Question about digestive health and weight loss WARNING:GROSS TOPIC

nkylerich
nkylerich Posts: 11 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been having problems losing weight. Oftentimes I end up gaining weight without eating much over the course of the day or my weight remains steady. At the same time I've been having serious issues with constipation usually not being able to have a BM over the course of a couple days.
Can constipation hamper weight loss or is that a myth?
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Replies

  • youngmomtaz
    youngmomtaz Posts: 1,075 Member
    I get some severe constipation. 7-8days between sometimes. Hypothyroid. When I do “go” I lose 1-2lbs in that minute. Hasn’t changed the way I gain or lose though. Just not happy in the tummy-comfort area when I go that long.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    It affects your weight that day, but doesn’t hamper fat loss. That’s one of the reasons weight fluctuates day to day.
  • nkylerich
    nkylerich Posts: 11 Member
    That's what I'm doing now, I just wanted to be sure. I don't have a lot of fiber in my diet so I'm trying to reintroduce that. I also gave the warning because anything involving BM to me is disgusting even if it IS natural. Whenever I have drinks with good fiber in them I lose a good amount of weight by the next day. It's strange but I wanted to be sure if there was a connection or not. Even though there isn't more fiber may be the proper way to go. (oof just made a bad pun sorry)
  • KosmosKitten
    KosmosKitten Posts: 10,476 Member
    I deal with this issue a lot due to IBS. It will be a week or more between movements, but no, it doesn't affect weight loss in the long run because as another poster mentioned, it's not fat (which is what you are trying to lose). Look for downward trends over the course of a month in your weight, not immediate loss from one day to the next. Otherwise, it might just drive you batty.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    edited December 2017
    I think I know why you're having trouble losing weight. Weight up and down is simple, it's controlled by laws of physics, nothing can "hamper" weight loss. How much you think you are eating overall, or really are eating on any given day or time of day, doesn't matter. Weight (fat) loss comes down to consistently, and for real, and for a long time, eating fewer calories than you burn. Everything your body contains, weighs something, including the contents of your intestines.

    What was gross about this?
  • nkylerich
    nkylerich Posts: 11 Member
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    What was gross about this?

    Anything involving poop I think is gross. Poop to me is disgusting though it's natural and it's not exactly something you'd discuss in public conversation. I explained that in one of my replies. Though granted my timing with it is bad too. In any case I'm kind of relieved. Trying to lose weight is hard, thankfully I know a devoted Weight Watchers member who HAS lost weight and kept it off. She even has tips on deals for healthy food and where to find it.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    nkylerich wrote: »
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    What was gross about this?

    Anything involving poop I think is gross. Poop to me is disgusting though it's natural and it's not exactly something you'd discuss in public conversation. I explained that in one of my replies. Though granted my timing with it is bad too. In any case I'm kind of relieved. Trying to lose weight is hard, thankfully I know a devoted Weight Watchers member who HAS lost weight and kept it off. She even has tips on deals for healthy food and where to find it.

    I've spoken more about bodily functions and poop in the few years I've been a member than i have in my entire life! I'm also one who doesn't like talking about it..

    As for the weight, the less i go the more the scale goes up, which is why i prefer to weigh myself after going to the loo, but this is not always possible as sometimes my body refuses to co-operate until later on in the day :angry:
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    thecharon wrote: »
    drinks with fiber in them?
    nkylerich wrote: »
    Whenever I have drinks with good fiber in them I lose a good amount of weight by the next day
    Make sure there are no laxatives in these high-fiber drinks since the body can become dependent on laxatives. Even prune juice only has 3 grams of fiber.

    My first thought was Metamucil??
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    edited December 2017
    as others have said it wont affect fat loss but will affect weight.

    if you're looking to fix the problem i wouldn't rely on fiber supplements. i would instead focus on high-volume high-fiber foods. in other words, i would significantly increase the fruits, veggies, lentils, peas, chickpeas, and eventually beans in your diet.

    try this for a couple weeks and if it's not significantly better you can add in some magnesium to your diet or a couple prunes.
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
    Not sure what a high fiber drink is, but I would suggest eating more vegetables. First, they fill you up and then, they empty you out.
  • Momepro
    Momepro Posts: 1,509 Member
    edited December 2017
    nkylerich wrote: »
    That's what I'm doing now, I just wanted to be sure. I don't have a lot of fiber in my diet so I'm trying to reintroduce that. I also gave the warning because anything involving BM to me is disgusting even if it IS natural. Whenever I have drinks with good fiber in them I lose a good amount of weight by the next day. It's strange but I wanted to be sure if there was a connection or not. Even though there isn't more fiber may be the proper way to go. (oof just made a bad pun sorry)

    Just be careful, sometimes fiber drinks and bars can have the opposite effect, and clog you up more. As I discovered the hard way (literally) :s
    Generally and it works better to introduce more fiber with actual fruit's and veggies than it is with premade supplements.
  • youngmomtaz
    youngmomtaz Posts: 1,075 Member
    Christine_72 wrote: »
    thecharon wrote: »
    drinks with fiber in them?
    nkylerich wrote: »
    Whenever I have drinks with good fiber in them I lose a good amount of weight by the next day
    Make sure there are no laxatives in these high-fiber drinks since the body can become dependent on laxatives. Even prune juice only has 3 grams of fiber.

    My first thought was Metamucil??

    I just assumed it was things like chia seeds or hemp or flax in a smoothie. One of those plus spinach in my protein smoothie daily is a must or I would be worse off than I already am.
  • duskyjewel
    duskyjewel Posts: 286 Member
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    Poop is harmless, it just smells bad

    Sure, that would be why there were repeated deadly typhoid and dysentery outbreaks before humans developed closed sewer and water treatment systems. :|
  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,731 Member
    Between the Peace Corps, becoming a long distance hiker, then becoming a runner, and finally owning a dog who gets walked twice a day, I have no problems discussing poop.

    When I was doing low carb diets I would often get seriously stopped up. I wasn't eating enough vegetables or any fruit or whole grains, so my body just wasn't getting the fiber it needed. I ended up buying chewable fiber pills which helped a lot.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    duskyjewel wrote: »
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    Poop is harmless, it just smells bad

    Sure, that would be why there were repeated deadly typhoid and dysentery outbreaks before humans developed closed sewer and water treatment systems. :|
    Well, you're not supposed to eat it :/
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
    moosmum1972 wrote: »
    GlorianasTears wrote: »
    Start doing enemas they sell the enema bags at Walmart for like 5 dollars if you clean your colon often you can literally lose like 15 pounds within a month worth of waste. I'd rather you have a clean colon than any other thing cause so many diseases are caused by constipation

    I'd rather have a working colon...and people without a medical degree stop telling people to do stupid dangerous things.

    Agree 100%. Enemas have their place but not in terms of weight loss. And overuse of them is harmful to your body.

    Sometime the random advice here does make me wonder.
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    Poop is harmless, it just smells bad :D (not mine; mine smells like violets :p )

    Mine smell like roses. At least that's what I tell my wife. She might disagree though.

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