So... let's talk about poop.

crashster

Gross subject, I know... I'm down 92 pounds since January (15 more to hit my goal weight of 180), and these last few weeks I've noticed a change in my bathroom habits. I used to be an every morning guy, but lately it's been every 3-4 days.

I'm eating lots of fruit and vegetables, so I don't think I need to increase my fiber. The only thing I have changed in my diet is including more nuts as a healthier snack alternative. Is this possibly related?

I don't feel bloated or have gas pains during the 3-4 days, up until it's time to go and then I'm going 2-3 times that day.

I will likely consult a doctor if it continues, but I was curious how weight loss has affected other's potty habits.

Beploveshomer

Magnesium supplement. Preferably the powder to mix into water. It's amazing, google it. I haven't had a problem since I started it, if I miss a couple days, problem returns.

Beploveshomer

http://www.calmnatural.com/

crashster

Sweet, I'll try that out. Thanks!

lorib642

Congrats on the weight loss. I haven't noticed changes, but I have just started.

crashster

lorib642 wrote: »

Congrats on the weight loss. I haven't noticed changes, but I have just started.

Thank you kindly, good luck to you my friend!

zannajune

I'll second the magnesium already suggested. That stuff has worked great for me. Just be sure to start on a pretty low dose and increase it over time as needed or you might run into some unpleasant issues.

Spitgray

What nuts are you eating??? Also, 3 poops a day is good I hear...

RunTimer

Crash: Great work..keep it up down
Bep: Thanks for the tip

shortntall1

try more water, maybe?

Laura732

...and be sure you're drinking your water with your meals....

sodakat

I don't see why you need to poop daily and long as you poop and there is no discomfort. My regularity changed since I started eating better too, but it happened much earlier in the weight loss journey for me than it did for you.

melduf

A nurse told me frequency is different from an individual to another. Constipation is not related to the frequency but rather if you have to force to get it out.

grandmothercharlie

Frankly, I'd be happy with every three or four days. I'll go over a week. I think in my case, I just don't eat enough to push it through. Sometimes, if I cheat, and go over my 1200 calories, it gets things moving. It is getting better with fiber supplements and probiotic supplement (first one I took didn't seem to help, but I switched to Align and it has helped).

jenny24012014

Same happens to me. As long as it's not abnormal or sore or anything when it does come I'd not worry about it.

shaheenery

So, my girlfriend of over 1.5 years and I just reached a whole new level of comfortability. That's right, we talked about poo. Not just as a private and immature joke, but legitimately discussing texture and shape. I would normally go 2-4 times a day and my gf was shocked, I just thought I was regular because I almost always drink water the entire day. My gf has IBS so she is more knowledgeable on the science-y part of the topic, although I might have more jokes memorized.

She thought I wasn't getting enough fiber, which I thought wasn't the case because I eat a fiberOne bar for breakfast with some fruit and/or yogurt. Moving right along (pun intended) I consulted my MFP history and looked at my daily fiber, I was less than half of the recommended amount, basically the FiberOne bar was the only thing I eat that's really high in fiber.

Now I have fiberOne cereal for breakfast and a fiberOne bar later in the day. I moved from 5 to 4 on this magical chart:

http://drpoane.com/poop-chart/

Now I feel a little guilty that it took 1.5 years for my gf and I to talk about this and 1.5 weeks for me to post about it in a public forum.

crashster

Spitgray wrote: »

What nuts are you eating??? Also, 3 poops a day is good I hear...

Mainly unsalted peanuts, occasionally some almonds and sunflower seeds.

Shalaurise

When I eat like I used to (pre trying to improve) I didn't have too many issues. Like clockwork every day at the same time (regardless of how inconvenient it was) I was "regular" for me. Not for what others said I should be, but it was consistent and worked.

When I keep my calories down, my sugar and fat intake drops dramatically. I can easily go a week with no BMs. At the point when I do finally go, I tend to spend between 1 and 2 hours going back and forth to the bathroom, feeling nauseous and having chills the whole time.

I have been given much advice:

One person thinks I don't get enough protein. - I focused on raising my protein to the daily recommended amount on MFP and then above that with no success.

Another says I don't get enough fiber. - I focused on raising my fiber with fiber one cereal and snack bars in addition to veggies at lunch and dinner with no success.

Someone else says I am not getting enough fat. - I have yet to figure out how to increase this without busting my calorie goals and I am already at the MFP recommended amount for my calorie goals.

I have not found a resolution that seems to work other than not cutting my food back. My body goes when I have a high sugar intake and without it, it does not go. This has been the case for as long as I can remember (15+ years). Even prior to being actively involved in MFP I would note that the days I had sugar I was fine, but the times I tried to stay healthy I was not... Even in high school when I was skinny this was a problem.

If you happen to find a solution that does not induce vomiting (like the powders that happily turn into nasty drinks), I would love to hear it as well.

PwrLftr82

Laura732 wrote: »

...and be sure you're drinking your water with your meals....

This. If you eat a lot of fiber but don't drink enough water, that stuff will stop you up.

snowflake954

There was a thread on here--last month I think-talking about the benefits of drinking aloe vera juice. I decided to try it for a month, and I have to say it helps with regular pooping. I have a tablespoon every evening and morning. There are other changes--better skin etc., but you're concerned with poop.

StrawberryJam40

melduf wrote: »

A nurse told me frequency is different from an individual to another. Constipation is not related to the frequency but rather if you have to force to get it out.

I need to disagree with that nurse because just this week I had this conversation with my daughter's pediatrician. My daughter goes daily but it is a lot...huge amount, and not forcing it out either. This is a sign of constipation. You are clearing out about 8 inches of your colon, but it is still full further up. Her doctor said it is constipation. In this case though you usually are uncomfortable such as tummy aches.

For me...I will eat yogurt every day for like 5 days and it acts like a good colon cleanse. So taking a pro-biotic might help. If not that, I agree with magnesium. If I don't want to take it daily I will buy the magnesium citrate for less then $1. It's what the doctor usually has you take to clean out your color before a colonoscopy. Just gets me 'back on track'.

For my daughter her doctor recommended trying 1/2 dose of Miralax to see if this clears her out and stops the ache.

crashster

Does anybody else sometimes weigh themselves pre and post poop? Morbid curiosity makes me do strange things, sometimes.

Mr_Bad_Example

I'll just leave this here.