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So, I eat a lot...and this translates into spending most of my day bloated and water-logged! It seems as though starchy/veggie meals stay with me for 5-6 hours (in contrast with fruity meals, from my past diet), especially if I eat a large meal for lunch. Is there a way to prevent this?

I have cut down on cruciferous veggies, as well as any other specific foods that cause excessive bloating. However, the bloating is still very visible, now that it's hotter out and the clothes are getting more minimal.

I have always had a problem with bloating after foods, especially after cruciferous veggies.

Thank you, everyone!

Not sure how to help other than suggest looking at your salt intake?

Not sure what constitutes "a lot" but maybe youre just eating too much at one time. You shouldnt leave the table in pain or bloated. Are you eating grains, gluten or wheat? If youre full for 4-6 after a meal are you eating before the 4-6 hours is up, meaning youre not really hungry?

Maybe try to eat less.

Have you tried chewing a couple of beano tablets before your meal? I tend to get "airy" when I eat broccoli or brussel sprouts. I haven't tried beano with these yet, but I mean to. It has helped with other foods before.

there's been a lot of talk on the net about how we need digestive enzymes taken with a meal. you might give those a try for a while. also, maybe best to not eat bread with a meal with other starches, such as potatoes. eat the bread by itself as a snack. I seldom eat raw broccoli and cauliflower but celery and carrots are okay. and I don't eat beans at all because of the "after effects."

Try small meals more often. Stuffing yourself is never a good idea!

Thank you, to all.

I can eat several cups of veggies (cooked, as raw makes me bloat further!), a fruit or two, and pounds of potatoes/sweet potatoes or several cups of beans--just for lunch! The beano may be a great idea, as I get rather water-logged and gaseous often, as well.

Unfortunately, smaller meals more often has the same effect--I'm still just as full and bloated by the end of the day, although the progression is slower. I'm wondering if I'm just an anomaly!

I don't eat grains or breads, but what types of digestive enymes would you recommend that might help? I don't eat extra salt, either.

Question: you say you can eat all that just for lunch, but do you really need to? Are you underweight or feel you have to eat that much?

Have you tried eating maybe half as much per meal with the same intervals ie. breakfast, lunch, dinner and not smaller more frequent meals?

MDraine -

I have exactly the same problem. I find myself bloated all the time, and I eat a lot at each meal, (mostly dinner since I'm home and have a kitchen near me..). I eat a lot of cooked broccoli and cauliflower, and since I have been eating it a lot more lately I've noticed I've been bloated and having some bowel issues. Anyways, I'm here to help with sympathy! Sorry I don't have any answers.

Brandon

I've been following this WOE for about a month, and I've had some intestinal issues. I think a lot of it is that I was low carb for a few years, so I'm reintroducing certain foods, like beans, and maybe my system has to adjust.

I'm also considering trying some probiotics. One of my friends said that would probably help.

Reintroducing certain foods could definitely be causing me problems, although I have had issues with rather severe bloating for all of my life. However, it at least tended to disappear in the mornings, which it no longer does.

What sorts of probiotics are you trying, which might work? I've heard fermented foods (that many healthy cultures eat!) might help? Thank you so much!

Brandon, thank you! I'm hoping we can find a way to beat the bloating someday. Have you tried cutting out the cruciferous veggies, to see if it helps? Eliiminating those and beans seems to decrease my bloating, but not to any significant degree.

No, I definitely don't need to eat that much--but it was rather nice to know I could! On the days I eat less, I definitely don't have nearly as much bloating, but I am also a bit cranky to be around. I never get hungry on this WOE, so it is difficult to judge just how much I ought to be eating.

My wife has similar issues with a bloating feeling. The only thing I can knock it off it is sodium intake. I have been making a stronger effort to use less and less sodium in our diet. Some is avoidable (like canned beans), opting for soaking beans, while other sodium isn't. I did tell her the same thing a few people have already commented, don't eat as much in one sitting. Still she has some intestinal issues that are causing some problem we are trying to resolve.

I don't know yet about the probiotics. My girlfriend said to go the health food store - that the best ones are refrigerated. I'm also going to get some "beano" to try.

Are you taking any antibiotics or have you recently? I think that might be part of my problem, as I had a UTI right before I started this WOE and the antibiotic probably wiped out all my good bacteria/flora too. I'm hoping the probiotics will help.

Why would you be more cranky eating less and being less bloated?

Most of the vegetables I eat are from the cruciferous family, so I haven't tried it yet. I honestly have not the slightest clue of what causes my bloating, but I hate it. I eat when I'm bloated even though I'm not hungry because if I didn't I wouldn't eat enough throughout the day. Although I do tend to overeat at dinner time, it's just so easy to eat 2 cups of brown rice!