Everyone poops. . . .

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Bluskyleilu
Bluskyleilu Posts: 24
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi, First let me apologize for bringing up poop on a Sunday morning. But I sure would like to have one. That being said, I am a 34 year old female, 5'10" and currently 186 lbs. I started out the New Year with resolutions that I have been able to maintain to date. I quit smoking, started watching my calorie intake(1200+ excercise calories), drinking more water(8-10cups/daily), and working out 3x a week with C25K. Now, with all of that change, I totally understand that my body and chemistry are going to change. However, with all that is changing, I have noticed that my bowel movements are fewer and further between. I am not in constipation pain but, I do wonder if this is normal? if anyone else has experienced such a thing? and if so, what did you do to overcome it? Any suggestions about intestinal health and encouraging healthy flow would be appreciated. Thank you for your suggestions.
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Replies

  • turtleball
    turtleball Posts: 217 Member
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    Not enough fiber? MFP says 25g of fiber for women a day..



    Yeah I learned this the hard way..
  • sunfirelynn
    sunfirelynn Posts: 186 Member
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    I had to up my fiber, that helped a lot !
  • yogacat13
    yogacat13 Posts: 124 Member
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    Magnesium supplements, 300mg a day. Keeps hormones balanced and the plumbing moving.
  • JG762
    JG762 Posts: 571 Member
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    Hi, First let me apologize for bringing up poop on a Sunday morning. But I sure would like to have one. That being said, I am a 34 year old female, 5'10" and currently 186 lbs. I started out the New Year with resolutions that I have been able to maintain to date. I quit smoking, started watching my calorie intake(1200+ excercise calories), drinking more water(8-10cups/daily), and working out 3x a week with C25K. Now, with all of that change, I totally understand that my body and chemistry are going to change. However, with all that is changing, I have noticed that my bowel movements are fewer and further between. I am not in constipation pain but, I do wonder if this is normal? if anyone else has experienced such a thing? and if so, what did you do to overcome it? Any suggestions about intestinal health and encouraging healthy flow would be appreciated. Thank you for your suggestions.

    Preach it Sister...
  • Phaedra2014
    Phaedra2014 Posts: 1,254 Member
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    Yes increase your fiber intake. A serving of All Bran every day would do you good. If you don't eat gluten then a cup of pumpkin puree is great as well as yam with the skin on. All the leafy greens (kale, collard, mustard, spinach) also work well. Eat lentils, fruits with the skin on (apples, pears).
  • ebayaddict0127
    ebayaddict0127 Posts: 523 Member
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    Fiber. Add salads to your meals. Snack on some carrots. Eat some fruit. When I did Weight Watchers which required 5-7 servings of fruit/veggies a day, I was never lacking in the #2 dept.

    I wouldn't recommend any of those high fiber foods (FiberOne, etc.). They just made me sick.
  • Blue801
    Blue801 Posts: 442
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    I'm encountering this, but I think mine is super simple. Less food shoved in my mouth means less coming out the other end. ????
  • ponycyndi
    ponycyndi Posts: 858 Member
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    I noticed the frequency and volume decreased with the decrease in calories of my diet. However, two things keep me moving, inside and out: coffee, black; and fiber along with staying hydrated.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    Fiber, lots of water and some good fats.

    I know you didn't ask for this advice, but your calories are very low for your height and weight. You also aren't getting much protein. One day you only got 18 grams. I'm 5'9" and at 160 pounds I lose weight on 1800 calories a day (I only workout 3-4 days a week with little to no cardio).
  • ebayaddict0127
    ebayaddict0127 Posts: 523 Member
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    I noticed the frequency and volume decreased with the decrease in calories of my diet. However, two things keep me moving, inside and out: coffee, black; and fiber along with staying hydrated.

    Agreed on the coffee. Always does the trick for me too.
  • Xiaolongbao
    Xiaolongbao Posts: 854 Member
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    If you do a bit of googling about bowel habits you'll find that normal can be defined as anything from 2 times a day through to about every 2nd or 3rd day (which would freak me out).

    If you don't feel any discomfort either inbetween or when pooing then I'd say leave well enough alone. More high fibre food certainly isn't a bad thing but if your body is happy with what's happening right now then don't make any radical changes.

    And well done on all the healthy choices you're making.
  • KristinaB83
    KristinaB83 Posts: 440 Member
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    I noticed the frequency and volume decreased with the decrease in calories of my diet. However, two things keep me moving, inside and out: coffee, black; and fiber along with staying hydrated.

    Agreed on the coffee. Always does the trick for me too.

    COFFEE!!!!!!!!!
  • AEROBICVIC
    AEROBICVIC Posts: 159 Member
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    yes you will notice a diff in you movements with every type of change you make to your dieting. As you said we all do it, but no one really likes to talk about it but it is very important to track. It's a natural part of being human. The more you notice how much, how often, color, texture and ect the more you will know about your body and the foods you are taking in. This is a great accomplishment to your taking control of your health. It's not a pretty subject but very important. Make your private notes and keep track of urine color and ect, the more you know about your body the better. Makes it easier for you and your doctor to be in tune for any future questions or concerns. Urine color also is a great tool to determine you water intake, dehydration, hydration. Keep tracking all your body changes, you're doing a great job!
  • bumblebeez86
    bumblebeez86 Posts: 208 Member
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    I have had the same problem but I have been in severe pain too - didn't realise how much constipation hurts !!! The longer I have left it the worse it has got I thought to increase my fibre etc but when I spoke to the pharmacist she said that is the worse thing to do if you are still blocked up but to do so after you have returned to normal. I expect things to change with diet etc but this has been really bad for me. On laxatives and IBS tablets now until I return to normal :( I am learning the hard way.
  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,505 Member
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    Increasing your fiber will help. You probably noticed the change from quitting smoking. Like coffee, nicotine provides, shall we say, stimulating properties to the bowels.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
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    Hi, First let me apologize for bringing up poop on a Sunday morning. But I sure would like to have one. That being said, I am a 34 year old female, 5'10" and currently 186 lbs. I started out the New Year with resolutions that I have been able to maintain to date. I quit smoking, started watching my calorie intake(1200+ excercise calories), drinking more water(8-10cups/daily), and working out 3x a week with C25K. Now, with all of that change, I totally understand that my body and chemistry are going to change. However, with all that is changing, I have noticed that my bowel movements are fewer and further between. I am not in constipation pain but, I do wonder if this is normal? if anyone else has experienced such a thing? and if so, what did you do to overcome it? Any suggestions about intestinal health and encouraging healthy flow would be appreciated. Thank you for your suggestions.
    You have lost 19 pounds since the New Year, thus approximately five pounds pounds per week. Your are exercising like crazy, but you are eating UNDER (caps used for emphasis only) 1,200 calories and some days NOT eating much of your exercise calories back. At least that that is what your diary reflects. All this, and you are 5 ft. 10 and in your early thirties.

    The above is why you can't poop. First of all, you are eating WAY TOO FEW calories, and you are losing weight WAY TOO FAST. Granted, at first the weight seems to come off pretty fast, but it should have slowed down by now. I'll be surprised if you are not pretty low on energy by now.

    You need to up those base calories because, due to your height and weight, I doubt that MFP set you up at 1,200 calories a day even if you wanted to lose 2 pounds a week. You also need to start eating more of those exercise calories back. You need to eat more foods with fiber. Heck, you need to start eating more period and slow that weight loss down.

    Also, how much water are you drinking?
  • cristapp
    cristapp Posts: 15
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    The first couple weeks on my new year's diet, I had the same issue. For me, the most important ways to correct it are to keep moving (exercising) and drink a good amount of water, and get a bit more fibre in my diet. (I don't like to overdo the water and fibre though. I think that can screw me up with the scale.)
  • player30
    player30 Posts: 65 Member
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    The other part of the info you gave was that you quit smoking. As a former smoker, I know that quitting affects pooping. And that could be an issue for two months while your body adjusts to not having cigarettes as a stimulator.
  • lizzyclatworthy
    lizzyclatworthy Posts: 296 Member
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    If I don't exercise everything stops. I resorted to black coffee and a cigarette one day (always used to work when I was a smoker)
    Prunes are good and a bran, walnut and banana muffin recipie I found on google too!
    But regular exercise keeps me 'going'
  • JuliaLee67
    JuliaLee67 Posts: 149
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    i'm in agreement with the 'add more fiber' people. i also suggest a probiotic, like yogurt or kefir.

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