Constipation during PSMF

[goupoboy]

Dear Lyle,

after reading your „Guide to Flexible Dieting“ I decided to start a PSMF myself for a total duration of 4 weeks. My stats are 31yr old male, 5ft10, 195 lbs, 18% bf. I am now 3 days into the PSMF and have noticed severe constipation (haven’t been to toilet once in those 3 days). I know that in general I have a sensitive digestion and can be prone to constipation if I don’t watch my diet. For now I have taken a few measures, even though they might not be 100% “clean” under the PSMF regime:
- Drink glass of water with two spoons apple cider vinegar every morning and every evening
- Add some seeds (e.g. flaxseeds, sesame seeds) into the veggie portion of my meals
- Add some beet root into the veggie portion of my meals
- Ensure plenty of fiber intake during the refeed (due today): oats, seeds, grapefruit

I would be interested to hear what you think of those measures and what you would advise to do?

thanks and best regards from Switzerland,
Andreas

[semipartial]

Sometimes I experience the same. High protein makes your... ehm... digestive 'output' pretty robust. If you are in severe pain or discomfort you can always try some laxative substances. Sugar alcohols have this effect as well.

[PhysiologyIsPhun]

Psyllium Husk. Seriously. Get the little pills. They're super cheap and they make me more regular doing RFL than my normal regularity when not dieting. Take 6 pills with a lot of water and you should be having a nice poop the next day. From personal experience, whatever mealtime I take it around, I will poop 2 meal times later (take it in the morning, poop at night. Take it at lunch, poop next morning etc)

[ma65p2004]

Originally Posted by PhysiologyIsPhun

Psyllium Husk. Seriously. Get the little pills.

I can second the pills. I take only 3 daily though. Also, it takes about 1-2 weeks to see the full effect.

However, I also experienced a few problems with the pills alone. Poop tends to be big but since I was eating too little, there isn't much to poop frequently, so then it's just hard to poop as usual. However, when I combine the pills with Greek Yogurt (non-fat for macro), it's a god supplement. Poop without effort. It's glorious.

So if the pills don't work for you, try yogurt.

[aspire]

Cheap forms of magnesium will also soften your stool.

[lylemcdonald]

You don'tproduce as much waste in general on such a diet. Protein is enormously well digested, carbs produce most of the residue we poo

So.....

[BEATMEOUTTAME]

Originally Posted by ma65p2004

I can second the pills. I take only 3 daily though. Also, it takes about 1-2 weeks to see the full effect.

However, I also experienced a few problems with the pills alone. Poop tends to be big but since I was eating too little, there isn't much to poop frequently, so then it's just hard to poop as usual. However, when I combine the pills with Greek Yogurt (non-fat for macro), it's a god supplement. Poop without effort. It's glorious.

So if the pills don't work for you, try yogurt.

I will third the pills. Psyllium husk is cheap and probably one of the healthiest (and most diet effective) things I've ever done. I keep them at the office at work in a drawer I open daily so I can't forget to take them. And then several in a ziploc bag with plenty at home for the weekend.

A pill that:

1) Makes you feel full off less food (ultimately can save you money and calories)

2) And makes you feel full significantly longer because it delays gastric emptying. Seriously, what's better than not feeling like you're starving when you're 2 hours away from getting off work... or sitting at your kids baseball game... this also saves a lot of money in the form of vending machines, feeling the need to grab food at a gas station/fast food/etc.

On top of that it will make you extremely regular and just make you feel lighter on your toes.

I don't know about the guy who said it takes a week or two to work. There's a reason I keep them at work. I don't want to risk taking them then getting stuck in traffic on the way to work lol.

Those things will have you pooping out the gum you swallowed in middle school.