# Bowel movements



## macscac (Jun 29, 2011)

This is actually a serious question

A little backdrop.... I took my resolution this year seriously and started a significant diet
I started at 268lbs. My highest weight was 278. I am 6'2"
I started with just flat eating correct portions and good food
When the weather turned, I've started riding. I currently ride 24-29 mile rides 3 times a week
That's all I can do with our family schedule. 
Anyhow, I'm currently hovering in the 205-206lbs range
Problem I'm having is that I don't ever BM anymore
I used to BM twice a day. But I know I was eating crap food so it was making me go alot
But now....I'm lucky to BM every three days. Is that normal?

My typical intake is. 2 eggs for breakfast. Mostly hardboiled
I like to drink a small odwalla superfood (from Costco). Some pretzels. A tangerine or peach and a banana. Typically a chicken breast for lunch. And then dinner varies. Meat, vegetables,perhaps a small pasta. Whatever the family is eating

I don't like my infrequent BMs. I want to go at least every other day
What can I eat that will help this but not add wasted carbs or calories?
My goal weight is 198 and I'm close and don't want to sacrifice that

Thanks


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## robdamanii (Feb 13, 2006)

You can track your diet through a number of programs. I believe Trainingpeaks has a program, and there are other sites like fitday.com. You may want to see what your fiber intake is and if you're well balanced in all your daily requirements. Honestly, it sounds like you're a bit heavy on proteins and low on veggies, whole grains, etc, but that's impossible to know without a pretty regular diet diary.


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## pretender (Sep 18, 2007)

Seems like not much fiber in the diet. Eat more fruits & vegetables? Metamucil?


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## macscac (Jun 29, 2011)

Would a serving of broccoli or cauliflower a day make a large difference?


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## robdamanii (Feb 13, 2006)

Broccoli would be good, as would anything like salad greens, asparagus, etc.


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## pretender (Sep 18, 2007)

There is one way to find out.


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## kookieCANADA (Jan 20, 2011)

From what you describing, doesn't look like you're eating enough fiber.

Maybe try some high fiber cereal (throw in some fruit cause it taste blah) and more fruits/vegetables on the plate. Drink plenty of water through out the day.

Broccoli is really good, if you can try to eat it raw or steam it.


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## macscac (Jun 29, 2011)

I love brocoli friedcin soy sauce!!

I just assumed I was getting enough fiber through the superfood odwallas


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## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

Eat more fiber. Most high fiber foods are really good for you, too. Problem solved.


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## mimason (Oct 7, 2006)

Do you find it appropriate to have fiber discussions with complete strangers? 

Metamucil at night after meal = morning newspaper session. Guaranteed success.


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## Wood Devil (Apr 30, 2011)

pretender said:


> There is one way to find out.


Yes there is.


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## robdamanii (Feb 13, 2006)

mimason said:


> Do you find it appropriate to have fiber discussions with complete strangers?
> 
> Metamucil at night after meal = morning newspaper session. Guaranteed success.


Or a couple servings of prunes. That should do it too.

Worst comes to worst, grind up some oily coffee beans and french press 'em, that should help lube things up nicely.


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## j.carney.tx (Jun 15, 2011)

I start every day with a double espresso. It usually gets things moving within an hour or so. Not always, but usually. If not today, then tomorrow.


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## twinkles (Apr 23, 2007)

My wife swears by Raisin Bran. Boy and she challlenges the toilet on a daily basis. Going out for a 2 mile run on the days that you don't ride will also improve your paristalsis.


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## rbart4506 (Aug 4, 2004)

Have you changed your BM routine??

When I was bigger I decided it was time to loose wait, my wife commented that I should start walking before work in the morning. I had a habit of getting up earlier then necessary, having breakfast and watching the news on TV....And having my morning BM....

I started walking and then having breakfast at work (bagel w/ PB&J and a coffee)...BM's went to hell...

This went on for a while before I clued in....I'm a guy, so we can be dense sometimes 

I went back to getting up earlier then necessary, having breakfast at home and the BM's returned to normal...

Plus, do up the fibre content and make sure you are getting enough water...

Another issue you may be having is that you are eating less food, so there's less to come out and your body isn't use to the new healthier foods...


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## Brandon351 (Oct 28, 2010)

1.) Drink more water
2.) Eat more fruit, vegetables, and nuts/seeds
3.) Eat more raw food (Eg: Uncooked fruits and veggies, sushi, unpasteurized drinks).
4.) Eat lots of raw dairy products.

Water is required to get things going, the fruit and veggies will give you stuff to move, raw food digests better/faster as our bodies are made to digest natural things in their natural form, and the bacteria in the raw dairy will help with digestion.


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## jarbiker (Sep 29, 2009)

Having read the replies to this question I think most of the answers relating to fiber are good advice but I would like to make one suggestion - have you thought maybe you should ask your Doctor? Could be a medical reason for your changes and your Doctor obviously would be the most qualified to determine that. Good luck.


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## eboos (Mar 22, 2011)

robdamanii said:


> Worst comes to worst, grind up some oily coffee beans and french press 'em, that should help lube things up nicely.


Works like a charm. Great coffee and great poop; what more could you ask for?


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## pigpen (Sep 28, 2005)

BTW congrats on your weight loss.


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## Creakyknees (Sep 21, 2003)

lots more veggies as suggested, wake up, drink a very large glass of water, chase it with strong coffee, you'll be clearing the pipes in no time


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## robdamanii (Feb 13, 2006)

And, if absolute worst comes to worst....

Grab a soup spoon and dig.









Kidding. 

Any changes after a few days of more fiber?


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## uncrx2003 (Jul 17, 2010)

One scoop of Benefiber + one scoop of Miralax (generic) daily = success


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## DesnaePhoto (Jun 11, 2009)

I try to have a salad with lunch and another with dinner. I've also gotten to really enjoy veggies, so I may overeat some of those. Either way, when I don't eat that much fiber, my BMs essentially stop. You need those movements to get stuff out of the body.


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## Milk-Bone (Jul 10, 2011)

Definitely a severe lack of fiber. I eat lots of fruits and vegetables and have no problem in that department. Eating veggies like brussel sprouts, cabbage, or kale will get you flowing. Beans do wonders as well. Had some bean soup for lunch the other day with a side of brussel sprouts and I was crop dusting (spewing noxious gas) by around 3:00 PM. Around 5:00 I was porcelain locked and dry docked, which prevented me from doing my evening ride. 

Also, you might want to try barley in soups or a substitute for rice as it is extremely high in fiber, about the same as prunes. Tastes good too. Stick with good eating and stay away from the over the counter fiber remedies.


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## heathb (Nov 1, 2008)

I get close 90 grams of fiber a day and have two huge double flush bowel movements, have to call the plumber out to rotor root my sewer line every 4 months. I think the turds average about 12 to 16 inches. Gotta use the plunger every day.

Oatgroats, Buckwheat, Millet, Quinoa, Brown Rice, Black beans, Red beans, Lentils, Collard greens, Kale and lots of veggies, 5 serviings of fruit(not fruit juice). 

Then a little fat to grease the tracks, walnuts, almonds, flaxseed oil, olive oil. 

Throw in a pound of salmon to really get the lower GI greased up. 

Drink a strong loose leaf black tea or a few cups of coffee and you'll have the best BMs of your life.


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## Eldnur (May 28, 2010)

Kellogs All Bran Buds. A bowl every morning, a large bowl. Problem solved.


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## cdalemike (Dec 27, 2010)

I consume 1 cup of Multi Grain Hot Cereal with milled flax and soy every morning along with 1 cup of coffee. The cereal is cheap and found in the health food area of the grocery store. Keeps things moving along :')

I agree with the others, sounds like your fiber is lacking.


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## OneL (Jul 20, 2009)

Ground flax is an excellent source of fiber and doesn't taste that bad


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## radiocraig (Jan 26, 2011)

I had a similar problem and switched to oatmeal for breakfast, now, its all good!


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## PJay (May 28, 2004)

*salsa.*

salsa.

tomato, onion, peppers, spice, and water.

goes great on most everything.


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## heathb (Nov 1, 2008)

PJay said:


> salsa.
> 
> tomato, onion, peppers, spice, and water.
> 
> goes great on most everything.


Not for me. I used to love salsa, but for someone reason as I got older I can't tolerate spicy foods anymore. I even had to throw out the black pepper as it felt like it was burning a hole in my gut as well.


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## spookyload (Jan 30, 2004)

robdamanii said:


> And, if absolute worst comes to worst....
> 
> Grab a soup spoon and dig.
> 
> ...


Or this.


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## NUTT (Apr 15, 2008)

Increase the fiber in your diet and try coffee. 

I rarely make it through my first cup in the morning without taking a break.


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## esldude (Jan 3, 2009)

Similar story. Lost 120 lbs over 30 months. Halfway through I too found only a couple good BM's per week. Eating better, and eating less to accomplish this. But was lacking in some fiber. Like others have said get some more fiber. And drink plenty of fluids. 

For simple snacks, granola bars are pretty good. Kashi brand doesn't have added sugar or sucrose just natural carbs. Pretty good protein content too with plenty of fiber. Flavored oatmeal, lettuce all that sort of stuff will help. 

I still don't have BM's like I used to, but usually have pretty good ones every other day. I did ask a doctor and he said every couple of days is fine even when it is three days sometimes is fine he said. 

I also think having been so large at one time, over 300 lbs in my case, your digestive system must be larger than normal. Sometimes don't have a BM one day, then have a very large one. Makes sense with a larger volume digestive system once you go back to normal amounts of food your gut can hold more before it has to move some out.


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## soulfly_nyc (Feb 16, 2007)

Make sure you drink tons of water, replace your salts, and add more fiber with food like this:

Rolled Oats
Apples
Oranges
Citracel (i prefer over metamucil)

Are you gluten-intolerant? I had similar issues and found that cutting out gluten really sped things along my digestive tract.

Good luck!


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## Ken1966 (Jul 30, 2011)

I would recommend bean chili 3 times a week. It just tastes so good! You would think that the active lifestyle you have chosen would help but it has not. I agree with the others that you need some more fiber but I would bet that you are not getting enough liquids as well.
Oh and put a healthy dose of hot sauce on that chili. If it does not burn you need more!


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## osteomark (Jun 15, 2011)

I've lost 23 # (203 now180#) and noticed the same thing. Daily BM to every other or every 3 days. I think with running and cycling alternating days had made me utilized everything I'm taking in. Last winter was long in NY and I was indiscriminately eating what ever was around, cookies, cakes, candies, pie, donuts. So obviously tons of carbs which have water so lots of BM's. Needless to say tons of heartburn also. Since almost totally eliminating the bad carbs and eating fruits and vegatables, the heartburn is gone as well.


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## waldo425 (Sep 22, 2008)

2 cups coffee + 1 tablet fiber = BM


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## Dajianshan (Jul 15, 2007)

A breakfast of Cherry tomatoes, broccoli, coffee and pancakes. POW!!! I mean... if you're really jonsing for a poo explosion.


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## 41ants (Jul 24, 2007)

16oz of Brussel Sprouts and super dieters tea (senna).


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## MikeG (Jan 28, 2004)

Dehydration can cause constipation. First thing in the morning after I wake up I drink 24 oz of water. Gets things moving.

Or you could try this ... 30 Bananas a Day!


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## DoggerDan (Aug 21, 2011)

Take the kids to see a movie and steal their popcorn. Most people don't realize how incredibly loaded popcorn is with fiber.


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## Steelyman (Aug 11, 2011)

As many have posted, the problem could be fiber and also hydration. Without your body being hydrated it's hard to flush or move waste from the body. Check your daily water intake and balance that against how many diuretic drinks you are drinking (coffee, tea, soda,etc.) that actually cause a loss of fluids. As far fiber goes, an ideal number, from just finishing a nutrition class, would be up around 30 or 40 grams per day, which is hard to accomplish. I start the day with 20 oz. of water, two oatmeal packs with 2 tablespoons of organic flax, (high in Omegas and fiber and bought cheaply in a large bag at Costco and kept in the fridge), and a banana. I never have a problem. Also, you want mix up your fiber between soluble and insoluble sources of fiber that aid digestion and absorption while also providing mass for the GI tract to compress and move waste out. With increased fiber comes increased need for hydration because soluble fibers absorb water. With more fiber you may need to increase your fluid intake. May you once again find yourself king of the porcelain throne!


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## Yoyodene (Feb 23, 2005)

Best. Thread. Ever.


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## silkroad (Jul 8, 2011)

lol, agree.



Chipotle usually "does" it for me.


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## glorth2 (Oct 7, 2009)

Some coffee and don't stress so much. You're fine.


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## Chocolatebike (Feb 28, 2011)

I notice that the OP hasn't been back..
Do you think he's followed the advice given here and he now can't get near his computer ?


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## thatsmybush (Mar 12, 2002)

Chocolatebike said:


> I notice that the OP hasn't been back..
> Do you think he's followed the advice given here and he now can't get near his computer ?


Anyone else feeling the irony of "chocolatebike" posting in this particular thread?


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## Chocolatebike (Feb 28, 2011)

thatsmybush said:


> Anyone else feeling the irony of "chocolatebike" posting in this particular thread?


That's very good


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## Ruonpoint (Aug 22, 2011)

esldude said:


> I did ask a doctor and he said every couple of days is fine even when it is three days sometimes is fine he said.


I'd be worried if a doctor told me that. Three days of food in your body is not good at all, just think about it. Like everybody else is saying, more fiber. When dealing with your diet, it's best not to make to many drastic changes too soon. Perhaps a slice of high fiber toast with your hard boiled eggs would be good, only an extra 90-110 grams and as much as 5-7 grams of fiber. An extra serving or two of steamed or raw veggies wouldn't hurt either. Colon cleanse pills with psyllium husks are pretty good to add some bulk to your system.


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## macscac (Jun 29, 2011)

well i hit my goal weight... figured id just keep plugging away.. im currently floating in the 194-195 range..
my BM's have somewhat changed.
im drinking coffee aoubt 3 days a week. i take 2 fiber pills a day. one at morning and night.
i eat a large salad at least 4 times a week.
im going every other day for the most part.. sometimes its hard work but i can usually squeeze a bit out
lol


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