Pooping a lot does not necessarily mean fast metabolism, as digestion and metabolism are not as closely correlated as many people think them to be. Many people have a fast metabolism but still do not poop a lot.
Just because food moves through your body quickly does not mean you have a fast metabolism. A healthy metabolism is all about the efficient utilization of the food you eat. As you change what you eat and become more active, you can expect changes in your bowel movement.
Your doctor can prescribe a metabolism test and perform it in a medical setting. They may do a blood draw at the hospital or recommend a laboratory where your blood will be drawn. If you wish to choose your own lab, look for one that is Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) certified .
While you might feel lighter after pooping, you're not actually losing much weight. What's more, when you lose weight while pooping, you're not losing the weight that really matters. To lose disease-causing body fat, you need to burn more calories than you consume. You can do this by exercising more and eating less.
Healthful weight loss diets usually include lots of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. These are all high in fiber. Including more fiber in the diet can increase stool weight and encourage more regular bowel movements. Because of this, a person following a weight loss diet may have bowel movements more often.
Instead of nutrients fueling your body, some of them, including fat, can be passed in your stools. If you have a condition that makes it difficult to digest fat, you may also develop fatty stools or fecal fat. When this happens, you may experience digestive issues such as pain, gas, or diarrhea.
There is no “normal” number of bowel movements. Many healthcare providers agree that healthy bowel movement frequency can range from three times a day to three times a week.
In some cases, pooping a lot is healthy. Unless you're experiencing additional symptoms such as severe abdominal pain, fever, or bloody stools, you have no cause for concern. If you're experiencing diarrhea symptoms, your doctor may recommend taking an antidiarrheal medication.
While you might be able to shed pounds by tricking your body into burning fat stores for energy instead of carbs (a.k.a. ketosis), your bathroom schedule could take a major hit. “This usually leads to diarrhea or in some cases constipation,” he says.
This includes weight lifting, high-intensity interval training, eating enough calories and protein, getting plenty of sleep and drinking green tea. Try adding a few of these strategies into your daily routine to help keep your metabolism fast and even give it a boost.
If you're having bowel movements more often, chances are you've made some change in your lifestyle. For example, you may be eating more whole grains, which increases fiber intake. More-frequent bowel movements also could be related to a mild illness that will take care of itself.
Commonly prescribed medications to treat overreactive gastrocolic response include antispasmodics, tricyclic antidepressants, and SSRIs. Antibiotics and probiotics have also been utilized to restore normal colonic flora, which in turn helps regulate the response of integral components of the reflex.
People may poop a few times per week or several times per day. A sudden change in bowel movement frequency can occur due to stress, a change in diet or exercise, or an underlying illness. If bowel movements return to normal within a few days, this should not be a cause for concern.
There is no generally accepted number of times a person should poop. As a broad rule, pooping anywhere from three times a day to three times a week is normal. Most people have a regular bowel pattern: They'll poop about the same number of times a day and at a similar time of day.
Many people associate frequent bowel movements with diarrhea, which involves loose or watery stools. However, a wide variety of factors could cause frequent solid bowel movements. These factors include a person's diet, food allergies, and underlying health conditions.
IBS Types and Symptoms
IBS with constipation (IBS-C) is usually marked by abdominal pain, cramping, bloating, infrequent bowel movements and hard stools. IBS with diarrhea (IBS-D) usually comes with abdominal pain, cramping, bloating, urgency to go, frequent bowel movements and loose, watery stools.
It is believed that one's metabolism is at its peak during the teenage years when one can eat anything they want without the fear of gaining kilos. By the time they reach midlife around the 30s and 40s, it starts to decline, and it becomes difficult to keep the weight off.
The first place men typically lose weight is the belly, while women tend to lose weight all over, but hold onto weight in their thighs and hips, Dr. Block explains.