What's the scoop about keto poop? Well, I give a crap! Let's stop being embarrassed about keto diarrhea or keto constipation and figure this sh*% out.

People love to post pictures of what they are about to eat for lunch. But you know what they don’t want to share? Keto poop problems! For some reason, dirty keto dieters love to post about eating excessive sugar-free gummy bears but then clam up when it comes to talking about keto diarrhea or keto constipation.

When you make a sudden diet change, like starting the DIRTY, LAZY, KETO way of eating, your bowels also make big changes. What you eat comes out the other end, so it makes sense there would be some impressive changes “down there,” right?

The Bristol Stool Chart explains (in gorgeous, Claymation detail!) what healthy poop is “supposed” to look like. Ideally, your stool should look like Type 3 or 4 in the chart. Healthy stool dives smoothly into the toilet bowl without a big splash (TMI?). The shape of your poop should have an S or C curve, mimicking the shape of your curvy intestine.

By Cabot Health, Bristol Stool Chart - http://cdn.intechopen.com/pdfs-wm/46082.pdf, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=41761316

At one time or another, due to medication, illness, or diet, we have all experienced Types 1-7 poop. Don’t try and lie! Let’s try and figure out what might be happening today with your poop as it relates to DIRTY, LAZY, KETO*.

Keto Constipation

Did you know that 75% of your poop is made up of water? About 9% of poop is from fiber (where it gets its form), and the remainder is inorganic material or bacteria (the stinky part). So, what that tells me is drinking water is important! When you started DIRTY, LAZY, KETO, I talked about avoiding the keto flu by increasing electrolytes – remember? The same lesson applies here. Electrolyte supplemented fluids and increased water intake will keep you regular. If your poop looks like pebbles or clumped pebbles (Type 1 and 2 on the stool chart), you are likely dehydrated.

Constipation can also be a result of not eating enough soluble fiber. Found in healthy fruits and vegetables, soluble fiber turns to mush inside your intestines, making your poop nice and soft. For a detailed list of DIRTY, LAZY, KETO recommended fruits and veggies – check the Fiber section of the Net Carb Calculator blog post.

Keto Diarrhea

When you suddenly increase the amount of fat in your diet, your colon might go into shock. Keto diarrhea is the body’s reaction to unabsorbed fat – the small intestine and colon secrete large amounts of water which leads to watery stool and diarrhea. Another likely culprit behind keto diarrhea is the consumption of MCT oil, sugar alcohols or artificial sweeteners. Everyone tolerates these differently; sometimes sugar-free candy or other keto treats have unintended side effects -- sorry!

A deeper dive into keto diarrhea (oh, that was a bad visual!) might point toward a vitamin D deficiency. Have you had your levels checked? Additionally, over-the-counter supplements like magnesium are known to loosen the bowels. Be sure you know what you are actually taking! Ask your doctor for help.

In podcast episode 9 of the DIRTY, LAZY, Girl podcast (links to listen at the top of this post), Tamara and Stephanie discuss what healthy poop looks like and will provide specific tips to help you ad...