Constipation ???

[SoniaMalik]

I'm on day 18 of my 1st Whole30 and am puzzled by the fact that I have been somewhat constipated for the last 2 days. I cannot imagine why and how despite eating so many vegetables this can happen .

Here is my typical day :

 

M1 : 1 or 2 eggs with Spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes and a cup of berries

M2 : Some protein and 2,3 cups of mixed vegetables

Snack : Nuts and an apple/orange

M3: A cup of soup, some protien and a large salad or baked vegetables

 

The vegetables we eat include : Mushrooms, Sweet Potatoes, Butternut Squash, Zuchini, Brussel Sprouts, Brocolli, Cauliflower, all greens, eggplant, beets, carrots, cabbage

[Tom Denham]

There are a lot of reasons for constipation besides not eating enough veggies. Here is an article on WebMD that lists a bunch: http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/digestive-diseases-constipation

 

Are you drinking enough water? A good guideline is 1/2 ounce per pound of body weight per day. Are you getting some exercise? Moving your body stimulates your bowels. Are you taking any medications or supplements, especially new ones, that might be having an effect?

[SoniaMalik]

Thanks Tom...

I drink at least 4, 22 oz bottles of water and most days get at least 45 mins of exercise if not more. I have not started any new medications and hence my query. Maybe it will resolve itself..

[GFChris]

I wonder if you're eating enough?

When eggs are your protein, the serving size is the number you can hold in your hand. For most people, that's at least 2-3.

Otherwise, look to follow the recommended meal template for each of your meals. (e.g., when you say "some protein," it's unclear to me whether that's 1-2 palm sized amounts or something else)  Create meals that satiate you for 4-5 hours.

In the meantime, if you are genuinely hungry in between meals (hungry = you could eat steamed fish and broccoli), have a mini-meal that contains a protein and fat. Nuts are a fat source on a Whole30.  Save your 1-2 daily servings of fruit to enjoy with or immediately after your main meals.
 

[Bet]

I take Magnesium Glycinate for this reason. I had it very bad even before going on W30 and that helped. Also eating some fermented foods and prebiotics.

[puppypower]

SoniaMalik, if you decide to take magnesium to help with your constipation, you'd be better off taking a magesium that is bonded with an acid (such as: magnesium ascorbate, m. aspartate, m. citrate, m. fumarate, m. gluconate, m. glutamate, m. lactate, m. malate, m. pidolate) because the absorbibility of these forms depends on their solubility in water. If you end up taking too much, the body expels extra in the urine and feces (so it makes an excellent laxative). On the other hand, the forms m. glycinate, m. lysinate, m. orotate, and m. taurate are all amino acid chelates and depend on protein pathways for absorption into the body. People who just have zero tolerance to the water-soluble forms (ie: crazy diarrhea) end up needing to take a form of magnesium that is bound with an amino acid because they usually don't cause any loosening of stool. Note, that the amino acid chelates are also 2 - 3x more expensive than the magnesium bonded with an acid.

 

Also, I have recently discovered Artisana Cocunut Butter and in addition to that stuff being crack-in-a-jar, it can act as a laxative if you eat too much of it, ahem. Coconut butter is basically just coconut flesh minced and churned to the point of turning it into a creamy spread. The flesh has hella fibre in it....thus the possible laxative effect! 

 

Hope this is helpful!

[tleef73]

All of those meals don't list any fat.  Are you getting the fat amounts recommended in the template?  I would think that just protein and veggies (occasionally fruit) aren't enough to keep you full, let alone have everything "running right".

 

Try adding more fat to those meals and see if that helps before you begin taking supplements that you may or may not need.