No one likes talking about poop. But we all do it. The fact is, poops are an essential part of our lives, but no one wants to talk about them. So here we are in this article, talking about them.
And you know what? We’re not alone in this. Millions of people across the world have been talking and writing about poops. And they will continue to do so.
For a while now, the debate has been raging. But now, thanks to new studies from researchers, we finally have an answer. And it might be more than you bargained for.
How Many Calories Do You Burn By Pooping?
Pooping does burn calories, 68 calories in an hour. While pooping, you tense your muscles, and depending on the fiber and water content in your poop, you could either have a strenuous poop or soft poop.
The more you strain, the more calories you burn, although it would be very uncomfortable for you. Pooping in a squat toilet would require you to squat, and this position also burns more calories, just like you would when squatting anywhere else.
However, the calorie content of poop is negligible, and there is no evidence that it can contribute to significant weight loss.
What Does It Mean To Burn Calories?
Calories are used to measure the energy content in food and beverages. One calorie or one kcal equals 1,000 calories.
Your body burns calories to maintain bodily functions, like breathing and thinking. Calories are also used to heat or cool your body, get out of bed in the morning, and exercise.
When you burn more calories than you consume, it’s called a calorie deficit. This is when you begin burning stored fat for fuel. That’s what happens during a typical fat loss diet.
On the other hand, if you consume more calories than you use up, your body will store those extra calories as fat reserves. The calories you burn are directly related to your body’s energy to perform various tasks.
Energy is needed to digest food, maintain average body temperature and chemical balances, move the muscles and other cell systems, and provide the energy for all of these processes.
What About Pooping? Does Pooping Burn Calories?
The average person poops 1-3 times per day, and each bowel movement will usually last from one to 10 minutes.
On average, people burn about 68 calories each time they go to the bathroom. Considering how often people visit the bathroom every day, this adds to many calories burned.
While pooping doesn’t directly burn calories, it does contribute to weight loss. Poop is a complex substance that contains cellulose and other nutrients that your body can’t digest.
Your body needs to burn calories to convert the non-digestible matter into a form that can be eliminated from the body.
However, the calorie content of poop is negligible, and there is no evidence that it can contribute to significant weight loss. However, you would feel lighter after a bowel movement.
Your body uses two kinds of fuel to function: carbohydrates and fat. When you’re digesting a meal, your body has to expend energy to break down and absorb the nutrients in food.
This process is called “diet-induced thermogenesis” or diet-induced energy expenditure (DIT), and it can account for up to 10% of your total energy expenditure (TEE).
However, it’s essential to keep in mind that this is the average number of calories burned and not necessarily true for everyone. People who weigh more than 200 pounds will likely burn more calories than people who weigh less.
Everyone has different body chemistry and a different diet. If you eat differently than someone else, your body will react differently.
If you eat more fiber than someone else, your poop will be bigger and softer. If you eat less fiber than someone else, your poop will be smaller and more compact.
A Surprising Fact About Poops!
You probably didn’t know this, but the average human poop is 6-8 inches long. That’s about 2-3 times as long as a turd from a horse or dog.
That’s because humans have a much longer small intestine than other mammals, which allows for more absorption of nutrients.
Feces can be as hard as a rock or as soft as a piece of wet toilet paper;
- Dry, flaky poop is called “dyschezia.” It comes out like sawdust when your body isn’t digesting food properly. Constipation often causes hard, dry stool.
- Soft, squishy poop is called “steatorrhea” and can signify fat malabsorption.
- Diarrhea; This is sometimes caused by irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). IBS can cause watery diarrhea with some blood in it.
How To Get A Healthy Bowel Movement
Pooping is natural, and there’s nothing shameful about it. But sometimes, it can be a real pain in the butt!
The health and cleanliness of our colons are essential to overall health, and knowing how to “go” can be frustrating.
A healthy bowel movement is often defined as eliminating solid waste from the body at least once a day.
It is usual for your stool to be soft and easy to pass and for it to come out in small pieces about every other day.
Bowel movements are an excellent way to tell if your body is in good health or not.
- If you don’t have regular, easy bowel movements, it could signify something more severe like inflammatory bowel disease.
- Or it could just mean that your diet needs some fine-tuning.
Whatever the case may be, the first step to improving your diet recognizes the issue at hand.
1. Include more fiber in your diet
Fiber is an integral part of a healthy diet for many reasons. For one, fiber helps with digestion.
It makes it easier to pass bowel movements because it absorbs water in the gut and turns into a soft, bulky substance that helps push things out of the body.
The recommended amount of fiber per day is between 25 and 30 grams. That’s why it’s so important to include fiber-rich foods in your diet. Whole grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables, and nuts are the best sources.
Fiber-rich fruits such as pineapple and papaya, apples, apricots, avocados, and berries, and vegetables like beans, cabbage, greens, and tomatoes are also great options.
2. Drink plenty of fluids
If you have not gone to the bathroom in three or more days, you may be constipated. Other symptoms of constipation include: Having to strain when passing stool. It should come out quickly and without straining.
If it does not, then you are probably constipated. You can prevent this by drinking plenty of water and other fluids.
3. Relax
Reduce stress and anxiety. Stress and anxiety decrease blood flow to the digestive tract, making it difficult for food to pass through.
Please don’t hold your breath when pushing out a bowel movement; you should be relaxed and let nature take its course.
4. Try to do it daily at the same time.
If you establish a regular schedule, like early in the morning before your coffee, your body will adapt, becoming a healthy habit.
5. When constipated, take laxatives.
Take fluids and some laxatives to help ease the process whenever you feel constipated. Otherwise, the experience might be too painful or uncomfortable.
The Physical Benefits Of Pooping
There are so many benefits to pooping that it’s hard to understand why we don’t talk about them more.
Of course, we don’t want to be too blunt about the topic, but a little encouragement wouldn’t hurt either.
If you start thinking about how your body works and all of the functions that take place every day, you may be surprised at how much your daily habits can affect your health.
Here are some health benefits of pooping regularly:
- Reduces the risk of colon cancer by 50%; the fiber found in your poop removes toxins from your body and lowers the risk of colon cancer.
- Clear skin; then you poop regularly, your skin is healthier.
- If you have a healthy bowel movement, it will help you keep your body weight and blood sugar levels in check. It will also help to keep your hair and nails healthy.
- Of course, it’s also a great way to relax and unwind.
- You can reduce stress and anxiety by pooping and peeing regularly, which helps you sleep better.
Conclusion
Poop is pretty good for you! Not only does it give your body a way to get rid of unwanted materials, but it also burns a few calories! You burn approximately 68 calories a day by pooping. While it may not seem like much, the number can add up over time.
This, however, is not the best technique to burn calories. If you’re aiming to slim down, consider dieting and exercising. Remember to burn all the calories you intake in a day to lose weight significantly.
