Hello and welcome to the intermittent fasting gems with Jen podcast.

I'm your host Jen, a middle aged Michigan mama, wife and teacher who

in 2021 stumbled upon this crazy cool thing called intermittent fasting.

And before I knew it, I'd lost 46 pounds in four months and

gained an incredible lifestyle filled with complete food freedom.

If you're hungry for unique, no nonsense fasting tips that actually

work, you're in the right place.

So whether you're walking the dog, folding that last load of laundry, or

cruising to your nine to five, let's start fasting our way to freedom together.

Hey, hey, hey, let me start by saying that today's I have chat is not

exactly going to be, uh, glamorous in any way, but I think it's really

important topic, uh, to address because so many people start intermittent

fasting and then just a few weeks in.

They start to experience constipation.

They throw their hands in the air and they say, crap, this fasting

thing is not working for me.

And they get frustrated and they quit before intermittent fasting

even has a chance to start working.

And I do not want that to happen to you because yes, unfortunately,

constipation can be one of the few negative side effects that can occur

when you begin intermittent fasting.

But besides just giving it a few weeks for your system to get used to fasting, there

are some really effective things that you can do to either prevent or altogether

avoid dealing with uncomfortable or infrequent bowel movements during

your intermittent fasting journey.

In this November bonus episode, I'm going to share seven super effective tips and

strategies with you today so that you can kick constipation to the curb for good.

Alright, so first, let's talk about why intermittent fasting

can sometimes cause constipation.

So, altering your usual eating routine can definitely throw your body a curveball,

and it can seem like your digestive system is taking a nap, disrupting

your body's natural digestive system.

And this can definitely affect your bowel movements and

possibly lead to constipation.

All right, here we go.

Strategy number one, and I'm sure you've heard this a million times before, but

that's because it's just that important.

You have got to, got to, got to, got to stay hydrated.

It is what keeps things moving in the right direction.

Upping the amount of water that you drink each day is key to preventing

constipation because it helps your digestive system break down the food

and it also makes your poop way softer.

Hydration gives your body a nice refreshing boost, not only helping things

move along like a well oiled machine, but it helps you feel light and energized too.

So don't forget to sip, sip and sip some more.

And everybody has their recommendations out there for how much water

you should drink every day.

And again, I'm not a doctor, so I can't answer that for you, but what I can say

is if you are experiencing constipation while fasting, chances are You probably

are not drinking enough and you need to bump your clean drink intake up a bit.

Also, just like I'm sure your mom or grandma or great grandma

said, a little prune juice goes a long way, too, when needed.

due to its natural laxative properties.

There is an organic prune juice by, um, it's 360 Whole Foods Market and I

really like to have it on hand if needed.

I'll leave the link to it in the show notes below.

Number two on our list today is actually just as important as

number one and that is eat healthy.

More fiber.

Oh man, eating foods high in fiber during your eating window is really

important for a bunch of reasons.

When you're fasting, it really does help knock out constipation too.

High fiber foods help to keep things moving smoothly in your belly.

Fiber adds some serious bulk to your stool or your poop and it helps it

pass through your digestive system.

So some of the absolute best fiber rich foods are fruits and veggies and the

veggies with the absolute most fiber that will help keep things moving in the

right direction are artichokes, green peas, brussel sprouts, and broccoli.

The fruits with the most digestion friendly fiber are avocados.

Yes, avocados are technically considered a fruit.

Also raspberries and pears.

I pretty much add raspberries to my Greek yogurt dessert every night

because it's just so, so good.

And although they aren't part of the fruits or vegetables

category, lima beans are awesome.

And flax seeds and chia seeds are delicious.

incredible sources of fiber that will really, really help with regular

digestion and bowel movements.

You can easily just add a sprinkle to your meals, or you can mix them into your

yogurt or your weight loss smoothies.

I often use the Superfood Organic Superseeds.

Um, it's by better body foods.

Uh, I, I do this to make sure I'm getting enough healthy fiber in my diet.

It's such an easy way, um, to just add that in.

I get these, I get a bag of these on Amazon for a pretty good price,

like 20 bucks for a pretty big bag.

And it has an awesome mix of organic chia.

flax and hemp seeds in it.

Uh, again, I will leave the link to that product in the show notes.

All right, moving on to number three on the list.

Move your body.

So, exercise might not be all it's cracked up to be when it comes to

weight loss, but it absolutely has a direct correlation to keeping your bowel

movements regular and helping to avoid, reduce, or eliminate constipation.

Movement absolutely helps stimulate your intestines and push the waist through.

When you're not active, your digestive system slows down, making

it much harder for your body to have regular bowel movements.

Now, it doesn't have to be anything crazy.

You don't even have to sweat.

You just need to move.

So find something that you like to do, like walking your dogs or

yoga, which that's not really my cup of tea, but, uh, maybe gardening.

Like Amy, our success story from the last podcast episode

said, gardening is her dopamine.

So just find something that you like to do and get started.

more active.

I personally enjoy jogging and walking.

That's always kind of been my thing.

I have a really awesome 30 minute fat burning run, walk interval

treadmill workout that I try to do two to three times a week.

Again, it's only 30 minutes.

I love it because I feel like I'm killing two birds with one stone.

I'm getting an energizing, fat burning workout in while I'm in the fasted state.

And it's also helping keep my body regular and my digestive system.

And things on all that moving right along in the right direction.

So I'll leave the link to that workout and the show notes for

you if you want to check it out.

Number four, consume more probiotic rich foods.

So.

Recent clinical studies have found that probiotics can be a very useful

tool for the treatment of constipation.

And just by making a few small dietary changes and incorporating more probiotic

rich foods like yogurt, kefir, I didn't really know how to say that either.

Kefir, kefir, kefir.

And who knows?

I'm working on that.

And fermented vegetables, you may help too.

prevent constipation.

Um, this is because these foods contain very beneficial bacteria

that support a healthy gut microbiome and regular digestion.

And by maintaining gut health, probiotics may help contribute to regular bowel

movements and help prevent constipation.

During intermittent fasting.

I have tried the obviously I can't I'm not sure how to pronounce it

But I have tried the kefir kefir.

Somebody let me know how to pronounce that and honestly, I I'm not a big fan of that

But it's been a while since I've tried it.

So maybe I'm ready to try it again soon However, as I mentioned earlier Greek

yogurt is an awesome truly awesome probiotic rich food And I pretty

much have my two good Greek yogurt.

Love that brand, low sugar, low carbs.

Um, I have my two good Greek yogurt topped with fruit like raspberries

for dessert almost every single night.

And I have really been getting into and eating a lot more kimchi in the last few

years, which is your fermented vegetables.

Um, honestly, before I started intermittent fasting, I'm not sure if

I'd even heard of kimchi before, but I really do like it and it's, it's very,

very good for maintaining gut health.

If you haven't tried it, I highly, highly recommend it.

All right, moving on to number five on the list.

And that is, Oh, geez, this one is way easier said than done.

Here it goes.

Reduce your stress.

Yeah, right.

I get it.

I am honestly terrible about this one.

Uh, even though I am better than I used to be and I try to do things

to just make myself chill out a little bit more because, believe

it or not, stress can play a really big part in making you constipated.

And that's because stress can absolutely affect our gut function.

High stress can definitely negatively impact your digestive system and

lead to irregular bowel movements and all of that terrible stuff.

So, try to be intentional.

About practicing stress reducing techniques, such as meditation, deep

breathing, or gentle exercise, um, just get real with yourself and ask yourself,

Hey, what makes me forget about all the chaos of life for a little bit?

And makes me feel calm.

And what puts you in a happy place.

For me, I love going to garage sales and finding treasures in the spring

and summer months here in Michigan.

It's such a fun and relaxing thing for me to do.

I also really enjoy watching 40 minutes to an hour of a true

crime show like Dateline, which is my all time favorite show.

Yes, I am a true crime fanatic, but distracting myself with things that I

love really does help control the stress.

And so I just really think it's a good practice to try to

get into as hard as it can be.

In this crazy world we live in, but try to make time for yourself every single.

Number six on the list, closely monitor your intermittent fasting eating window.

So sticking to consistent eating windows to establish Regularity in your mealtimes

may help your body adapt to a routine.

However, on the other hand, if you are experiencing pretty severe

constipation, you might want to consider modifying your eating

windows or the duration of your fast.

So, Some people find that adjusting their fasting schedule

helps alleviate digestive issues.

You may have to experiment with it a bit until you find what works for you.

Again, this is a lot about trial and error, especially in the beginning.

Um, what I will say though, is that it's probably not a good idea to

change your eating window routine multiple times within a short time.

amount of time, um, that could be bad.

So give each routine at least a few weeks before deciding if

it's a good fit for you or not.

And finally, number seven, basically, if you've tried the six strategies

that I've already mentioned, and you're still experiencing constipation

while fasting, you might want to consider taking a magnesium supplement.

Um, taking a high quality magnesium supplement can help with constipation

during intermittent fasting, and it can really help promote bowel regularity.

So magnesium has a natural laxative effect.

Um, it's helpful for softening stools and encouraging smoother

bowel movements, basically.

Uh, it also helps to relax the muscles of the actual digestive tract, um,

helping to aid in passing of, of waste.

So, uh, I do have to say though, it is always a really good idea.

with something like this to consult with your healthcare professional

before adding any dietary supplements to your daily routine.

So I did take a magnesium supplement on and off.

Uh, as needed for the first year of my intermittent fasting weight loss

journey, as I was learning all about how my body was reacting to fasting.

I do think it helped and I really like the kind I used, which I will leave the

link for this in the show notes below.

However, after about a year, I was feeling really good and I didn't feel like I

needed to take the magnesium anymore.

And as of right now, I do not take any supplements.

I basically consider my ACV drink and my bone broth, my supplements.

So that may change as I keep getting older, but for now, uh, at

49 years old, it's working for me.

So.

But since we are talking about constipation today, it is really important

to be aware that certain medications can actually cause constipation.

Um, and some may affect the normal functioning of the digestive system.

So some medications such as certain pain relievers, antacids with

aluminum or calcium, and some certain like antidepressants can

also slow down bowel movements.

So just something to be aware of.

So as you can see, constipation does not have to cramp your style.

There are plenty of things that you can do to keep both your digestive

system and Your intermittent fasting journey moving along smoothly,

including number one, stay hydrated with plenty of clean fasting drinks.

Number two, eat plenty of fiber every single day.

Number three, move your body a bit more doing something that you love.

Number four, consume more probiotic rich foods like yogurt and kimchi.

Number five, try to relax and take a chill pill.

Again, easier said than done, but you can do it.

Number six, closely monitor your eating window and adjust

according to your specific needs.

And finally, consider taking a magnesium supplement if needed.

Thank you so much for tuning in today.

You do not want to miss the next episode of the Intermittent Fasting

Gems with Jen podcast, which will launch on the 20th of this month.

The holidays are upon us.

And in this episode, I'll be sharing 20 plus simple tips that you With your

intermittent fasting lifestyle to keep you on track and avoid gaining weight

during the upcoming holiday season, have a blessed and beautiful day.

Hey, thank you so much for choosing to spend part of your day listening

to this episode of the intermittent fasting gems with Jen podcast.

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Would be so appreciated tune in for new 15 to 25 minute episodes released on

the 10th, 20th, and 30th of each month episodes will feature solo shows filled

with IF hacks that have worked for me, as well as episodes where I get to chat with.

fun folks of all ages who've experienced incredible success

with intermittent fasting.

If you have questions or want more unique intermittent fasting health

and weight loss tips, tricks, and recipes, please visit my website

and blog at sowhatifwithjen.

com.

Finally, we'd love to welcome you into our free intermittent fasting program.

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Find all of these links in the show notes below.

And as always, I hope you spend your day loving without fear and

laughing until your cheeks hurt.