Switching to healthy breakfasts but becoming constipated.

sheps1990
sheps1990 Posts: 26 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello all.

So I generally eat very healthy lunches and dinners but had been frowned upon for eating Bran Flakes for my breakfast as cereals have high sugar content...

I have tried two different things and both have led to long-term constipation.

1. Because I could not imagine eating anything other than cereal, I tried a healthier cereal option in the form of All Bran. This constipated me for a week until I went back to eating Bran Flakes and I pooed every day again.

2. This week I tried very natural food sources for breakfast in the form of boiled eggs, and spinach/tomato omlettes. Again I have been bunged up this week until last night I grabbed the Bran Flakes and "hey-presto" no more than two hours later I managed to poo.

What I want to know is;

Why is this happening?

&

Are Bran Flakes really that bad for me when they make me go?
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Replies

  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    Sugar is irrelevant. Eat what you want.
  • shred_me_up
    shred_me_up Posts: 267 Member
    bran is fine! sugar is fine! do what works for you, your body knows best :)
  • Via_14
    Via_14 Posts: 992 Member
    Bran is good coz its high in fibre =) Hence the bowel movements.
  • padams2359
    padams2359 Posts: 1,093 Member
    Do what works for you. Fiber One makes some great bars at 90 calories. They have been my substitutes for sweets also. The brownies and cinnamon coffee cake are the bomb.
  • graceire
    graceire Posts: 323 Member
    Do what works for you. Fiber One makes some great bars at 90 calories. They have been my substitutes for sweets also. The brownies and cinnamon coffee cake are the bomb.

    Great cereal, too. I have Fiber One Honey Clusters several times a week. Hasn't hurt my weight loss!
  • mloumason
    mloumason Posts: 28 Member
    Remember calories in calories out do what is working for you if you want your cereal everyday have it if you want want something else have it. I've tried dieting for fifteen years and only now that its no longer a diet but a lifesyle change is it all working.
  • iechick
    iechick Posts: 352 Member
    If you like the bran flakes then eat the bran flakes!
  • NonnyMary
    NonnyMary Posts: 982 Member
    ugh,,,, eat the bran flakes, there is nothing worse than constipation where you are sick till 2:30 in the morning from not eating enough fiber and water.
  • sunsetzen
    sunsetzen Posts: 268 Member
    If you are constipated from adding fibre to your diet, you should drink more water to balance that out.

    Or look at the rest of your diet. Are you eating enough fat? Too much dairy?
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    Eat the bran flakes if they fit your budget. Also, you don't eat bran flakes and 2 hours later it's worked it's magic. It takes at least 6 hours for some one with a fast digestion rate to see food move through, average is 12 hours and for some it can be up to 72 hours. We'd all be dead if all our food moved through our systems in 2 hours.
  • cdahl383
    cdahl383 Posts: 726 Member
    Shredded Wheat, Kashi GoLean, Cheerios, Raisin Bran, Oatmeal, etc. All those are things I eat for breakfast throughout the week along with a glass of OJ and a protein shake. Never have any problems with those things since they're all high in fiber.

    If you like the bran flakes stick with them, just make sure you dont go overboard dumping it in your bowl (watch serving size, etc) and you should be fine.
  • sheps1990
    sheps1990 Posts: 26 Member
    Eat the bran flakes if they fit your budget. Also, you don't eat bran flakes and 2 hours later it's worked it's magic. It takes at least 6 hours for some one with a fast digestion rate to see food move through, average is 12 hours and for some it can be up to 72 hours. We'd all be dead if all our food moved through our systems in 2 hours.

    I'm simply describing what happened to me last night telling it like it is. I ate eggs for breakfast from mon-fri no poo. Decided f-it and ate some bran flakes at 9pm last night and no later than 11pm I did a poo. I'm convinced the bran flakes pushed this through.
  • evileen99
    evileen99 Posts: 1,564 Member
    I'm eating bran flakes right now.
  • hwoeltjen
    hwoeltjen Posts: 199 Member
    When you eat things like eggs....or other high protein sources...you need to make sure you are getting enough fiber in your diet. Protein will constipate you....especially if you are eating a lot of it.

    Too much of anything will cause problems. If it isn't the protein you need to start eliminating things from your diet to identify what is causing the problem.

    If you are eating enough fiber you may want to try some enzymes to help you out. You can get them in most health stores. Digestive enzymes will help you clean your digestive tract out.

    However, without knowing the cause it is difficult to give you advice. Pay attention to your fiber intake...if you are eating a high protein diet make sure you are getting that fiber in. Past that...identify the food sources causing your problem.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    Eat the bran flakes if they fit your budget. Also, you don't eat bran flakes and 2 hours later it's worked it's magic. It takes at least 6 hours for some one with a fast digestion rate to see food move through, average is 12 hours and for some it can be up to 72 hours. We'd all be dead if all our food moved through our systems in 2 hours.

    I'm simply describing what happened to me last night telling it like it is. I ate eggs for breakfast from mon-fri no poo. Decided f-it and ate some bran flakes at 9pm last night and no later than 11pm I did a poo. I'm convinced the bran flakes pushed this through.

    All strikes me as a bit psychosomatic if I'm honest.

    If you're constipated you're not getting enough fibre in your diet, but that would mean that the rest of your diet isn't as healthy as you suggest it is. As above, it would be very unlikely that a sudden dose of fibre would have a significant effect in the space of a pairv of hours.

    That said, if you're able to fit bran flakes in to your budget, then eat them.
  • HeidiCooksSupper
    HeidiCooksSupper Posts: 3,839 Member
    Fiber is very important so enjoy your bran flakes. I have All Bran most mornings and it is doing what's needed. Lots of other things are high in fiber, too, like many vegetables and fruits. Beans tend to be very high fiber. Google 'high fiber food list" and you'll find lots of ideas.

    There are different types of sugars and carbohydrates. The MFP numbers lump these together so you may be eating something you need, like a high fiber cereal, and the sugar number on MFP will treat it just like a candy bar in terms of numbers. Fibers are technically carbohydrates but they are something you need to have every day to maintain digestive health. Look at http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/fiber/ for good information about fiber needs and sources.
  • skylark94
    skylark94 Posts: 2,036 Member
    I eat wheat bran flake cereal nearly every day, sometimes for breakfast and a snack. I even put 1-2 tsp of sugar on it. If you like it, eat it.
  • peejay65pj
    peejay65pj Posts: 15
    I know this is probably the wrong thing to say, but....lol.....in the old days before MFP, a McDonalds breakfast worked better than a laxative for me.....I'm sure it's something to do with the fat content, not the fibre in that case...lol
  • kregerems
    kregerems Posts: 100 Member
    Find cereals high in fiber, Oatmeal can be one, and alternate. Also try eating a fruit in the morning for breakfast and most important, make sure your drinking plenty of water. Believe it or not, if your not drinking enough the body can absorb the water it needs from your colon hence the constipation. I notice a few people suggested Fiber One bars, they are a great source of Fiber.
  • Ang108
    Ang108 Posts: 1,711 Member
    I would suggest that you check your liquid intake as well as fiber. Bran without enough liquid will constipate you even more.
    I would suggest that you eat fruits and vegetables or high fiber foods and drink enough and wait a few days. Usually constipation that is not caused my certain meds is caused by lack of fiber, moisture or through a sedentary life style.
  • sheps1990
    sheps1990 Posts: 26 Member
    Thanks for all your input guys. I have read all posts and they are all helpful. I would still love to ditch the cereal and eat eggs for breakfast as my exercise class instructor tries to get me to do, but my body simply can't handle not having bran flakes and if I have to eat a cereal with sugar content as opposed to a sugar free natural source like eggs then so be it.
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
    Thanks for all your input guys. I have read all posts and they are all helpful. I would still love to ditch the cereal and eat eggs for breakfast as my exercise class instructor tries to get me to do, but my body simply can't handle not having bran flakes and if I have to eat a cereal with sugar content as opposed to a sugar free natural source like eggs then so be it.

    You could have eggs AND bran flakes.
  • tomhaegdorens
    tomhaegdorens Posts: 36 Member
    Did you try to eat fruit?
  • NonnyMary
    NonnyMary Posts: 982 Member
    I really like Frosted Mini Wheats. If you read the nutrition info on the side of the box, it really doesn't seem to have that much sugar and you get a really good nutrition, and if i am remembering right , no sodium. so i think its a good cereal for the nutrition and tastes great. makes me want to eat it.

    I wont eat the crappy tasting bran cereal because it tastes crappy even though it "may" be "better" for you.

    I also like the good tasting nuts n honey cereal because it has fun stuff in it to eat.

    so i think eat the cereal that has fun stuff in it (like nuts and stuff) and you will eat nutritious bran cereal but it wont taste crappy.
  • sheps1990
    sheps1990 Posts: 26 Member
    Thanks for all your input guys. I have read all posts and they are all helpful. I would still love to ditch the cereal and eat eggs for breakfast as my exercise class instructor tries to get me to do, but my body simply can't handle not having bran flakes and if I have to eat a cereal with sugar content as opposed to a sugar free natural source like eggs then so be it.

    You could have eggs AND bran flakes.

    What I'm thinking is perhaps have tomato and spinach omlettes or boiled/scrambled eggs every day, and say, every third day have 30g of Bran Flakes too, therefore I will be definatey reducing my sugar, but keeping my system running consistently too.
  • smilesback
    smilesback Posts: 327 Member
    We are all similar and unique at the same time. I had some bleeding with straining a couple weeks ago and it scared me a lot. I have bowel cancer in my family and my family tried to help me by telling me what works for them. So I took metamucil, ate raisin bran with prunes and my fiber capsules. I made it worse! Too much fiber takes a lot of water out of your intestines and bulks up making it hard to pass. I learned that some fiber in your diet will keep you regular, too much is a bad thing. Eggs are known to constipate, btw. Sounds like you already have the means to regulate yourself with cereal. If it ain't broke, don't fix it :)
  • imzadi481
    imzadi481 Posts: 86 Member
    Hey, I sometimes eat Fruit Loops for breakfast. If it's what I want to eat and it fits my daily calories, I'm okay with it.
  • myfitnesspalsavvy
    myfitnesspalsavvy Posts: 26 Member
    I know i am coming in late on this post but I'd like to suggest a better fiber thing to eat instead of Bran Flakes and Bran Cereals.
    Fiber is good, but you don't want to have too much fiber because it can constipate you. Too little and you will also be constipated.
    Here is a great "cereal" that has helped a lot of people become regular. You have to take it slow with this though, but it is an excellent food.
    The name is crazy...lol... but it's a great great product!
    http://holycrap.ca/
  • Ang108
    Ang108 Posts: 1,711 Member
    Eat the bran flakes if they fit your budget. Also, you don't eat bran flakes and 2 hours later it's worked it's magic. It takes at least 6 hours for some one with a fast digestion rate to see food move through, average is 12 hours and for some it can be up to 72 hours. We'd all be dead if all our food moved through our systems in 2 hours.

    I'm simply describing what happened to me last night telling it like it is. I ate eggs for breakfast from mon-fri no poo. Decided f-it and ate some bran flakes at 9pm last night and no later than 11pm I did a poo. I'm convinced the bran flakes pushed this through.

    I am not doubting what you say, but wonder if in your case it is " mind over matter ". Two hours are just not enough for the bran to transit from your stomach to the intestines, get digested and push whatever was in the way through the sytem. However if it works who cares if it was mind over matter or not.
    In general common constipation is caused by three things ( broadly speaking ) lack of fiber, lack of moisture or as a side effect of medication. If you eat enough fiber and are constipated, you might need to drink more water and if you drink a lot of water and are constipated, you might need to ingest more fiber. If it is from medication people often need to resort to some kind of laxative.
    Good Luck !
  • pearlmorning
    pearlmorning Posts: 86 Member
    Don't forget to drink lots of water. It helps a lot! I also eat a Raisin Bran muffin quite often for breakfast that helps the day. I have the recipe if you want it.

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