Low-FODMAP Diet-What Is It?

So, in my previous post, I talked about how I'm trying different dietary changes to see what's been causing my GI problems. For the first month, I did lactose-free. The plan for this month is lactose-free, low-FODMAP. Most people have never heard of low-FODMAP diets, but it can be an extremely beneficial lifestyle if you have symptoms like I did.

What are "FODMAPs" and what foods are they in?

FODMAP is an acronym for Fermentable, Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols. These are a collection of molecules that are found in many foods. The FODMAPS in the diet include:
-Fructose (some fruits, honey, high-fructose corn syrup)
-Lactose (dairy products)
-Fructans (wheat, onion, garlic)
-Galactans (legumes such as beans, lentils, soybeans)
-Polyols (sweeteners containing isomalt, mannitol, sorbitol, xylitol; and stone fruits such as plums, avocado, cherries, peaches, and apricots)

How do they affect the body?

FODMAPs may not be digested or absorbed well. When these molecules are poorly absorbed in the small intestine, they travel to the large intestine and become a food source for the bacteria found in the large intestine. The bacteria digest/ferment these molecules, which causes symptoms often associated with irritable bowl syndrome. These symptoms include diarrhea, bloating, gas, and cramping. Since I had all of those symptoms, my doctor suggested trying the low-FODMAP diet.

How do you do it? Isn't it hard?

Yes. It is hard. It requires A LOT of planning. Many foods that I enjoy eating have been cut out of my diet. I'm still trying to get used to it, but I have a list of foods I can eat that I carry around with me everywhere. I pull it out at the grocery store, and had it out when we went to a restaurant for lunch on Mother's Day. I have to read EVERY food label. If the ingredients list a high-FODMAP food, it's out of the question (unless its the last ingredient on the list). Since I'm "testing" myself, I'm trying to be very strict.

So, what's next?

Although wheat, barley, and rye are on the "NO" list, technically being strictly gluten-free is not part of the low-FODMAP diet. Gluten-free breads do not contain wheat, barley, or rye in them so low-FODMAP diets can sometimes become gluten-free. I haven't really been paying close attention to my gluten, as the FODMAPs are the most important right now. But next month, I will start a strict-gluten free diet along with  lactose free and low-FODMAP. It's definitely going to be hard. But it will be worth it to get a diagnosis.


I go back to the GI doctor at the end of June, and we will decide how to proceed from there. It's important to note that I can still eat pretty much anything if I wanted to. It will just be followed up by bloating and gas, but I can still indulge if I choose to. There are lots of people on low-FODMAP diets that only stick to them 90% of the time. Eating these foods will not hurt me and is technically not life-threatening (unlike with Celiac disease or Crohn's, where specific foods MUST be avoided).


My doctor put it this way:

" Feel free to still eat what you like...but maybe not on date night *winkwink* "



Baby I'm Back

Hey betches. Did you miss me? You probably think I've been sitting on my ass the past 3 months but that could not be further from the truth. Yes, I took a step back from heavy lifting, but it ended up being the best decision I ever made. Here's why.

I've talked about my health issues on this blog before, but here's a quick recap. In October I was diagnosed with an umbilical hernia. My doctor told me that it was small so I shouldn't worry about it. I had a meet coming up in December, so I didn't give it much thought. After that meet, I allowed myself one month to eat whatever I wanted and enjoy the holiday season with my family.

By January, I was feeling shitty all the time. I was constantly bloated. And not just a little bloated--uncomfortable, looks-like-I'm-pregnant bloated. I couldn't hold my stomach in, it hurt to do direct core work, and if I lifted too heavy it would be 10x worse. I had no idea what was going on and just blamed it on the hernia I THOUGHT I had. I was having major digestion problems (throwing up, diarrhea, constipation, you name it. It wasn't pretty). I was feeling shitty about myself. I was in a dark place. It's important to note (as much as I HATE to admit this) that my weight went up to 130 lbs. I compete in the 114 weight class and my weight usually sits around 118-120.

I finally reached out to my friend Jordan Syatt of Syatt Fitness. We talked about everything I had going on and he agreed to train me. We decided that until I saw the doctor about the hernia, everything would be light. We would work on building a strong base with high reps and lower weight. This ended up being the best thing I ever did for myself. Using submaximal weights has had a HUGE impact on not only my training, but my physique. I am getting leaner and dropping weight while also getting stronger. Proof? My 1RM bench press before all this happened was 105. In the past month, I've repped 105x3 twice and repped 110x2. It's awesome!

My appointment with the GI Specialist finally rolled around (after waiting 4 months). The exam went something like this:

Doc: "Uhhh Christine...I'm not feeling a hernia"
Me: "Sorry what?"
Doc: "Yeah you definitely don't have a hernia"
Me: "WUT"

She did say I had abnormal inflammation and ran a few tests. The blood test results showed elevated CRP, which is an inflammation marker. For now, we're just doing 3 months of dietary changes first to see if that helps. Then I'll go back and have further tests if necessary. First month was lactose free. THIS SUCKS. You all know my favorite food is cheese. My top 5 favorite foods are grilled cheese, cheese pizza, cheese and crackers, ice cream, and mozzarella sticks. Well, those are gone from my diet now. Interestingly, I lost 3 pounds the first week I cut lactose, and my bloating has gone down significantly. Karma is a bitch sometimes! This month I'm adding low-FODMAP and the third month I'll add gluten-free. So, in June, my diet will be low-FODMAP, lactose-free, gluten-free. That one will be tough, but it will be worth it to finally get a diagnosis. For those wondering what low-FODMAP is, I'll be doing a blog on it coming soon!!

Anyways...after being seriously pissed off that I was misdiagnosed with a hernia for a day or so, I realized that maybe this was the best thing that ever happened to me. Because I *thought* I had a medical problem, I was forced to take a step back. I was forced to work on my weak spots (like my bench). I was forced to use lighter weights. And this ultimately made me stronger. I know, it's crazy and weird to think about. I was skeptical at first. I don't know how many nights I spent crying on my boyfriend's shoulder about how I was "losing all my gains".

BUT I DIDN'T! I didn't lose my gains!! They just took a little break for awhile. But now that I've got the green light from the doc, I'm ready to KILL. IT. I have seriously never been this motivated in my life. My diet is on track, I'm getting my weight back down, I look so much better, and I feel amazing. The future is bright for this lifting diva, and I could not be more excited!

So be on the look-out for new things coming from me. I've already done 12 weeks with Jordan, and I started my next 12 today. This blog will go back to being my training log, with some useful info thrown in here and there. I'll go back to doing diet updates and I started #TRXTuesdays on my Instagram which I will link up here as well.


LET'S DO THIS, BETCHES! It's good to be back!