Nutrition

Overview

1. Calorie cycling is a nutritional method that involves planned increases and decreases in calorie intake throughout the week, typically through a change in carbohydrate intake.
2. Calorie cycling can make it easier for you to get and stay extremely lean while building muscle and strength with minimal increase in body fat. However, this dietary method has no specific fat-burning or muscle-building benefits.
3. For calorie cycling to work, you need to set and control your calorie intake correctly and follow an appropriate cyclical meal plan (more details in this article).

Calorie cycling

If you're an avid gym-goer who is justifiably skeptical about what you hear, see and read about fitness, then this nutrition strategy may sound like just another pointless hype designed to get people to buy useless pills, powders and PDFs.

And you might even be right, at least in part.

Many self-proclaimed gurus want to sell you calorie cycling as a magic silver bullet or a way to hack your metabolism and turbo charge your fat burning while protecting your body from the consequences of "starvation mode".

Others want to sell you calorie cycling as a smart and effective application of traditional bodybuilding mass-building principles - as a way to build lean muscle mass while staying defined - and maybe even as the "secret" to building muscle while losing fat.

And none of this is true.

Calorie cycling is not a road to the promised land and if you are a beginner or only a slightly advanced exerciser (up to 4 years of proper nutrition and training), then all you will get is more complex meal planning and preparation.

However, if you are a more advanced exerciser, then calorie cycling deserves a place in your toolbox. Used intelligently, it can help you minimize your body fat gain while building muscle mass and maintaining a low body fat percentage over a longer period of time.

Read on if you want to find out how this works.

What is calorie cycling?

Calorie cycling is a nutritional method that involves planned increases and decreases in calorie intake throughout the week, typically through a change in carbohydrate intake.

There are many different calorie cycling protocols to choose from, but most involve cycling between high, medium and low calorie days throughout the week.

• On the high calorie days, you typically consume more calories than you expend (positive energy balance).
• On the low-calorie days, you typically consume fewer calories than you expend (negative energy balance).
• On days with a medium calorie intake, you typically consume as many calories as you expend (neutral energy balance).

The exact mix and structure of high, low and medium calorie days will depend on your goals and preferences.

For example, if you want to lose fat, you could maintain a calorie deficit five days a week and eat as many calories as you consume on the remaining days to give your body a break.

As a more advanced exerciser, this can help you maintain your muscle mass while getting leaner, especially if you are trying to achieve a low body fat percentage.

If you want to build muscle and strength while minimizing your body fat gain, then you can reverse the ratio of low-calorie and high-calorie days and maintain a slight calorie surplus five days a week, while only eating your maintenance calories or even maintaining a calorie deficit on the remaining two days.

At least that's the theory, but how well does it all work in practice? Let's find out.

Why do people use calorie cycling?

The primary reason that people use calorie cycling is because they have heard that it is vastly superior to a conventional bodybuilding diet with its long periods of calorie surplus and long periods of dieting.

With calorie cycling, users usually hope to achieve one of three things:

• A drastic increase in fat loss by stimulating the metabolism, a reduction in hunger and an improvement in their workouts.
• Simultaneously build muscle mass and lose fat by maximizing muscle gains for several days and then losing fat for several days, with fat loss outpacing fat gain over time.
• Achieve continuous muscle gains while remaining very lean.

Unfortunately, this is not exactly the case in reality. Although they are not entirely wrong, such promises exaggerate the reality that calorie cycling may have minor benefits for some people in certain circumstances. Calorie cycling is not a groundbreaking innovation that upends the status quo of diet and nutrition.

Let's start by looking at how calorie cycling affects weight loss, which is its most powerful effect.

Is calorie cycling good for weight loss?

Yes, calorie cycling is effective for weight loss. However, it is still true that any diet that makes you maintain a calorie deficit over an extended period of time, regardless of when and how you consume those calories, will result in weight loss. In other words, if you consume less energy than you burn over time, you will lose weight.

However, according to some calorie cycling advocates, it is supposed to increase the calorie deficit by stimulating metabolism and fat burning, which should allow a significant increase in fat loss over time.

However, such statements are nonsense.

To understand why, you first need to understand what happens in your body at a more cellular level when you lose weight.

When you reduce your calorie intake for fat loss, a number of chemical, hormonal and metabolic changes take place in your body.

The most significant of these changes is a drop in the levels of a hormone called leptin, which is primarily produced by the body's fat cells. This drop in leptin levels is one of the causes of the side effects associated with dieting, commonly known as "metabolic adaptation" or, inaccurately, "metabolic damage". Leptin plays an important role in many bodily functions, but its main role is to keep the brain informed about energy availability. More specifically, leptin "pays close attention" to the relationship between calories burned through basic metabolic functions and calories obtained from food and body fat.

In the short term (hours, days), leptin levels rise and fall based on your daily calorie intake. Leptin levels rise after you have eaten a meal and have plenty of energy available to signal your brain to reduce hunger, increase activity levels and maintain a normal, healthy metabolic rate.

Over the long term (weeks, months, years), leptin levels rise and fall based on your body fat percentage. When your body fat percentage is high, leptin levels are also high and your brain responds by increasing satiety after meals and regulating how active you are during the day and how much your metabolic rate increases.

In other words, your average long-term leptin levels are determined by your body fat percentage, while short-term increases and decreases in your leptin levels are determined by your calorie intake (and especially your carbohydrate intake).

Once leptin levels drop and remain low for several days, as is the case with dieting, this sends a strong signal to the brain that starvation is imminent and that it should take all necessary measures to increase food intake and reduce energy expenditure.

If you are reading this article, you will probably have experienced this yourself. In the first stages of a well-planned calorie restriction - for most people the first eight weeks - everything is a breeze: your weight on the scales goes down, your waistline shrinks, you are rarely hungry and you feel much the same as you always have.

After about two to three months, however, you experience that your energy levels drop and your exercise motivation, metabolic rate and weight loss all leave something to be desired, while hunger, cravings and irritability increase significantly.

As far as your body is concerned, you are starving and it has to fight with all its might to survive. Its primary goal now is to eliminate the calorie deficit you are trying so diligently to maintain.

Sadly, this is one of the truths of dieting and as long as you are in a calorie deficit, this is something you can only control, not "cure". But now for the good news:

When you start eating more, your leptin levels will rise and you'll immediately feel more energized. In a way, your body is "rewarding" you for reducing or eliminating your calorie deficit, which it sees as necessary for its survival.

After you finally finish your diet, your leptin levels will be lower than when your body fat percentage was higher, but they should still be high enough (and your body will be sufficiently sensitive to leptin) that you will feel healthy and vital again.

This also applies to the lower body fat percentages that people aim for for "aesthetic" reasons - 10 to 15% for men and 20 to 25% for women. At such body fat levels, leptin levels stabilize and generate a new so-called set point and as long as you continue to eat plenty of nutritious foods and maintain a reasonable calorie intake, you can maintain such body development with ease.

You don't have to use specialty calorie cycling to achieve this. Maintain a steady and aggressive but not excessive calorie deficit, eat enough protein and nutritious foods, do enough training with heavy basic exercises and some cardio, and you should have no problem developing a lean and athletic body.

But what if you're aiming for a lower body fat percentage? What if you really want to get defined? You know, under 10% body fat for men and under 20% for women.

This is a different and more difficult terrain - the terrain of low leptin nightmares. Once your body fat reaches (or approaches) these ranges, leptin production becomes vanishingly low.

For many, this inevitably leads to periods of unbearable hunger, lethargy and irritability, and all too often ends in an uncontrolled binge that results in a rebuilding of some of the lost fat.

There is not much you can do about this. If you are a man with a body fat percentage below 8% and a woman with a body fat percentage below 18%, you will probably have to choose between an extremely defined body and feeling like a normal person.

Remember that most of the leptin in your body is produced by your fat cells, so the leaner you get, the less leptin you will have in your body. Aside from synthetic leptin, which would cost 1000 dollars a day, there is nothing you can do to counteract the leptin-mediated side effects of low body fat

I've experienced this myself several times on my own body. It's fun to be ready for a photo shoot...

...but it's not so much fun having to deal with the side effects of this, which were as follows:

• I had lost about 5% of my strength on all the big basic exercises like squats, bench presses, deadlifts, shoulder presses and pull-ups and wasn't getting any stronger despite desperate efforts.
• I didn't have much drive, energy or enthusiasm for my workouts.
• I was quite limited in my food choices, which made going to restaurants and meeting friends less enjoyable.
• I never felt fully satisfied after eating. I started to feel hungrier before meals and I felt like I had to eat significantly more to feel satisfied.

On top of that, I was doing 5.5 hours of weights and an hour of HIIT cardio per week, so I couldn't just drastically increase my workout to burn more calories.

Now I'm not saying that you shouldn't get hard and defined - in fact, I believe that most people should experience this process at least once. It's a matter of discipline, perseverance and delayed gratification and these skills can be valuable in many situations.

But anyone who says you can maintain this kind of body development 365 days a year without sacrificing at least some aspects of your health is lying. And anyone who seems to be able to do this without effort is either faking it or using banned substances.

However, there is something that natural exercisers can do to alleviate the suffering of low leptin levels and that brings us back to calorie cycling.

Let's remember that there are two factors on the basis of which our leptin levels rise and fall:

1. In the short term, your calorie intake
2. In the long term, your body fat percentage

If you're dieting to get lean, there's nothing you can do about number two, but you can use number one to temporarily increase your body's leptin production.

By periodically increasing your calorie intake - calorie cycling - you can increase your leptin levels for a few hours or even days and this can alleviate some of the unwanted side effects of calorie restriction.

Calorie cycling can also help you if you are trying to maintain a low body fat percentage, although the benefits are limited as no matter how much you eat, your body can only produce a limited amount of leptin with so little body fat.

No matter what purpose you use calorie cycling for, you must follow two rules:

1. most of your extra calories must come from carbohydrates.

Scientific research shows that dietary fats have no effect on leptin levels, while a significant increase in carbohydrate intake stimulates a substantial increase in leptin production that lasts as long as your carbohydrate intake is elevated (1). It is unclear what effects protein has on leptin levels, but compared to carbohydrates these effects are likely to be insignificant. However, some research suggests that a high-protein diet may improve leptin sensitivity, so it's a good idea to keep your protein intake high if you're trying to boost your leptin production.

By consuming most of your extra calories in the form of carbohydrates, you will also replenish your glycogen stores, which will have positive effects on your training performance and muscle building.

In other words, if you want to increase your leptin levels, calorie cycling is nothing more than carbohydrate loading, as this is the primary nutrient that increases leptin production.

2. you need to eat your maintenance calorie intake for two or three days

Why can't you just use a high carbohydrate diet if you want to get defined or maintain a low body fat percentage? If carbohydrates increase leptin levels, couldn't you just eat plenty of them every day to permanently increase your leptin production?

Unfortunately, this wouldn't work because the boosting effects of carbohydrates on leptin levels are short-lived. Thus, your average leptin levels will remain more or less the same regardless of how many carbohydrates you eat. A single high-carb meal or a single high-carb day won't make much difference either, as it won't raise leptin levels enough to make a significant difference to your physiology.

It takes at least a few days (and in some cases up to a week or two) for your brain to recognize, trust and respond positively to the increase in leptin levels, which includes an increase in metabolic rate, a reduction in hunger and the flipping of other switches that make dieting less unbearable (2).

Therefore, you can make getting defined much more tolerable by increasing your calories to maintenance levels for two or three days.

Calorie cycling also works well when it comes to maintaining your hard-earned visible abs after reaching your desired body fat percentage.

In this case, you maintain a slight calorie surplus on your training days (up to 5 days per week). In turn, on your non-training days, you maintain a slight to moderate calorie deficit - both should be in the range of 10 to 20%, with the goal being to keep your average weekly calorie intake in the maintenance calorie range.

Although ideally you would only increase and decrease your carbohydrate intake to achieve this, it is sufficient and reasonable to aim for at least 80% increases and decreases through carbohydrates.

I am currently using calorie cycling to maintain my muscle mass and here is what I am doing: my calorie consumption is currently around 2,900 kcal on training days and 2,500 on non-training days (2 days per week) which adds up to a total calorie consumption of 19,500 kcal and I am eating around 3,100 kcal on my training days and 2,000 kcal on my non-training days which brings my calorie intake per week to 19,500 kcal.

These numbers are of course "moving targets", but I am able to maintain a defined body development while continuing to make progress in my workouts and feeling satisfied, energized and focused after meals. Some people can achieve the same without calorie cycling, but most find it easier if they can spend several days of the week in a calorie surplus rather than continuously staying more or less at their maintenance calorie amount.

Regardless of what you do with your calorie and carbohydrate intake when you are very lean, remember that you are merely controlling the symptoms and delaying the inevitable.

Your average leptin levels will be quite low and this will negatively affect your body to some degree and the only cure will be to get your body fat percentage into a healthier, more maintainable range.

The bottom line is that calorie cycling in the fat loss phase is unnecessary and often even counterproductive as long as your body fat percentage is above 15% for men and above 25% for women. However, if you are leaner than this and are looking to get or stay really lean, then calorie cycling can make this process more enjoyable.

In the next part of this article, we'll look at how you can use calorie cycling during mass gain and go into more detail about creating a calorie cycling nutrition plan.

References:

1. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11126336?ordinalpos=47&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7714088

Source: https://legionathletics.com/calorie-cycling/

Unfortunately, many people who lose weight end up gaining that weight back. In fact, only 20% of all dieters who start out overweight and successfully lose weight manage to maintain that weight loss over the long term. However, this should not discourage you. There are a number of scientifically proven ways that can help you maintain your weight loss. These range from exercise to stress control.

These 17 strategies could be just what you need to tip the statistics in your favor and keep your hard-won weight loss off.

Why do dieters regain weight?

There are some common reasons why people regain lost weight. These mainly have to do with unrealistic expectations and feelings of deprivation.

• Restrictive diets: An extreme reduction in calorie intake can slow down your metabolism and affect your appetite-regulating hormones - both of which can contribute to weight regain (1).
• The wrong mindset: If you see dieting as a quick fix instead of a long-term solution for your health, you're more likely to give up prematurely and regain the weight you lost.
• A lack of sustainable habits: Many diets are based more on willpower rather than habits you can incorporate into your daily life. They focus on rules instead of lifestyle changes, which can discourage you and prevent you from maintaining the weight.

The best strategies for maintaining weight after dieting

1. exercise regularly

Regular exercise plays an important role in maintaining weight. Exercise can help you burn a few extra calories and increase your metabolic rate, which are two important factors in maintaining a healthy energy balance (2).

Maintaining a good energy balance means that you burn as many calories as you consume. As a result, your weight is more likely to remain constant.

Several studies have found that people who engage in at least 200 minutes of moderate physical activity per week (30 minutes per day) after losing weight are more likely to maintain their new weight (3, 4).

In some cases, even higher levels of physical activity may be necessary for successful weight management. One study review concluded that one hour of exercise per day is optimal for those trying to maintain weight loss (5).

It is important to note that exercise is most helpful for weight management when combined with other lifestyle changes including maintaining a healthy diet (6).

2. try to eat breakfast every day

Eating breakfast could help you with your weight management goals.

People who eat breakfast regularly tend to have healthier habits such as exercising more and consuming more fiber and micronutrients (7).

In addition, eating breakfast regularly is one of the habits most often mentioned by people who are successful in maintaining weight loss (5).

One study found that 78% of 2,959 people who were able to maintain a weight loss of 14 kilos for at least a year reported eating breakfast every day (8).

However, although people who eat breakfast regularly appear to be more successful at maintaining weight loss, the data is mixed.

Studies do not show that skipping breakfast automatically leads to weight gain or poorer eating habits (9). In fact, skipping breakfast might even help some people achieve weight loss and maintain their new weight (10).

Breakfast might be one of those things that is highly dependent on the individual. If you feel that eating breakfast regularly will help you reach your goals, then you should definitely eat breakfast. However, if you don't like eating breakfast and don't feel hungry in the morning, then there's nothing wrong with skipping breakfast.

3. eat plenty of protein

A high protein intake can help you maintain your weight, as protein can help you reduce your appetite and feel fuller (11).

Protein increases the levels of certain hormones in the body that can increase satiety and are important for weight regulation. Protein has also been shown to reduce levels of hormones that increase hunger (12, 13).

The effects of protein on your hormones and satiety can automatically reduce the number of calories you consume per day, which is an important factor in weight maintenance (14).

In addition, your body uses a significant amount of energy to digest protein. Therefore, regular protein consumption can increase the number of calories you consume per day (15).

Based on several studies, the effects of protein on metabolism and appetite appear to be most pronounced when about 30% of calories consumed are in the form of protein. For a calorie intake of 2,000 kcal, this corresponds to about 150 grams of protein (16).

4. weigh yourself regularly

Monitoring your weight regularly on the scale can be a helpful tool for weight maintenance as it makes you aware of your progress and can encourage weight management behaviors (17).

Those who weigh themselves may also tend to consume fewer calories per day, which can be helpful in maintaining weight loss (18).

In one study, subjects who weighed themselves regularly six days a week consumed an average of 300 kcal less per day than those who checked their weight less frequently (19). How often you weigh yourself is a personal choice. Some find it helpful to weigh themselves daily, while others are more successful if they check their weight once or twice a week.

5. be mindful of your carbohydrate intake

Maintaining your weight may be easier to achieve if you pay attention to the types and amounts of carbohydrates you eat.

Eating too many refined carbohydrates such as white bread, pasta and fruit juices can be disastrous for your weight management goals.

These foods have been stripped of their natural fiber, which is necessary to promote satiety. Diets that are low in fiber have been linked to weight gain and obesity (20).

Limiting your overall carbohydrate intake could also help you maintain your weight loss. Several studies have found that in some cases, those who follow a low-carb diet after weight loss are more likely to be able to keep the lost weight off in the long term (21). In addition, people who follow a low-carb diet are less likely to consume more calories than they burn, which is necessary for weight maintenance (22).

6 Exercise with weights

A reduction in muscle mass is a common side effect of weight loss. This can limit your ability to maintain weight loss, as a loss of muscle mass reduces your metabolic rate, which means you burn fewer calories throughout the day (23).

Performing some type of resistance training, such as weight training, can help prevent this muscle loss and in turn maintain or even increase your metabolic rate.

Studies show that those who exercise with weights after losing weight are more likely to be able to maintain their new weight by maintaining their muscle mass (24).

To reap these benefits, it is recommended that you train with weights at least twice a week. Your training program should include all major muscle groups for optimal results (25).

7 Prepare for setbacks

Setbacks are inevitable on your weight loss journey. There can and will be times when you give in to unhealthy cravings or skip a training session.

These occasional slip-ups don't mean you should give up on all your goals. Instead, just keep going and make better choices in the future.

It can also be helpful to plan ahead for situations that you know will make healthy eating a challenge. Examples of this would be a vacation or holidays like Christmas.

8. stick to your plan throughout the week (even on weekends)

One habit that often leads to weight regain is eating healthy during the week and cheating on the weekend. This mentality often leads to people stuffing themselves with junk food, which can interfere with your weight maintenance goals.

If this becomes a regular habit, you may well gain back more weight than you initially lost (26).

Alternatively, research shows that those who consistently follow eating regimens throughout the week are more likely to maintain weight loss in the long term (27).

One study found that weekly consistency compared to more flexibility on weekends almost doubled the likelihood that individuals could maintain their weight within 2.2 kilos over a year (27).

9. stay hydrated

Drinking water is helpful for maintaining weight for several reasons. First of all, it promotes satiety and drinking a glass or two of water before a meal can help you keep your calorie intake under control (28, 29).

One study found that those who drank water before meals consumed 13% fewer calories compared to those who did not (28). In addition to this, drinking water has been shown to slightly increase the number of calories you burn throughout the day (30).

10. make sure you get enough sleep

Getting enough sleep can have a significant impact on your weight control. In fact, sleep deprivation in adults appears to be a primary risk factor for weight gain and may affect weight maintenance (31). This is partly because inadequate sleep leads to higher levels of ghrelin, which is also known as the "hunger hormone" because it increases appetite (32).

In addition, people who get too little sleep tend to have lower levels of leptin - a hormone necessary for appetite control (32).

Lastly, those who are short on sleep are simply more tired and therefore less motivated to exercise and make good nutritional choices.

If you are not getting enough sleep, you should find a way to improve your sleep habits. Sleeping at least 7 hours a night is optimal for weight control and overall health (33).

11. control your stress levels

Controlling stress is an important part of weight management. In fact, high stress levels can lead to weight regain by increasing levels of the hormone cortisol - a hormone released in response to stress (34).

Consistently elevated cortisol levels are associated with a greater amount of abdominal fat, as well as increased appetite and food intake (34).

Stress is also a common trigger for impulsive eating, which means you eat when you're not hungry (35).

Luckily, there are many things you can do to combat stress, including exercise, yoga and meditation.

12 Find a support system

It can be hard to maintain your weight goals on your own.

One strategy to overcome this may be to find a support system that keeps you accountable.

Some studies have shown that teaming up with someone who shares the same goals can be helpful for weight management - especially if this is a partner with similar health habits (36).

One such study looked at the health habits of over 3,000 couples and found that when one person took up a healthy habit such as exercise, their partner was more likely to follow suit (37).

13. control your food intake

Those who keep a record of their food intake - whether in a diary or an app - are more likely to achieve their weight loss goals (38).

Keeping a record of your food intake and calories is helpful because it raises awareness of how much you're really eating - especially if you're using an app that gives you an accurate overview of your calorie and nutrient intake.

In addition to this, many of these apps also allow you to keep track of your exercise, so you can make sure you're getting the amount of exercise you need to maintain your weight.

14 Eat plenty of vegetables

Several studies link high vegetable consumption to better weight control (39).

First of all, vegetables are low in calories. You can eat large portions of vegetables without gaining weight while still getting an impressive amount of nutrients. In addition, vegetables are high in fiber, which can promote feelings of satiety and automatically reduce the amount of calories you eat throughout the day (40).

Because of these weight management benefits, you should aim to eat one or two servings of vegetables at every meal.

15 Be consistent

Consistency is the key to regaining lost weight.

Rather than endlessly switching between diets and continuing with old habits, it's best to stick with your healthy new diet and your new healthier lifestyle forever.

Although it may seem hard at first to adopt a new lifestyle, healthy choices become habits as you get used to them. Your healthier lifestyle will come easily to you, making it easier for you to maintain your new weight.

16. practice mindful eating

Mindful eating means paying attention to your inner appetite cues. This includes eating slowly and without distraction and chewing your food well so that you can enjoy the aroma and full flavor of your meal.

If you eat this way, you are more likely to stop eating when you are really full. If you eat with distractions, it can be hard to know when you're full, which means you may eat more than you need to (41).

Studies show that mindful eating helps with weight maintenance by targeting behaviors that are often associated with weight gain - such as stress eating (42).

In addition, those who eat mindfully are more likely to be able to maintain their weight without counting calories (43).

17. make sustainable changes to your lifestyle

One of the reasons many people fail to maintain their weight is because they follow unrealistic diets that are not practical in the long term.

They end up feeling emaciated, which often leads to them gaining more weight than they initially lost once they start eating normally again.

Maintaining weight loss comes down to making long-term, sustainable changes to your lifestyle.

This looks different for everyone, but basically it means not being too restrictive, staying consistent and making healthy choices as often as possible.

Bottom line

Diets can be restrictive and unrealistic, often leading to rapid weight regain.

However, there are many simple changes you can make to your habits that are easily maintainable and will help you sustain your weight loss in the long run.

During your journey, you will realize that controlling your weight involves more than what you eat. Exercise, sleep and mental health also play a role.

Maintaining your weight can be easy if you simply adopt a new lifestyle instead of constantly following new diets.

References:

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3673773/
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10610070
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19127177
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15561636
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16002825
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4578965/
7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3726409/
8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11836452
9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24825781
10. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24918099
11. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2494903
12. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4258944/
13. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18469287
14. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18469287
15. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15466943
16. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16002798
17. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4380831/
18. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3788086/
19. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3788086/
20. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12146567
21. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24472635
22. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25466951
23. https://link.springer.com/article/10.2165/00007256-200636030-00005
24. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1555605
25. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19204579
26. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3740215/
27. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16002825
28. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18589036
29. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19661958
30. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17519319
31. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18239586
32. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3632337/
33. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4434546/
34. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3079864/
35. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4214609/
36. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15796642
37. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25599511
38. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3268700/
39. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3225890/
40. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11396693
41. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23446890
42. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26627097
43. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3607652/

Source: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/maintain-weight-loss

If you're like most people, you've heard about the 'dangers' of gluten but have no idea what a FODMAP is.

And if you regularly suffer from digestive discomfort such as bloating, a bloated feeling, abdominal pain, cramps, heartburn, fatigue, diarrhea or constipation after eating something, then you should definitely read this article.

In this case, reducing your FODMAP intake is probably something that will solve your problems better than a gluten-free diet.

In fact, scientific research has found that a low-FODMAP diet relieves symptoms in 74% of IBS patients and FODMAPs are the real culprit in what many people consider to be an unrelated gluten intolerance (1, 2).

So let's take a look at what FODMAPs are, why they can be so problematic and how you can assess your sensitivity to FODMAPs and eliminate them from your diet if necessary.

What is a FODMAP?

FODMAP stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols. These are the scientific terms for a type of carbohydrate that is difficult to digest and can be found in plant-based foods, dairy products and sweeteners. For the sake of simplicity, let's look at this acronym word by word.

It starts with fermentable because these carbohydrates are easily fermented in the gut. This is followed by three types of saccharides, which are sugar molecules found in food.

Monosaccharides are often referred to as simple sugars because they have a very simple structure and consist of only one sugar molecule. Mono means one and saccharide means sugar - i.e. one sugar.

Monosaccharides include...

Glucose

Glucose is a type of sugar also known as blood sugar. Glucose is found in the blood and is produced from the food you eat (most carbohydrates in food contain glucose - either as simple glucose molecules or combined with the two other simple sugars we'll see in a moment).

When we talk about blood glucose levels, we are referring to the amount of glucose circulating in the blood.

Fructose

Fructose is a type of sugar that occurs naturally in fruit and is also found in processed products such as sucrose (table sugar) and high fructose corn syrup, both of which are 50% fructose and 50% glucose.

Fructose is converted into glucose in the liver and then released into the bloodstream, and can also be converted into fat at higher intakes and contribute to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Galactose

Galactose is a type of sugar found in dairy products and is metabolized in a similar way to fructose.

Oligosaccharides

Oligosaccharides are molecules that contain several monosaccharides linked together in chain-like structures. Oligos is the Greek word for "united" - oligosaccharides therefore means "some sugars".

These sugars are one of the components of fiber in plants, which our bodies can partially break down into glucose (leaving the fibrous indigestible parts behind to do good things in our digestion) (3).

Many vegetables contain fructo-oligosaccharides - short chains of fructose molecules. These are metabolized in the same way (the chains are broken down into individual fructose molecules, which are then converted into glucose for further use by the body).

Another common form of oligosaccharide in the diet is raffinose, which consists of a chain of galactose, glucose and fructose (also known as a trisaccharide) and is found in beans, cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, other vegetables and cereals. Galactooligosaccharides round off the list of oligosaccharides and consist of short chains of galactose molecules. They are indigestible but play a role in stimulating the growth of healthy gut bacteria (4).

Disaccharides

Disaccharides are molecules that are composed of two monosaccharides.

Two common examples of disaccharides are milk sugar (lactose), which consists of glucose and galactose, and table sugar (sucrose), which consists of glucose and fructose.

Polyols

Last but not least, there are the polyols, which are also known as sugar alcohols. Polyols are a group of low-calorie, sweet carbohydrates that can be used as a substitute for table sugar.

The most popular polyols are erythritol, maltitol, xylitol (xylitol) and sorbitol.

If you look at the list of all these foods I have just listed, you will understand why people with FODMAP hypersensitivity often struggle with their condition.

It goes far beyond wheat and wheat products, which are the dietary scapegoat of the day.

FODMAPs are ubiquitous in the modern Western diet and people with a FODMAP sensitivity can work hard to maintain an extremely "clean" diet rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes and the like...only to suffer anyway.

They would never suspect that the problem is that their body simply cannot properly digest and absorb all these "healthy" foods they are eating (5). For example, foods that are most likely to light up the FODMAP warning lights include

• apples
• asparagus
• turnips
• broccoli
• Brussels sprouts
• Cabbage
• Chicory
• Chickpeas
• Legumes
• Mushrooms
• Onions
• Peaches
• Pears
• Radicchio
• Watermelon
• Processed grains and cereals

FODMAPs are also found in inconspicuously harmless spices, canned foods and soft drinks such as fruit juice and many other foods.

Scientific research has shown that some people only experience reactions when they consume certain amounts of FODMAPs, making it even harder to understand the circumstances (6).

Why are some people sensitive to FODMAPs?

In the case of oligosaccharides, humans simply lack the enzymes necessary to break them down (7). This means that when these carbohydrates reach the gut, they are still relatively intact, which can lead to digestive discomfort.

The two main culprits here are fructans and galactans.

Fructans are a form of fructose found in various fruits and vegetables, legumes and grains, while galactans are a form of galactose found mainly in legumes.

In the case of disaccharides, the most problematic by far is lactose (a sugar found in mammalian milk). Although the body is capable of producing an enzyme called lactase that can break down lactose, many adults are no longer able to do so, which has led to the widespread development of lactose intolerance.

Of the monosaccharides, fructose is the one that causes the most problems. Once it reaches the intestines, it can draw water and cause swelling of the intestines, which sends a signal to the nervous system that something is wrong.

Scientific research shows that this can happen even in healthy, symptom-free people (8).

If a large dose of fructose is consumed on its own (e.g. 50 grams), then the majority of people will not absorb at least some of it properly, which can lead to symptoms normally associated with fructose hypersensitivity.

(This highlights one of the problems with the widespread use of high fructose corn syrup in some countries such as the USA).

Polyols, which are found in many sugar-free foods, sweets and chewing gums, are only partially digested and absorbed in the small intestine and once they reach the large intestine they can cause bloating and have a laxative effect.

Who should avoid FODMAPs?

If you suffer from any of the following problems, a diet low in FODMAPs could help reduce your symptoms.

• Digestive problems
• Lactose/fructose malabsorption
• Inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis)
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Suspected non-celiac disease due to gluten intolerance

Many of these disorders reduce quality of life and do not respond well to medication, which is why alternative treatment approaches are often welcome.

How do you know if you suffer from FODMAP hypersensitivity?

Although simple breath tests claim to be able to detect FODMAP hypersensitivity (with questionable accuracy), they can only test for some of the potential culprits (fructose, sorbitol and lactose).

The most reliable way to assess your gut's relationship to FODMAPs is through a comprehensive elimination diet.

An elimination diet is a strategic approach to reducing and reintroducing FODMAPs into your diet and carefully monitoring your body to learn how each food affects you.

A typical FODMAPs elimination diet lasts 6 to 8 weeks and looks like this:

First, you reduce your overall intake of FODMAPs

You can do this by replacing foods that are rich in FODMAPs with options that are lower in FODMAPs, or by reducing the total FODMAPs load per meal.

This phase should be at least 4 weeks long - or until your symptoms are under control.

Next, systematically reintroduce FODMAPs into your diet

Here you start by reintroducing one FODMAP at a time into your diet, paying careful attention to how your body reacts.

A detailed food and symptom log is the only way to get an overview of what is causing your problems - attention and patience are key here.

Last but not least, modify and expand your diet

The final step is to work on gradually expanding your diet to include FODMAPs in tolerable amounts.

You may well find that only one or two foods are responsible for most of your symptoms and some people find that they can continue to eat their favorite foods in moderation.

If that sounds like a lot of effort, then I can understand. However, you should remember that this is a one-time thing that will help you find the optimal FODMAP levels for your body.

The goal isn't to completely change your diet - it's to find a varied eating plan that suits your needs and produces the least amount of symptoms.

How to eat a diet low in FODMAPs

A low FODMAP diet focuses on foods that are low in gluten, dairy and fructose and avoids fruits and vegetables that contain rapidly fermentable soluble fiber.

There are sites and apps on the internet that contain comprehensive lists of low FODMAP foods.

More and more dietitians and doctors are starting to recommend low FODMAP diets for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, so you can get support from this side too.

And if you're worried that a low-FODMAP diet won't leave you with anything good to eat, don't worry.

Here is a list of my favorite low-FODMAP foods:

• Fruit: bananas, oranges, tangerines, grapes, melons.
• Grain products: Gluten-free bread and sourdough spelt bread, rice cakes, oatmeal, gluten-free pasta, rice, quinoa
• Dairy products: Lactose-free milk, lactose-free yogurt, virtually all types of hard cheese.
• Nuts/seeds: Almonds ( - Protein: meat, fish, poultry, tofu, tempeh.
• Vegetables: alfalfa, mung bean sprouts, green beans, bok choy, peppers, carrots, fresh herbs, cucumber, lettuce, tomatoes, zucchini, leeks
• Other snacks: gluten-free cookies, rice crackers You can make it easier for yourself by creating a personalized list with your FODMAP preferences in mind.

It's also a good idea to prepare your own meals and snacks to keep an eye on the exact ingredients. Remember that FODMAPs lurk in many unexpected places.

Finally, once you have found the FODMAPs you are most sensitive to, you can start using digestive enzyme supplements that aim to break down these FODMAPs. This targeted approach to enzyme supplementation can significantly reduce your symptoms (9).

It's also worth noting that many foods that are rich in FODMAPs are also highly nutritious. This is one of the reasons why it may not make sense to follow a low-FODMAP diet forever - even if you are sensitive to these foods.

The goal is not to banish FODMAPs from your life - it's to find the happy medium for your body between complete FODMAP overload and strict abstinence, where the diet is balanced but your symptoms are almost eliminated.

The bottom line on the low-FODMAP diet

Unlike the many fad diets that come and go, the low-FODMAP diet is a legitimate, science-based strategy for improving your digestive health and long-term well-being.

If you don't generally suffer from digestive problems after eating, then there is no need for such an approach.

However, if you do suffer from such issues - and especially if you think you suffer from gluten hypersensitivity - a low-FODMAP lifestyle could change everything.

References:

1. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22488077/
2. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23648697
3. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18215222
4. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18215222
5. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24134168
6. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20659225
7. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4417592/
8. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4040804/
9. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7964541

Source: https://legionathletics.com/low-fodmap-diet/

By Michael Matthews