Doo doo doo doo....So, how much does your bowel function affect weight loss?

lucypstacy

Sorry for the title, but I just couldn't resist.

I've been on MFP for over 140 days, and I've lost weight consistently. Seriously, I have zero complains as it's coming along fine. However, I've always had an issue with my bowels. When I was a child, they referred to it as slow digestion. As an adult, they called it chronic constipation. No matter the name, I had problems. It didn't matter what I ate, if I drank plenty of water, or even the prescriptive laxatives. It was still an issue, and I have wondered in the past if that affected my weight loss.

Recently, I had massive hernia repair. The doctor said the walls of my abdomen looked like swiss cheese the way my intestines were peeking out, but there was also the untreated umbilical hernia that I had always had. After that surgery, it's like everything just started working correctly. Without laxatives, I'm suddenly regular, and it's honestly amazing. I've never been like this. There isn't even the excruciating pain I used to get when things move through my intestines.

With this change brought something else - weight loss. In the last week, I've lost 5lbs, and I'm doing zero exercise. I can't with all the stitches, two drain tubes, and the fact part of my incision has to be packed daily. I've also let up a bit with being as strict with food since I know I need to heal, but this weight is just flying off.

While I know some might be due to the surgery itself (had it 8 days ago), I was wondering if anything could be contributed to my improved bowel function. I mean, I'm going every day at least now instead of a few times a month - and that's not an exaggeration.

Thanks so much for reading all this and have an un-crappy day!

amtyrell

Yes maybe you are eliminating built up extra poo.

middlehaitch

Good job on lightening up on your calorie restriction. Healing needs nutrients.

As far as the the bowel function goes, you were probably moving out the back log. Once this, daily bm, becomes your norm, and you resume your deficit, your weight loss will resume at the normal pace.

Congrats on becoming a daily doo-dooer

Cheers, h.

nowine4me

You hold a LOT of water with anesthesia, be safe and happy.

HarlemNY17

FIBER!

livingleanlivingclean

You're eliminating properly, and if you don't have stuff sitting there for long periods, you're digesting/absorbing less? (so you get less energy from the food)?

There would likely be a drop initially, it would be interesting to see if it levels out once you've recovered

katnadreau

I have a friend who will weigh himself before and after a BM, he will lose between 3-5 lbs regularly. Poo makes a difference

Purplebunnysarah

Given that constipation can mask a loss it's not unexpected that once you have more normal functioning of your digestive system you may see some more rapid loss in the beginning.

Christine_72

Yep! I don't even bother weighing myself if i haven't "evacuated" first thing in the morning. I can't imagine the extra weight/fluctuations being chronically constipated would cause.

CattOfTheGarage

livingleanlivingclean wrote: »

You're eliminating properly, and if you don't have stuff sitting there for long periods, you're digesting/absorbing less? (so you get less energy from the food)?

There would likely be a drop initially, it would be interesting to see if it levels out once you've recovered

That's very unlikely. OP is talking about going from a poorly functioning bowel to a properly functioning bowel. A properly functioning bowel gets all the energy available out of the food you eat. What you're talking about is malabsorption, which is a bad thing - a separate medical problem. Not a benefit!

More likely, OP was backed up and carrying 5lb of extra gut contents all these years, and that has now cleared. There's unlikely to be any effect on fat loss, just reduced weight of stuff in the gut.

yirara

Are you eating enough fats? They help move things along nicely.

PaulaWallaDingDong

middlehaitch wrote: »

Good job on lightening up on your calorie restriction. Healing needs nutrients.

As far as the the bowel function goes, you were probably moving out the back log. Once this, daily bm, becomes your norm, and you resume your deficit, your weight loss will resume at the normal pace.

Congrats on becoming a daily doo-dooer

Cheers, h.

"back log..."

middlehaitch

PaulaWallaDingDong wrote: »

middlehaitch wrote: »

Good job on lightening up on your calorie restriction. Healing needs nutrients.

As far as the the bowel function goes, you were probably moving out the back log. Once this, daily bm, becomes your norm, and you resume your deficit, your weight loss will resume at the normal pace.

Congrats on becoming a daily doo-dooer

Cheers, h.

"back log..."

I thought I would be the only one that giggled at that.

Cheers, h.