A peek inside the bathroom....

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mczwright
mczwright Posts: 62
in Food and Nutrition
Okay, this subject is a little embarassing to be talking about with the strangers but I need advice!

I'm cutting down my calories and exercising and my weight hasn't been budging. But, I've noticed that I only go to the bathroom (#2) maybe 2-3 times a week. Is this maybe what's been keeping my weight steady? I've been taking Benefiber the past two days but it says I need to take it 3 times a day. What are some other ways to get fiber? Are there any foods rich in fiber?

Any advice would be great!

Thank you!

Replies

  • AnninStPaul
    AnninStPaul Posts: 1,372 Member
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    veggies. and make sure any cereals or breads you eat have a reasonable amount of fiber per serving.
  • kissy28wv
    kissy28wv Posts: 74
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    Just give your body time to adjust to the changes. If your looking for natural fiber try prunes, sweet ones and sun sweet are very good and good for you. Make sure your getting enough water also. And remember your putting less in which means less out.
  • dianacannon89
    dianacannon89 Posts: 235 Member
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    Before I started MFP I was on an all RAW diet only fruits and veges... if that couldnt make me regular nothing could right? Well it didnt! I started taking probiotcs and NOW I am finally regular! They have helped a lot.. And did you know that our happy hormone comes from our gut? I didnt until my midwife told me so if your not going regulalry you might want to do a little google research and look into pro biotics! Also there has been some thought that they are better if shipped with an ice pack and kept cold in the fridge to keep the good bacteria happy and alive and thriving... So I made sure to get one that was listed ships with ice pack kept in ac controled storage etc..
  • mczwright
    mczwright Posts: 62
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    Thank you everyone! I'm adding more greens in my diet. I didn't know about prunes, krissy. Thank you. I try to drink 4 bottles of water a day, at least. Sometimes I don't quite get enough though. And, Diana, I will definitely try the probiotics. Thank you for the info!!
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
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    Before I started MFP I was on an all RAW diet only fruits and veges... if that couldnt make me regular nothing could right? Well it didnt! I started taking probiotcs and NOW I am finally regular! They have helped a lot.. And did you know that our happy hormone comes from our gut? I didnt until my midwife told me so if your not going regulalry you might want to do a little google research and look into pro biotics! Also there has been some thought that they are better if shipped with an ice pack and kept cold in the fridge to keep the good bacteria happy and alive and thriving... So I made sure to get one that was listed ships with ice pack kept in ac controled storage etc..

    That is interesting! Last month I went thru a very a few weeks where that part of my body was all messed up. I would awake at 4 am in pain, then couldn't really 'go'. I was depressed for these couple of weeks. I didn't put the 2 together at all!! (neither did 3 doctors:grumble: )

    What I did was try 3 or 4 products that put me in MORE pain and caused a great deal of unnecc worry (anyone want a box of fiber cookies, bottle of pills, or bag of prunes?:laugh: )

    What worked for me is Activia!! It has the probiotics of which you speak. My DIL takes the pills, but is starting the yogurt. I also started taking a supp of Calcium + magnesium (there are 3 kinds, ask the health food store girl which one helps you go!)

    The first day I took the suggested 3 pills and was *ehem* cleared out the next morning. Not a good idea when you have to drive 40 min to work! :laugh:

    I am down to 1 a night, and 2 if things are slow.

    A change in diet will mess up the flow of things for month or so. Check out things that help you feel better.

    I really appreciate the subject, and will be careful in the future. If not for my experimentation I would be on prozac or elivil right now!!:tongue:
  • FlynnMacCallister
    FlynnMacCallister Posts: 172 Member
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    Okay, this subject is a little embarassing to be talking about with the strangers but I need advice!

    I'm cutting down my calories and exercising and my weight hasn't been budging. But, I've noticed that I only go to the bathroom (#2) maybe 2-3 times a week. Is this maybe what's been keeping my weight steady? I've been taking Benefiber the past two days but it says I need to take it 3 times a day. What are some other ways to get fiber? Are there any foods rich in fiber?

    Any advice would be great!

    Thank you!

    I've been taking benefiber for a year or so now... 2-4 tsp of the powder a day is -plenty-, and for me, that means 1 tsp in my coffee and 2 tsp in my water bottle for the day -- making that 500 mL or so of water more "important" has the double bowel benefit of fibre and adequate hydration, which is another thing you have to consider.

    Edit: Oh! You're using the pills! I actually find the powder way more convenient.
  • mczwright
    mczwright Posts: 62
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    Okay, this subject is a little embarassing to be talking about with the strangers but I need advice!

    I'm cutting down my calories and exercising and my weight hasn't been budging. But, I've noticed that I only go to the bathroom (#2) maybe 2-3 times a week. Is this maybe what's been keeping my weight steady? I've been taking Benefiber the past two days but it says I need to take it 3 times a day. What are some other ways to get fiber? Are there any foods rich in fiber?

    Any advice would be great!

    Thank you!

    I've been taking benefiber for a year or so now... 2-4 tsp of the powder a day is -plenty-, and for me, that means 1 tsp in my coffee and 2 tsp in my water bottle for the day -- making that 500 mL or so of water more "important" has the double bowel benefit of fibre and adequate hydration, which is another thing you have to consider.

    Edit: Oh! You're using the pills! I actually find the powder way more convenient.

    No, no! I'm using the powder! It says 2 tsp 3 times a day. I have a bad enough memory...it's hard to remember to take it that often.

    Maybe I'll have to up my water intake even more. I've never had a decent digestive system probably because I would never stay hydrated enough.

    I have noticed I get down and cranky when I can't go. :(
  • Ceffy
    Ceffy Posts: 235
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    As someone who's had problems with this my whole adult life (IBS-D) can I suggest that you please only try one thing at once?

    The issue being that if you try the pills / supplements / probiotics etc all at once you'll get one of two reactions,
    1. Something will work and you won't know which so you'll need to do trial and error ; nothing more frustrating than getting sorted then having to start messing with which solution worked!
    2. Nothing will work (possibly as they counteract each other) and you give up on them all when one may have worked.

    Just trying to pass on my lessons learnt, I'm now free of meds and supplements for two years and have found a managed healthy diet is the best thing. Also take care of mixing Magnesium and Calcium as they contradict each other so could really mess you up! the Magnesium helps you go, the calcium helps stop if you need that so if you have a problem with generally regulating a combi pill could help but if you're just in a phase of needing assistance you'd be better sticking to one than a combi.

    Hope this helps someone :) x

    EDIT: Also water is way important! I do minimum 2 litres a day and I thinking that's the main thing that helps make it easier to go, also stops tummy ache as it works its way through :)
  • mczwright
    mczwright Posts: 62
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    As someone who's had problems with this my whole adult life (IBS-D) can I suggest that you please only try one thing at once?

    The issue being that if you try the pills / supplements / probiotics etc all at once you'll get one of two reactions,
    1. Something will work and you won't know which so you'll need to do trial and error ; nothing more frustrating than getting sorted then having to start messing with which solution worked!
    2. Nothing will work (possibly as they counteract each other) and you give up on them all when one may have worked.

    Just trying to pass on my lessons learnt, I'm now free of meds and supplements for two years and have found a managed healthy diet is the best thing. Also take care of mixing Magnesium and Calcium as they contradict each other so could really mess you up! the Magnesium helps you go, the calcium helps stop if you need that so if you have a problem with generally regulating a combi pill could help but if you're just in a phase of needing assistance you'd be better sticking to one than a combi.

    Hope this helps someone :) x

    EDIT: Also water is way important! I do minimum 2 litres a day and I thinking that's the main thing that helps make it easier to go, also stops tummy ache as it works its way through :)

    Thank you so much! That's really great advice!! Without your help, I probably would have tried everything at once and ended up in the bathroom all day long not knowing which thing caused it! You have a really good point. :) Just looking for some relief.
  • jilltaylor86
    jilltaylor86 Posts: 87 Member
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    Try a couple of teaspoons of apple cider vinegar in some water, this works extremely well. Or some aloe vera juice, about two ounces drank like a shot. These things worked super well for me when fiber rich foods, probiotics and laxatives didn't.
  • FlynnMacCallister
    FlynnMacCallister Posts: 172 Member
    Options
    Okay, this subject is a little embarassing to be talking about with the strangers but I need advice!

    I'm cutting down my calories and exercising and my weight hasn't been budging. But, I've noticed that I only go to the bathroom (#2) maybe 2-3 times a week. Is this maybe what's been keeping my weight steady? I've been taking Benefiber the past two days but it says I need to take it 3 times a day. What are some other ways to get fiber? Are there any foods rich in fiber?

    Any advice would be great!

    Thank you!

    I've been taking benefiber for a year or so now... 2-4 tsp of the powder a day is -plenty-, and for me, that means 1 tsp in my coffee and 2 tsp in my water bottle for the day -- making that 500 mL or so of water more "important" has the double bowel benefit of fibre and adequate hydration, which is another thing you have to consider.

    Edit: Oh! You're using the pills! I actually find the powder way more convenient.

    No, no! I'm using the powder! It says 2 tsp 3 times a day. I have a bad enough memory...it's hard to remember to take it that often.

    Maybe I'll have to up my water intake even more. I've never had a decent digestive system probably because I would never stay hydrated enough.

    I have noticed I get down and cranky when I can't go. :(

    Ugh, I know what you mean; I have IBS and oscillate between the extremes, and I can get so crabby when I'm like that. >.<

    Yeah, it's not exactly a medication, so when you have it isn't a biggie, and you mightn't need as much as the maximum reccommended. How much water do you drink? I like to go for 1L a day. If you're getting desperate, you can always try a single dose of Movicol or something (it's a mild laxative), but you *really* shouldn't make a habit of it.
  • kteej
    kteej Posts: 46 Member
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    I started spinach smoothies - with blackberries (the key), whey protein powder, almond milk, stevia, chia - really good - you don't taste the spinach at all. OMG - NO problem in the bathroom at all!!!

    I think natural fiber is much better than the Benefiber - I took that for a long time - did not work as well as blackberries & spinach.
  • mczwright
    mczwright Posts: 62
    Options
    Okay, this subject is a little embarassing to be talking about with the strangers but I need advice!

    I'm cutting down my calories and exercising and my weight hasn't been budging. But, I've noticed that I only go to the bathroom (#2) maybe 2-3 times a week. Is this maybe what's been keeping my weight steady? I've been taking Benefiber the past two days but it says I need to take it 3 times a day. What are some other ways to get fiber? Are there any foods rich in fiber?

    Any advice would be great!

    Thank you!

    I've been taking benefiber for a year or so now... 2-4 tsp of the powder a day is -plenty-, and for me, that means 1 tsp in my coffee and 2 tsp in my water bottle for the day -- making that 500 mL or so of water more "important" has the double bowel benefit of fibre and adequate hydration, which is another thing you have to consider.

    Edit: Oh! You're using the pills! I actually find the powder way more convenient.

    No, no! I'm using the powder! It says 2 tsp 3 times a day. I have a bad enough memory...it's hard to remember to take it that often.

    Maybe I'll have to up my water intake even more. I've never had a decent digestive system probably because I would never stay hydrated enough.

    I have noticed I get down and cranky when I can't go. :(

    Ugh, I know what you mean; I have IBS and oscillate between the extremes, and I can get so crabby when I'm like that. >.<

    Yeah, it's not exactly a medication, so when you have it isn't a biggie, and you mightn't need as much as the maximum reccommended. How much water do you drink? I like to go for 1L a day. If you're getting desperate, you can always try a single dose of Movicol or something (it's a mild laxative), but you *really* shouldn't make a habit of it.

    Well, I've been trying to get my 64 ounces in. Kinda tough though since I naturally don't drink a lot.
  • beckys19
    beckys19 Posts: 119 Member
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    It would probably help if you kept up with your diary, to ensure your're getting good macros. Probiotic yogurt, or just regular intake of any yogurt, should help. Make sure you're getting enough fiber with fruits, veggies, and whole grains. Everyone has their own preference for macro tracking, but IMHO I would recommend focusing on cals, total fat, sat fat, carbs, fiber, and protein. If you start eating less prepared foods, sodium and sugars should fall within an acceptable range. Sugars, lots of ppl on the boards complain about fruit driving their sugars higher than 'recommended', but as long as you're not getting sugars from processed foods you should be fine.

    Vitamin C is also easy to get by eating less already prepared foods. Plenty of fruits/veggies get you enough C. I'm usually at 200% or more, today I'm not eating my normal compliment of veggies, but between an orange, an apple, and strawberries I'm already there. You can always track sodium, C, and other stuff by going to the 'reports' tab, select 'nutrition', and choose the macros you are interisted in checking.

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