Bathroom- different than previous Whole30's

[alexschubert]

I am on day 5 of my third Whole30. The previous 2 experiences by this time I had serious gas and what I like to call "detox bowel movements". This time around I haven't gone number 2 since the day before I started. Is this normal?

[ladyshanny]

Not pooping for 6 days is not normal, no.

For us to give specific and directed feedback, we'd need a rundown of what you've been eating, timing, quantities, specific veggies, fluid intake etc. Be as detailed as possible and we can see if there is something that stands out.

[alexschubert]

Since Monday I have been eating 2 eggs with avocado or compliant sausage for breakfast. Lunch is usually a salad (mixed greens, tomato, carrot, cucumber, bell pepper) with chicken breast or thigh and homemade "dump ranch". With breakfast and/or lunch I have had half a large honey crisp apple or a handful of blackberries. Dinner consists of grilled meat (I couldn't tell you exact measurements) and steamed vegetables /cauliflower rice/sweet potato. If hunger strikes I snack on a handful of nuts or a compliant snack bar like the Epic brand. 

I have 10oz coffee black or with coconut milk in the morning. I drink about 30-40 ounces of water per day which is normal for me. Sometimes I have herbal tea or La Croix at night.

I also exercise every day (jogging/weight training). The intensity has not changed. 

[ladyshanny]

From first glance you could definitely use more vegetables. They are what will keep everything moving through your system. Go for 2-3 cups of cooked veggies at every meal. Salad greens are nice and all but they don't amount to much after they're chewed down. You can put cooked veggies on a salad, it's delightful. I'd stay away from raw until your bowels get moving again; raw can be harder to digest and you probably don't need more trouble right now.

Skip the fruit until you've had the recommended veggies. 

Nuts can be digestively distressing so I'd avoid those until your problems are resolved also. The recommendation is to limit them anyway; think a closed handful at most every other day. The snack bars such as epic again, I'd stay away from those until you are pooping again and even then they are meant to be used as emergency food, not planned snacking.

How much water are you drinking each day? The recommendation is 1/2 ounce per pound of body weight. So if you're 160#, you'd want at least 80 ounces of water a day.

Finally, you can try adding a magnesium supplement such as unflavoured Natural Calm. Most everyone is deficient in magnesium due to farming practices so it won't hurt. Start low and work up until you're having a nice easy, comfortable poop every day. If you take it at night it can help with sleep but know that you might have some pretty wickedly vivid dreams in the first few days of supplementation. That goes away.

 

[alexschubert]

Thank you for your help!