Diet Changes = Improvement

I have stomach issues, that is pretty much evident in 95% of my posts.

So, finally last week I really decided it was time to buckle down and work on these stomach issues. I don't know why (okay, I do, I hate being on any sort of limiting "diet") but it was about time to get super serious since this was debilitating during my runs.

According to the Mayo Clinic: to reduce bloating, it may help to avoid or reduce the amount of gas-producing foods you eat. Many carbohydrates cause gas, and the following items are common culprits:

• Baked beans
• Broccoli
• Brussels sprouts
• Cabbage
• Carbonated drinks
• Cauliflower
• Chewing gum
• Fruits such as apples, peaches and pears
• Hard candy
• Lettuce

I would like to note that is half my daily diet. Throw in ground turkey and grilled chicken and that list is what I eat in the majority of my meals. Sigh.

Is it odd just how sad I am about losing broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower and apples? Tell me not to eat fried food, chocolate and alcohol (which I pretty much never do) and I wouldn't bat an eye. But losing my favorite fruits and veggies has me dragging my feet.

I am mostly dairy free already - I use almond milk and cheese is pretty much non existent in my diet now (and I do buy the almond cheese which I weirdly love); I do usually have a serving of greek yogurt each day and am going to keep that while I eliminate the other veggies/fruits.

I used to track religiously in MyFitnessPal. Like obsessively track. Where I had to finally cut myself off from it because it was making me neurotic.

However, I am SO thankful that I did - because it enabled me to go back to when I was not having issues and recreate what WAS working for me.

Minus the fact that I was indulging in said foods above a couple things that I noted were:

• More frequent and smaller meals
• More protein
• Carb sources more from grains than vegetable
• One hell of a lot less "cheating"
• Nighttime snacking was at a minimum

I have taken those things into account as well as eliminated the offenders above as of last Thursday/Friday - and - dare I start to contemplate - it seems to be having a positive effect.

Sunday the 15 miler had it's moments of disaster - but as I pointed out they weren't AS bad as they have been in the past.

This week, thus far I have had 4 runs - and I not only made it through EACH and every without incident (holler at a 6 miler last night) BUT I completed EACH workout following - lifting and/or swimming - without running to the bathroom in the middle.

I am optimistic.

And this optimism I am hoping carries over to my running. I have been in serious doubt mode lately for my running ability and a lot stems from all of this that was going on.

While I hate to be on a "diet" because this one is seriously limiting and redundent (but hey I was at my fittest and fastest last fall when following...so yay for things to come?) I am pretty sure I hate practically shitting my pants more (yes, I went there).

About 3 1/2 weeks out now from the NJ Marathon, and by golly I *may* be starting to get optimistic about it.

Stay tuned. 18-20 miler on tap this weekend (mixed into the More Fitness Women's Half Marathon) and I may not be dreading it quite as much as I was before...more dreading Harlem Hill x2.