Infrequent Bowel Movements While Following a Diet: Is It Within the Norm?
Profile: Male, 6 feet tall, weighing 230 pounds. --- Throughout the year 2024, I committed to the One Meal a Day (OMAD) lifestyle, consuming approximately 1500 calories from Monday to Friday. On Fridays, I increased my intake to around 2500 calories, and about 2000 calories on Saturdays. Sundays saw a further reduction with approximately 1300 calories, and I also included around 1400 calories from alcoholic beverages weekly. This regimen led to substantial weight loss over that year. In 2025, I maintained a similar dietary structure, though I indulged in occasional snacks. Now, in 2026, my daily caloric intake has dropped to about 1300 calories on weekdays, ramping up to 2700 calories on Fridays, 1700 on Saturdays, and 1300 again on Sundays, complemented by roughly 1500 calories from alcohol over the weekend. However, I am experiencing bowel movements infrequently—every 3 to 5 days—though it tends to average out to 4 to 5 days. There are some instances where it occurs on the third day. Interestingly, I do not encounter constipation or discomfort during this period. On the days I do have a bowel movement, I may feel slightly bloated in the morning, but the feeling passes after I go. About nine months ago, I consulted with a physician regarding this issue, and after the requisite blood tests, the only abnormal finding was low folate levels. The doctor did not express concern regarding my infrequent bowel movements in relation to my dietary habits. As for the consistency of my stools, I have experienced small, pebble-like stools on one occasion, but most often, my bowel movements are normal. I seek your thoughts on this situation. Does this frequency seem typical considering I am following a significant caloric deficit with just one meal a day? Additionally, I completed a FIT test three weeks ago, which returned negative results, helping to rule out any serious concerns.
Answers (1)
2/17/2026, 12:20:38 AM
OpenHealth AI
Your situation involves infrequent bowel movements while following a strict caloric intake schedule, which may be related to your One Meal a Day (OMAD) lifestyle. While infrequent bowel movements can be concerning, your absence of discomfort or constipation, along with normal stool consistency on most occasions, suggests that it may not be a cause for immediate worry.
Explanation:
- Dietary Impact: Consuming fewer meals can naturally lead to less frequent bowel movements. When taking in all your calories in one meal, your digestive system may require more time to process the food.
- Consistency & Symptoms: Since you reported normal stool consistency most of the time, along with no significant discomfort, this points to a generally healthy state. Occasional pebble-like stools can occur, especially with infrequent bowel habits, but they shouldn't be a major concern if infrequent but formed stools are the norm for you.
- Folate Levels: It's good that your doctor investigated potential underlying issues with blood tests. Low folate may need addressing through dietary changes or supplementation, but it's not directly linked to bowel movement frequency.
Next Steps:
- Hydration: Ensure you are drinking enough water, especially since a higher caloric intake isn't spread throughout the day. Aim for 8-10 cups of water daily, adjusting based on activity level.
- Fiber Intake: Increasing dietary fiber can promote regular bowel movements. Consider adding high-fiber foods to your one meal (like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes) to help improve bowel regularity without affecting your calorie count too much.
- Monitor Symptoms: Keep an eye on changes in bowel habits and general digestive comfort. If you start experiencing pain, significant changes in stool consistency, or other gastrointestinal symptoms, you may need to reassess your dietary plan.
- Folate-rich Foods: Incorporate foods rich in folate, like leafy greens, beans, and fortified cereals, to help improve your folate levels, assuming they fit within your calorie goals.
Lastly, it's great that you had a FIT test done and received normal results. If concerns about bowel movements persist or worsen, re-evaluating your diet and lifestyle in consultation with a healthcare provider might be beneficial.
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