Cutting diet, have you experienced this? Any advice or thoughts?

[jordyanne91]

Hey ladies, (and any lurking gents),

I starting cutting on a keto diet, had my macros worked out with, (can provide if you want) and it worked well, bit hard at first but effective and easy enough for me. My boyfriend got over it pretty fast though, and I'd heard and read a bit about keto not being very healthy, most people seem to have the opinion to just use cutting macros and forget keto.
So since my boyfriend was going to bring carbs back into the kitchen, I decided it would make no difference to switch to a regular cutting diet (can also provide macros if you wish) ...

Now, on the keto I looked leaner, I felt leaner and harder too.
Since switching Ive felt bloated, and my stomach is really bloated. My boyfriend thinks its because of the pasta I'm eating at lunch (fits macros!) ... Its nearly three weeks now and still bloated... Bit uncomfortable wearing my button up shirt at work...

Plus my cravings are through the roof and making things really hard. I'm considering switching back to keto because I found it easier,

Anyone have any thoughts? Is this common? Should I wait it out?
What's your thoughts on keto or regular cutting diet?
Do you have any suggestions?

[abi1993]

Pasta is very dense, i wouldn't recommend it for your cutting diet... this is probably why you feel bloated.
Switch to brown rice or quinoa.

Also what does your current diet look like?

[jordyanne91]

Pasta is very dense, i wouldn't recommend it for your cutting diet... this is probably why you feel bloated.
Switch to brown rice or quinoa.

Also what does your current diet look like?

I might try quinoa, I can't eat brown rice, ok so yesterday was typical,
1550cals, 62F, 130C,111P.
B- 2x rye cruskit a with avocado, skim coffee, 3 egg omelette with spinach
S- 30g pecans
L- 80g whole meal pasta, mushroom pasta sauce, spinach, mushrooms,
S- carrot cake protein squares (jamie eason recipe)
PW- banana, protein shake
D- 120g steak, 85 g broccoli, 100g sweet potato

[megdaig]

Eat more real food. You are hungry because a lot of those foods are calorie dense and not satiating, especially the shakes.

Try adding more protein sources like fish, chicken, and turkey...or more egg whites.

More veggies like broccoli throughout the day will help fill you up, literally.

[jordyanne91]

I don't need any help filling up. My cravings are simply cravings for chocolate not because I'm actually hungry.
I can swap the protein shake for real food source of protein, but I'm not adding any more protein, my macro is 111g for a reason. Into going about that anymore than 10g,

I can swap the pasta meal and make it sweet potato and broccoli , but is this what is bloating me?

[jordyanne91]

Eat more real food. You are hungry because a lot of those foods are calorie dense and not satiating, especially the shakes.

Try adding more protein sources like fish, chicken, and turkey...or more egg whites.

More veggies like broccoli throughout the day will help fill you up, literally.

Just to clarify... Other than the protein shake and pasta what is not real food in this example????

[oregonchick76]

I might try quinoa, I can't eat brown rice, ok so yesterday was typical,
1550cals, 62F, 130C,111P.
B- 2x rye cruskit a with avocado, skim coffee, 3 egg omelette with spinach
S- 30g pecans
L- 80g whole meal pasta, mushroom pasta sauce, spinach, mushrooms,
S- carrot cake protein squares (jamie eason recipe)
PW- banana, protein shake
D- 120g steak, 85 g broccoli, 100g sweet potato

How much exercise are you doing? How much of a deficit is this putting you in? Do you ever allow yourself a treat or a small diet 'break'?

For me personally, I could never stand to go for weeks at a time without breaking my diet - so I switched to eating at or a little above maintenance on lifting days and below maintenance on non-lifting days. I can always fit my cravings in on those higher calorie days, and it's much easier to deprive myself on the low calorie days because I know it'll just be a day or two before I can have that treat again.

Not saying this is the answer for you, and weight loss is slower of course, but at least for me it's sustainable longer term than a traditional diet.

[yummycow]

Plus my cravings are through the roof and making things really hard.

Personally food choice is a big deal to me. Usually if I have a fruit or veggie I'm fine as far as hunger and cravings go, but if I have noodles, bread, caffeine or artificial sweeteners (diet soda usually) I'm starving or craving something I know I don't need. I still haven't figured out all the things that trigger this.

So if I'm going to have some noodles I'll wait till dinner because if I do get a craving for something after I have them I only have to deal with it for a few hours before I go to bed instead of half the day.

[dalkristel]

If your craving for chocolate then have a couple of pieces of really dark organic like Green and Blacks, 70% plus is good for you as long as it fits in with your macros. I'm not a chocolate fan but very occasionally needs must!

[Simpy]

I can tell you the pasta would blow me up as well as the banana. I'd switch those two out. Also, you could be bloating from sweeteners. Outside of the shakes are you adding artificial sweeteners to your foods?

[jordyanne91]

How much exercise are you doing? How much of a deficit is this putting you in? Do you ever allow yourself a treat or a small diet 'break'?

For me personally, I could never stand to go for weeks at a time without breaking my diet - so I switched to eating at or a little above maintenance on lifting days and below maintenance on non-lifting days. I can always fit my cravings in on those higher calorie days, and it's much easier to deprive myself on the low calorie days because I know it'll just be a day or two before I can have that treat again.

Not saying this is the answer for you, and weight loss is slower of course, but at least for me it's sustainable longer term than a traditional diet.

I have soccer training twice a week and 4 lifting days... Back/shoulders, legs, chest/arms and abs/cardio.
I have a deficit of 500-600 calories. And once a week I either have a Saturday where I won't stick to my diet but am still 'healthy' .. Will have fruit, different breakfast maybe oatmeal, different meat at dinner, maybe sushi for lunch... As within mycalories, or I will have one meal on the weekend that can be whatever.. Pizza and ice cream or noodles and cake.

I've never felt deprived on my diet, but definately have my off day or cheat meal for sanity! I can't just ban everything forever, lol

[jordyanne91]

If your craving for chocolate then have a couple of pieces of really dark organic like Green and Blacks, 70% plus is good for you as long as it fits in with your macros. I'm not a chocolate fan but very occasionally needs must!

See I would rather not indulge in that because its milk chocolate I want and want the whole block... I know if I start with one bit its going to turn into me shoving food down my face... O my cheats Ive been having chocolate like you suggested, and its just been a bad idea. Its the first time I ever craved this bad , always been able to have some dark choc and walk away ok but this a whole other level!

[jordyanne91]

I can tell you the pasta would blow me up as well as the banana. I'd switch those two out. Also, you could be bloating from sweeteners. Outside of the shakes are you adding artificial sweeteners to your foods?

No sweeteners





I want to thank everyone so far for everything they have suggested and comments made... I'm definately going to be playing with what I'm eating and tr out your suggestions, even if I didnt sound like I thought it would work!

[dalkristel]

See I would rather not indulge in that because its milk chocolate I want and want the whole block... I know if I start with one bit its going to turn into me shoving food down my face... O my cheats Ive been having chocolate like you suggested, and its just been a bad idea. Its the first time I ever craved this bad , always been able to have some dark choc and walk away ok but this a whole other level!

Oh dear well that wasn't much help then - you need to get gold of a good friend of mine - he's called Will Power - I should be a comedian lol! Seriously though good luck with that one I'm sorry I had thought I had the answer to your chocolate prayers!

[megdaig]

Just to clarify... Other than the protein shake and pasta what is not real food in this example????

What stood out to me was the shake and the carrot cake protein squares...I can't see those being very filling or satisfying.

And your pasta is just veggies and sauce...do you get cravings after eating that meal?

[megdaig]

Oh dear well that wasn't much help then - you need to get gold of a good friend of mine - he's called Will Power - I should be a comedian lol! Seriously though good luck with that one I'm sorry I had thought I had the answer to your chocolate prayers!

Yeah...will power is a must. I don't know how many times I've slobbered over food or something tasty like brownies. If I were one to cave every time I had a craving I'd be 300#.

[jordyanne91]

Oh dear well that wasn't much help then - you need to get gold of a good friend of mine - he's called Will Power - I should be a comedian lol! Seriously though good luck with that one I'm sorry I had thought I had the answer to your chocolate prayers!

Lol yes I need his help!!!!! Sorry =( it was really really good advice I just know what mind set its in, if ya know what I mean...I've usually got pretty good control but this time its nuts!

[jordyanne91]

What stood out to me was the shake and the carrot cake protein squares...I can't see those being very filling or satisfying.

And your pasta is just veggies and sauce...do you get cravings after eating that meal?

I originally had chicken also but it was a minuscule amount, so I decided to cut it out and have more at dinner, and just have the veggies and pasta lunch.
Cravings are in the morning, about 9am they start. I start work at 7 morning tea at 10. I just wanted to inhale my morning tea and lunch at 9.

Its weird Ive always been the kind of person that got cravings at 3pm, you know the afternoon slump...?

I'm going to cut out the protein squares, and the pasta, and substitute, see if it helps.

Songs like we all think its the pasta mostly? I never really eaten noodles or pasta much so I hadn't thought of it! I just knew I wasn't going back to brown rice coz I hate the taste of it! Thought wholemeal pasta would be nice and a change from veg and meat,

[cheerleader0720]

Everybody's body is different; it could be any number of things bloating you. As others have said, pasta can have a bloating effect. Certain veggies and fruits can as well. Broccoli, for example, causes me to bloat in an unreal way. Avocado, cauliflower, apples, and mango have the same general effect, but to a lesser and more tolerable extent (for me).

I'm not sure if you're using dairy in your shakes, etc. (you have "skim coffee", so I'm assuming you're using milk in that--though surely not much?) You might try eliminating that, and see if it helps. I'm not a fan of eliminating an entire food group, but some people simply cannot tolerate dairy. (Even if you've always been fine with it, unfortunately, sometimes our bodies change as we age.)

Certain brands of protein shakes/bars sometimes bloat me as well. I'm not sure whether it's the isolated protein, the artificial sweetner, or something else, but you might try different brands of shakes (or, as someone else said, try to find a "real food" protein source.)

Everybody else here seems to think it's the pasta, so I'd try getting rid of that first. If you're still bloated, try playing with your diet and eliminating different foods until you figure it out. Good luck! Feeling bloated is horrible!

[jordyanne91]

Everybody's body is different; it could be any number of things bloating you. As others have said, pasta can have a bloating effect. Certain veggies and fruits can as well. Broccoli, for example, causes me to bloat in an unreal way. Avocado, cauliflower, apples, and mango have the same general effect, but to a lesser and more tolerable extent (for me).

I'm not sure if you're using dairy in your shakes, etc. (you have "skim coffee", so I'm assuming you're using milk in that--though surely not much?) You might try eliminating that, and see if it helps. I'm not a fan of eliminating an entire food group, but some people simply cannot tolerate dairy. (Even if you've always been fine with it, unfortunately, sometimes our bodies change as we age.)

Certain brands of protein shakes/bars sometimes bloat me as well. I'm not sure whether it's the isolated protein, the artificial sweetner, or something else, but you might try different brands of shakes (or, as someone else said, try to find a "real food" protein source.)

Everybody else here seems to think it's the pasta, so I'd try getting rid of that first. If you're still bloated, try playing with your diet and eliminating different foods until you figure it out. Good luck! Feeling bloated is horrible!

Thank you! T answer, I went from black coffee to just a splash of skim, sometimes soy or almond.. I only use water in shakes, not a big fan of milkos stuff, a bit intolerant...
Geez that sucks I'd hate of broccoli made me bloat =( bloating does suck!!! Makes you 'feel' fat and lethargic,.. I think anyway, doesn't make me cheery anyway!

[kimm4]

How long were you following keto? Keep in mind it's going to take your body some time to adjust to carbs being added back into your plan. My only other thought to help with the cravings is to cut down your number of meals and eat bigger portions. This might help to keep you feeling fuller for longer periods of time.

Good luck.

[malamujer]

I did a keto diet for a few months. When I started to eat carbs I was bloated for a few weeks. It took a while for my body to adjust.

[BalhamBeast]

Carbs bind water so obviously you will hold more water when you are eating carbs.
Having said that, you could have a wheat intolerance. It's pretty common - I'm the same. Not only do I bloat but my joints start hurting, even my hands and fingers. I'm not coeliac so there are occassions when I indulge (mince pies and Christmas pudding at Christmas, hot cross buns at Easter) but I always feel crappy afterwards and avoid it the rest of the time.
Also look into FODMAPs - lot of folks have trouble with these and they include wheat (and also alcohol sugars - I know when I chew a lot of sugar free gum I get gassy to the point of pain).