Any Supplements Needed When Eating So Many Vegetables?

[ucimigrate]

Hi Everyone,

We know that for weight loss, fibrous vegetables are key.

Beyond body composition, we also know lots of vitamins, phytonutrients, beta glucans, etc. are good.

Yet, eating more than 10 servings of vegetables a day causes bloating, etc.

Do professionals give any recommendation for a high vegetable (and fruit) diet?

My guess is something like digestive enzymes would help with all the bloating, gas, etc. that come along.

Thanks

 

[Smont]

Hi Everyone,

We know that for weight loss, fibrous vegetables are key.

Beyond body composition, we also know lots of vitamins, phytonutrients, beta glucans, etc. are good.

Yet, eating more than 10 servings of vegetables a day causes bloating, etc.

Do professionals give any recommendation for a high vegetable (and fruit) diet?

My guess is something like digestive enzymes would help with all the bloating, gas, etc. that come along.

Thanks

I was consuming a ton of vegetables and a little bit of fruit too on my recent cut. Probably close to 10 servings a day at one point and yes, it's rough on your stomach. I'm still trying to figure out how to remedy the bloating and gas.

For me PRObiotics don't seem to work. I had to cut my veggie servings in half and it only slightly helped. But I recently picked up some Prebiotics and digestive enzymes to see if it helps.

I can let you know in about a week if it's working.

My plan is wake up super early and go straight to the gym with a intra workout drink. Then take Prebiotics and digestive enzymes with my post workout meal.

Then at lunch I'm going to have a serving of pineapple every day ( supposed to be good for digestion)

More Prebiotics and digestive enzymes with dinner

And another serving of pineapple with my last meal of the day.

 

[The Solution]

Hi Everyone,

We know that for weight loss, fibrous vegetables are key.

Beyond body composition, we also know lots of vitamins, phytonutrients, beta glucans, etc. are good.

Yet, eating more than 10 servings of vegetables a day causes bloating, etc.

Do professionals give any recommendation for a high vegetable (and fruit) diet?

My guess is something like digestive enzymes would help with all the bloating, gas, etc. that come along.

Thanks

The answer is stop eating the vegetables that don't agree with you and cause GI Distress
Just like any other food source. You have to listen to the biofeedback of your body and modify what you eat to suit what is being absorbed and being rejected.

For example, I don't eat fish. Anytime I eat it that source bloats me. There are several other foods that a lot of people on here may consume, but I don't touch them because I know how my body will react after eating them.

Just like all the threads you make on a week-to-week basis, everything has to be fine-tuned to your liking.
I really think the biggest issue with you is you overanalyze everything with training and nutrition. You look at 100's of sources and try to draw a conclusion. While that is great you are trying to research, you spend way too much time not listening to what your own body is telling you. That is what matters most.

Instead of thinking in X or Y Numbers, or doing X or Y exercises. Record everything you do for 6-8 weeks of being consistent and then change what you need to progress from point A to point B.

I would get familiar with HIGH and LOW FODMAP items, and start work on using lower fodmap items that will settle easier.

 

[ucimigrate]

Thanks, The Solution.

I do read and try to internalize what you say.

I just know that our own minds can play tricks on us. I also know that anecdote does not equal data.

I try to learn from past mistakes. I would prefer accurate measures such as a reliable scale weight, accurate body composition (Bod Pod or Calipers done accurately), time to complete 3 mile run or bike ride, etc.

My biggest problem is I take a medication for stress. It is one of the only thing that helps calm my mind down enough to focus on academics and my job. But, it does cause lots of weight gain.

I want to get back into exercise with the right diet and exercise. I know, "(enlightened) trial and error" is better than all the research and over-thinking in the world.

 

[Smont]

The answer is stop eating the vegetables that don't agree with you and cause GI Distress
Just like any other food source. You have to listen to the biofeedback of your body and modify what you eat to suit what is being absorbed and being rejected.

For example, I don't eat fish. Anytime I eat it that source bloats me. There are several other foods that a lot of people on here may consume, but I don't touch them because I know how my body will react after eating them.

Just like all the threads you make on a week-to-week basis, everything has to be fine-tuned to your liking.
I really think the biggest issue with you is you overanalyze everything with training and nutrition. You look at 100's of sources and try to draw a conclusion. While that is great you are trying to research, you spend way too much time not listening to what your own body is telling you. That is what matters most.

Instead of thinking in X or Y Numbers, or doing X or Y exercises. Record everything you do for 6-8 weeks of being consistent and then change what you need to progress from point A to point B.

I would get familiar with HIGH and LOW FODMAP items, and start work on using lower fodmap items that will settle easier.

I agree with all this for the most part.

Also to op, your spending too much time trying to learn! I've been guilty of this myself in the past. We spend so much time trying to make the perfect workout or the perfect diet or the perfect cycle and in reality, it doesn't matter. We spend too much time planning things out and not enough time actually doing what needs to be done.

Pick a meal plan, any meal plan will work to a degree if you stick with it, same thing goes with the training program, as long as you are progressing at it and being consistent it will work.

Take those two things start doing them now and do not change any of the main components for three or four months. Occasionally along the way you might want to swap out a food or swap out an exercise but don't start rethinking everything and don't start switching everything keep the main components all in place.

Learning things is great but not when it stops you from actually doing things. And I mean no disrespect like I said before I've been guilty of it myself.

 

[Smont]

Fruits and vegetables fantastic for you because they're healthy, but they are not a necessity for weight loss or performance in the slightest bit.

Stop overthinking things, pick three protein sources you like, pick 3 fruits, 3 vegetables and 3 main carb sources.

Anybody can build an amazing diet with just those components.

 

[ucimigrate]

Fruits and vegetables fantastic for you because they're healthy, but they are not a necessity for weight loss or performance in the slightest bit.

Stop overthinking things, pick three protein sources you like, pick 3 fruits, 3 vegetables and 3 main carb sources.

Anybody can build an amazing diet with just those components.

Thanks. Even though not particularly scientific or superior, something like the "Body for Life" Diet or "Larry North's Slimdown for Life" were simple to understand, actionable, and reasonably effective.

I have been trying this, with more plant proteins. I am seeing some results. Thanks.

 

[Smont]

Thanks. Even though not particularly scientific or superior, something like the "Body for Life" Diet or "Larry North's Slimdown for Life" were simple to understand, actionable, and reasonably effective.

I have been trying this, with more plant proteins. I am seeing some results. Thanks.

Do you keep a food journal? You should, it's a big help. For the past year or 2 I've tracked pretty much everything I've ate, left notes on my performance in the gym and my bodyweight. That way I know what food = what results. You can do the same but also making notes on digestion and energy levels ect. ( Which I recently started doing myself).

I understand the want or need to know the science, and it's definitely helpful.

But for years there has been diets, training and all these things "proved by science" just to have a year or 2 pass and now there is a new way "proved by science" and the old way is wrong. Then it happens again and again.

The guys in the lab coats telling us something is "proven" hardly if ever have any results to back up there science. They have perfect conditions in a lbs with ppl who can be told to do x,y,z and it's very easy for the person funding the study to sway the results in the direction they're looking for.

But you know what's better then scientific studies on diet and training, YOU ARE, your log book, your diet journal, your notes. If you stick with a plan and keep notes then you will figure out for 100% certain what does and does not work for you. And no study can prove your first hand results wrong.

Give it a try.

Also, I'm curious. Have you ever followed a set diet plan or training routine for 3 to 6 months or longer without changing it. It's a very important question. Because if the answer is no then your going to spin your wheels forever.

 

[ucimigrate]

Thanks. To answer your question, I did the "Body for Life Challenge" religiously for one year.

No a scrap of junk food. I logged everything. My general doctor thought I had OCD.

Even though I got down to under 5% bodyfat (using 3-point calipers), I still did not look good. It took a lot of psychotherapy to take away the anxiety.

What do you make of that? Is a six pack impossible for me, or do I just need a new set diet to try?

 

[match]

If you were at a true 5% body fat you would have had a six pack. Sounds like your measuring methods may not have been correct.

These other guys are a ton more knowledgeable than I am about diet, so they can be of more help in that regard, but just cutting out junk food obviously isn't going to get you where you want to be with your body composition. There's a lot more to it than that; but it's a great start for sure!

Stick around here, keep asking questions, read, read some more, take a look at the logs that some of the guys are using, but understand that everyone is probably using compounds that you aren't and have different genetics and hormone levels.

@Smont is giving you great advice, if he recommends you keep a journal of diet, training, digestion, energy levels: take his advice. He's not trying to sell you anything, and his advice is likely 10x better than what you'll get if you buy a fad diet book.

 

[The Solution]

If you were at a true 5% body fat you would have had a six pack. Sounds like your measuring methods may not have been correct.

These other guys are a ton more knowledgeable than I am about diet, so they can be of more help in that regard, but just cutting out junk food obviously isn't going to get you where you want to be with your body composition. There's a lot more to it than that; but it's a great start for sure!

Stick around here, keep asking questions, read, read some more, take a look at the logs that some of the guys are using, but understand that everyone is probably using compounds that you aren't and have different genetics and hormone levels.

@Smont is giving you great advice, if he recommends you keep a journal of diet, training, digestion, energy levels: take his advice. He's not trying to sell you anything, and his advice is likely 10x better than what you'll get if you buy a fad diet book.

The issue is this

Even though I got down to under 5% bodyfat (using 3-point calipers), I still did not look good. It took a lot of psychotherapy to take away the anxiety.

If you were really 5% you would be peeled to the bone.If you don't think you look good here. The only answer is a psychologist or professional therapy with body image. This is leading to a more mental issue then an execution of a plan

Eating 100% clean for a year on end when you have no desirable competition or photoshoot plans is a little obsessive-compulsive, so the doctor has a very valid point. While this is a "hobby" none of us will get paid to count or track macros regardless of how strict we are. There has to be some flexibility and balance to find a happy medium. I think the OP is losing that with the image in the mirror and how much he micromanages his diet.

 

[ucimigrate]

Thanks for all this discussion.

Rather, I just have trouble finding something that works. I need to look over the posts, and try and track a program.

I am about to sign up for "Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle" Inner Circle. I think that should move me towards my untrained, fat state into at least something better. I think that is a good place to start.

1. Anything else?

2. I am tempted to get back onto TRT, as that would help my physique. But, I do worry about side effects. I am posting that on yet a different forum section.

Thanks again for all the help. I don't mean to be a bother. I just have trouble finding something that works.

I appreciate all the opinions backed with good information and experience.

 

[Twitch91]

Sorry for the late reply but I just wanted to add a recommendation regarding the quantity and volume of vegetable/fruit intake. Nothing wrong with taking digestive enzymes, but most of the time they are an unnecessary expense for the majority of individuals with no underlying conditions.

Start slow... You don't have to ramp your intake up to 10 servings a day over night. That is almost guaranteed to cause digestive/GI issues. Increase gradually over time depending on your current intake and how well you are tolerating those vegetables/fruits already in your diet. It can take a few weeks for your gut microbiome to adjust to a higher fiber intake. A lot of the bloating, gas, pain, etc. can be easily avoided by increasing the fiber intake slower, and increasing your fluid intake.

There are plenty of ways to over complicate diet and nutrition. Keep it simple and just make slow improvements over time.