Sorry, but need to ask about bowel movements

edessad
edessad Posts: 91 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Up until about three weeks ago all was fine. I started to up my exercise from 3 days a week to 6 days a week. It is a combination of C25K, crosstrainer, a bit of weight lifting and beginners Karate. Since starting on this I used had a BM every day (2 before I started) but for the last couple of weeks it is either every other day or every couple of days. I don't feel constipated. I know my food intake has gone from 6000 cal a day to about 2300 a day so would expect less BM's but I have been changing my lifestyle since November and it is only recently my BM's have changed.

Is this normal and expected due to the increase in exercise. I still drink at least 8 cups of water a day but more recently it is more like 9.

Thoughts?

Replies

  • ljmiller11
    ljmiller11 Posts: 67 Member
    I don't know if it is normal or not but I have found the same. I guess it is just the less youbut in, the less comes out! I've recently started taking a fibre supplement called Benefibre which seems to be helping with bloating. Maybe you could try something similar but I wouldn't worry too much unless you start getting any pain.

    Good luck on your journey :)
  • BflSaberfan
    BflSaberfan Posts: 1,272
    If it isn't difficult for you to go then I wouldn't worry about it. If you are truly constipated then I would consider adding some green veggies to your diet and see if that helps.
  • Ranchgal66
    Ranchgal66 Posts: 3
    Reading Transformation.com, it tells you to take about 1 tablespoon of flaxseed a day. Works really great and has omega 3, too. It works great for me.
    You can find it in the health isle or the baking isle.
    Either eat a spoon full and wash it down with water, or sprinkle it on your food.
  • smiling_sushi
    smiling_sushi Posts: 46 Member
    A quick glance through your diary tells me that your fiber intake is almost always too low. I'm not sure how old you are, but men under 50 should be aiming for 38g of fiber a day and men over 50 should aim for 30g.
  • nsaxena24
    nsaxena24 Posts: 3 Member
    I'd like to add that you probably need more than 8 cups of water per day at your activity level, size, and gender
  • infamousmk
    infamousmk Posts: 6,033 Member
    If you're not feeling any pain, bloating, difficulty passing a BM, blood or excessively hard waste ..... then I wouldn't worry about it. Some people just don't poop as often as others, and that's okay.
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    Fiber & fat are the keys to pooping. If you aren't in any discomfort then I wouldn't worry.
  • firstsip
    firstsip Posts: 8,399 Member
    if it's not troubling you, and you're still going every other day or every few days (which are both considered normal), it's most likely fine. And by not troubling you, I mean no intestinal distress before, during, or after. At a huge change in calories, even if you were hitting fiber and fat the same way (both hugely important for good bowel movements), you could still experience a "change" in frequency.

    Give it a few weeks at your new calorie goal, and you may find yourself back to your old bowel movements; any particular reason you went from 6000 to 2300 so quickly?
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    I'd recommend trying to get more fresh fruits and veggies in your diet. This will naturally boost your fiber intake as well as provide other vital nutrients. And you could up your intake of water, especially since you're active (and therefore losing some hydration through sweat and breathing hard). A good guide is to aim for 1 ounce per every 2 pounds of weight. So if you're 250, aim for 125 ounces (or 15-16 cups).
  • fresh_start59
    fresh_start59 Posts: 590 Member
    Funny thing, I've had the opposite problem. Increased exercise initially meant additional trips to the potty.

    Could it be that you are sweating out your liquids, leaving less to move into the bowels?

    Maybe upping your liquids and adding some fiber will help. I keep generic Benefiber (clear, completely dissolving, no taste) in my cupboard for those low fiber days, although I've not had a lot of them lately.

    I aim for 25g-30g of fiber a day. I think men are supposed to have a little more.
  • lvtruu1
    lvtruu1 Posts: 211 Member
    The answer is pretty simple. You eat less you use the bathroom less.
  • LordManybeers
    LordManybeers Posts: 9
    Without other symptoms, its unlikely to be indicative of anything serious, especially if the remedies suggested above work.

    Changing to a persistently looser more frequent pattern with no dietary/ other obvious cause is more likely to be of sinister origin. A few weeks of that without changing should lead to a discussion with a doctor.
  • stephgas
    stephgas Posts: 159 Member
    If you're not feeling any pain, bloating, difficulty passing a BM, blood or excessively hard waste ..... then I wouldn't worry about it. Some people just don't poop as often as others, and that's okay.

    this. although fiber is very important to a healthy digestive tract - make sure you're getting enough fiber.
  • KenosFeoh
    KenosFeoh Posts: 1,837 Member
    Giving up whole grains really slowed things down. I added them back to my diet; no more problem.
  • blondemom1979
    blondemom1979 Posts: 64 Member
    A quick glance through your diary tells me that your fiber intake is almost always too low. I'm not sure how old you are, but men under 50 should be aiming for 38g of fiber a day and men over 50 should aim for 30g.

    I changed my settings to include the grams of fiber when I log my food, my little girl has tummy trouble so I wanted to keep a closer eye on how much fiber is in our food.
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
    Up until about three weeks ago all was fine. I started to up my exercise from 3 days a week to 6 days a week. It is a combination of C25K, crosstrainer, a bit of weight lifting and beginners Karate. Since starting on this I used had a BM every day (2 before I started) but for the last couple of weeks it is either every other day or every couple of days. I don't feel constipated. I know my food intake has gone from 6000 cal a day to about 2300 a day so would expect less BM's but I have been changing my lifestyle since November and it is only recently my BM's have changed.

    Is this normal and expected due to the increase in exercise. I still drink at least 8 cups of water a day but more recently it is more like 9.

    Thoughts?

    I am currently dealing with the same thing, and my fiber intake is about twice what it needs to be, so that definitely isn't it. Sometimes I'll go for days on end without dropping one off, but as you said, no feelings of constipation or anything. Hell if I know.
  • teamike
    teamike Posts: 83 Member
    I had the same problem. I found out that my fiber intake had dropped off when I began eating cleaner, and my protein intake was significantly higher. Added more fiber and everything is back on schedule.
  • corrinadavis
    corrinadavis Posts: 34 Member
    They say that if you have atleast 3 bowel movements each week and the movements look healthy and have not changed in color or texture then all is well. I am 5 foot 9 inches tall and weigh 215 at this time. My doctor has told me that I had to increase my water intake to 14 glasses each day. She informed me that there are actually water calculators on the net as well, so as your weight changes so does your need for water. Ever since I have started drinking 14 glasses each day I have gone every day, which for me is a miracle.
  • catrinafinney30
    catrinafinney30 Posts: 3
    IF YOUR NOT HAVING REG BOWEL MOVEMENTS ITS BECAUSE YOUR NOT GETTING ENOUGH PROTEIN IN YOUR DIET... YES FIBER DOES HELP BUT ITS INTAKE OF FIBER AND PROTEIN. YOUR BODY NEEDS ALOT OF PROTIEN. PROTIEN IS WHAT BOOSTS YOUR METABOLISM.. PLUS A COLON CLEANS ONCE A MONTH HELPS TOO. YOUR BODY STORES UP 10 POUNDS OF FAT IN YOUR COLON EVEN IF YOUR DIETING... SINCE I'VE BEEN OLDER I ALWAYS HAD PROBLEMS WITH BOWEL MOVEMENTS... HAVING PROBLEMS AND NOT GOING GIVES YOU THE BLOATING, GAS, ETC. I'VE BEEN ON THIS DIET FOR 5 DAYS NOW AND I GO 3 TIMES A DAY.
    YES I GET MY CAL GOAL... BUT IM ALWAYS UNDER SO MY BODY ISNT STARVING.. I EAT 5 TIMES
    A DAY INSTEAD OF FOUR. NOW THE 5 MEALS I'M EATING ARE VERY SMALL... BUT IT REACHES MY GOAL.. BUT MY PROTEIN IS HIGH SO MY METABOLISM BOOSTS. CARB DIET IS BETTER BECAUSE IT HAS THE PROTIEN IN IT... I HAVE A PERSONAL TRAINER AT THE GYM I GO TO... MY BROTHER HAS BEEN ON THIS DIET FOR MONTHS HE LOST 30 POUNDS IN ONE MONTH. WHEN YOUR WORKIN OUT START WITH WEIGHTS... GET YOUR HEART GOING THEN GET ON THE TREADMILL FOR 30 MINS... YOU ONLY NEED A 1HR OR 11/2 WORK OUT.... WHEN YOU HAVE PROBLEMS WITH YOUR BOWELS YOUR AT THAT LIMBO.... AND YOU STAY STILL... MY BROTHER BEEN ON THE SAME DIET AND WORK OUT FOR THE LAST 3 MONTHS HE GOES 3 TIMES A DAY, HE'S LOST 80 POUNDS AND A TON OF INCHES...
    HONESTLY THIS WILL WORK... EAT SMALLL MEALS 5 TIMES A DAY HIGH PROTIEN AND WATCH YOU GO..... TO NOT GET THAT LOSE SKIN USE WIEGHTS... USE WIEGHTS EVERYTIME YOU WORK OUT... AND REMEMBER IF IT DOESNT SHOW ON THE SCALE ITS OKAY... YOUR BODY IS LOSING INCHES.... INCHES IS ALWAYS BETTER.... I'VE ALREADY LOST 1 INCH IN FIVE DAYS... AND IVE LOST 5 POUNDS I ENTERED IT BUT ITS NOT SHOWING AND I DONT UNDERSTAND WHY.... BUT THIS INFORMATION COMES FROM A HIGH PAID BODY BUILDER HIS JOB IS TO GET PEOPLE WAY OVER 100 POUNDS TO LOSE WIEGHT AND KEEP IT WITH OUT SUGERY...
    SO IF YOUR HAVING PROBLEMS WITH BOWELS OR YOU ARE AT LIMBO TRY IT.... TUNA AND CHICKEN .... TUNA FROM THE CAN...NOTHING IN IT ITS NASTY BUT IT WORKS

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