With Muscle Comes Gut, Apparently

[CGally81]

I'm 5'6", male, and I had been trying to lose weight for a while. I'd gone down from 185 pounds to 153... although I'd been suffering Celiac symptoms for 5 months before I hit 153 pounds, and one of those symptoms was likely weight loss anyway.

Well, I've been gluten-free for just over 2 months now, and in addition to the fun withdrawal symptoms (pins and needles, itchiness, muscle spasms, chills, heartburn, etc.) that are like 80% gone, and the intense hunger (it has ups and downs but is slowly getting better over time), I put on a surprising amount of muscle and strength. It's very noticable at work when I, for instance, carry 8 large files at once and pass them out to the coworkers in question. Back when I was getting glutened, I had barely enough strength to lift one! And my muscles had wasted away.

Well, the sudden rapid muscle growth is a nice effect, but I am not happy about the other thing: my sudden rapid GUT growth. My gut sticks out, and is harder to suck in. Plus, I can easily feel it sticking out if I, for instance, kneel down. It's impossible not to notice, for me at least. It makes my pants (I'm still down to a size 30 thank goodness) feel tighter, and I'm afraid this problem will get worse before I'm able to eat less and undo it. I don't want to go back up another pant size!

Any suggestions? Anyone else been in this boat?

[YoloGx]

It is very possible you are allergic to other things--and that going off all gluten has brought evidence of this out more. Lactose intolerance, especially at first, for instance is very common. It may be too you need to take some digestive enzymes.

In addition its also possible you might also have candida overgrowth. If so, its likely you need to take acidophilus supplements and things like caprylic acid, oregano oil caps and garlic and reduce or eliminate sugars for a while--and definitely eliminate ground up flours. Thus a simpler diet, either a cave man no grain diet (eat roots and squash instead) or if grains, use whole grains like brown rice etc. --but in either case have fewer carbohydrates for a while. If you do have the candida overgrowth or some other fungal or microbial overgrowth situation, then (just make sure you avoid all tinctures made with alcohol) taking olive leaf extract is very helpful...just start slow since often the first three days one's symptoms worsen. However after that most people start to have a lot more energy and -- low and behold, the gut goes down!

Bea

[CGally81]

It is very possible you are allergic to other things--and that going off all gluten has brought evidence of this out more. Lactose intolerance, especially at first, for instance is very common. It may be too you need to take some digestive enzymes.

In addition its also possible you might also have candida overgrowth. If so, its likely you need to take acidophilus supplements and things like caprylic acid, oregano oil caps and garlic and reduce or eliminate sugars for a while--and definitely eliminate ground up flours. Thus a simpler diet, either a cave man no grain diet (eat roots and squash instead) or if grains, use whole grains like brown rice etc. --but in either case have fewer carbohydrates for a while. If you do have the candida overgrowth or some other fungal or microbial overgrowth situation, then (just make sure you avoid all tinctures made with alcohol) taking olive leaf extract is very helpful...just start slow since often the first three days one's symptoms worsen. However after that most people start to have a lot more energy and -- low and behold, the gut goes down!

Bea

Hmm... candida? The gut thing showed up only a few weeks ago, and my diet is exactly the same as it was only a week or two after I started going gluten-free.

Here's a list of literally all the foods I eat:

chicken

tuna fish

flounder

brown rice

hamburger, patty only (I cook it myself)

milk (I am no longer affected by it like I was before, and I was never actually lactose intolerant, plus I only occasionally have it)

yogurt

bananas

gluten-free Chex (not on weekends)

ice cream (when the ice cream truck stops by my workplace, which it no longer does)

Fudgsicles (by Weight Watchers - no sugar added, and full of fiber)

turkey lunch meat (D&W - it's gluten-free)

peanut butter (never had an allergic reaction of any kind to peanuts)

whole-grain popcorn

I also always take a multivitamin. Centrum chewable.

Are any of these potentially causing problems?

[ravenwoodglass]

Hmm... candida? The gut thing showed up only a few weeks ago, and my diet is exactly the same as it was only a week or two after I started going gluten-free.

Here's a list of literally all the foods I eat:

chicken

tuna fish

flounder

brown rice

hamburger, patty only (I cook it myself)

milk (I am no longer affected by it like I was before, and I was never actually lactose intolerant, plus I only occasionally have it)

yogurt

bananas

gluten-free Chex (not on weekends)

ice cream (when the ice cream truck stops by my workplace, which it no longer does)

Fudgsicles (by Weight Watchers - no sugar added, and full of fiber)

turkey lunch meat (D&W - it's gluten-free)

peanut butter (never had an allergic reaction of any kind to peanuts)

whole-grain popcorn

I also always take a multivitamin. Centrum chewable.

Are any of these potentially causing problems?

The items I bolded may be causing issues, one by one,

Milk you may not be lactose intolerant but casien intolerant that would cause bloating

Yogurt, not all are gluten free Yoplait yogurts are but if you are using a different brand do call and make sure. Also if you are casien intolerant these would be a no-no Try deleting all dairy products for a while and see if the bloat goes away.

Ice Cream Not all are gluten free, do check with company

Fudgsicles Check these out to be sure they are gluten-free They may be risky if they have fiber especially

Turkey lunch meat is this packaged or cut for you at the deli? There is a high CC risk if it is cut for you on the slicer

Pnut butter This should be safe but you need your own jar if there are gluten eaters in the house.

Hopefully that wasn't a full list of what you are eating as I noticed there are no veggies or fruits in there. You do need them in your diet both for vitamins and soluable and nonsoluable fiber.

[CGally81]

The items I bolded may be causing issues, one by one,

Milk you may not be lactose intolerant but casien intolerant that would cause bloating

Yogurt, not all are gluten free Yoplait yogurts are but if you are using a different brand do call and make sure. Also if you are casien intolerant these would be a no-no Try deleting all dairy products for a while and see if the bloat goes away.

Ice Cream Not all are gluten free, do check with company

Fudgsicles Check these out to be sure they are gluten-free They may be risky if they have fiber especially

Turkey lunch meat is this packaged or cut for you at the deli? There is a high CC risk if it is cut for you on the slicer

Pnut butter This should be safe but you need your own jar if there are gluten eaters in the house.

Hopefully that wasn't a full list of what you are eating as I noticed there are no veggies or fruits in there. You do need them in your diet both for vitamins and soluable and nonsoluable fiber.

The yogurt is gluten-free. It even says so on the container.

The ice cream is actually custard. Back before I went gluten-free, and having powerful reactions from gluten, I remember the custard as acting like a mild antidote (some foods helped me recover more quickly than others, and the custard helped). It does not cause any gluten symptoms.

The turkey lunch meat is actually cut at the deli. The brand itself is gluten-free, and the cutters wear plastic gloves and such.

As for fruits and vegetables, sometimes I get apple sauce. And I do have bananas, which contain fiber. I get lots of fiber from popcorn (contains like 30-40% of what you need in a day) and Fudgsicles (lots of fiber, and no ingredients in it are gluten-related).

Oh yeah, if casein causes bloating, then bear in mind it's not just bloating - my gut has gotten bigger, period. It came shortly after my muscle gain.

Bloating was never one of my gluten symptoms. My symptoms were intense brain fog (really intense), constant stomach "squib" noises, and if I didn't eat within an hour or two, intense headache and a shaky "I need to eat NOW" feeling. I don't get any of those from milk, yogurt, cheese (with my burger) or ice cream.

[ravenwoodglass]

The issue with the turkey sliced at the deli is not so much the food handlers as the cutter itself. Even if it is wiped down between orders there is residue from whatever was cut before it. I used to work in a deli and one of my jobs was cleaning the slicer at the end of the day. To say it was gross when the guards came off and those areas were exposed is an understatement. Most lunch meat is gluten free and many companies make deli sliced style meats that have no risk off CC. Hormel is one.

Please do check on the fudgesicles and ice cream. This is especially the case if you see the words 'natural flavors' as barley can hide in there. It is not unusual for barley malt to be in dairy products as a flavoring agent. Anything that has natural flavors should be checked unless it is by a company that has good labeling policies. The company that makes them likely has a phone number and the bonus to calling is that many times companies will send you coupons when you have called customer service. I got over 20 bucks in coupons, including some 'free item' ones when I called recently to check on Ultrabright toothpaste. They also sent a gluten-free list of their products so it can pay to make that call as well as insuring that what we are eating and using is safe.

The symptoms from other intolerances are not always the same as the ones we get from gluten. It is not unusual either for us to see a difference in gluten symptoms as well as time goes by. But it does sound like you have another intolerace. It is up to you but I would seriously consider dropping all dairy for a week or two and seeing if it makes a difference. Often times we do have more than one intolerance, unfortunately.

It sounds like you are doing good gluten free but do think of adding more fresh veggies and fruits to your diet. Brown rice is really good and if you have a rice cooker you can cook the rice on the bottom and toss some peas, beans or such into the top. For balanced nutrition you need a variety of colours in your food. If everything on your plate is the same color you do not have a nutritionally balanced meal. If you really can't stand veggies trying one of the V8 juice blends or something similar would help out a great deal nutrition wise.

I hope you figure out what is causing the bloat soon. I know how uncomfortable it can be.

[CGally81]

The issue with the turkey sliced at the deli is not so much the food handlers as the cutter itself. Even if it is wiped down between orders there is residue from whatever was cut before it. I used to work in a deli and one of my jobs was cleaning the slicer at the end of the day. To say it was gross when the guards came off and those areas were exposed is an understatement. Most lunch meat is gluten free and many companies make deli sliced style meats that have no risk off CC. Hormel is one.

Please do check on the fudgesicles and ice cream. This is especially the case if you see the words 'natural flavors' as barley can hide in there. It is not unusual for barley malt to be in dairy products as a flavoring agent. Anything that has natural flavors should be checked unless it is by a company that has good labeling policies. The company that makes them likely has a phone number and the bonus to calling is that many times companies will send you coupons when you have called customer service. I got over 20 bucks in coupons, including some 'free item' ones when I called recently to check on Ultrabright toothpaste. They also sent a gluten-free list of their products so it can pay to make that call as well as insuring that what we are eating and using is safe.

The symptoms from other intolerances are not always the same as the ones we get from gluten. It is not unusual either for us to see a difference in gluten symptoms as well as time goes by. But it does sound like you have another intolerace. It is up to you but I would seriously consider dropping all dairy for a week or two and seeing if it makes a difference. Often times we do have more than one intolerance, unfortunately.

It sounds like you are doing good gluten free but do think of adding more fresh veggies and fruits to your diet. Brown rice is really good and if you have a rice cooker you can cook the rice on the bottom and toss some peas, beans or such into the top. For balanced nutrition you need a variety of colours in your food. If everything on your plate is the same color you do not have a nutritionally balanced meal. If you really can't stand veggies trying one of the V8 juice blends or something similar would help out a great deal nutrition wise.

I hope you figure out what is causing the bloat soon. I know how uncomfortable it can be.

Unfortunately, I can't check the ingredients of a brand name ice cream truck. Mister Softee is a Northeastern US brand. They don't even cover the whole country. Their headquarters is based in my home state of New Jersey! Anyway, I don't recall ever having any problems with their ice cream. It was in fact a great help when I'd been glutened on the days before I went gluten-free. Either way, their trucks are done stopping by now that summer's over.

I did check the ingredients for Weight Watchers Fudgsicles, and they contain malt powder. Strange, though, because when I first went gluten-free, when the hunger hit me like a ton of bricks and I had to eat like every hour, Fudgsicles were one of the things I reached for very frequently. In fact I ate a ton of them, along with another ice cream product, a form of ice cream cookie (that may have had bleached wheat flour). Yet, I never got glutened by those. In fact, I was glutened very noticably and quickly by frosting on what was supposed to be a gluten-free cupcake. The frosting contained barley. I knew within minutes of eating that cupcake that I'd been glutened. Yet the Fudgsicles never ever bothered me.

As for dairy, I remember milk specifically used to give me a headache but - get this - no other dairy products did. For that matter, lactose-free milk gave me a headache. After going gluten-free, I stopped drinking milk. I reintroduced milk a few weeks later, and it didn't give me a headache unless I drank a LOT of it, and even then, it was a very mild headache. So I came to the conclusion that whatever my beef was with milk, it's gone.

I'd find it very strange if my gluten intolerance symptoms actually did change in the sense that all the original symptoms are gone and somehow replaced with new ones. I mean, I know all about the "squib" stomach noises, the brain fog (and the type of brain fog, as it's like feeling like a zombie, not just like you can't concentrate), the feeling of total weakness in the body, the depression, and so on. None of those have come back, except when accidentally glutened twice in August (frosting which contained barley, and crackers on fish).

If it means anything, I've been having a LOT of BMs. Like on average of 3-4 (ranging from small to very large) every day or two. I am intentionally eating a lot of fiber, believing that it's good for me and possibly helping to clear out the waste that could be causing problems. I've sometimes noticed a link between that and my hunger (which variously goes way up and down, but shows definite long-term improvements about every 2 weeks). Bloating, for that matter, doesn't seem to be too related to any particular food. It's not so much "bloating" as it is "my stomach sticks out and it feels harder to suck it in". Not "I feel tons of gas in there". I've never gotten that kind of bloating that I can tell.

[Wolicki]

Unfortunately, I can't check the ingredients of a brand name ice cream truck. Mister Softee is a Northeastern US brand. They don't even cover the whole country. Their headquarters is based in my home state of New Jersey! Anyway, I don't recall ever having any problems with their ice cream. It was in fact a great help when I'd been glutened on the days before I went gluten-free. Either way, their trucks are done stopping by now that summer's over.

I did check the ingredients for Weight Watchers Fudgsicles, and they contain malt powder. Strange, though, because when I first went gluten-free, when the hunger hit me like a ton of bricks and I had to eat like every hour, Fudgsicles were one of the things I reached for very frequently. In fact I ate a ton of them, along with another ice cream product, a form of ice cream cookie (that may have had bleached wheat flour). Yet, I never got glutened by those. In fact, I was glutened very noticably and quickly by frosting on what was supposed to be a gluten-free cupcake. The frosting contained barley. I knew within minutes of eating that cupcake that I'd been glutened. Yet the Fudgsicles never ever bothered me.

As for dairy, I remember milk specifically used to give me a headache but - get this - no other dairy products did. For that matter, lactose-free milk gave me a headache. After going gluten-free, I stopped drinking milk. I reintroduced milk a few weeks later, and it didn't give me a headache unless I drank a LOT of it, and even then, it was a very mild headache. So I came to the conclusion that whatever my beef was with milk, it's gone.

I'd find it very strange if my gluten intolerance symptoms actually did change in the sense that all the original symptoms are gone and somehow replaced with new ones. I mean, I know all about the "squib" stomach noises, the brain fog (and the type of brain fog, as it's like feeling like a zombie, not just like you can't concentrate), the feeling of total weakness in the body, the depression, and so on. None of those have come back, except when accidentally glutened twice in August (frosting which contained barley, and crackers on fish).

If it means anything, I've been having a LOT of BMs. Like on average of 3-4 (ranging from small to very large) every day or two. I am intentionally eating a lot of fiber, believing that it's good for me and possibly helping to clear out the waste that could be causing problems. I've sometimes noticed a link between that and my hunger (which variously goes way up and down, but shows definite long-term improvements about every 2 weeks). Bloating, for that matter, doesn't seem to be too related to any particular food. It's not so much "bloating" as it is "my stomach sticks out and it feels harder to suck it in". Not "I feel tons of gas in there". I've never gotten that kind of bloating that I can tell.

Good news for next summer! Mister Softee is gluten free! I wish we had that in CA!

Open Original Shared Link

I hope your bloat goes away. I get it every time I eat anything processed, and I also have noticed a noticable pooch around the midsection. I sure hope it stops growing!

[CGally81]

Good news for next summer! Mister Softee is gluten free! I wish we had that in CA!

Open Original Shared Link

I hope your bloat goes away. I get it every time I eat anything processed, and I also have noticed a noticable pooch around the midsection. I sure hope it stops growing!

I assumed it was, but then, I assumed all ice cream products were (except those that contained cookies, and cones). Thanks!

[Roda]

Verify your vitamin to be certain it is gluten free.

[CGally81]

Verify your vitamin to be certain it is gluten free.

It is. Looked it up online and everything. It's gluten-free.

[Wolicki]

I assumed it was, but then, I assumed all ice cream products were (except those that contained cookies, and contes). Thanks!

not necessarily! Read the labels always. My 3 favorites had gluten in them, In ice cream for God's sake!

[YoloGx]

I honestly still think the puffy stomach is either some new allergy or sensitivity that has popped up (no doubt caused by leaky gut issues due to the celiac) and/or some kind of fungal or yeast overgrowth that finally asserted itself. To find out I would simplify my diet to just basics (like easy to digest meat -- such as chicken that you bake or stew yourself--and veggies that you also prepare from scratch and say squash) with no sugar or anything likely to be irritating or allergenic--including at this point fruit. Then slowly add items in one thing at a time once every two or three days. Keep a food journal that also describes how you feel and what your abdomen looks like. Take your pulse too at various times before you eat and after and then say two hours after --if it goes way up or way down that can indicate a food intolerance (this is called the Coca pulse test). I would also at some point add in acidophilus and basic digestive enzymes (you may have to try a couple of types to find one that agrees with you).

[tarnalberry]

another possibility is that the exercises you are doing to increase muscle mass in the abdominal area are being done incorrectly. if done incorrectly, you can strengthen only some muscles, and not others (the rectus abdominus is often 'left out'), and that can itself lead to a somewhat 'bulgy' appearance as muscle development is uneven, and not balanced. have you been working with a personal trainer or someone knowledgeable about the proper form during any training?

(and if you think it's got nothing to do with food, you might check with your doctor to rule out a hernia or other structural issue.)

[CGally81]

another possibility is that the exercises you are doing to increase muscle mass in the abdominal area are being done incorrectly. if done incorrectly, you can strengthen only some muscles, and not others (the rectus abdominus is often 'left out'), and that can itself lead to a somewhat 'bulgy' appearance as muscle development is uneven, and not balanced. have you been working with a personal trainer or someone knowledgeable about the proper form during any training?

(and if you think it's got nothing to do with food, you might check with your doctor to rule out a hernia or other structural issue.)

No personal trainer here. I got some help from my younger brother, who is in absolutely incredible shape. He knows a lot more about exercise and opposing muscle groups than I do.

[CGally81]

I honestly still think the puffy stomach is either some new allergy or sensitivity that has popped up (no doubt caused by leaky gut issues due to the celiac) and/or some kind of fungal or yeast overgrowth that finally asserted itself. To find out I would simplify my diet to just basics (like easy to digest meat -- such as chicken that you bake or stew yourself--and veggies that you also prepare from scratch and say squash) with no sugar or anything likely to be irritating or allergenic--including at this point fruit. Then slowly add items in one thing at a time once every two or three days. Keep a food journal that also describes how you feel and what your abdomen looks like. Take your pulse too at various times before you eat and after and then say two hours after --if it goes way up or way down that can indicate a food intolerance (this is called the Coca pulse test). I would also at some point add in acidophilus and basic digestive enzymes (you may have to try a couple of types to find one that agrees with you).

My gut just "hangs" out, in that my stomach sticks out and that's it. It happened as I was putting on muscle. My diet hadn't changed since I went gluten-free, and I didn't have a gut (or for that matter, muscle) then. I just started rapidly getting the muscle, then the gut. I wonder if my body is trying to repair itself to what it used to be, both the good and the bad.

Anyway, maybe once my hunger levels go back to normal I could try your diet, but for now, I'm grabbing what I can that I know is gluten-free and trying to deal with the hunger, one day at a time. It's getting better, but I'd only been gluten-free for a little over 2 months, so I'll wait until this phase passes before trying anything drastic.