Shifting in bowel habits during IF transition - Page 3

Stanley Daniel · 05-05-2008, 01:25 AM

This is an old thread I know... but found it via a search... because I'm experiencing the same thing... been IF'ing for about a week now...

bowel movements went from 1-2x(usually am/pm) day, normal stool... to now literally not having any bowel movement for the last 3 days... I do not have the "constipated-full feeling" - heck I even ran a mile earlier with a 20lb vest to relieve some stress...

fiber is coming from the veggies mostly, I posted a question about the carbs but didnt get much on that... still worried about that...

the lower/if not, nonexistent carbs... and higer fats and moderate protein... it might be the culprit.... any new insight on this?

meals are pretty much in a 4-6hr window... getting in about ~1gm protein/LBM and 0.5gfat/LBM - so about ~130g pro and ~60-65g fat, about a bit more than half from liquid fish oil (nordic) or avocados/walnuts/enriched egg yolks///

Carbs are pretty much fibrous - paleo veggies... this has to be a factor since there are barely any dense carbs here...

Still would have a peace of mind to take a dump once in a while... and no long-term GI problems would be nice too

Chris Bardwell · 05-05-2008, 02:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stanley Daniel

This is an old thread I know... but found it via a search... because I'm experiencing the same thing... been IF'ing for about a week now...

bowel movements went from 1-2x(usually am/pm) day, normal stool... to now literally not having any bowel movement for the last 3 days... I do not have the "constipated-full feeling" - heck I even ran a mile earlier with a 20lb vest to relieve some stress...

fiber is coming from the veggies mostly, I posted a question about the carbs but didnt get much on that... still worried about that...

the lower/if not, nonexistent carbs... and higer fats and moderate protein... it might be the culprit.... any new insight on this?

meals are pretty much in a 4-6hr window... getting in about ~1gm protein/LBM and 0.5gfat/LBM - so about ~130g pro and ~60-65g fat, about a bit more than half from liquid fish oil (nordic) or avocados/walnuts/enriched egg yolks///

Carbs are pretty much fibrous - paleo veggies... this has to be a factor since there are barely any dense carbs here...

Still would have a peace of mind to take a dump once in a while... and no long-term GI problems would be nice too

Sometimes happens to me but I have sluggish bowels anyway. I would try a good dose of Milk of Magnesia first thing in the morning with 500ml of water, should get things flowing.....
Not sure why your bowel movements transitioned though, maybe someone more IF experienced can get to the root of things....

C.

sarena kopciel · 05-05-2008, 05:40 AM

Hey all, I too have been having this situation, problem, since starting IF! I always thought it was me...Steve Liberati's situation rings true with me as well.
And my diet/nutrition really is top notch.Generally, coffee gets the movt going in the am, but not always....

Garrett Smith · 05-05-2008, 05:52 AM

Some easy things that might help.

Make sure you are getting enough water (I prefer herbal teas).

Good coffee in the morning.

Magnesium citrate (I prefer Natural Calm), take it to bowel tolerance then back off a teaspoon.

Do some direct abdominal / hip flexor work.

Mike ODonnell · 05-05-2008, 07:15 AM

When in doubt...start tweaking...less fish oil...more water....are you eating much dairy? Want to poop more...dose up on some probiotics.

Or you can read the infamous "poop" post and see if anything seems familiar

constipation usually indicates dehydration....but that's just my #2 guess...

Stanley Daniel · 05-06-2008, 08:51 AM

Hmmm thanks for the input. I'm on day 4 and still not moving... pissing me off actually! I even went out and bought some benefiber last night....

I usually drink around 3L water a day....
Heck, I was so pissed that I had a half cup of oats and some whey and about 8 grams of benefiber - still no luck....

I then was thinking this has to be something else.... something I have modified in my diet. I asked a while back for some suitable paleo friendly carbs but never got some clear answers on it....

so I looked for the higher "veggie dense" carbs if you want to call it that.... kale / cauliflower / brussel sprouts - for the past 3 weeks, I have been eating a LOT of that. I was trying to get at least more so when I switched to the paleo/IF from zone (4-6 meals). My bowel movements were totally fine up until this past weekend... and last night I had 7oz chicken/2 cups brussels and maybe 2cups cauliflower/half a cup mushrooms with 8 grams benefiber - still didnt crap in the AM

anyways, this constipation has to be "goitrogenic" related to the foods I ate with resulting "lower thyroid output" and constipation - I think I developed a pseudo-hypothyroidism - which would also explain my weight not dropping much as I was hoping - still CF'ing or lifting heavy 3-4 days/week,

I even did notice some cold intolerance the past few days - 29years old and never had constipation like this to my knowledge ever....
Constipation happens in hypothyroidism... and no family Hx of anything related...

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=george&dbid=47

broccoli I use to consume mainly for years as my veggie(almost 4-5 cups for about 5-6meals pre-zone/paleo era,) I'd have cauliflower occasionally too - so it must be the copious amounts of kale and sprouts -

I dropped my dairy intake which was mainly cheese or cottage cheese about 3 weeks ago too...

I've got a huge exam coming up next week, and I didnt want to worry about this now...

Anyways - I am definitely staying away from those veggies for now...t I really hope I can reverse this - and didnt do any permanent damage.... upon self palpation, didn't feel any glandular enlargement....

gonna look for the mag sulfate.... did about 50 burpees todays and also a bunch of hanging knee raises - and that's before the oats and whey...

Mike ODonnell · 05-06-2008, 08:55 AM

worst case scenario....go to Krystals/White Castle...eat a bunch of their little burgers with no buns...and wash it down with a large coffee.....seriously I would do some damage with that.....

Garrett Smith · 05-06-2008, 05:22 PM

Magnesium *citrate*, not sulfate.

Definitely lay off the cruciferous veggies for a while, a good long while.

Stanley Daniel · 05-06-2008, 09:05 PM

Ah right on Garret - I was thinking of something else at the time - but yes, I bought the mag citrate $3 lemon flavored from Rite Aid (branded by rite aid) ~2pm ET today... been replenishing the fluids throughout to prevent the excessive water loss along with some "semisolid matter."

I chugged the whole damn thing at the parking lot - with .5L water... it took about 2 hrs to kick in first - and then I felt everything coming out - it was such a relief - thanks for the heads up and everyone else's comments...
whew - had plenty of bowel movements throughout the day...

threw in some "iodized" salt to my last meal which was avacado's/mushrooms/asparagus/onions/evoo/chicken breast and some egg whites and a yolk/ - i've read that putting back the iodine that was inhibited by goitrogens in thyroid uptake plus some coconut oil might help the process of bringing thyroid function back up.... it was the kale for sure... i only steamed that and ate some raw (tastes like crap) time to time... most goitrogens from reading are disseminated or greatly reduced when cooking... probably why eating steamed broccoli all this time never became an issue..

Yes, I'll definitely staying the hell away from them for a bit... it only began as mentioned since I replaced them as my main carb source - so imagine trying to get 100grams of carbs from kale and cauliflower... since half the other starchy carbs or other non-starchy "nightshades" sources are a no no on paleo - damn where the hell does everyone get their carbs from??? don't like the ketosis-like eating....

Thanks again for the thoughts and concerns!

Darryl Shaw · 05-07-2008, 06:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stanley Daniel

.....so imagine trying to get 100grams of carbs from kale and cauliflower... since half the other starchy carbs or other non-starchy "nightshades" sources are a no no on paleo - damn where the hell does everyone get their carbs from??? don't like the ketosis-like eating...

If you're struggling to get enough carbs in your diet try eating more fruit, berries and starchy root vegetables and if constipation is a problem dried fruit such as figs and prunes will sort things out in no time.