3 Reasons You Have Trouble Pooping Daily (& What To Do About It)

If you struggle with going No. 2 daily, you aren't alone. In fact, about 16% of people (and 33% of folks over 60) have difficulty going more than once every three days! And (as I'm sure you know) that can get really uncomfortable—think bloating and a distended stomach. 

Although you can keep regular without pooping every day, most people would likely prefer and feel their best with a daily evacuation.

Water is key for healthy, easy-to-pass stools. When you're not drinking enough water1, the body tries to conserve what it can—including reabsorbing water from the intestines.

This dries out the stool and causes it to move more slowly through the remainder of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Not to mention making it more challenging to pass when it gets to the end. 

What to do about it: Ideally, women should get around 25 grams of fiber a day2, and men should aim for about 38 grams. But what does that look like on your plate? A lot of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Avocados, chia seeds, lentils, and legumes all contain impressive amounts of fiber (check out our full list of high-fiber foods here). But you can also lean on a fiber supplement like mindbodygreen's organic fiber+ with prebiotic support. One serving of this powder provides 6 grams of fiber from organic guar beans (which studies show improves weekly bowel movement and reduces gut transit time3), mushrooms, and green kiwifruit.* Oh, and it also supports a healthy gut microbiome4.* 

Low levels of physical activity also mean that your gut isn't as active as it should be. It may indicate that your intestinal muscles aren't as strong as they could be (these are the muscles responsible for moving digested food through the GI tract). 

Aerobic exercise5 is especially important in reducing gut transit time and managing stress (which can slow things down). 

There are many reasons you may be struggling with going No. 2, but many of them really boil down to lifestyle. If you keep well hydrated, eat plenty of fiber, and move regularly, the more regular you should be.