Many people think that they lose calories when they poop because they state that there is a feeling of being light like some weight loss has occurred. As a result, some want to know how many calories can you burn by pooping.
While you don’t lose calories by pooping even when you use a squatty potty because the back of the thighs gives support to your buttocks. However, if you can poop in a squatting position without any support which it’s not easy, you would lose some calories. For example, the table below shows how many calories you can lose when pooping in a squat position if you take only 5 minutes.
| Weight in kilograms (kg) | Weight in Pounds (lbs) | Calories per minute (.0175) | Metabolic Equivalent (MET)= 3.5 | Time pooping | Calories lost |
| 50 | 110.231 | 0.0175 | 3.5 | 5 minutes | 15.31 |
| 55 | 121.254 | 0.0175 | 3.5 | 5 minutes | 16.84 |
| 60 | 132.277 | 0.0175 | 3.5 | 5 minutes | 18.38 |
| 65 | 143.3 | 0.0175 | 3.5 | 5 minutes | 19.91 |
| 70 | 154.324 | 0.0175 | 3.5 | 5 minutes | 21.44 |
| 75 | 165.347 | 0.0175 | 3.5 | 5 minutes | 22.97 |
| 80 | 176.37 | 0.0175 | 3.5 | 5 minutes | 24.5 |
| 85 | 187.393 | 0.0175 | 3.5 | 5 minutes | 26.03 |
| 90 | 198.416 | 0.0175 | 3.5 | 5 minutes | 27.56 |
| 95 | 209.439 | 0.0175 | 3.5 | 5 minutes | 29.09 |
| 100 | 220.462 | 0.0175 | 3.5 | 5 minutes | 30.63 |
This article further discusses in detail if it’s possible to lose calories when pooping and provides tips for healthy bowel movements. Keep reading!
Do You Lose Calories When You Poop?
Although the idea that pooping burns calories is a myth, one can say that you lose calories when you poop. This statement is somewhat accurate as some sources indicate that pooping can burn up to 50 calories an hour.
However, this amount of energy is implausible because your body uses 10 percent of your total calorie intake to digest food, which would only equate to about 50 calories. Your body utilizes most of its energy on the things you do every day, not on passing feces.
Do You Poop More When Losing Weight?
The idea that you poop more when trying to lose weight is true. A study done by USC Davis of over 3,000 participants showed that those on a diet tend to have bowel movements up to three times a day.
This is because they restrict their caloric intake and thus limit the number of nutrients absorbed by your body. A lack of nutrients can cause your stool to be more challenging to pass, leading to people feeling the urge to defecate more frequently than usual.
The idea that you increase bowel movements when on a diet is a fact. A study done by USC Davis of over 3000 participants showed that those on a diet had three times as many bowel movements as those who were not dieting.
This is because diets restrict nutrients that your body absorbs. Thus you don’t take up as much into your body, resulting in more difficult stools to pass, leading to an urge to poop more frequently.
We recommend this Calorie Smart Watch Counter!
A poop composition.
Feces are 75 percent water, which is why the average stool is 12 times lighter than an individual’s usual daily food intake. Components in feces consist of dead and live bacteria, indigestible food (fiber), epithelial cells (from the mucosa or inner layer of the colon), fats, mucus, bile, and leukocytes (white blood cells).
While a normal stool is generally 90 percent water, some may contain additional intestinal parasites or dietary fiber.
A healthy stool has a moist, soft texture that passes quickly without causing discomfort. The bowel frequency movements depend on the amount of food you eat and your general diet. Still, the average person should have at least one bowel movement each day.
Calories that can be burned off by pooping:
According to the sources listed below, pooping can burn up to 50 calories an hour. However, this is highly unlikely as your body uses about 10 percent of its total calorie intake to digest food, which would only equate to about 50 calories.
The sources say that pooping can burn up to 50 calories, but this isn’t very likely. Your body uses around 10% of its total calorie intake for digestion, meaning it would only be approximately 50 calories.
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Is Pooping Recommended For Weight Loss?
Although pooping can burn calories, it is not recommended for weight loss. People do not lose fat in the colon; instead, they quickly regain water weight when eating.
The average person has one bowel movement each day and should focus on losing or maintaining weight through diet and exercise rather than altering their bowel movements.
A healthy bowel movement can signify that your body is healthy, but it is not recommended for weight loss. People will lose water from pooping, but this will be gained back when they eat.
Remember, the average person only has one bowel movement a day and should focus on losing or maintaining weight through diet and exercise rather than altering their stools.
How Do You Attain a Healthy Bowel Movement?
While people with an unhealthy bowel movements should consult their doctor, there are some things anyone can do to promote healthy bowel movements.
Drinking plenty of water each day keeps stools soft and moist, making them easier to pass. Staying hydrated also helps you avoid unnecessary trips to the bathroom.
Fiber is another essential factor for promoting regular bowel movements as it makes stools softer and easier to pass. A high-fiber diet, such as fruit, vegetables, whole grains, beans, and legumes, can help achieve a healthy stool.
A healthy bowel movement has a soft texture that passes quickly without causing pain or discomfort. Drinking plenty of water each day is recommended to keep stools soft and moist so it is easier to pass.
Fiber is another essential factor for promoting regular bowel movements as it makes stools smoother and easier to pass.
A healthy diet high in fiber, such as fruit, vegetables, whole grains, or beans, can help achieve a more beneficial stool or one that isn’t constipated.
How Much Does a Poop Weigh?
Some factors determine how much a particular piece of poop weighs. The size and form of your stool, as well as the food you eat, can affect its weight. Also, constipated poops are typically heavier because they contain more water than regular stools.
A regular bowel movement is around 90% water, so it would be pretty light. Still, depending on the circumstances, it could be different.
Typically, stools are about 90% water, so they would be very lightweight. Still, depending on the circumstances, there is a chance this percentage could change.
Those who consume plenty of fiber tend to have healthier poops with regular bowel movements because dietary fiber promotes healthy digestion.
Healthy foods high in dietary fiber include dried peas, fresh fruits and vegetables, and many whole grains.
A bowel movement weighs what you eat as fiber can help digestion and regular bowel movements. Healthy sources of fiber include dried peas, fruit, and veggies, as well as whole grains.
Is Pooping an Effective Weight Loss Strategy?
Do you know the poop solution?
No, the doctors don’t recommend it for weight loss. A person will lose water from pooping, but this will be gained back when they eat; remember, the average person only has one bowel movement a day and should focus on losing or maintaining weight through diet and exercise rather than trying to alter their diet stools.
Bowel movements are natural processes that impact the body in many ways. However, there is no evidence that one can use healthy bowel movements directly for weight loss.
It is essential to focus on proper diet and exercise to reach your goals.
You lose weight when your caloric intake is less than the number of calories you burn in a day. Many factors influence this, so we don’t recommend trying ‘poop’ off pounds.
There isn’t any proven way to use healthy bowel movements for weight loss. It’s essential to focus on your diet and exercise to reach your goals.
Tips For Healthy Bowel Movement
The following are tips to help you have healthy bowel movements.
1. Drinking plenty of water can help promote healthy bowel movements.
Drinking adequate water helps keep your stool soft and moist, making it easier to pass. It also enables you to avoid unnecessary bathroom trips.
2. Fiber is another essential factor for promoting regular bowel movements as it makes stools softer and easier to pass.
A healthy diet high in fiber, such as fruit, vegetables, whole grains, or beans, can help achieve a more beneficial stool or one that isn’t constipated.
3. Exercise and engaging in regular physical activity can help to stimulate bowel movement.
Regular exercise may also promote regular bowel movements. Exercise stimulates the gastrointestinal tract, which helps stool reach the rectum with ease.
Also, it increases blood flow to the digestive system, increasing peristalsis–the intestines’ muscular contractions that move stool along.
Engaging in regular physical activity may also stimulate bowel movement. Exercise stimulates the gastrointestinal tract, which helps stool reach the rectum with ease.
4. Avoiding fat and refined carbs food can help promote regular bowel movements.
Foods high in fat typically cause stool to be soft and make it difficult to pass. High-refined carb foods, such as white bread or table sugar, have low fiber content, so they don’t help promote regular bowel movements.
Fats can make stools softer and can make them harder to pass. Foods high in refined carbs, such as white bread or table sugar, have low fiber content, so they don’t help promote regular bowel movements.
5. Practice good hygiene to help prevent constipation and hemorrhoids.
Hygiene includes the following:
a. Exercising regularly.
b. Stimulating the GI tract, increasing blood flow to the digestive system.
c. Drinking enough water.
d. Eating a healthy diet.
6. If you experience diarrhea, make sure to stay hydrated.
Diarrhea can cause an electrolyte imbalance and result in dehydration, so it is essential to drink plenty of fluids (with or without electrolytes).
Electrolytes include magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, sodium chloride, and potassium; a balanced diet should contain a mix of these electrolytes.
If you have diarrhea, stay hydrated by drinking fluids that include electrolytes. Electrolytes include magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, sodium chloride, and potassium; a balanced diet should contain a mix of these electrolytes.
7. Try to avoid straining when you have bowel movements.
Straining can lead to hemorrhoids and anal fissures (tears in the lining of the anus). Straining during bowel movement attempts may also aggravate digestive disorders such as diverticulitis. It may also aggravate digestive disorders such as diverticulitis.
8. Follow a routine every day.
Have bowel movements simultaneously each day, if possible, to help your body get into a consistent pattern. Consistency is vital for preventing constipation and having regular bowel movements.
Follow a routine to prevent constipation and have regular bowel movements. Consistency is vital for avoiding constipation and having regular bowel movements.
9. Don’t ignore the urge to have a bowel movement because it can lead to constipation.
Ignoring the urge may cause stool to become dry and hard, making it more difficult for you to pass stools during a bowel movement.
This can make you more likely to strain when going to the bathroom and increase your risk for hemorrhoids and anal fissures.
Going to the bathroom when you feel an urge can prevent constipation and cause stool to be softer, resulting in more effortless bowel movements. It can also decrease your risk for hemorrhoids and anal fissures.
10. Try adding fiber to your diet to help maintain bowel movements.
Include fiber in your diet from high-fiber whole-grain bread and cereals, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and seeds. Fiber is a necessity for preventing constipation and having regular bowel movements.
Including fiber in your diet from whole-grain bread and cereals, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and seeds can help prevent constipation and have regular bowel movements.
What Job Burns the Most Calories?
Some jobs burn more calories than others. They are:
- Jogger, approx 1400-1700 calories burnt per hour
- Cross country skier, approx 1700-2000 calories burnt in an hour
- Swimmer, approx 1700-2200 calories burnt per hour
- Tennis player, approx 1800-2200 calories burnt in an hour
- Soccer player, approx 2000+ calories burnt in an hour
- Basketball player, approx 2000+ calories burned during a game (averaging 90 minutes)
- Football/rugby player, approx 2200+ calories burned in an hour
Related article: How Many Calories Do 100 Squats Burn?
Where Do You Lose Fat First?
Research shows that losing fat depends on your age (younger people lose it in the face first).
When you turn 40, however, this changes. You start to lose fat around your waistline first – which is why many middle-aged men wear belts! Women also tend to notice they’re losing it in their hips and thighs when they hit 40.
What Do The Calories From Poops Mean?
There are several reasons why people are concerned about the calories they are losing when they go to the toilet, but most of them are not well-founded.
There is no exact number of calories that you will lose by going to the bathroom because it will vary based on your diet and bowel health.
Constipation can cause a decrease in metabolism, leading to weight gain over time. Still, it would take an extremely long time for this to be relevant enough to be concerned with.
Related article: How Many Calories Does Crying Burn
How Many Calories Do I Burn When Sleeping?
On average, a person burns about one calorie per kilogram of body weight every hour while sleeping. That means a 70-kilogram (154 pounds) person will burn around 70 calories per hour while sleeping.
How can you tell if you are losing body fat?
There are several indications that you are losing fat. Still, it is essential to remember that weight loss can change your body’s composition.
This means that while you may be dropping pounds (or kilograms), your body may be switching to a higher percentage of muscle or more fat.
Determining how much of your current weight loss is coming from lean mass and how much is coming from fat. It may be worth considering getting a body composition test done.
Do You Lose Calories When You Have Diarrhea?
Diarrhea does typically not affect calorie consumption because your body had already absorbed most of the food that was being digested before diarrhea occurred.
The only thing that is actually “lost” from the food is the calories from the undigested fiber, which would have been good for gut health. Still, you can make up for this by eating a high-fiber diet.
Read related article: How Many Calories Do 100 Sit-Ups Burn?
How Many Calories Do You Burn In One Day?
According to Investopedia, the number of calories the average person burns in a day is roughly 2,000 kilocalories. This can vary depending on physical activity level and body size.
How Many Calories Do You Burn While Exercising?
According to researchers at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland, running and cycling are equally strenuous exercises.
They used a stationary bike big enough for two people to sit on with their feet strapped into pedals to make it seem like they were riding real bicycles.
Each rider pedaled against resistance equal to their body weight. The time they took to complete a certain distance was recorded.
The study found that cycling burned 519 calories per hour, and running burned an average of 709 calories per hour. Researchers concluded that riding a bike is not necessarily easier than running because people burn more calories while running steadily than cycling at the same rate.
How Many Calories Do You Burn When Walking?
Unlike pooping, you can significantly burn calories by walking. For example, both men and women burn around 100 calories per hour when walking 1.5 to 2 miles per hour, or around 114 to 131 calories for every 20 minutes of brisk walking.
However, the number of calories burned during physical activity can vary depending on weight and the speed, distance, or time spent walking.
Why Do I Lose Weight When I Poop?
You don’t necessarily lose weight or burn calories by pooping. One of the main functions of the intestines is to absorb water from digested food so that solid matter can pass more quickly through the colon.
When there’s less solid matter in your feces, it may weigh less than usual on the scale after a bowel movement. However, the weight of your stool is not a very reliable measure of healthy or unhealthy digestion.
Suppose you’re constipated and have difficulty with bowel movements. In that case, it’s a fine idea to talk to a doctor who can help diagnose what might be going on and recommend treatment options if necessary.
How Many Calories Does Poop Have?
Poop has zero calories, but what you eat may contain the number of calories that it did before you ate it. If an apple was 100 calories before you took a bite, then only 87 or so will remain after digestion.
This goes for anything else consumed in the digestive system. The rest of the process is dedicated to breaking food down into its parts too quickly. The big intestine, rectum, and anus are all passed through.
Final Thoughts
Calories are a type of energy measurement that quantifies how much work can be done by your body. They only exist in the context of food because they represent the amount of energy that your body can derive from them when it breaks them down.
This is why you hear about calories in food, but not air or water because air and water do not give your body any usable energy.
When you poop, all that happens is that the calories in the undigested food are excreted with minimal effort because it doesn’t take much work to move food through your digestive system.
The only way to lose weight by pooping is to eat too many calories and don’t burn enough while exercising.