can we talk about... CONSTIPATION?

I feel nowthat i'm eating so much fewer calories I don't seem to ... go... as often

sometimes i feel like i need to, but nothing happens for a day or two

i know i'm getting enough fibre and water...

do you have a similar problem?

suggestions?

Yes!  I barely go anymore!  LOL.  And I don't feel bad or, uh, 'stopped' up or anything like that.  I get all my fiber and tons of water, too, so that isn't it.

I hope someone posts who can actually tell us why we don't go anymore!

And, fyi, I eat anywhere from 1600 to 2000 calories a day (depending on how much I've worked out).

The only thing that has ever helped me is eating at least a serving of mixed nuts a day (approx 40 grams). Not sure if its the unsaturated fats or the magnesium. Perhaps it's a combination of the two.

Best. Thread title. Ever.

Try chamomile or peppermint tea.

It's not so much the fibre content of your food that is important as the volume of food you eat.  "Nothing goes in = nothing comes out"   To take it to an extreme just to illustrate, if you got your daily calorie intake from three or four doughnuts and got your 25g of fibre from a couple of tablets you'd expect to be constipated.

So be careful when you reduce calories that you are getting at least 5 portions of bulky, leafy, green and starchy vegetables a day and at least 2 portions of fruit (kiwis and prunes are good).... then base the rest of your diet around those.  You need a litre or two of plain fluid each day to keep your digestion moving smoothly.  And gentle exercise does the same thing.

For me it has actually been the opposite. I eat almost the same volume of food now that I did before I started losing weight, but now the food choices that I make actually makes it easier for me to go,  and gives me regular bowls. I eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and wheat and I go at least once a day, and some days twice. Maybe you should incorporate more vegetables and fruit into your diet?

What I found that really works is at least one serving of dried fruit (prunes, apricots, apples, peaches, etc.)  each morning with a high fiber cereal.

In a word: Metamucil.

In ANOTHER word: beans!

Sesame Seed sticks!

I had SUCH a bad constipation problem.... I would go MAYBE once a week... Now I eat a serving of Sesame seed sticks or crackers every morning- and everything is great now!

Original Post by gi-jane:

It's not so much the fibre content of your food that is important as the volume of food you eat.  "Nothing goes in = nothing comes out"   To take it to an extreme just to illustrate, if you got your daily calorie intake from three or four doughnuts and got your 25g of fibre from a couple of tablets you'd expect to be constipated.

So be careful when you reduce calories that you are getting at least 5 portions of bulky, leafy, green and starchy vegetables a day and at least 2 portions of fruit (kiwis and prunes are good).... then base the rest of your diet around those.  You need a litre or two of plain fluid each day to keep your digestion moving smoothly.  And gentle exercise does the same thing.

See, I do all of those things already...and still...not much going on there, lol!  I do have fruit, but not prunes...maybe I'll try those and see what happens.  Thanks for the suggestions.

take a table spoon of psyllium husks, before each meal...mix in water and drink.

get it at health food or bulk food store.

make sure you go every day...especially if your getting lots of fibre.

If your past 24 hours..take one table spoon of castor oil...that will bring on with in one hour..guaranteed

why you are constipated is interesting...maybe consider introducing more grains like flax, rolled oats, psyllium husks.

.. I found far to many people ignore this very important function.

...please act on it asap...and google why constipation is a bad thing.

I googled it and it says on webmd that it's normal to not go every day

when i hate more i did go every single day

i guess now that i'm eating less it makes sense that i'm not going as much

but it feels like i need to, which is the problem

It's not normal in some people to evacuate the bowels daily but you'll find those people have never been any different...  If you used to be 'regular' and now you're not then that's a different matter.  And if you feel any form of discomfort or if you feel concerned about it then that would also say it's not normal.

Eat fewer calories but more bulk....  Add lots and lots of extra vegetables

Prunes! Prunes! Prunes!...

A doctor once told me that it is Nature's Perfect Food. Keep a few boxes of them in your fridge - they taste chewier and sweeter that way I've found (like CANDY)...and pop two of them everynight after dinner. It's a great way to get that sweet tooth satisfied and it'll work it's "magic" through the night. Not to mention, how packed with Vitamin A and Pottasium (ladies!) and Iron along with the fiber content it is - - antioxidants too! In the mornings, you should see a difference - - it may take a week or two but be patient, you ARE eating better and eating less so you're body is adjusting accordingly. Don't go water CRAZY but drink a half a glass of water or so after that...it'll help get it "through" if you know what I mean. It works for me...hope it works for you too. Good Luck!

lots of great suggestions

now i'm thinking about making some kind of sesame seed prune dessert

Actually, and this is probably TMI, lol, I have the exact opposite problem.  I thinks its because of the drastic change in my diet, though.  Where before I was eating a lot of fast food, and had just general unhealthy eating habits, now I'm eating healthier and tend to go more often.

Have you begun taking any supplements?  I went through a period of not eating dairy, so I decided I should supplement with calcium.  Turns out calcium carbonate can cause constipation in some people.  Even my dr. didn't know -- the pharmacist told me about it. 

The week I started watching what I eat, I stopped "going".   It took almost a month for my body to get on track and I was suffering...feeling really stuffed up. Now I go more frequently but, how do I put this....??? It's not the same.  Things are smaller lol....sorry!

Anyways, I switched to all whole grain foods, load up on "Fiber one" brand anything (the bars, yogurt...) and take in over 25+ grams a day of fiber...any less and nothing happens.

It takes your body time  to adjust. Keep eating right, keep up the fiber intake (25g) and water is a great friend.  It'll get better.

A cup or two of coffee usually works for me! Lmao.