Embarassing Digestive Question

AtlantaSara
AtlantaSara Posts: 91
edited September 18 in Food and Nutrition
OK- so I have a very balanced diet and am eating 5 plus fruits and veggies per day... 8 or more glasses of water and I have cut down on the amount of coffee I drink... here is what a "typical day" looks like for me:

4:30 am - banana and 3 dried apricots and iced coffee (black)
5:00 am- work out - drinking water throughout workout
Drink water throughout work day
8:00 am- an orange or apple or fiber cereal with yogurt
12:00 pm - soup and half a sandwich or a salad with grilled chicken
2:30 pm baby carrots- raw
6:00 pm - white bean chicken chili and a salad or whole wheat pasta with veggies and a glass or two of wine.
8:00 pm - 1/2 cup of yogurt or piece of fruit or raw baby carrots.

SOOOOooooo why in the heck am I constipated? :blushing:

Replies

  • AtlantaSara
    AtlantaSara Posts: 91
    OK- so I have a very balanced diet and am eating 5 plus fruits and veggies per day... 8 or more glasses of water and I have cut down on the amount of coffee I drink... here is what a "typical day" looks like for me:

    4:30 am - banana and 3 dried apricots and iced coffee (black)
    5:00 am- work out - drinking water throughout workout
    Drink water throughout work day
    8:00 am- an orange or apple or fiber cereal with yogurt
    12:00 pm - soup and half a sandwich or a salad with grilled chicken
    2:30 pm baby carrots- raw
    6:00 pm - white bean chicken chili and a salad or whole wheat pasta with veggies and a glass or two of wine.
    8:00 pm - 1/2 cup of yogurt or piece of fruit or raw baby carrots.

    SOOOOooooo why in the heck am I constipated? :blushing:
  • zenmama
    zenmama Posts: 1,000
    It may just be the "change" in your diet and the intake etc.....and remember coffee is a diuretic...:happy:

    dd
  • deanea
    deanea Posts: 1,437
    Less food less you have to go? I have no idea, because if I was eating the amount of fiber you are, oh my....:frown: ::laugh:
  • GinaB30
    GinaB30 Posts: 725 Member
    I'd say it is definately the change in diet!
  • lockedcj7
    lockedcj7 Posts: 257 Member
    Anytime I change my diet, it takes my system a day or two to catch up. If it continues or if you have to use laxatives or suppositories very often, you may want to consult an internist.

    Here is a funny (now) anecdote: there really is such thing as too much fiber. My cousin is a physical therapist and he was eating a popular bran cereal 1-2 times a day. He was hospitalized with severe abdominal pain and they finally figured out that he had an impacted bowel!
  • amandagreen1980
    amandagreen1980 Posts: 286 Member
    I am sooooo glad you asked that!!! I have the same problem but didn't know quite how to post it! :blushing:

    Sorry I can't help! Let me know if you cure it and I will do the same! :happy:
  • AndreaMMil
    AndreaMMil Posts: 165
    I hate to say this... It's the daily banana. Try switching it out with a different fruit or have half a banana every other day and see if that helps.
  • Nich0le
    Nich0le Posts: 2,906 Member
    It can take a few days or a week for your body to adjust to the new foods, and it could be your body trying to get rid of the old food..pre healthy eatting.

    Try some prune juice and make sure to stay hydrated!
  • diannholland1965
    diannholland1965 Posts: 782 Member
    Hmm, That is a good question. It SEEMS like you SHOULD be normal to me.
    Have you seen your doctor yet?
    --Diann...
  • pinksoccermom
    pinksoccermom Posts: 5
    OK- so I have a very balanced diet and am eating 5 plus fruits and veggies per day... 8 or more glasses of water and I have cut down on the amount of coffee I drink... here is what a "typical day" looks like for me:

    4:30 am - banana and 3 dried apricots and iced coffee (black)
    5:00 am- work out - drinking water throughout workout
    Drink water throughout work day
    8:00 am- an orange or apple or fiber cereal with yogurt
    12:00 pm - soup and half a sandwich or a salad with grilled chicken
    2:30 pm baby carrots- raw
    6:00 pm - white bean chicken chili and a salad or whole wheat pasta with veggies and a glass or two of wine.
    8:00 pm - 1/2 cup of yogurt or piece of fruit or raw baby carrots.

    SOOOOooooo why in the heck am I constipated? :blushing:
    I think you may have to incorporate more fiber in your diet. Instead of the banana, try an apple, instead of the carrots have a spinach salad or broccoli.
  • luvjames311
    luvjames311 Posts: 9
    Are you on any medications? Some medications consitipate.
  • shaynak
    shaynak Posts: 7
    Hey there - I'm a nurse and have heard numerous times from people how a change in diet consitpates them. Try adding prunes to a few meals a day for a couple of days (or prune juice) or if that doesn't work you can get over the counter meds at your local drug store. Look for stool softners such as colace or a liquid laxative like magnolax or lactulose. One that I use on my patients often is one of the liquids (30mls) in prune juice and heat it in the microwave for 10 seconds - we call it the crappacino and it seems to work within a few hours! good luck!
  • neverbeenskinny
    neverbeenskinny Posts: 446 Member
    Are you drinking enough water besides during your workout? Remember, you must drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. If you are sweating a lot during your workouts, then you will have to drink more to replace the fluids that you are losing when sweating.
  • csydow
    csydow Posts: 10
    :wink:
    Are you taking any vitamins or nutritional supplements? If so, it check the amount of iron in them. Iron is notorious for causing constipation. I learned this when I was pregnant and taking prenatal vitamins which contain alot of iron. Good Luck!
    -Christy
  • icandoit
    icandoit Posts: 4,163 Member
    Never be embarrassed to ask. You can ask anything you want.
    Try adding fiber one to you water.
  • lotusfromthemud
    lotusfromthemud Posts: 5,335 Member
    More fibre needs more water. I was having the same issue, so I asked my naturopath, and that's the suggestion she gave me.

    It has helped. I now have an extra few glasses of water a day, to help my fiber move through me. Sorry, maybe TMI?

    Also, I was a "gulper" of my water, and have had to convert to "sipping", which apparently allows your body to use the water rather than just rush it through the bladder.

    These have both helped me. I can now set my watch by my trips to the washroom.:wink:

    :flowerforyou:
  • AtlantaSara
    AtlantaSara Posts: 91
    Are you drinking enough water besides during your workout? Remember, you must drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. If you are sweating a lot during your workouts, then you will have to drink more to replace the fluids that you are losing when sweating.

    Yes, I am drinking water all day long (as noted) I probably drink 8 16 oz glasses of water per day - sometimes more.

    Aside from birth control pills, I am not on any meds or supplements.

    My diet has had modifications but generally speaking, I have always eaten pretty healthy in terms of veggies and fruits and lean meats. What killed me previously is my love of dining out - and now, I cook at home more so I have much more control over portion size and quality of ingredients. Also, in my "weight crept on over the past two years" past, I never ate breakfast, rarely ate lunch so needless to say, I ate and grazed all evening long and probably enjoyed a few too many beers! :tongue:

    Eating mini-meals has definately helped me manage stress, fatique, etc. I'll give it a few more days and then try the prune juice route. :drinker:
  • littlespoon
    littlespoon Posts: 165
    This is PURELY a suggestion, and a completely raw thought, but I just read what you wrote about enjoying the beers and I was thinking that if I drink too much beer (on the odd occasion that I drink it), it gives me slight diahorrea, (i apologise if you're a visual person) so if you've just cut it out, your body might need to readjust to not having it there to help your body??

    Might not even be worth the second thought, but you never know.....:laugh:
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,416 Member
    Are you drinking enough water besides during your workout? Remember, you must drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. If you are sweating a lot during your workouts, then you will have to drink more to replace the fluids that you are losing when sweating.

    Yes, I am drinking water all day long (as noted) I probably drink 8 16 oz glasses of water per day - sometimes more.

    My other weight loss pals off the website say it happens every time they switch their diet and takes up to a week to even out. I have found that to be true myself. The other thing, I think that you are drinking too much water. 8 16oz glasses including all the other liquids you are consuming, may be too much water. That's about double the recommended amount, unless you are working out several hours a day. Your body doesn't want to "wash away all the nutrients" - there was a recent post about "drinking too much water" maybe you can find it.
  • Anna_Banana
    Anna_Banana Posts: 2,939 Member
    I have had the same problem. Here is what I do to help remedy it. I got some tea that has ingredients in it to make you go. You drink it before bed and it works the next day. I know you can get so at GNC, our local grocery store and health food store also carry some. The kind I have is called Smooth Move:laugh:
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,416 Member
    I have had the same problem. Here is what I do to help remedy it. I got some tea that has ingredients in it to make you go. You drink it before bed and it works the next day. I know you can get so at GNC, our local grocery store and health food store also carry some. The kind I have is called Smooth Move:laugh:

    Smooth Move has Senna in it - not as safe as Metamucil, so only use as directed. It can also affect effectiveness of some prescription drugs. Use cautiously.

    I'm not a health-care pro, just an obsessive label-reader.

    Cheryl
  • lizard9800
    lizard9800 Posts: 474 Member
    I don't know how true it is, but I used to live in Africa where most people are quite the opposite of constipated due to dirty water. We were told that bananas and rice were good things for "solidifying". Maybe try fruit other than a banana first thing in the morning. Just a thought..
  • carajo
    carajo Posts: 532 Member
    My diet us similiar to use for the most part....but I always eat a bowl of Fiber One for breakfast 1/2 cup has 15 grams of fiber!! Add some fresh fruit for even more fiber...hope that helps
  • kimber607
    kimber607 Posts: 7,128 Member
    Hi

    I'm having the SAME problem...I can't believe now that I am eating healthier, I'm constipated
    I upped my water, but NOTHING
    I really hate to take a laxative...let me know if u find something that works

    Kim
  • pokerstar
    pokerstar Posts: 17
    Definitely take "something" to help get things moving along.

    Straining is REALLY bad for your back and neck.
  • julieofthewolves
    julieofthewolves Posts: 339 Member
    I would definitely go without the banana for a while. They are a killer on my system - I have had to convince myself I don't like them just to keep them away from me:cry: .

    Other than that, just try to stay consistent on your fiber intake. Oranges have essentially no (or very little) fiber and if you are having oranges on the same day you have a lot of yogurt you are throwing your system for a loop compared to the days that you have apples/pears and fiber cereal.

    Good Luck!
  • carolt
    carolt Posts: 2
    Regarding the water you drink. I just read today that too much water can actually damage the kidneys. It makes them work too hard.
  • shiloh25
    shiloh25 Posts: 30
    well since you cut your coffee intake I would assume that would be the culprit. Your body probably became immune to taking in so much that as soon as you cut it out that is probably when you started bbecoming constipated. Coffee is a diaretic, my advice would be to try some extra fiber like bran or xtra fiber enriched veggies until your body gets used to disposing naturally without the caffeine diaretic lol.
  • dulceluva
    dulceluva Posts: 728 Member
    Eat more fibre and drink more water than fibre...the water will push out whatever the fibre is taking with it.

    I think its your body adjusting. Perhaps your body is used to all of your fibre intake and now its time to up it :tongue:
  • chrispchef1
    chrispchef1 Posts: 67
    .... One that I use on my patients often is one of the liquids (30mls) in prune juice and heat it in the microwave for 10 seconds - we call it the crappacino and it seems to work within a few hours! good luck!

    :laugh: that is great! and even just plain warmed-up prune juice works too.... it's been my 'nightcap' for the past few nights.... but what is UP with this?!? i just want it to stop already!
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