When you want to go....you cant

fiber, that will get you going, like a fiber one bar or two, or coffe. I WISH I had 1 a day. I think I have like 5 or 6

From the Mayo Clinic: Normal frequency of bowel movements in healthy adults can range from three bowel movements a day to three a week.

This is from a quiz on their online health letter t http://healthletter.mayoclinic.com/quiz/quizAnswer.cfm

Try some drinking some coffee.

Pineapple and coconut can also help move things along as they are kinda like natural laxatives.

Sometimes TOO much fibre can have an adverse affect as well, make sure you're not consuming too much. Especially if you increase a lot in a short amount of time.

More fruits and veggies!!

Eat some prunes and you'll be moving along in no time

Too much protein and too much fibre can cause constipation. Too much insoluble fibre can make stool bulky and difficult to pass. Eating more cooked vegetables and decreasing (not eliminating) raw vegetables can help.

Too little oil and too little water can also cause issues. Too little exercise of the type that stimulates the bowels can also contribute. Some people also have lazy bowels and sun salutations (yoga) can be helpful.

EDIT: Although oatmeal helps some people, it has a constipating effect on others. Milk has this issue too.

EDIT2: Mineral oil (pharmaceutical grade, of course) is an effective laxative but clear it with your physician and don't get in the habit of using this solution because it can encourage your bowels to be lazy.

Fiber one bar and metamucil, the nasty metamucil with no flavors. if you dont do the fiber one bar since its 90 calories and has sugar, that metamucil will do the trick. it doesn't make you go, it allows you go if its a part of your diet. not supposed to be a habit forming fiber, you can take it every day far as I know, I've been taking it for 30 years, and I do stop taking sometimes for months and eat the required fiber I need. but when I dont wanna eat fiber I rely on my meta. dont get the kind that you mix with your food, its not as good as the bland tasting powder.

This kind of hurts me because I see it all the time. People with the fiber supplements. It may not be the case with you, but with me because I'm vegan and eat mostly raw vegetables/fruit I often get TOO MUCH fiber... yes it's possible. And it is a miserable feeling. This can also be the case with having too much protein, in my experience.

What I do is make sure I am balancing all the fiber/protein I eat with insane amounts of water (to move the soluble fiber) and plenty of healthy fats (to move the insoluble fiber). This is really the way it's meant to be, I don't think we're supposed to eat pure fiber or pure protein isolate. I mean you can supplement with those things if it makes your life easier but don't go crazy lol

And sometimes if I'm desperate before bed I take Magnesium and in the morning it's a sure thing.

Ever since I switched my diet to a high protein/low carb/low fat diet, I'm lucky if I get a bowel movement in every 2-3 days. I used to go 2-3 times a day. My PT said it's quite normal and if you are concerned, take metamucil or another fiber supplement. I drink coffee and tea like it's going out of style, so you'd think i'd be going to the bathroom every 15 minutes? NOPE and it's annoying. Some days I feel beautiful and skinny. Other days I feel fat, bloated and ugly. The way I'm coping with it is that, I know I'm not "backed up" to the point where I need to be hospitalized. I listen to my body when it needs to go (no matter where I am; at work, at home, at a restaurant). The number one tool to do is listen to the body. Occasionally, I will take a few spoonfuls of metamucil just to meet my fiber intake for the day. I've heard others ingesting 1 TBSP of extra virgin olive oil as if it was medication. It acts like lubrication for your digestive system. Also, how much fiber are you consuming on a regular basis? I like to take in anywhere from 35 - 45g of fiber a day. I try to get it from my foods - I usually hit my min. and that's where the metamucil kicks in.

I hope this little rant helps you.....and good luck

I'm having trouble with this issue also, I think especially since I changed my diet and quit smoking all at once. I get a decent amount of fiber through fruits/vegetables, and I'm also a coffee drinker, but no luck. I started a fiber supplement a few days back and still no luck. It's miserable!

A black coffee in the morning will help get things moving, but normal BM's vary from person to person. Don't worry about it too much as long as it's not painful or too loose.