Off-Topic Bloating

[ShawnM]

So I noticed this week that when I train any time after eating food I get a crazy bloat. I had bacon and eggs at 0800 this a.m. I started lifting around 1245 and was fine but after swings around 1315 I looked like a fat a$& bull frog. I was able to knock out my top half TGU's but was pretty winded from the bloating. If I train first thing in the morning this isn't a problem. I'm thinking of switching to the warrior diet and just have a few small, low carb meals before I train.

Does this happen to any one else here and if so, how are you dealing with it? Thanks.

Shawn

 

[Steve Freides]

@ShawnM, you might check with your doctor about food allergies or whatever else he/she thinks is relevant.

Could also be something as simple as: you're using your abs and they're getting tired. I have never felt anything I'd described as you've described above, but I have noticed that hard ab training relatively early would sometimes leave me feeling it was difficult maintain good posture for the rest of the day. I'd try a little down time.

Last but not least, how do you feel? You say you look bloated, but it could just be a bit of muscle pump in your abs. If it feels OK, I wouldn't be concerned about it.

-S-

 

[ShawnM]

@Steve Freides- I don't feel to bad, I just notice I was very distended. I think I may have caused a sodium inbalance after reading a few articles on the subject. A little after I was done I looked and felt fine. I am switching to the warrior diet for a life style change as well as a little recompisition so I will not be having full meals within a few hours of training and I am hoping that helps. Thanks for the responce, I appreciate it.

 

[Steve Freides]

Let us know what you figure out, @ShawnM.

Not to sound overly cautious, but I would check with a doctor before embarking on a change of diet to address a sodium imbalance.

The WD, however, is a good fit for most people and shouldn't require a medical opinion unless your circumstances dictate. If I were you, I'd just start cutting back on your breakfast and not go "cold turkey." My personal WD approach is to move from a vegan start to a carnivorous dinner - nuts, seeds, berries, maybe a little kefir (not vegan but fermented, at least) for breakfast, no milk, cheese, eggs, or meat. But even with this, I'd go gradually and start just by reducing your volume of food at breakfast and then experiment with a gradual shift to lighter eating earlier in the day.

-S-

 

[ShawnM]

@Steve Freides- The diet change is more to keep from having too much food in my system before training. Often I need a few hours of just water or other light liquids to keep from getting any stomache distress. I have noticed this with almost any activity I do after eating. I don't have this problem if I train in the early morning and have just water and coffee before hand. Yesterday I had a decent portion of bacon with my eggs and I think I just had too much sodium in my system before training.

I appreciate the input on the warrior diet, I have been kicking around which way to begin my day, I'll look into kefir and maybe some berries. I have been slowly reducing the amount of food I consume in the morning, yesterday I just went a little nuts on bacon. I have considered greek yogurt and mixed berries in the morning to start my day to keep things nice and light.

 

[kodo kb]

I was able to knock out my top half TGU's but was pretty winded from the bloating.

I'm not sure if your bloating is the thing that makes you winded. I often get a little bloated, and I get the looking like a bullfrog thing, but it's never really affected my training.

I've found that stretching my ab with some reach-backs, bridges, or the moves from Hardstyle Abs helps decrease the amount of post-exercise expansion.

 

[Al Ciampa]

So, you self diagnosed a sodium problem after one session of what you're calling "bloat", and are fixing it by fasting?

Is your "bloating" centralized to your gut?

 

[ShawnM]

@aciampa- It was not the first time, just hasn't happened quite that bad. To be honest, it could be nothing. As I reviewed my food and training log the other day I noticed I had a lot more sodium that day and wondered if that may be the issue. I had my medical officer at my command draw blood today to see if I have anything off there. The fasting was more to see if there was any change to how I felt befor, during, and after training. I would call it much of a fast, really just a reduction in food volume. I am also interest in coming down from 245lbs to around 220-225. I did something similar in Iraq a decade or so ago and it worked pretty decent.
Thanks for your response, I appreciate it.

Shawn