The Science Behind the Low / No Starch Diet

This was without doubt the hardest part for me.

When you start your elimination diet there are, by definition, very few things you can eat.

And this is compounded by a double whammy. Because what many of us don’t realise is that starchy foods often create that ‘full feeling’ in your stomach

So when you elimate starch and there are very few foods (to begin with) which you can consume to plug that gap, it can be hard.

Certain foods are also addictive. Are body is used to them and craves them. An elimination is not only a huge shock to the gut and the microbiome but its a shock to the brain as well which has formed neural pathways associated with the pleasure derived from eating certain foods.

You body has been used to processing complex carbohydrates, processed foods and refined sugars and now has to adapt to processing and burning different types of fuel, so this is a a big adjustment.

Many people find they lose a lot of weight at the start of the elimination diet, particularly as you are finding your feet. This can be unsettling and it might feel like it will never stop but as your body settles and you figure out what foods you can safely eat and the right portion sizes things will improve.

In my case it was 3 or 4 months before I started to hit an equilibrium.

Some tips:

1) Give yourself much bigger portion sizes. This might sound obvious but typically on an elimination diet (and beyond for many of us) you might have a plate of salad, for example, with a portion of meat for lunch. While this can look volumous on the plate salad will not fill you up. Remember we’ve been used to having filling carbs (rice, potatoes, pasta etc) and if you remove that you leave a gaping whole. You will need to ensure you have a decent sized portion of protein (more than you might have normally had pre-elimination diet) to make up the difference.

2) Use olive oil and/or avocado oil on everything. They contain healthy fats and though it might not feel intuitively as if they would help fill you up and a generous drizzle on salad (or anything) can really help maintain a healthy weight.

3) Try not to snack too much – for many this can make pain worse – and instead focus on really getting those portion sizes right and figuring out what healthy trigger free meals you can have.

This will vary for everyone but any change in diet is a change to the contents of your gut.

This in turn can dramatically impact your digestive system and microbiome and naturally there can be a period of adjustment. For example:

– You may find you are going to the toilet more or less than usual to begin with

– You may find your stools are more runny than usual at times, particularly if you are trying new supplements (Apple Cider Vinegar had an almost diarrhea like effect on me for the first few days)

Typically things even out, stabalise and improve over time.

In my case my bowel movements are now more consistent and more regular than they were prior to the AS protocol. It took a few months for things to settle into a natural rhythm.