Foods that help you be regular

Kimia

Hi all, huge fan of the forum, hoping can get some advice. Over the last week or so I have been having terrible trouble - my diet hasn't changed but I am very 'backed up', bloated and uncomfortable. I'm wondering if there's something I should be eating that I'm not?

Here's an example of my daily diet

Breakfast

• Don't eat breakfast - can't. Large cup of mint tea.

Lunch.

• Large spinach salad with large helping of protein and whatever sauce the protein is as my dressing.
• Half bar of chocolate

Dinner

• Usually large portion of protein like pork chops, chicken, beef, or fish.
• Green beans

Snacks

• Mini chocolate bar
• Banana
• Apple

And on weekends I would usually have eggs for breakfast, something more carby for dinner on Saturday as a cheat day and a few beers/vodkas. Then sunday it's usually the same as the list above.

Any ideas on food that would be good for those purposes?

Mack_1111

All veg, salads & fruits are good sources of fiber you'r simply not eating enough! Apart from being backed up is your diet supplying you with enough vit's & minerals. Eat a lot more fruit & veg and keep it varied.

Also try psyllium husks: http://www.herbwisdom.com/herb-psyllium-husk.html

Kimia

I had been using psyllium husks but stopped taking them a few weeks back - would I have a dependance on them now and that's whats causing this?

I need to eat more? I feel so bloated.

metamorphosis

2 spoons coconut oil works wonders - if all else a double espresso

Mack_1111

I prob don't know enough to advise you if you developed a dependency on the husks, but I think dependency's are usually associated with pharmaceutics! We do however need roughage to stay regular, you removed a source of roughage and don't seem to be taking enough through fruit & veg!

RobAMerc

you could buy a 1kg bag of Oat Bran ( about €1.50 ) and take a large spoon of it with water (yuck!)or sprinkle it into soups etc.
I blend it with a banana and my protein - it works really well as it's really high in fibre.

rocky

Don't supplement with grain-based fiber, better eat more veggies.

El_Dangeroso

1 large potato cooked and left to go cold, eat in your salad.

Constipation is a sign of unhappy gut flora, the cold potato has lots of resistant starch which will feed the critters.

Coconut oil works too.;)

implausible

How much water are you drinking? Fibre is no good unless it's being expanded and moved along the way! (Not a very scientific description, sorry!)

Kimia

Thank you everyone, really appreciate the help.

I am pretty good at drinking water - definitely about 1-2 litres a day, plus I drink about 3 cups of herbal tea too.

Eating lots of veggies has always been a problem of mine. I find it hard to eat loads and have really only been good about eating them at all in the last 2 years or so. I can stomach green beans, spinach leaves, and raw carrots and that's almost it unfortunately.

I am a massive fan of potatoes - regular, sweet (YUM) so I would have no problem eating them but I've cut them out because I want to keep relatively low carb..

Should I re-introduce them?

Alopex

Kimia wrote: »

I am a massive fan of potatoes - regular, sweet (YUM) so I would have no problem eating them but I've cut them out because I want to keep relatively low carb..

Should I re-introduce them?

have it 2-3 three times a week and see if it helps. Drop or half the chocolate on those days if you need to be strict

kleine_schwein

Kimia wrote: »

Thank you everyone, really appreciate the help.

I am pretty good at drinking water - definitely about 1-2 litres a day, plus I drink about 3 cups of herbal tea too.

Eating lots of veggies has always been a problem of mine. I find it hard to eat loads and have really only been good about eating them at all in the last 2 years or so. I can stomach green beans, spinach leaves, and raw carrots and that's almost it unfortunately.

I am a massive fan of potatoes - regular, sweet (YUM) so I would have no problem eating them but I've cut them out because I want to keep relatively low carb..

Should I re-introduce them?

You like potatoes but want to keep relatively low carb? hmm. I know you said that eating veggies is a problem of yours but would you be willing to try some alternatives to potatoes that are high in fibre, but lower in carbs?

For example, mashed turnip/swede- mightn't sound the best but it really satisfies starch cravings, is lower in calories and carbs than potatoes, and tastes sooo good (especially with lashings of black pepper!!). It has loads of nutrients and I find it really helps keep me regular.You can also chop turnips up like chips, sprinkle some spices on them and throw them in the oven...yum!.

Mashed cauliflower is also a great fibre-rich,low carb alternative to potatoes.

Butternut squash is great too- boiled and mashed, or thrown in to the oven.

Oo oo- or celeriac mash either... yumyum.

Just throwing some suggestions out there You could also make 1/2 mashed potato/1/2 mashed turnip mixture either... I do that sometimes.

El_Dangeroso

Kimia wrote: »

Thank you everyone, really appreciate the help.

I am pretty good at drinking water - definitely about 1-2 litres a day, plus I drink about 3 cups of herbal tea too.

Eating lots of veggies has always been a problem of mine. I find it hard to eat loads and have really only been good about eating them at all in the last 2 years or so. I can stomach green beans, spinach leaves, and raw carrots and that's almost it unfortunately.

I am a massive fan of potatoes - regular, sweet (YUM) so I would have no problem eating them but I've cut them out because I want to keep relatively low carb..

Should I re-introduce them?

One potato a day will still keep you low carb, I think a medium potato is about 30g. Also forgot to mention vitamin C, 1-2g daily. I can't have much plain vitamin C for that very reason

pecker1992

if your active enough id recommend you eat a bowl of all bran.....i eat 60g with a spoon of nuts before bed with a whey shake..then again im very active (also physical activity does play a role in your metabolism)...its very hard to get that much fibre in one go from other sources but this stuff has worked wonders for me...i generally eat about 35g-40g of fibre a day ..i know more veggies is the ideal route..but i find this & a good balance of veg was what worked for me hope that helps..

juke

El_Dangeroso wrote: »

1 large potato cooked and left to go cold, eat in your salad.

Constipation is a sign of unhappy gut flora, the cold potato has lots of resistant starch which will feed the critters.

Coconut oil works too.;)

Do you think cold potato would also help where constipation is caused by, for example, pain meds?

poconnor16

I suffer from the same due to my IBS. I'm a fan of lower carb eating, and I find if I dont eat lots of veggies, greens in paticular, lots of water and exercise for a min of 30 mins a day - I get 'stuck'.
I know you mentioned you are not huge fan of veg - I'm wondering would a glass of V8 provide any help?

El_Dangeroso

juke wrote: »

Do you think cold potato would also help where constipation is caused by, for example, pain meds?

Dunno, probably not, could be worth a try though.

Kimia

Really appreciate people taking the time to respond, thanks everyone.

I have started taking a vitamin c supplement - about 1g (the dissolvable ones), and I'm also taking a fibre powder in the mornings. I've upped my leafy spinach salads during the day and re-introduced potatoes (on a small scale).

Only thing is, not much has changed except now I'm very 'gassy'. It's really embarrassing!

Anyone experienced similar? Or is this just my body gearing up to go back to normal?

El_Dangeroso

Kimia wrote: »

Really appreciate people taking the time to respond, thanks everyone.

I have started taking a vitamin c supplement - about 1g (the dissolvable ones), and I'm also taking a fibre powder in the mornings. I've upped my leafy spinach salads during the day and re-introduced potatoes (on a small scale).

Only thing is, not much has changed except now I'm very 'gassy'. It's really embarrassing!

Anyone experienced similar? Or is this just my body gearing up to go back to normal?

Yep. Par for the course.

accensi0n

Kimia wrote: »

Here's an example of my daily diet

Breakfast

• Don't eat breakfast - can't. Large cup of mint tea.

Lunch.

• Large spinach salad with large helping of protein and whatever sauce the protein is as my dressing.
• Half bar of chocolate

Dinner

• Usually large portion of protein like pork chops, chicken, beef, or fish.
• Green beans

Snacks

• Mini chocolate bar
• Banana
• Apple

And on weekends I would usually have eggs for breakfast, something more carby for dinner on Saturday as a cheat day and a few beers/vodkas. Then sunday it's usually the same as the list above.

Any ideas on food that would be good for those purposes?

Cheat day from what?

accensi0n

Eating plenty of veg seems to do the trick for me, mostly brocolli and sugar snaps.

Kimia

accensi0n wrote: »

Cheat day from what?

How do you mean?