Model's side-by-side photos show the reality of living with IBS

Krista Thurrott
·Lifestyle & Shopping Writer


Alyce Crawford is an Australian model whose Instagram feed would make even the most fit envious. But in between photos of her smiling and showing off her seriously incredible bikini body, she also gets real about a big health struggle: irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

BELOW My 30 minute South Coast holiday workout at home Excuse the beach hair in the above photo btw #holidaymode . In regards to exercise, my nutrition & managing my IBS over the holidays, I kept it quite simple. When I felt like exercising, I did. When I didn’t feel like exercising, I didn’t. I ate healthy nutritious low FODMAP food 80-90% of the time so I felt well & didn’t get too sick, then ate whatever the heck I felt like when I really wanted it (Thai, fish & chips on the beach, ice cream, wine etc.) #balance . I lived my best holiday life the exact same way I live my regular life & that is through BALANCE!!! . I truly could not have asked for anything more over the holidays. I literally had the biggest smile on my face every single day, & that is all thanks to my amazing family, my amazing friends, & my amazing boyfriend. Believe it or not, I am so looking forward to going back to work this week, organising the exciting year ahead, & just getting back to my normal routine #2018baby . THE WORKOUT: __________ -50 seconds on each exercise -10 seconds rest -Repeat each circuit 3 times -15 rounds (of each circuit) altogether -I use a free boxing interval timer app __________ -10 high knees + 4 X jumps -10 shoulder taps + 2 push ups -10 jump lunges + 2 burpees -4 plank jacks + 6 mountain climbers -Half burpee tuck jumps __________ -Squat pulses -Reverse burpees -4 jump squats + 10 jumping jacks (as fast as possible) -Plank -Sit ups (as fast as possible)

A post shared by Alyce Crawford (@alycecrawford) on Jan 8, 2018 at 2:24am PST

“For the last three years, I have suffered with IBS,” she wrote to her nearly 20,000 Instagram followers. “The symptom I suffer with specifically is severe bloating. It began literally overnight while I was living in America. I woke up one morning, my stomach was extremely bloated and I was experiencing sharp stabbing pains. From that day on, my life was never the same. This illness is often very misunderstood and overlooked a lot by medical professionals and the general public alike. No, it is not life threatening, but it is a condition that has caused and had a severe negative impact on my mental and physical health.”

IBS REALITY A long but (hopefully) helpful post below Please read until the end . These 2 photos are examples of me living a balanced lifestyle while also suffering from IBS. Last night I wanted to enjoy some delicious guacamole (which I haven’t eaten in months), however avocado, garlic and onion all effect my IBS (high FODMAP foods), and my stomach bloated immediately. . Last Saturday night I was planning on going out to dinner with my friends and boyfriend. We must have called 6 restaurants prior to ensure there was something I could eat. Although every restaurant we contacted tried to accommodate me, none of them could. Situations like this takes the joy out of doing something as simple and enjoyable as dining out with your friends and/or partner, not to mention I hated that I was being difficult (luckily for me, my friends and boyfriend are the best and they completely understand my situation…and love me anyway haha). In the end, we had to compromise so we could still enjoy our night. My friends instead came over to our house where they brought wine, and everyone ordered take away . Situations like this make me realise the importance of positivity and resilience. A part of me was sad and frustrated, but I was determined to make sure it wouldn’t ruin our night. The way I often view unfortunate situations areyou have 2 options: 1. Either feel upset, feel sorry for yourself and let that negativity ruin your day/night/month Or 2. pick yourself up, find a way to turn the situation around as best you can and keep going!!!!!! What would have been the use if I chose to be negative and let the situation upset me? We would have probably all ended up doing nothing. *CONTINUED IN COMMENTS

A post shared by Alyce Crawford (@alycecrawford) on Jan 17, 2018 at 2:20am PST

IBS is a medical condition that causes abdominal cramping, bloating and digestive issues, most commonly connected to different foods. The model admits that her symptoms kept her from truly feeling healthy for several years. Her mental health as well as her relationships were suffering due to the impact of living with IBS.

BELOW A very honest & very personal post that I am sharing in the hope that it can help someone else. *NOTE* This story has a positive ending so if you read it, read it all! For the last 3 years, I have suffered with IBS. The symptom I suffer with specifically is severe bloating. It began literally overnight while I was living in America. I woke up one morning, my stomach was extremely bloated & I was experiencing sharp stabbing pains. From that day on, my life was never the same. This illness is often very misunderstood & overlooked a lot by medical professionals & the general public alike. No, it is not life threating, but it is a condition that has caused & had a severe negative impact on my mental & physical health. To me, that alone is enough to be considered an illness. There was never 1 day in 3 years, that I ever felt completely well or healthy. The repercussions of feeling this way not only effected my mental & physical health, but effected relationships & my work as a model. For those of you reading who suffer from IBS or a similar condition (or know someone suffering) will understand & know exactly what I am talking about, & others may scroll past this post. But this is real, it hurts & I am sharing my experience & how I came to get better so it can possibly help someone else. The above photo on the right where I am bloated was the stomach I put up with 90% of the time for 3 years. The photo on the left is my stomach NOW 90% of the time (+ 4kgs of body fat down compared to the photo on the right). No woman or man is ever going feel good about themselves, while physically looking like the photo on the right. Looking this way was just one of the battles, the other was how I felt. Sick, nauseous, sore, unmotivated & very lethargic. Feeling like this often made the smallest thing in my day a struggle (getting dressed for example). All I wanted to wear, was my pyjamas & not move from a laying down position, as sitting upright hurt too much. *CONTINUED IN COMMENTS

A post shared by Alyce Crawford (@alycecrawford) on Jun 28, 2017 at 3:11am PDT

“The above photo on the right where I am bloated was the stomach I put up with 90 per cent of the time for 3 years… Looking this way was just one of the battles, the other was how I felt. Sick, nauseous, sore, unmotivated and very lethargic. Feeling like this often made the smallest things in my day a struggle (getting dressed for example). All I wanted to wear was my pajamas and not move from a laying down position, as sitting upright hurt too much,” wrote the model.

Feeling nauseous and unmotivated, Crawford described just some of the symptoms of IBS. It wasn’t until she met with a friend’s dietitian that she began to find reprieve from the syndrome. Her dietitian put her on a strict eating plan to gain control over her body. Crawford admits that the eating plan made her miss out on special moments but that it was worth it in the name of better health.

“I was so unwell physically and mentally and wanted to get better so badly that I 100 per cent committed to the process,” she wrote. “Yes, missing out at times was hard but healing my stomach was so important to me. I knew the longer I did the right thing for my health, the faster my stomach would heal and I would therefore be able to enjoy in the long run. I had a bigger goal that I wanted to work toward achieving so It would benefit me in the future, so I definitely sacrificed at times.”

While Crawford’s diet can be difficult, she says planning and preparation helps her to manage it — she packs her own foods on outings and keeps from indulging in sweets or alcohol too often. The model admits that while she sticks to her eating plan the majority of the time, she believes life is about balance and finds she’s happiest when she allows herself to have treats every once in a while.

I have a smile from ear to ear tonight!!!! Cannot wait to head home for the long w.e to celebrate with my family, have some wonderful easter adventures & eat a million choccy eggs!!!! ✌️✌️✌️

A post shared by Alyce Crawford (@alycecrawford) on Apr 12, 2017 at 3:29am PDT

“I need to note how much I love food! It makes me ridiculously happy! I however pick and choose the times I eat certain things,” she wrote. “I’ve said it once, I’ll say it again it is all about balance and living an enjoyable lifestyle.”

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