Do You Lose Weight When You Poop? - Greatist

Maybe your like

Greatist

FITNESS

Does Pooping Help You Lose Weight? The Truth Explained

Medically reviewed by Jake Tipane, CPT — Written by Anna Lee Beyer — Updated on August 7, 2024

How much does poop weigh?
Bowel movements and weight loss
Bloat vs. body fat
What’s normal?
tl;dr

Wondering if pooping helps you lose weight? While your body weight might shift after a bathroom trip, don’t count on shedding body fat. Discover the truth behind pooping and weight loss in this informative guide.

If you’ve stepped on the scale before and after a big poop to see how much weight you just unloaded, you’re not the only one.

Technically speaking, your total body weight will change when you poop. But will you “lose weight” (aka body fat) by pooping more, or more often? Nope.

You might feel lighter and more comfortable after going. Especially if you’re constipated or bloated.

About 16 percent of adults have symptoms of constipation — aka fewer than three bowel movements a week, hard or dry stools, stools that are painful to pass, or bowels that feel less-than-empty afterward.

Read on for the straight poop about poop and weight.

The unbearable lightness of poop

It’s practically impossible to estimate how much stool is in a person’s body at a particular moment. It depends on how much they’ve eaten, how hydrated they are, how often they go to the bathroom, etc.

How much poop weighs can vary for many reasons, but scientists have done the calculations and apparently the average healthy adult poops 128 grams a day (about a quarter pound). The average person has 1.2 bowel movements in a 24-hour period.

These stats vary wildly from person to person. In the scientific review mentioned above, individual poop weights ranged from 5 to 1,505 grams per day.

Fiber intake seemed to have the biggest impact on fecal mass (more fiber, more poop). Body weight, gender, and calorie intake also seem to impact fecal mass.

The science of making poop

Digestion begins with chewing. Next, food moves down the esophagus into the stomach, where stomach acids and digestive enzymes break it down further.

From there it moves into the small intestine, where more digestive juice is added. Along the way, starches, carbohydrates, and proteins break down.

The pancreas adds pancreatic juice to the mix, and the liver adds bile for fat digestion. As food moves through the small intestine, the body absorbs water and nutrients.

Like the small intestine, the large intestine moves its contents through the system with rhythmic muscle contractions called peristalsis. The large intestine contains all that good bacteria that helps finish digesting your food.

Throughout this trek, more water and nutrients are absorbed from the mixture until solid stool is left in the lower section of the bowel, ready to be pooped out.

The whole process is orchestrated by hormones and nerves in the digestive system. It’s almost elegant, right? But if the choreography is stalled or out of rhythm (like with constipation and bloating), you may not be feeling the elegance.

Some people are more likely to be constipated, including:

women who are pregnant or have just given birth
older adults
non-Caucasians
peeps lacking dietary fiber
having functional gastrointestinal disorders

It should take food 3 to 5 days to make its way completely through your body.

Typical poop is 75 percent water and 25 percent solid. The solid matter is about 30 percent dead bacteria, 30 percent indigestible food matter, 10 to 20 percent cholesterol and fat, 10 to 20 percent inorganic material, and 2 to 3 percent protein.

Does this diet make my tummy look full?

The composition of your diet can definitely impact how much and how often you go. (More fiber, more poop, remember?) Diets that recommend a higher volume of fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains will increase fecal output because of all that healthy fiber.

On the other hand, diets that prioritize high protein foods over high fiber foods will likely slow down your pipes and lead to constipation.

As with any restrictive diet, short-term weight loss is possible, but it’s probably not related to how much you poop.

Blergh, it’s the bloat

If you just ate a giant meal, it might temporarily feel like you swallowed a beach ball. If you have that feeling a lot, consider whether bloating (usually caused by gas in the digestive system) is your problem.

Review the signs of constipation above. Constipation and bloating often go hand in hand. Other causes of bloating include irritable bowel syndrome, gastroparesis, and gynecological problems.

When you identify the cause and get some relief from bloating, your pants will feel looser and you’ll be more comfortable in your body. Hallelujah!

Surely you must have lost weight? Probably not. It’s just another one of those biological things that makes being a radiant being in a meat suit feel different from day to day.

Poop better, feel better

Consistency is a key factor for poop health. If your poo is solid (but not too hard) and you go every few days (up to a few times a day), you’re probably doing fine.

However, if it’s hard to go and you feel constantly bloated, it may be time to ask your doctor what’s up.

Follow these tips to stay regular:

Drink more water. Aim for 8 cups a day and more if it’s hot out or you exercise a lot.
Eat more fiber. Including solute fiber (like from beans, oats, and apples) and insoluble fiber (like from broccoli, tomatoes, and whole grains).
Exercise. 150 minutes each week, at moderate intensity.
Seek treatment. for underlying health conditions like irritable bowel syndrome, thyroid disease, and lactose intolerance.

And ditch the laxatives! Overuse of laxatives to lose weight is a dangerous purging behavior in people with eating disorders.

According to the National Eating Disorder Association, laxative abuse causes loss of water, electrolytes, and minerals, but not calories or body fat. And it can lead to renal inflammation, cardiac arrest, seizures, tachycardia, and muscle breakdown.

Ew, enough poop talk, OK?

Being part of a body image-obsessed culture can make you do weird things. Like contemplate the weight of your poop and how it impacts your total body weight.

You might as well weigh the hair that clogs your shower drain. While poop weight and hair shedding won’t tell you much about changes in the shape and size of your body, they can be indicators of general health and wellbeing.

So, go ahead and think about how healthy your poop is. Add water, fiber, and exercise to get your bowels moving right.

9 sourcescollapsed

Bloating: Causes and prevention tips. (n.d.). https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/bloating-causes-and-prevention-tips
Definition & facts for constipation. (2018). https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/constipation/definition-facts
Easy ways to stay regular. (n.d.). https://www.health.harvard.edu/aging/easy-ways-to-stay-regular
Feces. (n.d.). https://www.britannica.com/science/feces
Forney KJ, et al. (2016). The medical complications associated with purging. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.22504
Laxative abuse. (2018). https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/learn/general-information/laxative-abuse
Rajan E. (2019). Digestion: How long does it take? https://www.mayoclinic.org/digestive-system/expert-answers/faq-20058340
Rose, C et al. (2015). The characterization of feces and urine: A Review of the literature to inform advanced treatment technology. Critical reviews in environmental science and technology. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10643389.2014.1000761
Your digestive system & how it works. (2017).https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/digestive-system-how-it-works

FEEDBACK:

Medically reviewed by Jake Tipane, CPT — Written by Anna Lee Beyer — Updated on August 7, 2024

must reads

How to Get Rid of Man Boobs at Home: Top Tips and Strategies
Understanding Cankles: Causes, Concerns, and What You Need to Know
Tips to Help You Lose Weight Fast, Naturally and Permanently
Ozempic Butt: Does Ozempic Make Your Butt Saggy?
GLP-1 for Weight Loss: How Does It Work?

Do You Lose Weight When You Poop? - Greatist

Wellness

Health Conditions

Food

Recipes

Fitness

Workouts

Product Reviews

Series

How-To

The Greatist Community

About Greatist

FITNESS

The unbearable lightness of poop

The science of making poop

Does this diet make my tummy look full?

Blergh, it’s the bloat

Poop better, feel better

Follow these tips to stay regular:

Ew, enough poop talk, OK?

must reads

Read this next

Do You Lose Weight When You Poop? - Men's Health

Do You Lose Weight When You Poop? - Healthline

Real Talk: Does Pooping Affect Weight Loss? - Women's Health

Do You Lose Weight When You Poop? - Verywell Health

How Much Poop Weighs & How To Lose Weight Farting ... - Thrillist

Do You Lose Weight By Going To The Bathroom? - HealthMatch

Do You Lose Weight When You Poop? - Medical News Today

When We Poop, Do We Really Lose 5-6 Pounds Of Our Weight? - Quora

How Much Weight Do You Lose When You Poop? - DUDE Wipes

A Weight Loss Fact Or Myth: Do You Lose Weight When You Poop?

This Is How Much Weight You Can Lose By Pooping

(Lose Weight Meds) How Much Weight Do You Lose When You ...

Do You Lose Weight When You Poop How Long Does It Take A Cat ...

4 Ways Your Poop Changes When You're Losing Weight - Livestrong

Contact