Please help me

daisyfields79
daisyfields79 Posts: 69 Member
edited November 20 in Health and Weight Loss
Hello everyone, I'm new here but not new to dieting lol. I've tried losing weight for the last 17 years and once I lose 20-30 pounds I tend to fall off the diets. This time feels different, I'm not saying I'm on a diet, I'm changing my lifestyle. I ask myself, why do you want to eat right now? You just ate 20 minutes ago, you're not even hungry. I've pretty much cut out junk food and turning to ants on a log for a sweet kick and so far so good :) now I'm only going on day 5 doing this, down 7 pounds and over the moon. I was 300 pounds when I started. Anyways my problem is I'm constipated, I'm use to going 2-3 times a day. I know since I'm eating way less that of course I will not be going as much but I feel like I have to go all the time and fight and fight for 20 minutes just to do a pea sized rock. It's been going on for 2 days and I even had a muscle spasm in my abs right under my breast. (first time ever) I'm. Eating fiber and healthy which I'm not use to but fiber is suppose to help you go to the bathroom. Does anyone know of something that I can add to my diet to help me go? Something that's low calorie and stuff so I can stay in my limits on here. Please any advice I greatly appreciate. I've never had this problem in my life.
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Replies

  • daisyfields79
    daisyfields79 Posts: 69 Member
    Oh and sorry so long :)
  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,283 Member
    Dried fruit is high calorie, but it does help. Prunes are well-known for their help in this area, but other fruits will work too.

    Also check this: http://www.doctorshealthpress.com/general-health-articles/best-natural-laxatives/
  • rmgnow
    rmgnow Posts: 375 Member
    Yeah. Fiber is supposed to put you on that pot.
    Eat lots of lettuce, and greens. If you have the calories to spare, eat more fruit, and drink more water.

    Since you found that you have a little issue in this department, you might want to start logging your water, just to get your 8 glasses a day in.
  • High_Five_
    High_Five_ Posts: 14 Member
    Hello! Are you drinking enough water and eating enough fat? I find those things both help me. In the past, kombucha has also been super helpful :)
  • daisyfields79
    daisyfields79 Posts: 69 Member
    Thank you all for the reply.
    Yes I have increased my water intake and I have been under but not by much on my fats, except today, I was over on my days today. I honestly think I've been eating 5000-10,000 calories a day so coming down from that to 1500 a day, I am hoping to find something that's low sugar and not many calories to help.
  • High_Five_
    High_Five_ Posts: 14 Member
    Wow I imagine your body is going through such a change! No wonder you've shocked it a bit :) Congratulations and best of luck to you. I've also struggled with stopping the weight loss before I'm "done" and planning to do things differently this time.
  • ahoy_m8
    ahoy_m8 Posts: 3,053 Member
    It sounds like you have a great attitude, OP. Many suggest increasing fiber slowly. Ditto to the water & fat suggestion above. Eating more fiber really requires drinking more water. Rule of thumb is eating a MINIMUM of 0.35g fat per pound body weight. It's ok to be low on fat a day here or there, but it helps with so many things to get enough (satiety, hormone production, tastes yummy).

    I'll add magnesium if you track that or know you're low. Chelated is more readily absorbed. It kind of competes with calcium absorption. Have you been taking more calcium lately? Or TUMS or something with lots of calcium? The only time I had the problem you described is when I started taking calcium supplements. Never again! Good luck to you!
  • zjpq
    zjpq Posts: 198 Member
    Have you increased dairy much?
  • bruby28
    bruby28 Posts: 4,123 Member
    Try taking a fiber supplement you mix with water , they have sugar free ones ..and water water water ;) I think I'm drinking enough , and realize after putting it in and seeing the numbers I'm still low on water . I have to remind myself to drink constantly to stay hydrated . Also black coffee helps me
  • DebLaBounty
    DebLaBounty Posts: 1,169 Member
    Miralax. No calories.

  • CattOfTheGarage
    CattOfTheGarage Posts: 2,745 Member
    Make sure you drink plenty and try to get a lot of your fibre from fruit and veg, as that is the best for keeping regular. Remember you won't pass as much because you are eating less than you used to, and give it time. Your body may just need to adjust to your new eating patterns.
  • laurenalcia13
    laurenalcia13 Posts: 3 Member
    You can try adding Colace twice daily as needed for constipation if you're already drinking enough water, eating fiber and enough good fats.. You could try Senna as well. Both are over-the-counter.
  • MaddMaestro
    MaddMaestro Posts: 405 Member
    edited July 2017
    Vegetables and some grains. I would say oatmeal, but in all honesty, I'm not sure oatmeal is the best for fiber. Veggies and fruits are though.
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  • toxikon
    toxikon Posts: 2,383 Member
    Taking a magnesium citrate supplement is a safe and easy way to keep yourself regular. I take around 200mg a day. If I take 2 pills - or 400mg - I find that it's a bit too much and I get loose poops. 200mg is the sweet spot for me.

    And of course, stay well hydrated.

    Good luck with your weight loss! Sounds like you're off to a great start.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    MaddMaestro wrote: »
    Vegetables and some grains. I would say oatmeal, but in all honesty, I'm not sure oatmeal is the best for fiber. Veggies and fruits are though.

    Oatmeal is great for fiber (overall) it has BOTH kinds of fiber - soluble & insoluble
    http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/insoluble-soluble-fiber

    OP - you've gotten lots of advice but fiber, fluids, fat and activity. I take a road trip in the car and have issues the next day. Get some extra steps in if you can. If those don't work, try magnesium citrate.
  • Julesbait
    Julesbait Posts: 190 Member
    A couple of people have mentioned it already, but suddenly and dramatically increasing your fiber intake can constipate you. Back off of it for a day or two, then slowly start increasing it again. This same thing happened to me more than once, and tracking my intake on MFP was very helpful.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,944 Member
    toxikon wrote: »
    Taking a magnesium citrate supplement is a safe and easy way to keep yourself regular. I take around 200mg a day. If I take 2 pills - or 400mg - I find that it's a bit too much and I get loose poops. 200mg is the sweet spot for me.

    And of course, stay well hydrated.

    Good luck with your weight loss! Sounds like you're off to a great start.

    Magnesium citrate is still not different than other poop-helps: they mess with your gut and make you addicted to them. Or why do you take them daily and not just stop?
  • Panda8ach
    Panda8ach Posts: 518 Member
    I have no solution! I am suffering with the same problem :/ I was told chia and flax seeds help.... Well done on your fantastic start! :)<3
  • mitch16
    mitch16 Posts: 2,113 Member
    You've probably shocked your body a little bit with your new eating habits... As uncomfortable as it is, don't strain yourself trying to go--you can actually cause way worse problems doing that (hemorrhoids are only the beginning...)

    You said you drink coffee--that usually does the trick for me... Have you considered maybe adding a second cup to try to get things moving?

    Prunes and prune juice have sorbitol that causes a laxative effect in most people. Last year I had to take opioids after surgery and they caused the same kind of issues... I did a combination of prune juice (2 oz, slightly warmed in the microwave), individually-wrapped prunes (the Sunsweet ones--only 25 calories each), and Gerber prune baby food to get things moving again.

    Last resort for me was Senokot... but you don't want to become reliant on laxatives to help you go.
  • combsshan
    combsshan Posts: 47 Member
    If you like them, mangos, always help me out in that department. I have to be careful not to eat to many of them or I get the back door trots (as my grandma used to say)
  • CharleighKilo
    CharleighKilo Posts: 2 Member
    I use Fleet supositories. They work bad *kitten*!!! No pun intended.
  • gabriellejayde
    gabriellejayde Posts: 607 Member
    try an extra cup of coffee?
    and also - good luck and congrats on the 7lbs! you can do this. Just take one day at a time. :)
  • toran1
    toran1 Posts: 2 Member
    Flaxseed helps but has other great benefits too. One spoonful in your cereal, yogurt or protein drink every morning really sorts the pipes out :-) and takes pain from joints that you may get after training / exercise
  • Silentpadna
    Silentpadna Posts: 1,306 Member
    daisyfields79 wrote: »
    I want to lose 2 pounds a week so I get 1510 calories a day. I sit on my butt most of the time so it's a perfect amount for me.

    Something to think about too, if you're starting out, is that 2 pounds per week does not need to be your goal right out of the shute. Especially if you have a hard time sticking to it. You can start with a 500 calorie deficit and go up from there if that suits you better.

    Whatever you can stick to is rule number 1. All other rules relate back to #1.
  • noirelb
    noirelb Posts: 216 Member
    Although all the people's answers above should work....for me it's carrots. Just raw carrots. Have a whole ziplock of them and see if it works. It's often a hard thing to digest for some people so they may somewhat pass right through and help
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