Skinny 24F with GI problems and Bloating

[Thatgirl25]

Hi everyone,

This is not really a bodybuilding question but rather a beginner question for someone who has health issues. I've always been relatively skinny, with a flat stomach. I had a recent septoplasty unrelated to my stomach that caused me bloating. I've been on a journey to gain muscle anyway but now I see my stomach bloated its hard to get into the mindset that it will ever go away. Just tmi, I have also been experiencing chronic constipation the past few months. I never had it to this extent. I tried everything, herbal laxatives, probiotics, no sugar, clean diet, frequent exercise. Nothing. I met with my GI doctor who did a colonoscopy. Nothing. Just internal hemorrhoids and inflammation.

I checked with my gyno. I'm relatively healthy but I have a functional cyst on my right ovary which she says women get all the time and will go away. So here I am, at 24, a skinny woman but a bloated stomach when I wake up (which I'm not used to). Now I'm thinking I have to do pelvic floor exercises and bust my ass at the gym with abs, and squats so it all goes away. I'm afraid even when I do gain muscle mass I will always have the bloated stomach appearance but I'm not letting it get in the way of my goals.

The thing that bothers me the most is I always feel exhausted. I can barely go to work, do my masters, and go to the gym. I don't have much of an appetite anymore because I bloat after one big meal. I can't really gain weight eating small meals. Going to the bathroom takes forever. I feel like an 80 year old woman.

I feel like if I don't gain some muscles within the next year or so I could be declining in health and I don't really see myself surviving too long. It's painful and having IBS sucks, but I just want to know if anyone conquered this through rigid exercise and if maybe someone whos had it more severe beat it through heavy weightlifting. Thanks.

[LiftNutz]

Hi everyone,

I have a bloated stomach, chronic constipation, and a functional cyst on my right ovary. I'm trying to gain muscle mass but I'm afraid my stomach will always be bloated. How do I overcome them through exercise?

To overcome these issues, you'll need to make sure you're eating a healthy diet that includes plenty of fiber, drinking enough water, and avoiding foods that trigger bloating prior to exercising (avoid constipating foods such as cheese, processed foods, and caffeine). Additionally, certain exercises can help to relieve bloating and constipation. For example, gentle abdominal massage and deep breathing exercises can help to massage the intestines and relieve constipation. Exercises that help to strengthen the abdominal muscles can also help to reduce bloating. Remember to exercise regularly and stay active to help stimulate your digestive system. Try over-the-counter medications such as fiber supplements or laxatives if necessary.

Some of these causes may be related to diet and some may be due to other factors such as hormones or medications. It is important to see your doctor to determine the cause of your symptoms and to develop a treatment plan. If your symptoms are due to diet, there are some things you can do to help improve your symptoms. Try to eat smaller meals more often throughout the day. Avoid foods that are high in sugar or salt. If your symptoms are due to a hormonal imbalance, your doctor may recommend hormone therapy or other medications. Hope that helps. Peace!

[kimm4]

Septoplasty takes 1-2 months to recover and doesn't cause bloating. Something is missing here. What is your height/weight and how many calories are you consuming at the moment?

[maeva27]

You mentionned IBS... Have you tried a low fodmap diet? You can maybe find a nutritionist that can guide you through that.

I've been bloated all my life. Just recently (2-3 years ago) I was finally diagnosed with IBS and tried a low fodmap diet for several months. It took patience but I finally was able to identify foods that cause me GI distress (and major bloating) such as sweet potatoes and garlic for example. Even at a low weight/low body fat % my stomach was always my problem area and I always felt bloated and it would be painful as well.

It's a pain but that's all that worked for me, to remove certain foods from my diet. Whenever I eat sweet potatoes I look like I'm 6 month pregnant. It worked for me, the bloating is completely gone when I really pay attention to how I'm eating. But it's a trial and error experiment.