Poop Question!

fluffykitsune

Ok. So, lets say someone were on a VLCD, would they experience constipation of sorts because their body is using up the majority of their food so there isn't as much 'waste' to excrete?

Would you be able to use this as a way to measure if you're eating too much / not enough? Like if you poop a lot, then you're eating a lot, probably over maintenance cals.. If you experience constipation-like symptoms then you're eating too little, possibly treading into starvation mode? What is considered the normal amount of times you should 'go' a day/week ?

(Someone recently told me that they only poop 2 times a week, they're also coincidentally on a crash diet)

jennorris1991

Everyone is different when it comes to poop. But anything from 3 a day to 1 every other day is normal. If you get constipated you are probably dehydrated, so drink plenty of water to get things... moving.

AnninStPaul

It depends on the makeup of the VLCD; celery is low calorie but has a lot of fiber.

Per Encylopedia Britanica:

"Normally, feces are made up of 75 percent water and 25 percent solid matter. About 30 percent of the solid matter consists of dead bacteria; about 30 percent consists of indigestible food matter such as cellulose; 10 to 20 percent is cholesterol and other fats; 10 to 20 percent is inorganic substances such as calcium phosphate and iron phosphate; and 2 to 3 percent is protein."

Give your friend a glass of water...hourly.

2aycocks

If you only poop 2 times a week, then you have a problem. You should go every day.
Sounds like you need more fiber in your diet.

Try eating more raw veggies and drinking more water. If you are loading up on meats, that alone can constipate you.

dancerbyday

Funny thing, my mom is like the queen of poop! She is always lecturing us on how it can say so much about a person's health, and it can! Make sure you eat lots of fiber, which will help move everything down, although it could make you a little constipated at first. But that just means it is doing its job. Also drink lots of water, which will get everything moving and lubricate your intestines (wow, that sounds really weird). As for regularity, the ideally healthy person should go every day, but I think every 3 or 4 days is still in the range of normal.

yarwell

In = out, it's a mass balance. Less fibre and indigestibles in = less poop out. The types of fibre (and food) can radically affect the amount of bacteria and hence the quantity and consistency of the output.

You don't need to go every day. Drinking water has little effect unless you're dehydrated.

Agator82

Personally I go several times a day, but I eat a lot of fiber and drink a lot of water. If it were me I would be a bit concerned if I only pooped twice a week, but I cannot say it is unhealthy. My only thought is this, when I fast my bowels stop and I do not poop until I eat again. When I do eat it is a distinctly nasty poo. I have always taken this to mean it was rotting, but I have never studied it to know for sure.

At the end of the day it does not hour to increase the fiber a bit and make sure your friend drinks enough water.

Finally, remember everything comes down to poo, http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=jsVgi8hoFFc&desktop_uri=/watch?v=jsVgi8hoFFc

SkimFlatWhite68

I really don't think I needed to see the Bristol Stool chart...

Drink More Water!!
Eat fresh vegetables

Medication can also affect number 2's, so keep that in mind as well.

And drink more water.