ATHLETIC FOX ATHLETIC FOX BLUEPRINT. IBS Support Program for a happy tummy

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1 ATHLETIC FOX ATHLETIC FOX BLUEPRINT IBS Support Program for a happy tummy

2 Irritable Bowel Syndrome IBS My Story. For those of you who do not know, I have severe Irritable Bowel Syndrome aka IBS. Here is a picture of when I have a bad flare up. I ve suffered with this since I was 9 or 10 to varying degrees but it became more severe when I turned 16. A flare up can last 24hrs to 8 weeks depending on many factors. During a flare up, the effect is pretty shocking as you can see from the photo above. Not just the visual effect of a massive tummy and bad water retention, but the pain, anxiety and discomfort is debilitating. So many days have been spent sulking on the couch with tears of frustration and inevitably work lost as I cannot do a photoshoot or prepare effectively for an event.!2

3 Irritable Bowel Syndrome IBS In 2015 I finally went public with my 20+ year battle with my digestive issues and was completely overwhelmed by the amount of people facing the same problems on a daily basis. This is a topic which isn t discussed enough. So, to all you ladies out there with IBS, or IBS s y m p t o m s t h i s supporting document is t o c o m p l e m e n t t h e Athletic Fox Blueprint or the 21BBB rapid fat loss plan. Lets modify the nutrition section and keep your tummy happy while staying on track with your fat loss goals. Please note, I am not an expert or a doctor. I speak only from experience on what has helped me MANAGE not CURE my condition. Every case of IBS is unique. This is subjective document which may assist you in your symptoms, however it is not conclusive and please ensure you seek professional medical advice.!3

4 IBS Overview What is IBS? IBS Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a condition of the digestive system. It s pretty common and tends to be a long-term condition with acute flare-ups. Symptoms can include bloating, distended belly, stomach cramps, gas, diarrhoea and/or constipation. Your IBS symptoms can vary from mild to severe. What causes IBS? There can be a number of different causes and triggers. IBS is thought to be caused by physical problems with digestion and increased sensitivity of the gut. Triggers can include inflammatory foods, stress and emotions. Here are some foods, emotions and situations which can trigger my IBS: High Stress Levels Certain alcoholic drinks Processed fatty or fried food FODMAP foods (more on this later) Fibre and dietary fibre supplements Chemicals and colouring in foods Here are some other common triggers which do not affect me but they may affect you: Fizzy drinks Caffeinated drinks Emotions (high state of emotion good or bad!)!4

5 IBS Overview What Can You Do To Manage Symptoms? IBS can be frustrating, upsetting, embarrassing and downright horrible. However, instead of feeling beat up and overwhelmed its time to BE A DETECTIVE AND TAKE ACTION! I would recommend you keep a food and stress diary for at least 3 weeks. Look carefully at both weekdays and weekends as this is great way to identify your triggers. Here s what you should note: What you ate/drank and at what time How you felt immediately afterwards/ an hour afterwards/ a few hours after The amount of sleep you got/ what time you went to bed/ how you felt on waking Your mood during the day Negative emotions/ what caused them/ how did you cope Lets discuss this in the Athletic Fox Forum or 21BBB Forum as it will also help others in your shoes. What Foods Are On An IBS-Friendly Diet? Learning what foods help your IBS is a massive part of managing it. For me it was partly trial and error, and partly moving to a low FODMAP diet, with very little fibre, dairy and gluten free. Again what works for my tummy may not work for you. You will need to build your own diet and become your own detective but I can give you a starting point and a few tips.!5

6 IBS Overview The FODMAP Diet FODMAP stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols, To put it simply, these are types of foods which aren t easily digested so sit in the gut and ferment, causing IBS symptoms. Try cutting these out of your diet and see how you feel (use your food and mood diary to help keep track). Please note this is an overview of the FODMAP diet and is aimed as a starting place for you to go and do your own research. Low FODMAP recipes are also found online, although I would recommend modifying the blueprint and 21BBB meals or using the build-a-meal guidelines for fat loss. Places to read more on the FODMAP diet and information on IBS these links are useful:

7 IBS - FODMAP Quick Reference Guide Foods to AVOID This list is not exhaustive and more information can be found on the links in the previous page. Any recipe in the Athletic Fox Blueprint or 21BBB containing these foods should be avoided if you have tummy issues. Vegetables and Legumes Fruit Garlic Onions Artichoke Asparagus Baked beans Beetroot Black eyed peas Broad beans Butter beans Cauliflower Celery Kidney beans Leeks Mange Tout Mushrooms Peas Savoy Cabbage Soy beans Split peas Scallions and spring onions Shallots Apples Apricots Avocado Blackberries Cherries Currants Dates Grapefruit Lychee Mango Nectarines Peaches Pears Persimmon Plums and prunes Pomegranate Raisins Tinned fruit in apple / pear juice Watermelon!7

8 IBS - FODMAP Quick Reference Guide Foods to AVOID Cereals, Grains, Breads, Biscuits, Pasta, Nuts and Cakes Sauces, Sweets, Sweeteners and Spreads Products containing wheat (read the label) including pasta, breads, cereal, rolls Biscuits Breadcrumbs Cashews Cakes Egg or udon noodles Regular noodles Pastries Barley Bran cereals Couscous Pistachios Rye Semolina Agave Fructose High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) Honey Ketchup / Tomato sauce Milk chocolate Sugar free sweets containing polyols (check the label anything ending in -ol or isomalt) Inulin Isomalt Maltitol Mannitol Sorbitol Xylitol!8

9 IBS - FODMAP Quick Reference Guide Foods to AVOID Prebiotic Foods (these can be ingredients in yoghurts, snacks, bars etc) FOS fructooligosaccharides Inulin Oligofructose Drinks Beer Dandelion tea Orange juice Rum Sodas/fizzy drinks with High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) Soy milk made with soy beans Sports drinks (very sugary Wine (sad but true! A glass here and there is usually fine but it depends how sensitive you are) Fiber Foods Dairy Foods You may also want to moderate the amount of fibre in your diet. Be careful using even natural fibre such as psyllium husks or a lot of raw vegetables as these may contribute to bloating. Don t cut it out completely, but see how much your tummy can tolerate. Recommended intake is 25-30g. Start slowly when increasing your intake. Buttermilk Cream cheese Cream Custard Ice cream Margarine Milk (cow, goat and sheep) Sour cream Yoghurt and Greek yogurt!9

10 IBS - Stress Management Stress and IBS Stress comes in many forms and can have a profound effect on IBS. Even if you do not feel emotionally stressed it does not mean you are stress free. Too much or the wrong sort of training, nutritional deprivation from under or over eating or eating the wrong foods, mental emotional stress, financial stress, sleep deprivation - the body deals with all the above in the same way. These types of stress excite the sympathetic nervous system which is your up and go / fight or flight system. For the digestive system to work efficiently the parasympathetic nervous system needs to be stimulated. This is the rest and digest side of the autonomic nervous system. The parasympathetic nervous system is stimulated by sleep, restorative exercise lie walking, yoga or mediation, reading, massage, sex, lying in the sun or other mentally and physically relaxing activities. Lifestyle Tips for Stress Management to avoid a flare up Express your feelings instead of bottling them up. Be willing to compromise Be more assertive. Don t take a backseat in your own life. Deal with problems head on, doing your best to anticipate and prevent them. Manage your time better. If you can t change the stressor, change yourself. You can adapt to stressful situations and regain your sense of control by changing your expectations and attitude. Reframe problems. Try to view stressful situations from a more positive perspective. Adjust your standards. Perfectionism is a major source of avoidable stress. Stop setting yourself up for failure by demanding perfection. Get Educated - Follow the nutritional advice above is a good place to start Stop being a dieter! Eating less and Exercising more is not the answer. Get Organised - Ensuring that you plan time every day to unwind and fund something that helps you destress. This is very important for every aspect of your health Get Rested - Make sure you re getting adequate sleep. I recommend 7-8hrs a night. Learn to say NO Take control of your day and environment Do not be afraid to distance yourself from people and end relationships if they no longer serve you.!10

11 IBS - Stress Management How to Cope During a Flare Up Wear comfortable clothes Use hot water bottles Take it easy in the gym. Accept you are having a flare up and go for a long walk instead to be kind to yourself. Do not be afraid to say no to social situations Eat bland foods, little and often. Drink plenty of water Realise you are not getting fat, you are bloated and likely have water retention Take time out during the day for you. This may behaving a 15-20min nap, learning to meditate or quietly reading a book. Other Considerations IBS is a blanket term for a wide array of possible issues. The fundamentals of IBS treatment remain the same, ensure you re eating a good diet, sleeping properly, drinking enough water (37mL per kg of bodyweight- minimum!) and following the tips in this document.!11

12 IBS - Rachel s Approach: how I personally manage my IBS As well as eating a FODMAP-free diet (see the list above), here s what s really helped me manage my IBS over the years: Smaller, regular meals, and I take my time eating them. I try not to eat on the go or bolt my food down. Lots of water and non-caffeinated teas (at least 3 litres a day). No more than two coffees or caffeine-drinks per day. Being brave enough to ask about the menu/ingredients at at restaurants, cafes and dinner parties. Exercise! This really helps my IBS, from a physical point of view (keeps my guts healthy) and emotional too (great for stress). However if i am in a flare up I don t lift heavy weights. I cannot brace my abs and that is dangerous for my back. Also quite frankly I often feel so tired and ill all I can do is haul myself out for a walk. I am supposed to do relaxation techniques like meditation however I find this very hard as I have the attention span of a squirrel on speed if my mind is not engaged. Instead, I get outside as often as I can, regular breaks from work etc. Getting enough sleep and getting to bed at a consistent time. CRITICAL! But ultimately what has helped me is coming to terms with it. IBS is something I have, and getting too upset and stressed about flare-ups will only make it worse.!12

13 With a background in Physiotherapy, Health Expert, Presenter and CEO of Athletic Fox Pty Ltd, Rachel Guy has worked in the fitness industry for the past 13 years. Based in London, she is regarded as one of the UK s top female trainers with an international following. Specialising in Fat Loss, Athletic Fox inspires and educates busy, driven and successful women to live a healthy, balanced and fun lifestyle! Athletic Fox offers online training through The Athletic Fox Blueprint and The 21 day Rapid Fat Loss 21BBB program. Rachel also runs elite lifestyle and health consulting services with her bespoke program Chase Life. In the media, Rachel has had a successful career as fitness model and writer with a cover of Oxygen Magazine, featuring in several T.V. commercials and magazines in Australia, the UK and South Africa including Oxygen Australia, Ironman, MuscleMag, The Sydney Morning Herald, Mens Fitness, Women's Health & Fitness, Body and Soul, Cosmopolitan, On Duty, AlphaMan and Shape. For more information about Athletic Fox and Rachel Guy check out: