Phase 1 of The Low Fodmap Diet
How to Start the Low FODMAP Diet - Phase 1
If you’re reading this, you must have at least some awareness of why the low FODMAP diet is used. From here on out, I’m going to abbreviate the diet as “LFD” to make it sooo much easier. 😉
Here’s a little overview just to be sure we’re on the same page.
The LFD has been used successfully in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, for years. When working with a trained dietitian, the success rate is up to 80%, so you can see why it’s become so popular. In fact, any treatment, including medication, has at the most an 80% success rate. When it comes to feeling better with either diet or medication, I know I would choose diet every time.
What some people don’t realize is that the LFD has 3 phases, and all of the phases have to be completed in order to be successful. If only phase 1 is used and it continues indefinitely, the diet is way too limited, which puts you at risk for nutritional deficiencies or can negatively affect your gut microbiome. That’s only going to make the problem worse, so we definitely don’t want to do that.
So, what are the phases?
Phase 1 is the elimination phase where we try to eliminate foods or portions of foods that are high in FODMAPS. If you are unsure of what a FODMAP is, check out my blog article [insert title and link here]. This phase takes anywhere from 2-6 weeks, and is considered complete when the symptoms are at an acceptable level of comfort. That might look different for everyone, and it’s based on your judgment. If you can function in your daily activities with little to no discomfort and overall feel so much better than you did, that can be considered the completion of phase 1.
Phase 2 is the trial phase. Check out my blog on phase 2 of the LFD for an explanation of what this entails.
Phase 3 is the phase that puts it all together. Here is my explanation of phase 3 and any next steps.
Ready to start the low FODMAP Diet? Let’s move on to Phase 1 of the LFD.
🚧Avoid this Mistake:
A big mistake I see with this diet is using a list of high and low FODMAP foods as the only strategy in navigating the diet. Sometimes even well-meaning health practitioners hand out a diet copy or direct their patients to the internet to learn more about the diet. This is a somewhat complex diet that involves a lot of know-how and labels reading. I would never suggest anyone undertake this diet without the proper tools.
Speaking of tools, here are some that are super helpful:
Monash University FODMAP Diet app: This is the university in Australia that created the diet, and they also conduct food testing to check the FODMAP content of actual foods. The app has a small fee, but it’s so helpful.
FODMAP Friendly app (Google App): This is a free app, and they also do their own testing of foods to find the FODMAP content. This plus the Monash app makes a good team.
These apps are also helpful:
The Fig app (Google App): This is an app for people with food allergies or who follow a gluten-free, vegan, low FODMAP, or about 130 other diets. It’s a food barcode scanner and ingredient resource. h
Spoonful! app (Google App): This is also a barcode scanner with a crowd-sourced ingredient list of information helpful to people on various diets, including the LFD.
The use of apps is almost necessary for the best result, in my opinion. The first two listed will help immensely with success on the LFD. Please, please get these. The Monash app has a small fee, but it’s completely worth it. The second two apps listed can also help but are not as crucial.
So, to review,
Step 1: Get at least the Monash and FODMAP Friendly apps.
Step 2: Once you have the apps that you would like to use, the next step is to make your first grocery list. My personal grocery lists before starting the LFD had been pretty generic. Like, I’ll put bread or rolls on the list and just grab the brand or style that I prefer when I’m shopping. But in the beginning of the LFD, you’ll save yourself a ton of time in the store if you look up the products you want at home before you go and list specific brands on your list.
For example, if you usually have a sandwich for lunch or toast for breakfast, it would be wise to check which bread products are considered low FODMAP first, and then make sure your store carries them. You can use your store’s app, their online website, or the Fig app to check.
Do this for all of the products you intend to buy before you go. Seriously, the first time I went shopping I didn’t prepare. I spent so much time in Wegmans looking up bread products in the apps that I eventually gave up and decided to start the diet a few days later.
Then I researched my foods and tried again. Which reminds me of another point.
You don’t have to be 100% low FODMAP on day 1 of your plan!
Some people choose to ease into it. There are many reasons for this. One reason might be to avoid food waste. Say you have some favorite seasonal fruit in the fridge that doesn’t seem to bother you but it is high in FODMAPs. You can choose to have small portions of it to use it up, then continue on with a more strict elimination phase.
The idea is to eventually have your food intake decreased to the lowest amount of FODMAPs that you can, so you can see how you feel without them. That’s one of the reasons why the length of stage 1 is so variable. Another reason the length ranges from 2 to 6 weeks is that sometimes it takes awhile for your body to feel good again, so this phase may take longer in these people.
Step 3: Time to start eating low FODMAP. Make each meal satisfying and well-rounded with good variety, while at the same time, keeping your intake of FODMAPS as low as you can.
You’ll see from the apps that some foods don’t have any of the FODMAP categories in them, like plain meats for example. Others will have varying amounts of FODMAPs in them. This is why the apps are helpful, and portion size is so important. You can determine just how much of a certain food you can eat while staying low in FODMAPs.
Don’t think of these higher FODMAP foods as harmful. It’s not the same as having an allergy to a certain food where avoidance is very necessary. Avoiding these carbs is for comfort and symptom control. You don’t have to be perfect on this diet.
It’s crucial to pay attention to your symptoms now. It would be best to record your symptoms and level of daily discomfort before you even get started so you have a good reminder of your baseline. Write down how much your IBS is affecting your life on a scale of 1-10 before starting. Then while you’re on the diet monitor your symptoms for any improvements. Again, use the scale from 1-10 to check in on your progress. Some people will feel better within a few days, but don’t get discouraged if it takes you longer. Keep at it for a max of 6 weeks.
So, this is just how to start the diet. Do not get stuck in phase 1 for long. If at 6 weeks there is no significant improvement, work with a trained dietitian to troubleshoot. You may need a different type of treatment or there may be some sneaky FODMAPs still in your diet. This diet is a bit too limiting to use long-term. Long-term use can put you at risk for nutrient deficiencies or have a negative effect on your gut microbiome.
Once you feel very good about phase 1 of the LFD, it’s time to start phase 2. So exciting!!
Make it easier on yourself and work with me on your Low FODMAP diet journey. I’m Monash-trained with tons of experience. My IBS Relief Roadmap can help you get from sitting on the sidelines to enjoying everything life has to offer.
More Monash info here.