Everybody poops. (And I'm new!)

cameralinds
cameralinds Posts: 239
edited September 29 in Introduce Yourself
Okay, I am new to mfp, well, my one week mark starts tomorrow. I've been a "dieter" since age 8 when my pediatrician recommended it for my "health" and have been going ever since... Finally realizing that I have to accept who I am internally BEFORE I can change myself externally. Now that I am working on the insides, I thought I'd be proactive and work on the outsides as well. I would love for some extra supporters, and I will do my best to support you as well.

As for pooping....everybody may poop, but I don't seem to be. As of this week, of eating more healthy, I've only pooped twice. I'm usually pooping once or twice a day. My food diaries are public, so if someone would take a look at them and tell me what I should do, which foods I might like to add, etc, I'd greatly appreciate it. Although I have lost some weight this week, I'd probably see a little more if I ...ahem, cleared out. I will not take a laxative or stool softener stimulate.

Best of luck everyone. :)
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Replies

  • BethanyMasters
    BethanyMasters Posts: 519 Member
    When i started eating healthier I started pooping WAY less.

    When I ate junk I literally had to go like 3 -5 times a day and they were usually like sudden emergencies. I would have to jump out of my chair and run to the bathroom.

    Now that I eat healthy it's usually once a day at the same time every day, sometimes twice a day if I've eaten a bit heavier.

    You can hold food in your large intestines for up to three days. Maybe your body is just still trying to adjust to the changes you have made.
  • JodiS75
    JodiS75 Posts: 284
    Does that include senna? My OB/Gyn recommended it for me because I'm not a good pooper ever! I like it, and it's natural :-)
  • tasoconnor
    tasoconnor Posts: 421 Member
    It may just be your body adjusting to the new foods.
  • jwaitman
    jwaitman Posts: 367 Member
    Looks like you need to eat more fiber. Try adding some additional fruits and veggies to your diet.
  • That_Girl
    That_Girl Posts: 1,324 Member
    Same thing happened to me. I'm ok now (185 days later LOL)
  • RaeannePemberton
    RaeannePemberton Posts: 382 Member
    one of my favorite topics! LOL.

    here are a few things i have learned along the way on this topic....

    1. the more water you drink, the better you will poo
    2. you MUST get enough fat in order to poo
    3. if u up your fiber, up your water...
    4. i have heard that it is ideal to poo once daily, and AMAZING if after each meal

    since starting shakeology and eating higher fiber, increasing water, and getting enough fat... i could pretty much set the clock by my bathroom habits. and i went from going barely a few times a week, to sometimes 3 times a day...

    sorry if TMI... :-) but you started it!!!
  • beverlyl64
    beverlyl64 Posts: 381
    I was going to suggest more fiber also, gala apples are an excellent source
  • aa1440
    aa1440 Posts: 956 Member
    Talk to your doctor.
  • UpEarly
    UpEarly Posts: 2,555 Member
    Gosh... I hate talking about poop, but I've had really good luck adding a psyllium husk fiber supplement (like Metamucil). I take it before bed every evening. I used to have the same issue as you, but since starting the psyllium I feel right as rain. :-)
  • putnam80
    putnam80 Posts: 69 Member
    fiber and water. i dont know why so many people balk at the idea of taking Metamucil. Doesnt taste bad, helps the heart out and keeps everything more regular and way less to clean up. plus, its another glass of water.....
  • Heather75
    Heather75 Posts: 3,386 Member
    Eeeeuuuuwwwwwww!
  • tromburg
    tromburg Posts: 1
    Metamucil!! I had similar issues. Give it three or so days the first go around. Then you can let off. If you need to get back on it it acts much quicker the next time. :D
  • DJParrish01
    DJParrish01 Posts: 38 Member
    Can I ask you your vital stats? Height? Weight? Starting weight? How much you've lost?? And yes, my doctor told me that an adult female needs 25 grams of fiber a day? So... maybe up your fiber?
  • putnam80
    putnam80 Posts: 69 Member
    Gosh... I hate talking about poop, but I've had really good luck adding a psyllium husk fiber supplement (like Metamucil). I take it before bed every evening. I used to have the same issue as you, but since starting the psyllium I feel right as rain. :-)

    Metamucil is king! I know Docs that also recommended it purely for heart health. the notion that its a laxative or softener is bogus.

    i also regularly eat a diet with good fruits and veggies, but i will never quit my Metamucil.

    not going regularly can lead to health problems later in life.
  • whisperingdragon
    whisperingdragon Posts: 334
    Very good question! I'm glad you brought this up.. :flowerforyou:
  • cpearce3
    cpearce3 Posts: 6
    My body reacts the same way. Part of it is eating less, part of it is your body needing to adjust to the change. I have noticed that because I eat a lot more vegetables, I experience more gas, but it has subsided over the last few days. If you don't want to use a stimulant you can try dried fruit, especially dried plums (prunes) if you like them. Five of them are only 100 calories or so and they just really seem to do the job! Also, there is a tea I use on occasion that generates a bowel movement within 24 hours - it's called diet tea or something of that nature. It has all natural senna and I have not noticed it being habit forming or anything. Also, drink lots of water! I have been told by doctors and pharmacists that even if you are taking fiber tablets, if you are not drinking enough water they will not help because your intestines need the fluid to work properly. Hope this helps!
  • sarahwilly
    sarahwilly Posts: 5 Member
    hi, I took a peek at your food diary....you don't seem to be eating lots of fruits and veggies. Maybe try increasing the amount of produce you eat and make sure you are drinking your water which it looks like you are:) FYI...bananas can be constipating and it looks like you are eating one daily....try to avoid dairy(milk and cheeses) , rice, bananas etc. Exercising also will help to get you regular. P.S. I find my am coffee really helps...haha!!
  • brknllama
    brknllama Posts: 113 Member
    are you serious everybody poops....thats a relief, i though i was the only weirdo that did lol


    sry couldn't resist lol :D
  • thenewkarisa
    thenewkarisa Posts: 207
    I would eat some melon... like cantaloupe or watermelon... and grapes
  • kimtpa1417
    kimtpa1417 Posts: 461 Member
    I too have and had this issue just last week and as gross as it is I drank a warm glass of prune juice and after my walk/run I was ready to go and been pretty regular since. Everyone said to eat more fiber but it messes up my stomach. I started adding more fruit into my diet and have been pretty regular since.....
  • ShellyMacchi
    ShellyMacchi Posts: 975 Member
    once i started eating healthier... i found that 8 glasses of water was not enough... now i find i need at least 12 glasses of water a day to keep things....umm.. 'moving' *L*
  • Artemis_Acorn
    Artemis_Acorn Posts: 836 Member
    I'm assuming you're getting plenty of water - if not, start with that. Adequate fiber is of course, essential as well.

    One of the things to bear in mind is that the bacteria in your gut calibrates itself to your diet, so a sudden change in diet is going to mess with the balance of things. Incorporate 'cultured' foods like yogurt into your diet if you haven't already. If that doesn't help, you might want to consider a good quality probiotic supplement. for awhile. Cheap ones don't always make it past the stomach acid, so if you do get some, check with a reputable health food store.

    Good luck.
  • sandyfeet10
    sandyfeet10 Posts: 280 Member
    Aside from fiber and water, some people get stopped up by bananas...maybe try not eating them for a couple days.
  • Goal4Good
    Goal4Good Posts: 115
    You definetely need more produce. If you don't like greens or beans, try fruit (other than bananas). Watermelon, grapes are good....fresh dark red cherries are awesome for moving things along. A cup of cherries and you will blow the doors off the bathroom. Oh, and more water!!
  • Goal4Good
    Goal4Good Posts: 115
    You might also want to try a daily probiotic pill. I use "Pearls". You can get them at Walmart in the vitamin aisle. They put the good kind of bacteria in your body (like yogurt does) and it helps greatly with digestion.
  • shawny9499
    shawny9499 Posts: 6 Member
    I didn't read through all of the responses, so someone maybe already mentioned this. But in addition to lots of water, fruits, veggies, magnesium works wonders. Heard it on Dr. Oz and tried it, works like a charm!:smile:
  • annacataldo
    annacataldo Posts: 872 Member
    I had this problem for the longest time when my diet started; and still occasionaly do but not as bad; i was eatting good; under fat; under calories etc, and was seeing results, but i still wasnt going.. everyone said, just increase your water and fiber and youll be good. well i was already eating my minimum fiber requirements and then some, and was alaready drinking 20cups of water a day. some people also suggested excercise, but that didnt seem to help me.

    for awhile i did this: i went to my coffee shop; ordered a 20oz quad latte sugar free fat free with a flavor of choice, and id always have to go when i drank one--if i drank a cup of coffee at home, it wasnt enough, so i had to go to coffee shop cuz the latte was 4shots and not just a standard cup of jo. But i wouldnt recommend on regular basis cuz coffee depletes your water and you need water to loose weight; its also 100calories or so due to the milk, and then the sugar free syrup isnt healthy for you.

    so... i notice that when i start taking my medicines--multi vitamins combines with a joint builder combined with my pain medicine on occasion, i was become constipated. i plan to talk with my doctor about this next week because i need to be taking my medicines, but cant have it make me blocked up. things like Tums and calcium supplements can back you up, so if u take alot of tums for heartburn or something, that could also be it.

    but, when im not taking my medicine, i still get backed up... how to fix it without coffee? Well, theres a couple options---1st, fresh fruit--in the beginning i wasnt getting any fruit cuz i couldnt afford it and thats why i was having problems. They say that fruits that start with the letter p are best; thats prunes, plums, pineapple, peaches, pomengranites, uhm.. etc... BUT, i havent noticed this to much and just stick with any fruit and it helps me. not just one; but having at least a couple a day until your cleared up and after that trying to always get at least one fruit in a day, if not more.
    option two, is, oil... you can take some mineral oil to avoid calories or whatever; but that seems gross to me, so maybe just having a day where you use oil in something your cooking, my favorite is popcorn oil on air popped popcorn; you might need to work it into calories a little since oil is 120calories a tbls, but its do-able, and cheap.

    also processed foods could block you up; try eating clean/natural for a couple days and that could help too.
  • Kathy_Noring
    Kathy_Noring Posts: 143 Member
    I drink a cup of Senna tea. My doctor said it was okay for me to do that on a regular basis. Some people have a "slow colon." I am one of them. :tongue:
  • RaeannePemberton
    RaeannePemberton Posts: 382 Member
    wow bananas have a bad rap!!! i eat one (or more) per day.... and i poop like a champ.

    i will add that exercise (cardio) REALLY helps. running has been a blessing in the poop dept. LOL
  • TDGee
    TDGee Posts: 2,209 Member
    I have a similar issue. Everything I eat seems to turn to poo. WTF?
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