Pooping query

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birdcurves
birdcurves Posts: 16
in Food and Nutrition
Hi all,

Sorry for the TMI question and shock-factor subject line, but it is what it is. Girl's gotta poop somehow.

Background about me:
- 5'5'
- 118lbs trying to lose about 8 lbs completely for vanity's sake
- consuming about 1000cals/day which I know you will all tell me is too low but I have 1600/cal Saturday cheat days (I'm following the Cheat Your Way Thin plan, knock it if you want but that's not really what I'm asking about, is it...?)
- exercise 1-2 times a week, mix of cardio and strength training. I can't exercise too much though because I build muscle VERY quickly and end up looking more masculine than I strictly like for my own body.
- I am Gluten Intolerant

So as part of the CYWT plan I am doing a low-carb diet the first 4 days of the week and obviously as a result am getting less fiber than usual.
In an attempt to balance this I have replaced my usual egg or yogurt based breakfast with an organic protein shake (amazing meal, chocolate infusion) that has protein and fiber in it and I eat two fiber gummies a day.
Lunch is usually a salad with chicken or tuna and a lot of veggies and dinner is usually grilled chicken or salmon with a lots of steamed veggies. So, basically a lot of lean protein and veg is what I eat for four days and then I do two days where I add in things like bananas, granola, quinoa, rice, gluten-free bread. Then my cheat day where I eat nachos and ice cream and whatever else I want and then back to low-carb the next day.

This is working for me pretty well in terms of eating healthy for the better part of the week, however I find I spend most of the week totally bloated and basically not pooping much at all. (Coffee doesn't help unfortunately) As a result I'm not losing any weight which is obviously very frustrating.

Is there anything you guys can recommend that will allow me to continue my low-carb thing but still be getting enough fiber to squeeze something out once or twice a day? I feel like I'm losing my mind over here. Metamucil? Anything? Help.

Thanks so much!

Laura
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Replies

  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
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    Why the hell are you trying to lose weight your bmi is already at the low end of healthy. Eat normally and concentrate on your fitness. If you're worried about your look. Find out what fitness or resistance training will help you achieve that all losing much more weight will do is make you ill. If you eat normally you'll probably find you go to the toilet more as well.
  • maroonmango211
    maroonmango211 Posts: 908 Member
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    OK, to not be one of the tons that will tell you about your diet being harsh and unrealistic (which you obv, know anyways) I will ask how much water are you drinking? I know when I was told by doc to up fibre temporarily by using supplement like those gummies or shakes he warned me to drink as much water as humanly possible, fibre helps with digestion sure but it can also plug you up if you don't hydrate properly, I'm talking at least 10-14 cups to compensate.
  • birdcurves
    birdcurves Posts: 16
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    Hi,
    Thanks for replying.
    It's a vanity thing, honestly. I lost a lot of weight in an extremely unhealthy way a few months ago (it was completely unintentional weight loss - depression related) and it was a very dark time emotionally for me but the ONE good thing about that dark place was that I was very happy looking in the mirror for the first time in my life. I would like to get back to that feeling but through healthier means. I did it the first time by basically eating nothing and sleeping all the time. I love food way too much to eat nothing, but I figure I can afford to eat healthier and hopefully still regain that happy mirror feeling. But being bloated does not make me happy. Hence my post.
  • birdcurves
    birdcurves Posts: 16
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    That's a good point. I drink a lot of herbal tea over the course of a normal day - anywhere from 4-7 cups plus at least 5 glasses of water but I'm SURE it's not enough liquid to keep things moving. I will try hydrating more. It's just so hard because it does temporarily make me feel even more bloated and it hurts!
  • Miamiuu
    Miamiuu Posts: 262 Member
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    Maybe that protein shake is messing you up. How regular do you think you should be? Right now Im low carbing at 30 grams and eat a few veggies every few days and only go about every 3 days.
  • RockWarrior84
    RockWarrior84 Posts: 839 Member
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    Look into the powder Miralax
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
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    I use whole husk psyllium. I buy it the organic on amazon for about $10 a can. It works really well for me, and my GI has given me the thumbs up on it as well.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    You are not building muscle eating 1,000 calories per day.
  • RockWarrior84
    RockWarrior84 Posts: 839 Member
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    I use whole husk psyllium. I buy it the organic on amazon for about $10 a can. It works really well for me, and my GI has given me the thumbs up on it as well.

    wife use's mirilax per GI doctor recommendation, works well
  • FatFreeFrolicking
    FatFreeFrolicking Posts: 4,252 Member
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    Prune juice
    Apple juice
    Probiotics
    Miralax
  • SusanL222
    SusanL222 Posts: 585 Member
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    It appears that you and your MFP friends are all trying for the same look. Good luck with the pooping thing. :flowerforyou:
  • Rocbola
    Rocbola Posts: 1,998 Member
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    Is there anything you guys can recommend that will allow me to continue my low-carb thing but still be getting enough fiber to squeeze something out once or twice a day? I feel like I'm losing my mind over here. Metamucil? Anything? Help.
    Your body doesn't work properly if you don't eat a diet that is meant for humans. You can lose tons of weight, have a body that works properly, and you can poop solid logs on a regular schedule if you eat a diet that is meant for our species. Of course i am talking about a fruit and vegetable based diet.
  • rubyredargyle
    rubyredargyle Posts: 49
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    Granted, I'm not exactly the world's best nutrition expert, but it's the "insoluble" fibre vs the "soluble" fiber that gets things moving.
    What type of fiber are you taking? If it's soluble fiber, it's only adding bulk to your downstairs, but not doing anything to make it easier to 'go'. (or that's backwards. Do a quick google search. I'm dyslexic and I get those mixed up)

    Chia seeds in your morning smoothie can be a way to help that along. They make the smoothie a little gelatinous though too, and adds even more protein. You'll have to adjust your diet to balance.

    Also, sounds crazy, but going for a walk can get things moving.
  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,505 Member
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    Hi,
    Thanks for replying.
    It's a vanity thing, honestly. I lost a lot of weight in an extremely unhealthy way a few months ago (it was completely unintentional weight loss - depression related) and it was a very dark time emotionally for me but the ONE good thing about that dark place was that I was very happy looking in the mirror for the first time in my life. I would like to get back to that feeling but through healthier means. I did it the first time by basically eating nothing and sleeping all the time. I love food way too much to eat nothing, but I figure I can afford to eat healthier and hopefully still regain that happy mirror feeling. But being bloated does not make me happy. Hence my post.

    If what you said above is true, then ditch the fad diet plan. Follow the MFP plan of measuring and weighing your food, eat a reasonable calorie goal to lose 0.5 lbs per week, hit your micros and macros, drink plenty of water, and exercise. If your GI system is jacked up, the weight loss plan you are on is not a healthy method.
  • onlytati
    onlytati Posts: 45 Member
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    I second the Miralax and increasing your fluid intake. The miralax works by pulling more fluid into the stool, so making sure there is fluid there will help make it work.
    Also, the Miralax will help "retrain" your colon, so you can use if for just a short while and wean off of it when you are back to being regular.
  • mockchoc
    mockchoc Posts: 6,573 Member
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    I suggest eating more food.
  • GertrudeHorse
    GertrudeHorse Posts: 646 Member
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    I lost a lot of weight in an extremely unhealthy way a few months ago (it was completely unintentional weight loss - depression related) and it was a very dark time emotionally for me but the ONE good thing about that dark place was that I was very happy looking in the mirror for the first time in my life. I would like to get back to that feeling but through healthier means. I did it the first time by basically eating nothing and sleeping all the time. I love food way too much to eat nothing, but I figure I can afford to eat healthier and hopefully still regain that happy mirror feeling.

    I can't really understand why you would try and recreate the symptom of a severe mental illness. As you said, you looked like you did because you were eating virtually nothing and sleeping all the time. You can't replicate that look through healthy means because that look was a consequence of ill health in the first place. The happy feeling doesn't come from a number on the scale it comes from enjoying life and enjoying food. You can do that at your current weight (which is already on the low side anyway). Good luck.
  • Sreneesa
    Sreneesa Posts: 1,170 Member
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    Edit: Nevermind...
  • missbehave79
    missbehave79 Posts: 15 Member
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    Eat some food. Problem solved.
  • hazelovesfood
    hazelovesfood Posts: 454 Member
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    Eat some food. Problem solved.
    Im eating plenty of food and having the same problem, scale is going up not down, grrrrrrr

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