companies) but the research shows that eating certain foods help support the right bacteria and encourage them to flourish in your gut. The most important thing to eat is fermented foods- this helps introduce the good bacteria into the gut. These foods include yogurt, kombucha, sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles. Please note, store bought pickles and sauerkraut are often pasteurized, killing the bacteria that you need...I make my own, it's not hard, but time consuming. To avoid this, I think a good starting point is to have a kombucha or a yogurt daily because these are store-bought products that are easy to obtain and include in your diet.
In addition to including fermented foods, you want to eat a diet low in processed food, low in refined sugar and white flour. To make it easy for myself, I try to avoid anything that comes out of a box or a bag.
Veggies are good, especially leafy green ones.
Probiotic pills are shown to be effective as well.
I hope this helps you! When reading your post, I heard a lot of what I've experienced myself echoed there. It really is so exhausting, but I really feel this has helped me A LOT. Cheers! sips kombucha
EDIT- typo fixed
momtoonegirl
New member
@wingsofrefuge What do you think of getting your gut microbe tested? Is that legit? some nutritionists offer it. Thanks!
wingsofrefuge
New member
@momtoonegirl I've heard of these, but I myself have never ordered one. I feel that right now there are far too many organisms in the gut and researchers are just starting to isolate which ones are associated with the bad stuff-- for example, a lot of research right now is geared at figuring out which gut flora is linked to obesity. But, there's just too many gut flora left uncharted. I'm not sure how useful this testing would be present day because we are still trying to figure out which bacteria do what. Hopefully the research catches up and we get better testing, but at this point I would say save your money and look for clinical improvement with diet changes/macrobiotic ingestion.
@wingsofrefuge That's awesome. Once I'm done with the low FODMAP elimination phase I look forward to adding/rechallenging sauerkraut & kimchi(sic?).
@wingsofrefuge Hey Doc, could not agree more!
I’m wondering if OP took any antibiotics right around the time this whole thing started.... killing off some of her “good” bacteria and allowing the bad to overpopulate, causing GERD and increased cravings.
I’m convinced my own issues with weight gain, increased cravings, and GERD were influenced by my taking a lot of antibiotics pretty regularly for UTIs over a short period.
Btw - a probiotic called Florastor got rid of the worst GERD in my life. Nothing else was helping even though I was on prescription strength acid blockers and considering some wild surgeries as a last resort. Within 24 hours of taking Florastor the heartburn was GONE.
I’m wondering if OP took any antibiotics right around the time this whole thing started.... killing off some of her “good” bacteria and allowing the bad to overpopulate, causing GERD and increased cravings.
I’m convinced my own issues with weight gain, increased cravings, and GERD were influenced by my taking a lot of antibiotics pretty regularly for UTIs over a short period.
Btw - a probiotic called Florastor got rid of the worst GERD in my life. Nothing else was helping even though I was on prescription strength acid blockers and considering some wild surgeries as a last resort. Within 24 hours of taking Florastor the heartburn was GONE.
wingsofrefuge
New member
@gerr_c Awesome! Glad you are feeling better. I've never tried that one, but I just checked it out and seems like people love it on Amazon.
Purchased that, thank you @gerr_c and Prime membership!! There are seriously so many probiotics out there, and there is really no good research that says one is better than the other, so a lot of what I go on is trial and error. I do think that probiotics are THE SHIT (pun intended!) but I wish the medical community had clear recommendations about which ones are the best. Excited to try this Florastor.
With all the GI symptoms OP mentioned, it really makes me think gut flora may be at the heart of these issues. OP, I hope you read this and get some improvement!!
Purchased that, thank you @gerr_c and Prime membership!! There are seriously so many probiotics out there, and there is really no good research that says one is better than the other, so a lot of what I go on is trial and error. I do think that probiotics are THE SHIT (pun intended!) but I wish the medical community had clear recommendations about which ones are the best. Excited to try this Florastor.
With all the GI symptoms OP mentioned, it really makes me think gut flora may be at the heart of these issues. OP, I hope you read this and get some improvement!!
@wingsofrefuge Wanted to also ask - how does your belief in the importance of intestinal micro flora influence your treatment of patients?
Edit: Argh accidentally deleted my other response. It said I hope Florastor works for you, please let me know if you notice anything! I’ve been very curious about others experiences with it for GERD!
Edit: Argh accidentally deleted my other response. It said I hope Florastor works for you, please let me know if you notice anything! I’ve been very curious about others experiences with it for GERD!
wingsofrefuge
New member
@lostandtired Two things: eat very low-cal foods for awhile. Weight watchers works great for me. Use the points calculator online so you don’t have to pay for the program.
And remember that the first two or three weeks are the toughest. After that you may feel your stomach shrink. You will get full faster. And after a month you may have broken you compulsion, which may be linked to an addiction to sugar.
And remember that the first two or three weeks are the toughest. After that you may feel your stomach shrink. You will get full faster. And after a month you may have broken you compulsion, which may be linked to an addiction to sugar.
questforgodliness
New member
@lostandtired I had similar problems, but I'm not sure how similar we are. I have PCOS, and if I don't manage my blood sugar by eating low GI, sometimes I'll get to a point where food just doesn't fill me up, and I crave carbs like.. painfully. xD I also had some issues with too much yeast in my gut in the past which really upped the carb cravings (all of which can apparently be an issue in PCOS, though I'm sure it can happen without that too).
The way I fixed it: eating low gi, weathering the cravings for a few days until everything subsides. Or, if you want to be a little more cavalier, maybe try an oral treatment for yeast issues (like Canasten). Just one of those pills was enough to get rid of the carb cravings when yeast was the problem. I know you said your bloods were fine, but assuming you didn't get your hormone levels checked too, might be worth asking about possible PCOS. 1/10 women have it, after all.
The way I fixed it: eating low gi, weathering the cravings for a few days until everything subsides. Or, if you want to be a little more cavalier, maybe try an oral treatment for yeast issues (like Canasten). Just one of those pills was enough to get rid of the carb cravings when yeast was the problem. I know you said your bloods were fine, but assuming you didn't get your hormone levels checked too, might be worth asking about possible PCOS. 1/10 women have it, after all.
@questforgodliness What are your main PCOS symptoms?
questforgodliness
New member
@cr0011 None of your business. 
But here's a link to the symptoms of PCOS, in general: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pcos/symptoms/
It's a pretty badly researched (and named) disorder, but I've been told by specialists it can fuck with your heart rhythm too. Oh, and you don't have to have cysts on your ovaries for diagnosis - just the right hormonal profile and two other symptoms. You can also have PCOS without being overweight (20% of people with it aren't).
But here's a link to the symptoms of PCOS, in general: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pcos/symptoms/
It's a pretty badly researched (and named) disorder, but I've been told by specialists it can fuck with your heart rhythm too. Oh, and you don't have to have cysts on your ovaries for diagnosis - just the right hormonal profile and two other symptoms. You can also have PCOS without being overweight (20% of people with it aren't).
@lostandtired I only skimmed it but check your thyroid fam
kurtcobainus
New member
@kurtcobainus Ikr, I was super disppointed I didn't have a thyroid issue to blame. 
Consider, though, that your body is misinterpreting something else as hunger. You're still feeling it but it doesn't mean what you think it means/food isn't the answer.
Consider, though, that your body is misinterpreting something else as hunger. You're still feeling it but it doesn't mean what you think it means/food isn't the answer.
@kurtcobainus Most likely, though this was happening to someone I know recently, he started getting shakes and ended up having a real dangerous thing, but I forget what.