What am I missing from my diet?

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intrepidelephant
intrepidelephant Posts: 100 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm 5'6 135 lbs. 22-23% BF. Tried to eat healthier because I put on about 8 lbs (mostly from drinking all the time) and eating takeout all the time was too expensive. I'm very rarely at home and I don't cook. I walk 1-3 hours a day, run about 3 times a week.

I drink 2 big coffees, two big herbal teas and 1.5 L of straight water every day and am horribly constipated after 4 weeks of healthy eating. What am I doing wrong? I'm getting at least 25 g of fibre.

Breakfast
Peanut Butter
High Fiber Toast
Orange

Snack
Green Salad

Late Lunch
High Fiber Bread, salami, cheese sandwich

Dinner
Hamburger/Yogourt/Another Sandwich/Dried Fruit and Nuts (I never sit down for dinner since I'm not usually home til after 8)

Replies

  • hitsnooze
    hitsnooze Posts: 79
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    add 30g of flaxseed in there somewhere and i swear you will be moving smoothly
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
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    You're probably eating a far smaller volume of food and less fat than before, plus drinking would have triggered bowel movements. Try running somewhere the nearest toilet is half an hour away - always seems to work for me!
  • intrepidelephant
    intrepidelephant Posts: 100 Member
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    Running moves things a little bit, but not very much
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    Add prune juice.
  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
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    What helped me...adding fat. I started eating at least 1/4 to 1/2 avocado every day...I am now a happy person!

    I also do some peanut butter every day...at least 1 TBL.

    Like you I had increased fiber...drank plenty of water...I still could not get myself regular until I added that avocado.
  • dt3312
    dt3312 Posts: 212 Member
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    (I am no expert in nutrition, but here are some ideas...)
    Do you think you're getting enough fruit? I have 3 servings of fruit a day.
    How about Vegetables? I eat about 4 servings of vegetables a day. Do you eat any vegies at lunch and dinner? I find it helpful to keep mini carrots and cut -up celery in the fridge. Sometimes also snap peas and cut up bell pepper. I like them with hummus. By the way, you can freeze hummus. I buy it at Costco, divide into 3rds and freeze 2 containers and keep one in fridge. If I'm out and about, I have an insulated lunch sack and I put an ice pack in it and then I can take vegetables in it.
  • intrepidelephant
    intrepidelephant Posts: 100 Member
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    The salad I eat at lunch is huge. I really can't stand eating any more vegetables. Seriously, I took fiber supplements and it got worse!

    Could I just drink olive oil on a spoon like medicine, would that work? I rather despise avocado
  • ditditdee
    ditditdee Posts: 38 Member
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    Any new medications that could be causing it?
  • intrepidelephant
    intrepidelephant Posts: 100 Member
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    No, nothing.

    I know I usually get constipated in the summer. Maybe it is fat. I can't stand eating any sort of fatty food in summer when I'm working outside. It will literally make my stomach turn to look at french fries.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    No, nothing.

    I know I usually get constipated in the summer. Maybe it is fat. I can't stand eating any sort of fatty food in summer when I'm working outside. It will literally make my stomach turn to look at french fries.

    You have the wrong idea about fat. You need good fats in your diet.

    Olive oil
    Canola oil
    Sunflower oil
    Peanut oil
    Sesame oil
    Avocados
    Olives
    Nuts (almonds, peanuts, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, pecans, cashews)
    Peanut butter
    Sunflower, sesame, and pumpkin seeds
    Flaxseed
    Fatty fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring, trout, sardines)
  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
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    No, nothing.

    I know I usually get constipated in the summer. Maybe it is fat. I can't stand eating any sort of fatty food in summer when I'm working outside. It will literally make my stomach turn to look at french fries.

    Make a dressing using olive oil or the oil of your preference to put on your salad. Saute your vegetables in olive oil. Also butter on toast...not margarine...real butter.

    You might not like fats in the summer but in my opinion...eating a little fat is much better than being constipated all summer.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    Fat is an essential part of your diet. It provides energy, absorbs certain nutrients and maintains your core body temperature. You need to consume fat every day to support these functions, but some types of fat are better for you than others. Good fats protect your heart and keep your body healthy.

    Some types of vitamins rely on fat for absorption and storage. Vitamins A, D, E and K, called fat-soluble vitamins, cannot function without adequate daily fat intake. These vitamins are essential parts of your daily diet. Vitamin A keeps your eyes healthy and promotes good vision, vitamin D assists in keeping your bones strong by boosting calcium absorption, vitamin E protects cells by neutralizing free radicals and vitamin K is important for blood clotting. If you don't meet your daily fat intake or follow a low-fat diet, absorption of these vitamins may be limited resulting in impaired functioning.

    The human brain is nearly 60 percent fat. Fatty acids are very important for proper brain function.

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