Hello all! New here. After increasingly worse and worse IBS D (every day, multiple times a day) I decided to start finding trigger foods and cutting things out. I haven't had any soda (diet coke!) for a week now, and no fast food either. I feel so much lighter and better and my diarrhea has basically disappeared. I am 5'3" tall and around 260 lbs. I weighed myself about 2 months ago and it said 270. My highest ever. I was appalled. I made an effort to "be good" and say 5 lbs gone in about 10 days. Then I said screw it.

This time it's about a lifestyle change, and feeling good. Not so much about what the scale says or the word "diet." This is not a diet. With the way my body has reacted so well to cutting all the crap, I don't think I can eat it again. I'm hoping I lose weight, I'm tired of being the fat mom. I was eating 3000-4000 calories a day based on some calculations (WOW!) and now am around 1500-2000, with no soda or daily fast food. Very little sugar, and much less gluten, but lots more veggies and salads. Any tips? Thanks all!

I don't have IBS, but a guy I know does. He doesn't eat much processed food, and he basically cut out dairy, which he says helped a LOT. He also makes sure to never overeat. He told me those things are some of the biggies for him.

Getting rid of the fast food and soda should help a lot. Eating more fiber will help clean the walls of your intestines making it easier to absorb nutrients. I was recently diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and I also have PCOS--so two metabolic problems. When I first started metformin for my diabetes I was having horrible IBS like symptoms (having diarrhea, having to use the toilet several times in an hour). I too stopped drinking diet soda and eating fast food and I found keeping my carbs low while increasing protein and veg has really helped me.

Congrats on your great start and improved health!

The one quick tip I'd tell you is to NOT start the diet soda again. I've never been a big soda drinker but would get a craving every now and then. I've been off artificial sweeteners (aspartame, etc) for a while now (I do use Stevia). The last two times I've tried a diet soda I ended up with killer headaches!

FatMomNoMore First off, congrats on taking the big step of changing your eating habits and being ready to lose weight! Sometimes a person has to hit their rock bottom before they are really ready to change. Second off, I have IBS-D. I have had it going on 16 years now, and that is the years I can recall. I feel your pain! For me, cutting out cokes have helped a lot. I still have the severe stomach pain at times (especially when its that TOM). But staying hydrated with water, and stopping the cokes has helped out a lot! Good luck on your journey! Keep us posted!

Thanks all! Yes I think no more diet soda ever again is a must. I haven't had any in a week but occasionally like a ginger ale, I don't think that would kill me once in a while, but that would be rare. Nicholsfamily - yes at that TOM my IBS is worse, and that's something that probably won't change.

Congrats on your progress so far! I know how amazing it feels to go from the discomfort of IBS to feeling FREE from the bathroom. It definitely makes it easier to stick to a diet, that's for sure. So glad you've found something that works for you. Keep it up and your body will continue to reward you.

FWIW I've had a lot of success with 5:2 and intermittent fasting getting rid of my IBS. Just another option if you ever find what you're doing isn't enough. Its amazing how giving the gut a rest from digesting totally changes everything.

Yes I have tried the intermittant fasting before and it didn't really work for me - probably because the rest of my diet was still crap lol - but now that I'm cleansing the junk from my diet, it might be a good idea in terms of digestion and even weight loss.

And yes, focusing on cutting things to feel better and realizing just how much better I feel has helped this so far to be just a lifestyle change and less a shock to my system "diet - oh no" type of thing.

I just did a calculation, I ate fast food usually for either bfast or lunch every day, sometimes both. I got so lazy. Now I am doing either a hard boiled egg and some turkey sausage for bfast on the go, or low sugar oatmeal at my desk, then for lunch it's a lean cuisine and a small salad or a small dish of leftover dinner with fruit or veggies, etc. I Have been tracking using MyPlate, and here is my bfast and lunch (this doesn't even include dinner) for what it used to be, vs what it is now. And yes I know the lean cuisines can have sodium but I drink a ton of water, and my sodium per day used to be well over 4000 or 5000 (eek!)

Then - bfast and lunch - 2070 cals / 104 g fat

Now - bfast and lunch + small snack - 600 cals / 15 g fat

And the ironic thing is I'm not hungry. I feel so much better that I just feel OK! Hope this keeps up and will be interested to see what my weight loss is. I'm trying not to fixate on the number, just do what I need to do, be more active, and eat well.

Great changes!

Another thought for lunches - I purchase precooked chicken tenderloin strips or chunks for "emergencies". I also get fresh veggies to much on once a week and cut them up immediately so they're always ready to go.

Sometimes lunch for me will be some of that chicken with Bolthouse dressing as a dip and some cut up fresh veggies. Just throw some of each in a baggie and I'm ready to go! Sometimes I'll throw in a stick of string cheese and/or some whole grain snack crackers. I tend to like "picnic" type lunches.

Yea I have chicken breasts like that too. I actually plan this weekend (chicken is on sale) to buy and cook and freeze my own for more convenience.

Man, you're goooooood!

Seriously, planning is SUCH a key. Having things ready to go really helps IMO.

I always meal planned ahead anyway, for dinners, so those weren't terrible bad (could have been better of course!). It was not planning for bfast and lunch that got me in such a bad spot so now I'm expanding my planning for sure! I used to make sure I had my kids lunches packed ahead and things ready, then I would just grab taco bell or something. Bla!

Just smiling at you!

I read something long ago about treating yourself as you would your child. This was in regard to self talk and emotions. Seems the same holds very true for food and nutrition.

^^Very true! I actually thought of this recently when my IBS was out of control and I started to wonder how much of it I could eliminate. I certainly wouldn't let my kids eat the way I had been eating, or expect that they wouldn't be sick, etc.