Having some digestive issues...need advice.

egwene1977
egwene1977 Posts: 69
in Food and Nutrition
Hi All,

I've been happily trucking along on the 1200 calories/day plan for several months, and I'm down 43 pounds now (YAY!), but lately I've been feeling pretty bloated and having issues with constipation. Consequently, I feel like my weight loss is stalling out. I try to avoid sodium as much as possible, and I am constantly eating fruits and veggies and drinking at least 8 glasses of water each day. I am following a low-carb diet plan (nothing made from grains), but I still consume dairy...I grew up in Wisconsin, it's kind of a sin to not eat dairy.

I would really appreciate it if you could take a look at my food diary and let me know if it looks like there is something I'm eating that could be causing this issue, or if there is something that I should be adding.

Thanks for the help! I find this website to be such a great support network.


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Replies

  • lilRicki
    lilRicki Posts: 4,555 Member
    try coffee, it's a diuretic, or beer. For me I have a 5 hour energy shot and it cleans me out.
  • juliegin
    juliegin Posts: 77 Member
    Possibly you need to add more healthy fats into your diet?
  • egwene1977
    egwene1977 Posts: 69
    I have almonds and avocados occasionally with meals, but I suppose I could up that.

    I would love to have a beer, but that has grains, so it's a no-no. The coffee idea is good. I like green tea, but it's been getting too warm to drink it hot.

    Thanks, all!
  • pcastagner
    pcastagner Posts: 1,606 Member
    Have you tried beano? Sounds crazy but it might help. It's a fungus that grows in the jungle. Comes in tablets and drops


    Also try adding kimchi!
  • sleepingtodream
    sleepingtodream Posts: 304 Member
    Ok I am no expert but here are my thoughts...maybe you are eating to many hard to digest foods all at once. I see you have almonds, steamed veggie and some type of meat protein typically at lunch...that may be to much fiber and protein to eat once. You feel more bloated as you digest. Could you try putting your veggies in your eggs in the morning or eating your almonds not around the same time you eat your meat? I guess what I'm saying is to just spread out the things a bit more....the choices look great!

    Sorry if that's not helpful...or let me know if I need to explain myself better:)
  • rosered93
    rosered93 Posts: 69 Member
    A few possibilities:
    1. 1200 calories is too low so your body is expending less energy on gut motility (just to minimize energy usage and to maximize nutrient absorption)
    2. Small volume of food = small volume of waste
    3. Insufficient dietary fat
    4. Your gut flora is depleted. In which case: fermented foods (kefir, kimchi, lacto-fermented sauerkraut, kombucha, tempeh, miso) and probiotic supplements (I like Bio-K+, a drinkable yogurt-style supplement; you can try pills/tablets as well)
    5. If its distressing, Miralax is (as far as I've read) a non-habit forming supplement that will draw water into the bowels ameliorating constipation woes (it's not a "don't leave the house after taking it" sort)
    6. Stimulants such as coffee and energy drinks will stimulate the enteric nervous system which controls your bowels, getting them moving

    I think my first line of action would be increasing even to 1400--preferably using dietary fat and foods that will help your gut flora. See how your body adjusts. That might be a bit longer term so you can consider the supplements mentioned above.
  • jen81uk
    jen81uk Posts: 177 Member
    I know you said you don't have grains but try adding some high fibre stuff? I always eat porridge, all bran and lots of roughage, especially green veg when I feel bloated. I don't know try sweet potatoes and different beans and pulses? Coffee is a good one though! xx
  • Aleysia87
    Aleysia87 Posts: 14 Member
    One possible explanation (depending on your TDEE) is that your body is just stressed out. Stress = cortisol = water retention. Sometimes, a good solid refeed day (i.e. eat your maintenance + couple hundred kcal extra) can cause your body to release the extra water. I've experienced this myself -- though granted, I do extreme calorie cycling.

    Edit: Also, if you do a lot of cardio, give it a break.
  • GetSoda
    GetSoda Posts: 1,267 Member
    Hows your magnesium intake?
    Does any food you eat use carrageenan?
  • locaoca
    locaoca Posts: 41 Member
    I stick to the rule that you should drink half of your weight in ounces of water. and more depending on how much fiber you east. I drink 130 ozs a day. You might simply be getting enough water. You also need to make sure you are getting enough fiber and calories. How much do you weigh? The more you weigh the more calories you need. When I get a little stuffed up, a sugar free chocolate usally works.NBC
  • AmyJoShanks
    AmyJoShanks Posts: 40 Member
    Coffee is a good one for me :)

    Your food choices look great! Try swapping out the clementine in the morning with something less soluble, like a banana (the greener the better). And adding more good fats to keep things moving along (EVOO, salmon, avocados, etc.)

    Good luck!
  • Laurelthequeen
    Laurelthequeen Posts: 78
    When I did low carb, a one minute muffin was the trick to keep me regular. I hated eating it, but it was the only thing that kept things moving. Some people liked them. blech.

    1-Minute Muffin
    1/4 cup Flax Meal
    1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
    1 packet Splenda
    1 teaspoon Cinamon
    1 Egg
    1-2 teaspoons Butter

    1.5 Carbs

    Mix the dry ingredients in a large coffe cup. Add egg and butter; mix well. Microwave for 50-seconds to 1-minute. Muffin pops right out
  • MandiJessica23
    MandiJessica23 Posts: 9 Member
    I'm in the UK so I'm not sure if you have this in the States, but if you can get Aloe Vera juice at a health food store, it works wonders!! I was eating 1200 cals as well but the scale stopped going down and I was feeling really bloated. I started taking 2 tablespoons of Aloe Vera juice (usually mixed into a protein shake, tastes a bit weird!) and upped my cals a bit and it's honestly worked!
  • egwene1977
    egwene1977 Posts: 69

    Edit: Also, if you do a lot of cardio, give it a break.

    I would feel so lazy without my cardio, but I understand what you're saying. What is the max cardio that someone should do in a week? I feel so great afterwards, that it's kind of addicting.
  • egwene1977
    egwene1977 Posts: 69
    I stick to the rule that you should drink half of your weight in ounces of water. and more depending on how much fiber you east. I drink 130 ozs a day. You might simply be getting enough water. You also need to make sure you are getting enough fiber and calories. How much do you weigh? The more you weigh the more calories you need. When I get a little stuffed up, a sugar free chocolate usally works.NBC

    I weigh 189 right now, so that would be about 80oz of water each day. I think I reach them some days...I definitely get at least 64.
  • egwene1977
    egwene1977 Posts: 69
    Hows your magnesium intake?
    Does any food you eat use carrageenan?

    Um, I'm not sure...I feel kind of silly about that. What is carrageenan?
  • egwene1977
    egwene1977 Posts: 69
    Coffee is a good one for me :)

    Your food choices look great! Try swapping out the clementine in the morning with something less soluble, like a banana (the greener the better). And adding more good fats to keep things moving along (EVOO, salmon, avocados, etc.)

    Good luck!

    Thanks! Okay, I'll try to add a banana each day, to see if that helps. I had a cucumber this morning to see if that would do the trick, but sadly no. I love avocados, but I work in healthcare, so I try to eat something quick and easy (thus, the frozen veggies and tuna). I'll get some organic guac and try to add some of that each day :)
  • egwene1977
    egwene1977 Posts: 69
    I'm in the UK so I'm not sure if you have this in the States, but if you can get Aloe Vera juice at a health food store, it works wonders!! I was eating 1200 cals as well but the scale stopped going down and I was feeling really bloated. I started taking 2 tablespoons of Aloe Vera juice (usually mixed into a protein shake, tastes a bit weird!) and upped my cals a bit and it's honestly worked!

    Great, I'll keep that in mind. Thank you!
  • GetSoda
    GetSoda Posts: 1,267 Member
    Hows your magnesium intake?
    Does any food you eat use carrageenan?

    Um, I'm not sure...I feel kind of silly about that. What is carrageenan?

    it's a thickening agent made from seaweed, and also is very inflammatory. You find it a lot in candy, meal bars, dairy products.
  • egwene1977
    egwene1977 Posts: 69
    When I did low carb, a one minute muffin was the trick to keep me regular. I hated eating it, but it was the only thing that kept things moving. Some people liked them. blech.

    1-Minute Muffin
    1/4 cup Flax Meal
    1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
    1 packet Splenda
    1 teaspoon Cinamon
    1 Egg
    1-2 teaspoons Butter

    1.5 Carbs

    Mix the dry ingredients in a large coffe cup. Add egg and butter; mix well. Microwave for 50-seconds to 1-minute. Muffin pops right out

    I'll keep this in mind as a last resort. It sounds pretty innocuous, though :) I think I could handle 1.5 carbs extra per day.
  • murphy612
    murphy612 Posts: 734 Member
    A few possibilities:
    1. 1200 calories is too low so your body is expending less energy on gut motility (just to minimize energy usage and to maximize nutrient absorption)
    2. Small volume of food = small volume of waste
    3. Insufficient dietary fat
    4. Your gut flora is depleted. In which case: fermented foods (kefir, kimchi, lacto-fermented sauerkraut, kombucha, tempeh, miso) and probiotic supplements (I like Bio-K+, a drinkable yogurt-style supplement; you can try pills/tablets as well)
    5. If its distressing, Miralax is (as far as I've read) a non-habit forming supplement that will draw water into the bowels ameliorating constipation woes (it's not a "don't leave the house after taking it" sort)
    6. Stimulants such as coffee and energy drinks will stimulate the enteric nervous system which controls your bowels, getting them moving

    I think my first line of action would be increasing even to 1400--preferably using dietary fat and foods that will help your gut flora. See how your body adjusts. That might be a bit longer term so you can consider the supplements mentioned above.

    Seriously?? Sometimes it's not about the 1200 calorie diet. OP it's the protein. You said you are low-carb which equals high protein which equals lovely consitipation, excess gas, bloat etc. Drink a LOT of water, make sure your fat intake is normal (avocados help me all the time!) and try increasing your insoluable fiber. Miralax works pretty well sometimes too and it's not a laxative. I have tried everything and finally found my formula, but it's always been the protein for the cause.
  • lafillehannah
    lafillehannah Posts: 4
    I used to have a really bloated tummy, and found my digestion was awful despite eating ridiculous amounts of fruit, but I began to drink Green tea every morning, and usually have ginger tea throughout the day. At night I drink another tea (mainly chamomile) and ever since I started the regime I noticed straight away my bloated tummy reduced in size, and now I literally have no bloating at all! I swear by green and ginger tea! Try it!
  • AmyJoShanks
    AmyJoShanks Posts: 40 Member
    I used to have a really bloated tummy, and found my digestion was awful despite eating ridiculous amounts of fruit, but I began to drink Green tea every morning, and usually have ginger tea throughout the day. At night I drink another tea (mainly chamomile) and ever since I started the regime I noticed straight away my bloated tummy reduced in size, and now I literally have no bloating at all! I swear by green and ginger tea! Try it!


    Green tea is awesome for reducing bloat...perhaps the diuretic properties? I always found that the more fruit I ate, the worse my digestive issues...everyone's different tho :)
  • egwene1977
    egwene1977 Posts: 69


    Seriously?? Sometimes it's not about the 1200 calorie diet. OP it's the protein. You said you are low-carb which equals high protein which equals lovely consitipation, excess gas, bloat etc. Drink a LOT of water, make sure your fat intake is normal (avocados help me all the time!) and try increasing your insoluable fiber. Miralax works pretty well sometimes too and it's not a laxative. I have tried everything and finally found my formula, but it's always been the protein for the cause.

    Do you know what the appropriate amount of protein would be for a low-cal diet? (I hate the word "diet", this is my lifestyle) MFP has it set pretty low, so it always tells me I'm getting too much. I would be happy to reset it if you can give me some guidance. I drink so much water, I swear I pee every 15 minutes...it's crazy.

    BTW, you all ROCK for not getting grossed out about this topic.
  • egwene1977
    egwene1977 Posts: 69
    I used to have a really bloated tummy, and found my digestion was awful despite eating ridiculous amounts of fruit, but I began to drink Green tea every morning, and usually have ginger tea throughout the day. At night I drink another tea (mainly chamomile) and ever since I started the regime I noticed straight away my bloated tummy reduced in size, and now I literally have no bloating at all! I swear by green and ginger tea! Try it!


    Green tea is awesome for reducing bloat...perhaps the diuretic properties? I always found that the more fruit I ate, the worse my digestive issues...everyone's different tho :)

    *Sigh* It's always something. Don't you wish someone would just come up with the perfect combination of food and stop giving us mixed information all the time? It's no wonder I get crabby and *****y sometimes. Fortunately, my husband is a very good sport about all of it.
  • murphy612
    murphy612 Posts: 734 Member

    Do you know what the appropriate amount of protein would be for a low-cal diet? (I hate the word "diet", this is my lifestyle) MFP has it set pretty low, so it always tells me I'm getting too much. I would be happy to reset it if you can give me some guidance. I drink so much water, I swear I pee every 15 minutes...it's crazy.

    BTW, you all ROCK for not getting grossed out about this topic.

    I've heard a few calculations thrown around that it depends on your weight or something? I go by what my Dietician and Doctor tell me and that's at least 90grams a day. I try for more on my exercise days. My dietician set my MFP settings and they are at 50%carbs, 30% protein, 20% fat. However, I'm on that evil 1200 calorie diet everyone freaks out about :laugh: I'm not sure there is a universal setting that works for everyone, but this has worked for me.

    And no way grossed out, I’ve dealt with constipation most of my life, there are so many variables you just have to find what works for you. For me? Regular soluble fiber makes it 10x worse! Fruit (NO BANANAS though) works better than vegetables, grains work better than fruit and avocados are awesome, for me anyway. But I have to drink a lot of fluids.

    Good luck!
  • rosered93
    rosered93 Posts: 69 Member
    A few possibilities:
    1. 1200 calories is too low so your body is expending less energy on gut motility (just to minimize energy usage and to maximize nutrient absorption)
    2. Small volume of food = small volume of waste
    3. Insufficient dietary fat
    4. Your gut flora is depleted. In which case: fermented foods (kefir, kimchi, lacto-fermented sauerkraut, kombucha, tempeh, miso) and probiotic supplements (I like Bio-K+, a drinkable yogurt-style supplement; you can try pills/tablets as well)
    5. If its distressing, Miralax is (as far as I've read) a non-habit forming supplement that will draw water into the bowels ameliorating constipation woes (it's not a "don't leave the house after taking it" sort)
    6. Stimulants such as coffee and energy drinks will stimulate the enteric nervous system which controls your bowels, getting them moving

    I think my first line of action would be increasing even to 1400--preferably using dietary fat and foods that will help your gut flora. See how your body adjusts. That might be a bit longer term so you can consider the supplements mentioned above.

    Seriously?? Sometimes it's not about the 1200 calorie diet. OP it's the protein. You said you are low-carb which equals high protein which equals lovely consitipation, excess gas, bloat etc. Drink a LOT of water, make sure your fat intake is normal (avocados help me all the time!) and try increasing your insoluable fiber. Miralax works pretty well sometimes too and it's not a laxative. I have tried everything and finally found my formula, but it's always been the protein for the cause.

    Yes, seriously. Sometimes it's not, sometimes it is. A common symptom of anorexia (yes, at the 1000-1200 level) is constipation and delayed bowel activity. Obviously I am not saying the OP is anorexic, but decreased calorie intake, or an energy deficit in general, can and frequently does lead to decreased bowel activity. How is this a contentious statement? That whole BMR thing? It involves digestion as well. When eating below BMR (which I'm guessing 1200 is for this individual) AND exercising, there is less energy for the body to do its normal, homeostatic functions.
  • egwene1977
    egwene1977 Posts: 69

    Yes, seriously. Sometimes it's not, sometimes it is. A common symptom of anorexia (yes, at the 1000-1200 level) is constipation and delayed bowel activity. Obviously I am not saying the OP is anorexic, but decreased calorie intake, or an energy deficit in general, can and frequently does lead to decreased bowel activity. How is this a contentious statement? That whole BMR thing? It involves digestion as well. When eating below BMR (which I'm guessing 1200 is for this individual) AND exercising, there is less energy for the body to do its normal, homeostatic functions.

    :laugh: Anorexic? Wow, that's a first. But seriously, I don't feel hungry after I eat my 1200 calories, and when I work out I TRY to eat more...sometimes I just can't do it. I wouldn't say I have an energy deficit, I powerwalk at least 20 miles a week, and I definitely couldn't do that before I started on this weight loss journey. I also have hypothyroid and RA, so the medication is probably also contributing to the constipation. I'll try adding in some yummy guac to each meal, and drinking a cup of REAL coffee in the morning, and see if that does the trick.

    Again, thank you all soooo much. By the way, feel free to send me a friend request if anybody wants :smile:
  • csheltra26
    csheltra26 Posts: 272 Member
    I have my macros set 40% carbs, 30% protein, 30% fat. You do get carbs in your veggies.

    Also, be careful eating so low. If you eat 1200 and burn 200-300 a day you are netting only 900-1000. I probably netted less when I lost a ton of weight and quickly gained it back. I was easily burning over 2500 calories a day and eating 1500 and still gained weight. I ruined my metabolism and its taken a long time to get that back on track.
    I saw a nutritionist who even with all my activity put me on 1200 calories a day. I was eating 1500 and went to a few doctors trying to find out why I was STARVING all the time and not losing weight. No one could help me. I now know what was going on.

    Also - you said this is your lifestyle now - so you plan to eat low carb forever? and what do you think you will eat at maintenance?
  • egwene1977
    egwene1977 Posts: 69

    Also - you said this is your lifestyle now - so you plan to eat low carb forever? and what do you think you will eat at maintenance?

    I have been wondering about that myself. I might add in more beans and such, but my doctor is a believer in the Wheat Belly theory, and she seems to be on to something. I'll also eat full-fat whenever possible, and probably add in a handful of almonds as necessary. Ice cream is still a weakness of mine, so I'll allow that from time to time, just not go overboard.

    What do others eat at maintenance? I wasn't exactly a heavy eater before, and the only difference seems to be that I was eating more carbs back then, and wasn't active enough.

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