Low-fodmap and still gut issues

[Robert Santana]

You will have to log this and keep track of the foods and when you narrow down what works well then you just increase the amount so that you can get enough carbohydrates to train.

[Lupo]

I agree with the onion guy on this, although naturally his advice doesn't depend on my agreement. I've found that starting from what is considered a low-carb base and titrating carbs up until you hit the point of intersection between well-being and strength-gains represents a rational approach.

Firstly concerning carbs and bloating: Carbohydrates that end up in the colon cause bloating, because the colon is not used to seeing them ever. They get there, because digestion along the way did not work as it's supposed to. That's the whole lactose issue. However it is to some degree possible, to regain the ability to digest for instance lactose due to epigenetic modifications in the gene encoding the lactase enzyme. So it seems to me as sometimes single carb molecules like lactose or fructose are not the problem, but it is rather a big picture thing.

Secondly concerning carbs and strength: the effects of carbs that make you stronger are glycogen replenishment and insulin spikes. But you don't need those all the time. Post-workout and other than that maybe once a day, depending on when you tolerate them best, will do just fine. Poliquin prohibited carbs until his athletes were below 10% bodyfat and they were pretty strong. Even Rip mentions in Starting Strength that lowering carbs is appropriate for some people. I think mitigating gut issues makes you such people.

Lastly consider that I am as credible as the weird guy on the subway. My advice does not hold up against that of a registered dietitian.

So between that and the charming Onion soliloquy I've said all I wanted to say about that. Lupo out.

[bikesandcars]

Concur on cutting creatine.

Cutting things one step at a time as Robert suggests is what I would do.

Am I allowed to name drop Chris Kresser here? He has an interesting website and publications with opinions on all types of gut issues.

Were you / are you on antibiotics?

Have you tried Kefir? You can make it at home for the cost of milk, the kefir consumes the lactose/sugar in the milk and leaves the protein so you can even GOMAD...(er GOKAD).... without the side effects (if you can stand drinking that much). Also has many good kinds of healthy gut bacteria. I can tolerate a quart of "ripe" kefir but a cup of milk or too much ice cream sends me to the throne and my kids make fun of my farts.

Intermittent fasting helps give it a "rest" but fasting and getting your calories means you then need to eat a huge amount of food in a small window...I have no opinion or knowledge if eating 3000+ calories a day in a 5 hour or 1 hour window is healthy or not. I've tried fasting and various forms of working out and in my opinion it is not very compatible with SS and gaining muscle in the most efficient way on a linear progression.

[Robert Santana]

I think a nutrition linear progression geared at known gastrointestinal irritant is the best approach. Arbitrarily changing multiple variables because it's fashionable is not a very good approach and may leave a whole lot of weight on the bar. Lastly, advice on gastrointestinal disease falls into the category of medical nutrition therapy, which is something I know a thing or two about but also something I'm not going to give, beyond basic advice, on a board post. These things are highly individual so go with the first sentence of this post and see where that takes you otherwise shoot me an email and we can discuss potentially working together.