Everyone poops. . . .

Bluskyleilu
Bluskyleilu Posts: 24
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi, First let me apologize for bringing up poop on a Sunday morning. But I sure would like to have one. That being said, I am a 34 year old female, 5'10" and currently 186 lbs. I started out the New Year with resolutions that I have been able to maintain to date. I quit smoking, started watching my calorie intake(1200+ excercise calories), drinking more water(8-10cups/daily), and working out 3x a week with C25K. Now, with all of that change, I totally understand that my body and chemistry are going to change. However, with all that is changing, I have noticed that my bowel movements are fewer and further between. I am not in constipation pain but, I do wonder if this is normal? if anyone else has experienced such a thing? and if so, what did you do to overcome it? Any suggestions about intestinal health and encouraging healthy flow would be appreciated. Thank you for your suggestions.
«1

Replies

  • turtleball
    turtleball Posts: 217 Member
    Not enough fiber? MFP says 25g of fiber for women a day..



    Yeah I learned this the hard way..
  • sunfirelynn
    sunfirelynn Posts: 186 Member
    I had to up my fiber, that helped a lot !
  • yogacat13
    yogacat13 Posts: 124 Member
    Magnesium supplements, 300mg a day. Keeps hormones balanced and the plumbing moving.
  • JG762
    JG762 Posts: 571 Member
    Hi, First let me apologize for bringing up poop on a Sunday morning. But I sure would like to have one. That being said, I am a 34 year old female, 5'10" and currently 186 lbs. I started out the New Year with resolutions that I have been able to maintain to date. I quit smoking, started watching my calorie intake(1200+ excercise calories), drinking more water(8-10cups/daily), and working out 3x a week with C25K. Now, with all of that change, I totally understand that my body and chemistry are going to change. However, with all that is changing, I have noticed that my bowel movements are fewer and further between. I am not in constipation pain but, I do wonder if this is normal? if anyone else has experienced such a thing? and if so, what did you do to overcome it? Any suggestions about intestinal health and encouraging healthy flow would be appreciated. Thank you for your suggestions.

    Preach it Sister...
  • Phaedra2014
    Phaedra2014 Posts: 1,254 Member
    Yes increase your fiber intake. A serving of All Bran every day would do you good. If you don't eat gluten then a cup of pumpkin puree is great as well as yam with the skin on. All the leafy greens (kale, collard, mustard, spinach) also work well. Eat lentils, fruits with the skin on (apples, pears).
  • ebayaddict0127
    ebayaddict0127 Posts: 523 Member
    Fiber. Add salads to your meals. Snack on some carrots. Eat some fruit. When I did Weight Watchers which required 5-7 servings of fruit/veggies a day, I was never lacking in the #2 dept.

    I wouldn't recommend any of those high fiber foods (FiberOne, etc.). They just made me sick.
  • Blue801
    Blue801 Posts: 442
    I'm encountering this, but I think mine is super simple. Less food shoved in my mouth means less coming out the other end. ????
  • ponycyndi
    ponycyndi Posts: 858 Member
    I noticed the frequency and volume decreased with the decrease in calories of my diet. However, two things keep me moving, inside and out: coffee, black; and fiber along with staying hydrated.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    Fiber, lots of water and some good fats.

    I know you didn't ask for this advice, but your calories are very low for your height and weight. You also aren't getting much protein. One day you only got 18 grams. I'm 5'9" and at 160 pounds I lose weight on 1800 calories a day (I only workout 3-4 days a week with little to no cardio).
  • ebayaddict0127
    ebayaddict0127 Posts: 523 Member
    I noticed the frequency and volume decreased with the decrease in calories of my diet. However, two things keep me moving, inside and out: coffee, black; and fiber along with staying hydrated.

    Agreed on the coffee. Always does the trick for me too.
  • Xiaolongbao
    Xiaolongbao Posts: 854 Member
    If you do a bit of googling about bowel habits you'll find that normal can be defined as anything from 2 times a day through to about every 2nd or 3rd day (which would freak me out).

    If you don't feel any discomfort either inbetween or when pooing then I'd say leave well enough alone. More high fibre food certainly isn't a bad thing but if your body is happy with what's happening right now then don't make any radical changes.

    And well done on all the healthy choices you're making.
  • KristinaB83
    KristinaB83 Posts: 440 Member
    I noticed the frequency and volume decreased with the decrease in calories of my diet. However, two things keep me moving, inside and out: coffee, black; and fiber along with staying hydrated.

    Agreed on the coffee. Always does the trick for me too.

    COFFEE!!!!!!!!!
  • AEROBICVIC
    AEROBICVIC Posts: 159 Member
    yes you will notice a diff in you movements with every type of change you make to your dieting. As you said we all do it, but no one really likes to talk about it but it is very important to track. It's a natural part of being human. The more you notice how much, how often, color, texture and ect the more you will know about your body and the foods you are taking in. This is a great accomplishment to your taking control of your health. It's not a pretty subject but very important. Make your private notes and keep track of urine color and ect, the more you know about your body the better. Makes it easier for you and your doctor to be in tune for any future questions or concerns. Urine color also is a great tool to determine you water intake, dehydration, hydration. Keep tracking all your body changes, you're doing a great job!
  • bumblebeez86
    bumblebeez86 Posts: 208 Member
    I have had the same problem but I have been in severe pain too - didn't realise how much constipation hurts !!! The longer I have left it the worse it has got I thought to increase my fibre etc but when I spoke to the pharmacist she said that is the worse thing to do if you are still blocked up but to do so after you have returned to normal. I expect things to change with diet etc but this has been really bad for me. On laxatives and IBS tablets now until I return to normal :( I am learning the hard way.
  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,505 Member
    Increasing your fiber will help. You probably noticed the change from quitting smoking. Like coffee, nicotine provides, shall we say, stimulating properties to the bowels.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    Hi, First let me apologize for bringing up poop on a Sunday morning. But I sure would like to have one. That being said, I am a 34 year old female, 5'10" and currently 186 lbs. I started out the New Year with resolutions that I have been able to maintain to date. I quit smoking, started watching my calorie intake(1200+ excercise calories), drinking more water(8-10cups/daily), and working out 3x a week with C25K. Now, with all of that change, I totally understand that my body and chemistry are going to change. However, with all that is changing, I have noticed that my bowel movements are fewer and further between. I am not in constipation pain but, I do wonder if this is normal? if anyone else has experienced such a thing? and if so, what did you do to overcome it? Any suggestions about intestinal health and encouraging healthy flow would be appreciated. Thank you for your suggestions.
    You have lost 19 pounds since the New Year, thus approximately five pounds pounds per week. Your are exercising like crazy, but you are eating UNDER (caps used for emphasis only) 1,200 calories and some days NOT eating much of your exercise calories back. At least that that is what your diary reflects. All this, and you are 5 ft. 10 and in your early thirties.

    The above is why you can't poop. First of all, you are eating WAY TOO FEW calories, and you are losing weight WAY TOO FAST. Granted, at first the weight seems to come off pretty fast, but it should have slowed down by now. I'll be surprised if you are not pretty low on energy by now.

    You need to up those base calories because, due to your height and weight, I doubt that MFP set you up at 1,200 calories a day even if you wanted to lose 2 pounds a week. You also need to start eating more of those exercise calories back. You need to eat more foods with fiber. Heck, you need to start eating more period and slow that weight loss down.

    Also, how much water are you drinking?
  • cristapp
    cristapp Posts: 15
    The first couple weeks on my new year's diet, I had the same issue. For me, the most important ways to correct it are to keep moving (exercising) and drink a good amount of water, and get a bit more fibre in my diet. (I don't like to overdo the water and fibre though. I think that can screw me up with the scale.)
  • player30
    player30 Posts: 65 Member
    The other part of the info you gave was that you quit smoking. As a former smoker, I know that quitting affects pooping. And that could be an issue for two months while your body adjusts to not having cigarettes as a stimulator.
  • lizzyclatworthy
    lizzyclatworthy Posts: 296 Member
    If I don't exercise everything stops. I resorted to black coffee and a cigarette one day (always used to work when I was a smoker)
    Prunes are good and a bran, walnut and banana muffin recipie I found on google too!
    But regular exercise keeps me 'going'
  • JuliaLee67
    JuliaLee67 Posts: 149
    i'm in agreement with the 'add more fiber' people. i also suggest a probiotic, like yogurt or kefir.
  • TX_Rhon
    TX_Rhon Posts: 1,549 Member
    Another vote for upping fiber. I also take pro-biotics and aloe vero juice to keep my tummy in line as I do have some issues. Good luck. Been there, done (well, or couldn't) do that. Good luck :flowerforyou:
  • lmhbuss
    lmhbuss Posts: 282 Member
    Coffee. Also, oddly, Kiwi fruit. Constipation is a common ailment during pregnancy and kiwi fruit saved me a lot of pain.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    I don't see where you are eating any fruits or vegetables in your diary. That would be the problem. :flowerforyou:
  • TravelDog14
    TravelDog14 Posts: 317 Member
    As a fellow 5' 10" female I noticed that when I started on MFP and was down to around 1500 calories a day the frequency of BMs dropped off.
    And why wouldn't it considering I'd been easily consuming double that amount of calories per day for years before.

    When I cut my food intake by more than half of course my "output" should also decrease.

    Continue drinking lots of water and you'll get into a new rhythm.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    First off, some people don't poop that often - like every 3-7 days. :blushing:

    Second, when you are eating healthier, your body my consolidate and digest food more efficiently and you get fewer, more solid poops. Let's just say I know someone in my family who had this change occur when he lost a lot of weight.

    Third, high fiber will cause that change as well. There are lots of natural sources. Because my husband has diverticulitis, we both also use metamucil, which you can just take in a glass of water every day. It's a plant based digestive fiber and keeps all that plumbing working particularly well. Any drug store sells it. It is not a laxative or an anti-diarheal. It's just the kind of fiber you'd get if you ate a lot of apples.

    You just quit smoking - that changes everything in your body, including how your guts move food. And congratulations! That is AWESOME!
  • Bluskyleilu
    Bluskyleilu Posts: 24
    Thank you everyone for all the suggestions! I will definitely do what I can. My weight ticker is inaccurate, I need to update it. I have only lost 8 pounds since the new year. But it seems to be a consensus that I need to be eating more. I will certainly try that. Along with more fruits and veggies. Thank you for your comments. May you all be healthy, safe, happy and at peace!! Have a great rest of your weeknd
  • evileen99
    evileen99 Posts: 1,564 Member
    I'm encountering this, but I think mine is super simple. Less food shoved in my mouth means less coming out the other end. ????

    Ditto. Eat less, poop less.
  • KateK8LoseW8
    KateK8LoseW8 Posts: 824 Member
    I poop less often and with less volume now that I don't eat as much, and I think for me that is purely a matter of less in = less out. I eat 50+g fiber most days, have a very well balanced diet full of vegetables, and I still experience this. My old normal was 2-3x a day and my new normal is once every other day. Might be the same for you!
  • akoorn1982
    akoorn1982 Posts: 152 Member
    For some odd reason I read this thread title with 'Everybody hurts...' playing through my head...:bigsmile:
  • mistyladidah
    mistyladidah Posts: 210 Member
    Some great advice has been said here. Eat more calories, more fermentable fiber, maybe up your water even more. At 5'6" and 167, set to lose .5 a week mfp gives me 1850. When I was pregnant I felt effects of dehydration if I drank less than 12 cups a day... 14 was my rarely achieved goal. My research has found that a good goal is half your weight in oz. And give yourself some time. It's great that you quit smoking! Now your body is learning how to poo without nicotine. I'm having issues too, I suspect it's because of not enough water or fiber. Things have been wonky since I had my baby. Before that I was a 1-2 times a day regular. Now I feel lucky if it's every other day.

Categories