Yep, I am gonna go there...sorry

soonersgirl

Personal question...can't believe I am bringing this up but I really need to know. Did anyone else have problems having bowel movements when they changed their diets? I know for a fact I get more fiber than I used to, but I have really been having problems in that department.....Thanks for any input

rmsrws

Drink WATER!!!! Exercise!!!!! If that don't work, Colace or a generic form of a stool softner!!!!!

hm_day

Keep an eye on your iron intake as well as fiber. I'm anemic, and have to take an iron supplement daily. When I started taking it, I realized that it causes bowel movement problems and had to add more fiber into my diet. Also, drink lots of water. Your body will get used to it eventually

Sunshine_Girlie

How much water are you drinking? That can have a bearing on it. I personally like green tea. I drink at least two cups a day.

Forgot to add that the green tea helps with that problem for me.

Pheef52

I think that this happens pretty frequently when you change your diet especially if you have been eating a lot of processed foods before. Have you been making sure that you have been drinking more water that helps sometimes.

bcattoes

That's normal with a change in diet. Make sure you are hydrated and eating plenty of fruits and veggies and your gut will adjust.

theLBshow

I know exactly what you are going through... I went and still am going through the same thing. I ate sooo much crap before, I think my body just got used to it. Now I am eating more vegetables and drinking more water... It will get better when your body adjusts to your new lifestyle.

CoCoMa

A couple o tablespoons of psyllium husk usually does the trick. With plenty of water, of course!

Avalonis

Oooh poop topics are always fun!

And eating large amounts of protein, like most people building muscle or on certain diets do, tend to cause constipation. I've been there!

Eat plenty of healthy fats, and drink TONS of water.

annehdavis

Yes the first fifteen days were horrible running to the bathroom. I think my body was protesting the change. Now I get clogged everyweek. I drink a bunch of water and eat fruits and veggies with every meal and it still happens.

iFeelBrandNew

when you eat healthy versus filling your body with junk, it absorbs more. this is why they call bowel movements 'waste,' its everything the body doesnt use. therefore, eating healthy nutritious foods = less poop. if you're just plain uncomfortable (constipated) then do as the others say and drink plenty of water.

TiffMax

Green Smoothies help with that as well! Also- its healthiest and best to go at least 3x a day! Probiotics seem to help me. Good luck- if it continues- there are alot of natureal healthy ways to get things going that are not diuretics- herbal tinctures-i get mine locally- Dr christophers Lower bowel tincture- not sure who all carried that maybe try amazonherb. com? i know some people order herbals from there. The one i get helps rebuild the intestinal tract and get stuff moving!

lissarv68

*shrugs* I'll go there too.

It's part of dieting, I think. You aren't eating as much so there isn't as much to get rid of (plus if you got rid of the processed, fatty foods then your body needs time to adjust). Drink more water, eat more fiber (I make sure to have at least one Fiber One bar a day). If I realize it's been a couple of days, and yes it does go that long, then I will go to Starbucks and splurge on a latte. Works like a charm every time.

LOL so there! I went there too hehe.

ohwhataday

Keep an eye on your iron intake as well as fiber. I'm anemic, and have to take an iron supplement daily. When I started taking it, I realized that it causes bowel movement problems and had to add more fiber into my diet. Also, drink lots of water. Your body will get used to it eventually

ugh I'm anemic. I used to take iron supplements when I was pregnant. hm perhaps I should again. good times. and good subject!

Cosmic_Unicorn

I read on some other dieting site that it's really common, because your body is used to moving through a certain volume of food that is probably much smaller once you start dieting. Plus less junk and all that. Try drinking lots of water, and maybe taking a softener to make things easier.

Johnsweaver

Lots and lots of green veggies. Broccoli and green beans are my favorites. I also eat a salad (romaine or spinach) with lunch and dinner as wells as put a couple cups of fresh spinach in my eggs for breakfast.

I recommend veggies over fruit for fiber (especially insoluble fiber) because they have so few calories that they'll fit into any dietary requirements.

Mom2rh

Well, I seem to always have that problem...so my change in diet didn't help me. I drink some of that icky metamucil stuff every night (that is the psyllium hulls that someone else mentioned) and that helps.

Austynl

Do you feel constipated? If not, I would not worry about it. Like others have mentioned, when you eat bad foods, you go more often and there is...well more. Also when you eat less, less will come out!

datzun

My change in diet (more protein, less fats, less processed foods) and change in exercise (running almost daily) has actually helped me in the digestive department.

Lleldiranne

Up your exercise, too. I found that regular cardio exercise actually promotes bowel regularity, at least for me.

123456654321

I'm curious what your typical day looks like. What are you eating, drinking, etc. If you are having issues with constipation I suggest adding more fruits and veggies. Apples (my favorite fruit) are a great way to keep yourself regular. Also like others have said, drink water lots and often.

I also you may want to try various teas. Black tea is known for keeping peoples bowels stimulated. As far as herbal tea goes Chamomile is good for calming the digestive tract. Also Goldenseal root, Aloe, fennel,Slippery Elm and any type of bitter herb will be good for digestion.

If constipation gets too bad, prune juice is always a great fix. Down about 8-16 oz of that and you should be going in no time.

Good luck!

maysflower

When I ate crap I was never constipated or had any bowel issues at all. I start eating healthy and what happens...constipation and bowel problems. I drink 8 to 12 glasses of water a day, get a good amount of fiber, and fat with no difference. I started taking Benefiber and that was a BIG mistake. It gave me horrible gas and bloating. I'm hoping that eventually my body will adapt to my new lifestyle, but I feel for you sister. It sucks...big time!

mommyrox05

I have the same problem...you'd think with all of the fruits and veggies that it would be much easier to go to the bathroom, but it is soooooo not! If I haven't gone for a day, the next night I drink a cup of this tea called "Smooth Move" it is by the breand organics, that night and the next morning I am ready to go!

soonersgirl

Thanks for your input everyone! I drink 8-10 glasses of water everyday, so I think I am pretty good there. I guess the stuff I used to eat just went right through me and I am not used to this yet. I think I am going to start taking a softener...hopefully that helps

SueInAz

Add a few tablespoons of flax meal into your diet. You can add it to almost anything and even microwave it into a really quick and easy muffin. (I have the recipe, if you want it) You might also try a probiotic, which when taken daily, is supposed to keep your digestive system balanced and humming along.

ShrinkingNinja

You could actually be getting too much fiber to fast. How much fiber are you getting in relation to how much water you are drinking?

bprague

Okay, I commonly have this issue and I will tell you what has worked for me (I refuse to take stool softeners because 1. they cause dependence to have a bowel movement, and 2. this is probably diet related so it can be fixed for real


You NEED fats. If you don't have them in high enough amounts, you will not use el bano! Things to include in your diet are fats from fish, nuts, olive oil, avocado etc. You can look up the good fats (they can lower your cholesterol!).

Eat more fiber than you ever thought possible. I consume 40g and I am finally seeing a difference when combined with the fats. Increase this slowly, or you may be constipated OR have diarrhea for two or so days. (Speaking from experience here)

Drink MORE than 8 glasses of water a day! I hate the 8 glasses a day rule. Drink more, especially on days that you work out.


I hope this helps. I usually have two cups of strong HOT black tea in the morning if I'm not feeling the urge. I hear that coffee helps as well.

lissarv68

To really go there....when I first started eating better, I had the worse gas possible. So bad that my 8-year old start cracking jokes about not needing to put gas in the car...we could just use mom's.

*sighs*

But thankfully it passed and my body has mostly adjusted. The memory of those couple of weeks though, dreadful because cramping went right along with it. My body did NOT want to give up it's junk.

BTW, stool softeners and antacids are addictive. Your body becomes dependent upon them and it causes a vicious positive feedback cycle that means you can't really get off them. They should be used sparingly.

Probiotics actually made things worse for me (points to the gas comment). I just had to wait it out and give my body time to adjust to the change.

ResilientWoman

I followed all the coventional wisdom which was a huge mistake for my health. Now I am eating to heal my digestion instead. Costs less, works better and my body likes me again. Check out my profile for the direct link to Chris Kresser's article on healing digestion. Transformed my weight loss journey. See ticker...digestive supplements/protocols broke me free from a 5 month plateau.