Umm.... Bathroom Breaks?

JCrazyRunner5

i have encountered this, and i have noticed a difference. I thin if you are eating what your body needs I think there is less waste. I have noticed on days where I will go and eat a large meal "out", or say a buffett, my body has a lot of more waste than when im watching what Im eating.

majope

Something else that helps get things moving for me is squatting. If I need to clear the pipes before a long trip or a race or something and don't feel the urge to go, I squat down and start reorganizing stuff on the bottom shelf of my book case, or alphabetize the DVDs on the lowest part of that rack. Usually I feel the urge within a few minutes.

Why does it work? It's the natural position for elimination. If you can't squat comfortably, when you sit on the toilet prop your feet up on a couple of good-sized books or a small step stool--that will help mimic the position while seated.

TMI note: this is something I discovered by accident many years ago, when I used to go to the town library after high school. There was one section where all the books I was interested in were on the bottom shelf...and the library didn't have a public bathroom. I can't tell you how many times I had to race down the hill to the fast food joint at the bottom so I could use their toilet, until I figured out what was causing the problem!

jamielynas

in the last 48 hours I've eaten about 230g of fiber so cry me a river :P

chelledawg14

I had this happen - even with upping my fiber intake. I take fiber one on occasion, but it never fails the only time "it" wants to happen is when I'm ready to leave for zumba. Seems I need to eat bad greasy food to make anything "happen".

Geojerm

Daily. That's healthy. Check your fibre, and if you're consuming plenty, you also need enough water to keep that moving.....

ahviendha

peppermint tea.

i have some almost every night. it helps.

erickirb

Are you getting enough fat? Fat helps lubricate the digestive tract and is essential for regular BM's, and if you increased fiber intake you def need the fat too. For fat intake aim for a minimum of 0.35grams per lb of body weight.

So if you weigh 150 you should aim for a min of 53 grams which is 477 cals from fat, which would be about 26.5% of your 1800 cals or 23% of your 2100. Set you goal to 25% and use that as a minimum.

ahviendha

Daily. That's healthy.

you don't need to poop daily. that is a myth.

MSeel1984

I may not be the best person...I'm on a laxative daily per the advice of my GI doctor.

I'd recommend seeing a GI doc...they know what they're doing...He did tests before starting me on a medication-I had slow transit time for some reason.

Even if you've only noticed these changes since you started working out, the doctor may be able to help you figure out what the problem is first before giving you a solution.

I've noticed that even though I'm on a laxative (MiraLax), it works BETTER on days that I work out as opposed to days when I'm not as mobile.

See a GI doc, that's my advice.

Lalasharni

... I am wondering if anyone else is going to the bathroom umm.. less frequently since changing their diet? I eat between 20-30 grams of fibre per day, eat around 1800-2100 cals a day and exercise 5x a week. I drink tons of water. Sometimes I go three or four days without err.. you know.. pooing.

Any suggestions besides doctor visits and laxatives?

I had the same problem and I sympathise. A visit to your MD will produce laxatives of one sort or another and you really dont want to go down that road. My answer was to alternate weeks with low carb/high good fat weeks and calorie counting weeks. The extra fat worked! That's the culprit - no"grease" as it were.
you could also try one half teaspoon of coconut oil once per evening. That should lubricate your intestines and help. If all fails, Metamucil is the kindest way to introduce fibre but you should find that the coconut oil (please use organic) will do the trick. Take on an evening before bedtime and leave the loo door open!

breeshabebe

Fish Oil helps me out... also, are you doing a low carb diet? When I used to do super low carb, I had alot of trouble going.

Ashleyxjamie

4) Some people naturally don't go more than once every 2-3 days, particularly when they change their diet. If you start eating a bunch of higher fat foods, you'll likely go more frequently. How many grams of fat are you getting a day?

around 50-70 a day!

Pangea250

It's all a new normal. There is no rule that anyone *has* to poop every day, or however often. Your body is still adjusting to your AWESOME new way of eating. As long as your new "schedule" isn't affecting your life, don't worry about it.

Trilby16

I use senna tea. I can't stand not "going"-- feeling "full" like that sometimes makes me binge in fact. My SiL swear by flaxseed meal (2 T per day), says it changed her life. I have now gone through almost a pound of flaxseed meal and it does not do the "job" for me although I think it's beneficial in other ways. So I'm still on senna tea. At least I've found something that works.... Try it!

Is this Senna tea available in Canada?? Or do you know where ICan buy it online?

I should be available in any health food stores, vitamin stores. You can buy it through Amazon, Drugstore.com, Puritan's Pride, any number of places. Senna is an herb. There are many different brands. It used to be marketed (in the US) as Dieter's Tea with Chinese-looking packaging.

Ashleyxjamie

When I do end up going it's hard and round and dark and it's different than how it used to be lol.

My body is going through some drastic changes I guess. :embarassed:

mynameiscarrie

Prunes. Just eat some prunes.

Seriously though, I hope this works itself out. I had my gallbladder removed which causes me to constantly be in the bathroom. It's the other opposite, but I understand how it can be kinda weird and frustrating lol

andiroot

not enough fiber and less fats will cause things to slow up a bunch. try adding some healthy fats, coconut oil or avocado, fish oil pills etc.

I take fiber with my other daily vitamins & meds, and once a year I take a month long colon cleanse pill of mostly flax seed etc to keep things moving.

Absonthebrain

Have you tried spinach? I eat chopped frozen spinach steamed once or twice a week and it works great and also low cal and filling!

SuffolkSally

1) Do NOT eat more than 30 grams of fiber a day regularly. It can slow things down. I am surprised by this, but it is true in a good number of people. Particularly in people who aren't eating enough fats.

2) Epsom salts is poisonous in large quantities. Works great as a laxative, but you don't actually need a laxative, so don't eat that stuff.

3) If you go to the doctor, more than likely, all you're going to be told to do is pick a time of day and take a 10 or 15 minute "break" in the bathroom to see if anything happens and to eat prunes or drink prune juice. You might also be told to make a calendar of when you go or to collect a sample that will be tested and sent to a lab to see if something more dire is wrong. Then you'll be told nothing is wrong and be asked if you've been eating the prunes.

4) Some people naturally don't go more than once every 2-3 days, particularly when they change their diet. If you start eating a bunch of higher fat foods, you'll likely go more frequently. How many grams of fat are you getting a day?

5) Unless you have painful bloating or abdominal swelling, you shouldn't worry about it too much.

Totally agree - except for the bit about fibre. Over 30g should be fine, most people have far too little fibre in their diets and it's more helpful to think in terms of minimum consumption than setting an upper maximum! The important points are to also ensure adequate water and fat intake, to allow time for your body to adjust to (any) diet change, and also not to worry unless you're in discomfort.

And I'd stay away from laxatives (including senna tea) as any sort of habit - once in a while if you feel the need, but regular (haha) use can make the problem wosre as your disgestion becomes used to relying on them.
Good luck!

wibutterflymagic

I had always heard you need to go everyday but I've read from the Mayo clinic that a normal healthy adult may only go 2-3x a week or for me I DO go several times a day. All normal and healthy apparently. You have to know yourself and know what is normal. If you aren't have problems like pain, bloating, lose stools etc then you're body may be changing what is normal. For me personally, I've had no changes. I go everytime after I eat. Food goes in, waste goes out...nature of things.

Maybe you aren't getting enough fat in your diet. Your body needs fats to keep things moving. I think that's one reason many people see changes when they start to eat better because they cut out too much fat.