For breakfast and typically in the afternoon I have the following meal.
2 cups oatmeal, 3tbsp milled flaxseed, 2/3-1cup frozen berries, cinnamon, protein source (whey or can of tuna).
This meal alone is about 30g fiber, and I typically eat it twice a day. I also have lots of veggies throughout the day (usually frozen broccoli and corn, or fresh carrots and celery. I also eat lots of nut products, which again has a decent amount of fiber.
My problem is that all of this fiber causes me to have gas. Lots of gas. I might not even care so much, but I’ve got my girlfriend and a workout partner to worry about (I can’t remember the last time I squated and didn’t fart at least once during my sets).
I’m asking for suggestions as to a carb source or meal I could replace the bowl of oatmeal with. These two meals provide about 1/2-2/3 of my daily carb intake. The rest comes primarily from my PWO shake and veggies/fruit. I figure I could replace the milled flaxseed with the oil variety, but I’m stuck as to a healthy replacement or addition of high-density carbs to my diet other than oats.
Other things to consider: I eat oats cold–just add water and mix in ingredients. Not sure if this would matter much as far as digestion and gas. Also, anyone have experience with Beano or similar gas suppresor? I am lactose intolerant, so dairy is out, and the lactose-free stuff is way too expensive for me to consume regularly.
Well m’man, i had EXACTLY the same problem.
And i do mean exactly.
I used to love just having my oats soaked in some skim milk with blueberries.
But it did indeed bloat me and gave my gas like you would not believe (well, i guess YOU would believe)
However, i don’t really think it was the fiber that was the problem. I think it was the fact that i wasn’t cooking them that gave me gas and bloating.
I have since cut out oats completely and i mostly use a high fiber bread in the mornings along with various fruits.
Haven’t had any gas problems at all…yet my fiber is probably still up as high as it was when i was eating raw oats.
So, i’d say…first…try cooking your oats to the directions’ specifications. If you still have problems, you may just have a problem with oats, and there are tons of other options out there: breads, whole wheat pastas, other dry cereals.
[quote]James Cain wrote:
Dilemma: too much fiber in my diet.
For breakfast and typically in the afternoon I have the following meal.
2 cups oatmeal, 3tbsp milled flaxseed, 2/3-1cup frozen berries, cinnamon, protein source (whey or can of tuna).
This meal alone is about 30g fiber, and I typically eat it twice a day. I also have lots of veggies throughout the day (usually frozen broccoli and corn, or fresh carrots and celery. I also eat lots of nut products, which again has a decent amount of fiber.
My problem is that all of this fiber causes me to have gas. Lots of gas. I might not even care so much, but I’ve got my girlfriend and a workout partner to worry about (I can’t remember the last time I squated and didn’t fart at least once during my sets).
I’m asking for suggestions as to a carb source or meal I could replace the bowl of oatmeal with. These two meals provide about 1/2-2/3 of my daily carb intake. The rest comes primarily from my PWO shake and veggies/fruit. I figure I could replace the milled flaxseed with the oil variety, but I’m stuck as to a healthy replacement or addition of high-density carbs to my diet other than oats.
Other things to consider: I eat oats cold–just add water and mix in ingredients. Not sure if this would matter much as far as digestion and gas. Also, anyone have experience with Beano or similar gas suppresor? I am lactose intolerant, so dairy is out, and the lactose-free stuff is way too expensive for me to consume regularly.
Thanks for any suggestions.
JC[/quote]
Cold oats cause me to attack the toilet. Cook them - usually 2.30 mins is good for anything up to 100 grams in the microwave.
I believe this makes a big difference regarding satiety (Sp) - basically feeling fuller for longer. I never have raw oats, and when i did in a MRP, it killed me gas wise and worse.
Cook the oats brother.
If you’re partial to cold oats, I’d ditch the flax seed first, and see if that helps. The flax is giving you a bunch of extra fiber (that you probably don’t need), and a fair amount of good fats. But you can get those fats from so many other sources (I personally don’t like the taste of flax anyway), that it shouldn’t be an issue.
I know for myself, the I eat probably around 10-15 grams of fiber with every meal, even cheat meals. I also take Udo’s Choice Digestive Enzymes and Green’s Plus, and it’s definitely helped my “plumbing situation” ten fold.
-Greg
I have the exact same problem. I have had it since I started about 1 year ago. I am pretty sure mine comes from protein not fiber. I could be wrong but I increased my fiber about 3 months ago and did not notice any difference.
James, your discomfort might be due to food allergies. My milk allergy causes similar problems. You may wish to be tested for food allergies by a medical professional.
Thanks for the suggestions. I’ll try cooking my oats the rest of the week. I’m not much for hot food, especially in summer, but it would be worth it if it works. If that doesn’t work, or perhaps I’ll just do it anyway, I’ll ditch the milled flaxseed. I already take some fish oil, but I’d prefer to get a range of fat sources. Anyone know if there’s a significant difference between the fatty acid profiles of flaxseed oil and milled flaxseed? I’ll let you guys know how it goes the rest of the week.
I had the same problem…gas-x wouldnt even help. people would tell me there was something wrong with me…Then Easter morning at my parents I cooked up my oatmeal by adding boiling water…my old man stopped me and said, “right when you put the boiling water in cover the bowl with a plate and let it cook for about 5 minutes”…guess what-no more gas!!!
So I guess if you cook the shit out of it you will be fine…especially if your eating boatloads of the stuff…
With everything else the same, cooking the oats seems to have reduced my gas considerably. Cooking them also increases the volume which, while good for trying to lean up by eating less, makes for a huge bowl of oats. 1.5 cups cooked up is slightly larger than 2 cups cold. Thanks for the suggestions guys.
[quote]James Cain wrote:
With everything else the same, cooking the oats seems to have reduced my gas considerably. Cooking them also increases the volume which, while good for trying to lean up by eating less, makes for a huge bowl of oats. 1.5 cups cooked up is slightly larger than 2 cups cold. Thanks for the suggestions guys.