Warning graphic content - Poop related help needed (sorry)

Miss_average

Hello

I am struggling at the moment with my weight Vs poop. I have been at a plato for ages and getting very cross about it. Anyways I was unwell on Wednesday morning and without going into too much detail, ended up expelling quite a lot and being quite ill in the process. Having weighed myself after I lost a staggering 8lbs, (woohoo). I weighed myself yesterday morning and still very happy with what the scales read (no more pooping though) and now weighed myself and have gained 8lbs back again! What?! Can not going seriously have this effect?

Have been to the doc and am on meds to help things along but at the moment it not happening and feel totally gutted am back up again. Am eating various bran related foods but just feel really bummed (excuse the pun) about it all and just dont know what to do. The doc was not very helpful at all.

Has anyone else suffered from this? Is there a way I can help myself out? I am eating bran related food, cook everything from scratch, work out regulary and taking meds but nothing seems to working and stomach is not happy about it. As I said, Doc was rubbish.

Also, does this mean that the lower reading (8lbs less) is what I actually weigh and this horrid higher reading is just the result of poor digestion? I am actually losing fat?

tabi26

Not sure if you're losing fat, but when you're sick it's recommended that you drink alot of fluids! Why? Because when you're sick (the way you were) you have the chance of becoming dehydrated. Which leads me to my next point.
Most of what you "expelled" was very likely water (and probably anything you had eaten and hadn't finished digesting). So once that part of sickness was over you were "down 8 pounds", but it was likely all water/undigested food.....not "fat loss". You have to remember that the food/water you consume actually has a weight on its own. So then you were done "being sick" you ate something drank something, and your body rebalanced itself so that you're no longer dehydrated.

I'm not sure what you're other problem is? Backed up? I'm no dr and don't know how to fix that, but when you're regular again, I doubt you will still have your 8 pound loss .

Firefox7275

You will have been dehydrated through being unwell, nothing more complicated.

If you want to maintain a healthy digestion you might consider eating plenty of plain live yoghurt, even taking a freeze dried probiotic supplement (beneficial bacteria) to repopulate your gut flora plus prebiotics (food for these bacteria, often soluble fibres). Bran is not a good idea it can bind nutrients and only supplies insoluble fibre, excessive amounts can make you constipated or irritate the lining of the gut.

Instead consistently eat a wide range of foods rich in water (nine servings of whole fruits and vegetables) and in both soluble AND insoluble fibre (fruits, veggies, beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, cocoa). Also ensure you eat enough healthy fats, not too much caffeine, salt/ MSG or alcohol and get a minimum of 10,000 steps each day.

simplebeauty

How do your clothes fit!?
Muscle and fat actually weigh the same pretty much....the only difference is that muscle is more compact and fat takes up more space.
Using the scale is ok.....but don't ONLY use it as a method of seeing if you are getting results...take your measurements, and see how your clothes are fitting....that will give you a more accurate idea if you are gaining muscle and losing fat.

I haven't looked at your food journal, but maybe don't over do it with the bran. Just get the amount that you need....sometimes too much of a good thing isn't so good...

If you feel like you are having digestive issues, have you tried any of the yogurts that promote a healthy digestive environment? (activia, danone etc..)...your natural bacterial cultures could be out of whack as well....

Miss_average

Thanks all for the speedy replies! This is all great advice ( I am printing these replies as I type). I hadnt thought of the yoghurt idea, thats an awesome recommendation! I shall try some today! I went through a stage of hiding the scales as I am a bit of a slave to them but my clothes are fitting better! Thanks again x

annietntgetfit

Like the above person said, a probiotic may help, just do your research and buy a legitimate, effective brand.

If your doc prescribed a stimulant laxative, I would seriously reconsider taking it or go talk to a different health professional. Those can end up making the problem worse in the long run. A bulking laxative or stool softener shouldn't do any harm.

Gut problems are the WORST. I had bloating/gas/constipation for YEARS. It's a lot of trial and error to see what works for you personally. You may want to try an elimination diet and slowly add foods back in to see if you can find a specific culprit. Also, fiber is AWESOME (I eat upwards of 50 g/day!) but it took a long time to work up to that and for my system to be able to handle the processing. I also MAKE SURE I drink over 10 cups of water a day.

If this is REALLY a problem, seek out an open-minded registered dietitian. My view is: food is the first line of defense in medicine! RD's tend to search for a dietary fix as opposed to a pharmaceutical one. Unless you have some underlying medical condition, a pill will just mask symptoms, not fix the real problem. Good luck!