Pooping query

2

Replies

  • zoquo
    zoquo Posts: 75
    Try quinoa - gluten free complete protein and makes me go very easily. Add half a cup to a salad to bulk it out and you should see an immediate response. As for your diet, please be careful. I recommend you eat more and do more exercise to burn the extra calories that way you will be able to ingest more vitamins/fibre/minerals etc and still lose weight. Also you will be fitter and stronger. Doing more exercise will allow you to eat properly. Best wishes.

    Peace
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    Try quinoa - gluten free complete protein and makes me go very easily. Add half a cup to a salad to bulk it out and you should see an immediate response. As for your diet, please be careful. I recommend you eat more and do more exercise to burn the extra calories that way you will be able to ingest more vitamins/fibre/minerals etc and still lose weight. Also you will be fitter and stronger. Doing more exercise will allow you to eat properly. Best wishes.

    Peace

    Jeez, I eat quinoa all the time and it doesn't do that to me. Perhaps you have some kind of sensitivity to it?
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    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.


    Honestly, for me it's not that simple. It sounds lovely, though, doesn't it? If only happiness were as simple as enjoying life and enjoying food. But I have had periods of my life where I was enjoying life and enjoying food but I was never happy with the way that my body looked or felt. And really, how could I be? With the representation of women's bodies that exists (more relevant to the absolute brainwashing of my generation and younger than anyone else) it is a very difficult cycle of self-shaming to break out of. For this reason, finding a happy medium for me seems like the most realistic goal. Therapy has not been able to undo the damage done by media and false images of women's bodies, and I've now seen my own form look how I've always wished it could. This is a difficult image to wipe from my mind, and while I do truly believe I will not be able to achieve that state again through healthy means, I believe I can get closer to it than I am now by making smarter choices about what I eat, and eating slightly smaller portions of those foods than I normally would. When I've reached a place that I'm happy with, I will very slowly add calories back to my diet on a weekly basis and continue my fitness regime to maintain that place. If this all seems dangerous and unrealistic to you, then that's fine. But that is what feels right to me at this point in my life, and - AGAIN - not the point of this post. Literally just trying to poop, not be judged for my personal choices.

    Thanks again everyone for commenting!

    If your only happiness in life hinges on what you see in the mirror, you're doing it wrong.

    I like what I see in the mirror, but I did when I was heavier and not muscular, too, because I was happy with my life. there are more important things than perceived physical perfection. You're never going to achieve that. Look around you and be grateful for your life, learn to love yourself for who you are and then - only then - work on your physical body.

    Stress and depression also cause constipation, btw.
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
    I really appreciate all the replies and support, especially from non-judgmental people with helpful suggestions! Thanks everyone! I know even those of you who are giving me a hard time about my diet mean well and for that I am grateful, but the diet itself is not the issue here considering the fact that I eat 3-5 times a day, all healthy protein and fruits and vegetables in reasonable portions. Yes, I'm very conscious of how my food is prepared in an effort to keep unnecessary omega-6's and other "bad" things out. But I'm certainly not starving myself or depriving myself. I do consume less calories than my BMR suggests (only about 200 less though) but I'm hardly on deaths door eating as healthfully and frequently as I do. So thank you all, again. I am looking into miralax and organic whole husk psyllium (sp?) and definitely drinking more water! 10 cups today already!

    Oh hell...... So you are at the lower end of your healthy weight, you starve yourself (yes - because eating so little is still starving even if you eat "good food every three hours!") and now people are telling you to take laxatives and you jump at it..... Maybe grow up a little, start listing to people (the ones who know what they talk about), learn about nutrition, do a proper strength training program and...Oh, OK, that's too much logic...Eat little and make yourself poop then.....

    I suggested a stool softener, more food, more fat, more fiber and lots of water. If a person can't go, even if it's from a low food intake, it can still be real constipation and can cause greater problems if not alleviated. It's important to stay regular, so yes, a laxative is a one-time deal to get things going while implementing healthy habits for regularity. Everyone on this forum makes such assumptions about the motives of others - as if we're all in a camp on one side of the spectrum or the other. Anyone who has taken any time to get to know me (and I've been here almost 2 years now) knows I'm not going to suggest stupid, unhealthy habits. OP has unhealthy habits already - no one has disputed that. But she also, apparently, can't poop.
  • claudiakendall98
    claudiakendall98 Posts: 242 Member
    I have had the same problem as I just started low carb this week but then I always have a hard time. I am not lying when I say that I could eat all veggies and still not go. I came across a site where someone suggested organic smooth move tea. I found it at Walmart in the Tea section about 5 dollars .O f course I was very skeptic as all the a fore mentioned remedies do not work for me .In any case you drink one cup of tea before bed and I expected relief the following morning which did not happen but by afternoon things went very well. I usually have to take a laxative to get going but this tea did do the trick. Oh and yes I could also drink a gallon of water and nothing happens. I am very conscientious about 8 or more glasses of water a day and taking fiber and also making sure I get recommended amount of fiber per day. Best of Luck
  • GertrudeHorse
    GertrudeHorse Posts: 646 Member
    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.


    Honestly, for me it's not that simple. It sounds lovely, though, doesn't it? If only happiness were as simple as enjoying life and enjoying food. But I have had periods of my life where I was enjoying life and enjoying food but I was never happy with the way that my body looked or felt. And really, how could I be? With the representation of women's bodies that exists (more relevant to the absolute brainwashing of my generation and younger than anyone else) it is a very difficult cycle of self-shaming to break out of. For this reason, finding a happy medium for me seems like the most realistic goal. Therapy has not been able to undo the damage done by media and false images of women's bodies, and I've now seen my own form look how I've always wished it could. This is a difficult image to wipe from my mind, and while I do truly believe I will not be able to achieve that state again through healthy means, I believe I can get closer to it than I am now by making smarter choices about what I eat, and eating slightly smaller portions of those foods than I normally would. When I've reached a place that I'm happy with, I will very slowly add calories back to my diet on a weekly basis and continue my fitness regime to maintain that place. If this all seems dangerous and unrealistic to you, then that's fine. But that is what feels right to me at this point in my life, and - AGAIN - not the point of this post. Literally just trying to poop, not be judged for my personal choices.

    Thanks again everyone for commenting!

    I appreciate that it's not easy, and sorry for implying it would be. My comment meant to convey that your happiness will not change because of external factors like the number on the scale. You need to invest time and energy in learning to be happy as you are. That isn't easy but it is the healthier path to be on, especially when the alternative path is disordered eating. I also want to be clear: I am not saying this with any judgement. I genuinely wish you all the best. Perhaps sticking with the therapy would be a good idea for now. Be kind to your body. You only have one.
  • Wtn_Gurl
    Wtn_Gurl Posts: 396 Member
    I really appreciate all the replies and support, especially from non-judgmental people with helpful suggestions! Thanks everyone! I know even those of you who are giving me a hard time about my diet mean well and for that I am grateful, but the diet itself is not the issue here considering the fact that I eat 3-5 times a day, all healthy protein and fruits and vegetables in reasonable portions. Yes, I'm very conscious of how my food is prepared in an effort to keep unnecessary omega-6's and other "bad" things out. But I'm certainly not starving myself or depriving myself. I do consume less calories than my BMR suggests (only about 200 less though) but I'm hardly on deaths door eating as healthfully and frequently as I do. So thank you all, again. I am looking into miralax and organic whole husk psyllium (sp?) and definitely drinking more water! 10 cups today already!

    Hi - a lot of times people feel they are looking bloated when it really is your body needs muscle tone. Could that be it? It could be - without looking at you so i dont know how you look in real life - but it could be the way you stand (posture) makes your tummy appear to be bloated, or it could be the kind of clothes you wear which might make you think you are bloated. It could also be you are very skinny, and those are just your inner organs having no place to go but forward and this may make you think you are bloated.

    If the above guesses may be true, then I think you might wear more spandexy clothes like jeggings and see if that helps, or maybe do some toning exercises to make more muscle definition. Do you think those might be good suggestions for you? at least you could do the spandex while you are trying to look more firm.
  • If your only happiness in life hinges on what you see in the mirror, you're doing it wrong.

    I like what I see in the mirror, but I did when I was heavier and not muscular, too, because I was happy with my life. there are more important things than perceived physical perfection. You're never going to achieve that. Look around you and be grateful for your life, learn to love yourself for who you are and then - only then - work on your physical body.

    Stress and depression also cause constipation, btw.


    I never said my only happiness in life hinges on what I see in the mirror. That would be a very sad reality, indeed. But like many perfectly normal people in the world, my reflection does play at least somewhat of a role in my general daily mood and happiness and like those same normal people, I have an idea of how I would like to look and am trying my best to get there without starving myself. I am not a stupid person, and I know two things with absolute certainty: 1) there is a spectrum of disordered eating and I know that my dietary restriction places me somewhere on the low end of that spectrum BUT 2) I'm not depriving myself of anything and I'm not being a nazi about the calories either. If I want kettle corn in the middle of the day and it will put me over 1000 calories I'm still going to eat the kettle corn because I want to and that is my choice and my freedom. This isn't about restriction and unhappiness, it's about finding a happy place where smarter food choices and weight loss can meet and be friends. Before this I was eating pizza 2/3 meals a day, greasy Indian and Chinese food and gigantic plates of nachos with alarming regularity. Was I happier then? I don't know, that was before my really devastating breakup, so probably. But I know that I was exhausted all the time and my skin was horribly broken out and I didn't have the energy to do the things that I love. Now I do. So it's a balance of factors that contribute to my sense of happiness, not just how I look. Please don't twist my words.
  • I really appreciate all the replies and support, especially from non-judgmental people with helpful suggestions! Thanks everyone! I know even those of you who are giving me a hard time about my diet mean well and for that I am grateful, but the diet itself is not the issue here considering the fact that I eat 3-5 times a day, all healthy protein and fruits and vegetables in reasonable portions. Yes, I'm very conscious of how my food is prepared in an effort to keep unnecessary omega-6's and other "bad" things out. But I'm certainly not starving myself or depriving myself. I do consume less calories than my BMR suggests (only about 200 less though) but I'm hardly on deaths door eating as healthfully and frequently as I do. So thank you all, again. I am looking into miralax and organic whole husk psyllium (sp?) and definitely drinking more water! 10 cups today already!

    Hi - a lot of times people feel they are looking bloated when it really is your body needs muscle tone. Could that be it? It could be - without looking at you so i dont know how you look in real life - but it could be the way you stand (posture) makes your tummy appear to be bloated, or it could be the kind of clothes you wear which might make you think you are bloated. It could also be you are very skinny, and those are just your inner organs having no place to go but forward and this may make you think you are bloated.

    If the above guesses may be true, then I think you might wear more spandexy clothes like jeggings and see if that helps, or maybe do some toning exercises to make more muscle definition. Do you think those might be good suggestions for you? at least you could do the spandex while you are trying to look more firm.

    I doubt it's an issue of muscle tone. Despite my low calorie intake, I build muscle RIDICULOUSLY fast. If I were to do 20 sit ups right now I would wake up with a four-pack. It's a genetic blessing, but one that I have to be very cautious about. I do strength training only once a week because of this, as the muscular look is really not my cup of tea. I end up looking boyish very fast. I know it's bloating and constipation because I can literally hear the air and liquid moving around in my belly and then there's the obvious factor of having not pooped in several days and I know the food I'm eating isn't just disappearing into nothingness. Spandex just ends up making me look like a skinny 3-months pregnant. I've been asked when I'm due before. Not so fun.
  • You are not building muscle eating 1,000 calories per day.

    Hi, actually, YES, I can and do extremely easily. This is why it is difficult for me to lose weight by the scale, because I gain muscle so quickly. I'm not all that concerned with the number on the scale, but I would like to get down a few pounds, and I'm mainly not interested in bulking up because my frame is already on the masculine side. In any case, I am very sorry if my incredibly fortunate genetics offend you, but unless you are a doctor - and not just any doctor, but MY doctor who knows my body and my history - then you have absolutely no clue what you are talking about. So kindly take your judgement elsewhere, thanks so much. :)
  • zoquo
    zoquo Posts: 75
    I find that quinoa makes the stool a little softer, i've never had problems with my movements, so perhaps if you are someone with a slow gut and are backed up quinoa wont have any effect.

    Peace
  • Honeycat89
    Honeycat89 Posts: 149
    Why are you only eating 1000 calories a day... I'm also 5.5 and don't weigh much more at about 121lb, I'm eating 1600-1800 and still losing weight. 1000 is a child's diet... 1200 is the minimum calories you should be eating just for your body to function??! This is crazy and i'm shocked people are even giving you real advice!
  • Honeycat89
    Honeycat89 Posts: 149
    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.

    You're not squeezing anything out because there is NOTHING TO SQUEEZE OUT!
  • lisaanne1369
    lisaanne1369 Posts: 377 Member
    I love my nutra bullet and stopped drinking the orange crap.Getting it all natural and I am feeling great! Sounds like your weight is fine and you just need to stay where your at and be happy.
  • Why are you only eating 1000 calories a day... I'm also 5.5 and don't weigh much more at about 121lb, I'm eating 1600-1800 and still losing weight. 1000 is a child's diet... 1200 is the minimum calories you should be eating just for your body to function??! This is crazy and i'm shocked people are even giving you real advice!

    Well you are very fortunate to be eating that many calories and losing weight. Unfortunately everyone's body is different, and when I was eating that much + exercising I was just getting bulkier and more muscley. So I've decreased my calories by only 200 - what is that, one less KIND bar a day, those things are like 190 calories, right? hardly worth getting upset over - and am exercising twice a week instead of 3-4 times. I don't really see what the big hullabaloo is about.
  • zoquo
    zoquo Posts: 75
    People are just looking out for you honey. I think what some of us are trying to say, like you rightly pointed out, is that yes everybody has a different body and if your natural body physique is a muscular one on the minimum of 1200 then you should learn to accept your body type. I spent all my youth fighting with my body because i wanted to be tall and slender but i am not built that way I am strong and large built with large arm and thigh muscles broad back and shoulders. I would have loved to have been tall and willowy but no matter what i eat i wont be and I would have to make myself ill to look even close to that. I make the best of what i have because it feels good to be healthy and strong and horrible to be against your body all the time. I know that you are only eating 200 less but if the minimum for you body to function properly is 1200 then that is what you need before you even work out! People, myself included, would love to have your "problem" of getting defined muscles and tone on your limited exercise. I have to bust a gut just to get any! Eating less you will lose proper brain and bodily functions, your hair will lose its lustre and you skin and nails will also suffer.

    Is this really worth it? Just to look a certain way? Just be healthy and strong, you need to treat your body well if you want it to last. I promise you that one day in the future you will look back and wonder why you did this to yourself. Love yourself and your body be the healthiest and fittest you can be. Anything else is not worth it. Look after yourself - no one else will!

    Peace
  • sandign
    sandign Posts: 56
    I recommend the chia seeds also. I just add them to my smoothie or even sprinkle them on things. Pretty much tasteless, they pick up the flavor of whatever you're eating. Very good for you and they fill up up because they absorb abt 13 times their weight. High in fiber. Works well for me.

    As far as exercise, work for building strength not muscle. If you work on toning well in your exercises you will still llok good but not muscle bound. And with as thin as you are the muscle is going to be the first thing that is noticable.

    Best of luck in whatever you do.
  • People are just looking out for you honey. I think what some of us are trying to say, like you rightly pointed out, is that yes everybody has a different body and if your natural body physique is a muscular one on the minimum of 1200 then you should learn to accept your body type. I spent all my youth fighting with my body because i wanted to be tall and slender but i am not built that way I am strong and large built with large arm and thigh muscles broad back and shoulders. I would have loved to have been tall and willowy but no matter what i eat i wont be and I would have to make myself ill to look even close to that. I make the best of what i have because it feels good to be healthy and strong and horrible to be against your body all the time. I know that you are only eating 200 less but if the minimum for you body to function properly is 1200 then that is what you need before you even work out! People, myself included, would love to have your "problem" of getting defined muscles and tone on your limited exercise. I have to bust a gut just to get any! Eating less you will lose proper brain and bodily functions, your hair will lose its lustre and you skin and nails will also suffer.

    Is this really worth it? Just to look a certain way? Just be healthy and strong, you need to treat your body well if you want it to last. I promise you that one day in the future you will look back and wonder why you did this to yourself. Love yourself and your body be the healthiest and fittest you can be. Anything else is not worth it. Look after yourself - no one else will!

    Peace


    This is without a doubt the realest, sweetest, smartest response I've gotten. I'm going to read it every day as a reminder to treat myself better. I have been struggling for a long time with my body and I would really like to get my frame of mind back to where it was a year or two ago, when I wasn't quite so self-critical, but it's massively difficult once that poison seeps in. Anyway, thank you for your kind words, I really really appreciate them.
  • I recommend the chia seeds also. I just add them to my smoothie or even sprinkle them on things. Pretty much tasteless, they pick up the flavor of whatever you're eating. Very good for you and they fill up up because they absorb abt 13 times their weight. High in fiber. Works well for me.

    As far as exercise, work for building strength not muscle. If you work on toning well in your exercises you will still llok good but not muscle bound. And with as thin as you are the muscle is going to be the first thing that is noticable.

    Best of luck in whatever you do.


    Yes! Chia seeds are the best! I've been putting the powder on my granola and I love it.

    Do you have any specific exercises you recommend for building strength rather than muscle? I feel like I've tried so many different ones and just see myself get bigger each time. But I'm sure there is an entire world of exercise I haven't explored yet... What do you suggest?
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,347 Member
    Poop is a waste product. You aren't eating enough to produce waste, your body is using all you put in it, hence, no poop.
  • 1200 calories a day is advised as the minimum to keep your body from going in to starvation mode. You may feel you're eating enough but your body doesn't. You're putting on weight because your body is trying to store everything you eat to keep it functioning as normally as possible.

    I'd recommed eating healthily like you are but increase your portions slightly to reach the 1200 calorie minimum. I'd do this for a month and see the results. Don't just monitor the scale but also your measurements. Your body will thank you for it in the long run. :smile:
  • 1200 calories a day is advised as the minimum to keep your body from going in to starvation mode. You may feel you're eating enough but your body doesn't. You're putting on weight because your body is trying to store everything you eat to keep it functioning as normally as possible.

    I'd recommed eating healthily like you are but increase your portions slightly to reach the 1200 calorie minimum. I'd do this for a month and see the results. Don't just monitor the scale but also your measurements. Your body will thank you for it in the long run. :smile:

    I've upped my daily to 1200. I can tell my body needs more so I'm working on ignoring the part of my brain that is unwell and just feed my machine so it runs better. Thanks for the advice :)
  • SusanL222
    SusanL222 Posts: 585 Member
    1200 calories a day is advised as the minimum to keep your body from going in to starvation mode. You may feel you're eating enough but your body doesn't. You're putting on weight because your body is trying to store everything you eat to keep it functioning as normally as possible.

    I'd recommed eating healthily like you are but increase your portions slightly to reach the 1200 calorie minimum. I'd do this for a month and see the results. Don't just monitor the scale but also your measurements. Your body will thank you for it in the long run. :smile:

    I've upped my daily to 1200. I can tell my body needs more so I'm working on ignoring the part of my brain that is unwell and just feed my machine so it runs better. Thanks for the advice :)
    :drinker: Big thumbs up! :flowerforyou: Good luck with your journey!!:flowerforyou:
  • kbmnurse
    kbmnurse Posts: 2,484 Member
    Why not discuss with your MD and keep that topic personal.
  • Biggirllittledreams
    Biggirllittledreams Posts: 306 Member
    The things that have worked for me (and I've had bouts of constipation lasting anywhere from 3-17 days):

    - Flax seeds
    -Chia seeds
    -Kombucha/Kevita
    -Psyllium Husk/increased intake of fiber (which needs to be consumed with a LOT of water, or else it blocks you up more)
    -Shirataki always cleans me right out
    -WATER WATER WATER
    -Stretching/yoga! If you look it up, there are certain poses that help you.
    -If you're really having a hard time, dedicate a good chunk of time to sit on the toilet in the mornings. While you're doing this, essentially rather 1. curl up into the fetal position (while keeping your back stiff), or sit up really straight, and while you're keeping your back stiff very slowly lean forward. These all help to put a bit of pressure on your intestines, and always helped me.
    -Ginger tea (the fresher the better)
    -Peppermint
    -Senna (i try to avoid this since it is a laxative, but I've had the most success with smooth move; it doesn't throw my system out of wack as badly as the ExLax and other pill forms of senna do)
    -Exercise! No seriously. It helps to get things-a-movin'

    Feel free to PM me :)
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    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.

    this.

    You're diet is causing this- and you admit you don't want to hear about it- but the reality is- it's causing the problem.
  • Biggirllittledreams
    Biggirllittledreams Posts: 306 Member
    Why not discuss with your MD and keep that topic personal.

    Usually, MD's tell you to drink Miralax, which is a osmotic laxative. Laxatives throw the balance of your intestines/GI tract out of wack for a while, making you more likely to yet again develop constipation. So seeing a MD is not always helpful.

    Constipation is an ongoing problem, so fixing it once doesn't really solve the problem. It solves one 'attack', but doesn't solve the constipation. If anything, somebody with a degree in dietary science (there are various degrees, and many options in such) would be the best to consult for this. Sadly, most insurance plans don't cover more than one or two visits per year, so it's hard to even afford to get in with one.

    Why go to a doctor, if you can try making a few lifestyle changes first, that will most likely cure the problem? :)

    Also- why keep that personal? It's not like people don't poop. Didn't you read that book when you were a kid, 'Everybody Poops'?! :D
  • This content has been removed.
  • TKhamvongsa
    TKhamvongsa Posts: 287
    Lol you're not eating enough to poop. That's it.
  • kbmnurse
    kbmnurse Posts: 2,484 Member
    This should be discussed with your MD not on here. My opinion.