You know that feeling when you feel like you have to go #2 but when you try nothing comes out? Agggh! That annoying feeling used to happen to me every time I traveled and it seemed that the only thing that would make it go away was going back home…
Traveling interferes with your normal bodily functions because you’re thrown out of your ordinary daily routine. You might be in a different time zone, busy with meetings or touristing or you might just be one of those people that needs more privacy than what a public or unfamiliar restroom can provide.
Also, being exposed to different types of foods doesn’t help and most of the time, when people travel, they don’t make the best food choices, which can lead to constipation. It’s believed that over 40% of people get constipated when they travel due to all these changes!
The thing is, not pooping regularly it’s such an uncomfortable feeling – it might even take the enjoyment out of your trip. Plus it is not healthy and can lead to serious health issues if the problem doesn’t get corrected fast. And, no one wants that. The last thing on your mind during traveling should be worrying about pooping or constipation.
I still remember when I was a teenager, coming back from beach trips and having to take all sorts of things to make me go. I was embarrassed to poop when I was with friends so I held it too long every time. It was painful and not to mention I looked like I was pregnant!
The problem with poop, is that the longer you hold it, the harder it is to get it out of your body afterwards. Which is why sometimes you have that feeling that you need to poop but you simply can’t.
And since people don’t seem to like to talk about poop, I am here to share with you how I deal with pooping while traveling.
Tips on how to poop and avoid constipation while traveling
Eats lots of greens and fruits
Fruits and vegetables, especially those high in fiber, help us go to the bathroom regularly. It is easy to skip veggies and fruits when traveling because starches are most readily available. But whenever you can, make sure you get those foods in.
It is easy to include produce in your travel diet: ask for a side salad for lunch or dinner and a side of fruit for breakfast.
Some fruits and vegetables that are high in fiber and easily found when traveling are:
- Apples
- Berries
- Bananas
- Broccoli
- Green beans
- Figs
- Spinach
- Carrots
- Asparagus
- Sweet potato
Drink plenty of water
This sounds obvious but most people don’t drink enough water, especially when traveling. The easiest way to keep track of your water intake is to carry a 30 oz. water bottle with you. I love this one from Klean Kanteen because it’s made out of stainless steel but very lightweight.
Fill it up in the morning and make sure you drink it by the afternoon. Then fill it up again in the afternoon and make sure you drink that before bed time.
If you can drink even more water than this, that’s great! But 2 bottles should be the very minimum you drink per day.
Keep the poop happy
Healthy poop is poop that leaves your body easily. This means if you need to sit in the toilet for 20 minutes and push hard something is probably not right. Most likely you are missing fiber from your diet. Most adults needs 25 – 30 grams of fiber a day and this is what that looks like:
That is a lot of food and if you’re not eating this much and this many high fiber foods, you’re probably not getting enough fiber.
If you eat enough fiber, you’ll be able to sit on the toilet and go right away. Happy poop comes out fast! I didn’t think it was possible, but now I can go to the bathroom so fast, which makes it so much easier when you’re traveling and don’t have enough time to poop.
My secret to pooping fast while traveling
My secret is simple – I up my fiber intake by taking a supplement. The problem is that most fibers can actually upset your intestines so you should look into taking a fiber that has been thoroughly tested. I take Regular Girl, which is prebiotic fiber and probiotic supplement made with Sunfiber. Sunfiber has over 120 clinical studies proving that it actually works and helps regulate you without upsetting your intestines.
The prebiotic fiber and probiotic is the perfect combination to keep things moving along. What I love about Regular Girl is that it’s flavorless so I just add a pack to my water every morning when I’m traveling.
If not I’m eating well during my trip, I actually add a 2nd pouch to my water in the afternoon. This fiber won’t make you go too much nor it causes diarrhea, it is NOT a laxative, which is why it’s perfect for traveling.
Regular Girl is USDA Organic, non-GMO certified, low FODMAP certified (meaning it won’t upset your intestines like other fibers do) vegan, gluten-free and even kosher certified.
I even use this prebiotic fiber and probiotic supplement on my kids, especially if they’re traveling with me. Since it’s flavorless and it doesn’t change the texture of your water, they don’t even know they’re drinking it. Plus, it doesn’t contain any fillers, so you don’t have to worry about sugars or weird filler ingredients getting into your child’s body.
I asked them for a discount code for my readers since I love this product so much and they were nice enough to offer a 10% off. Use code MAMAINSTINCTS10 at checkout to get your discount. It is also available on Amazon, however the discount code won’t work there.
Exercise if possible
Exercise is a great way to keep you regular but it’s not always possible to do when traveling. Your focus should be on keeping your body active while traveling:
- Take the stairs instead of an elevator.
- Walk an extra block before requesting your Uber ride.
- Walk to restaurants near by instead of eating in the hotel restaurant.
- Do a quick workout every morning before you start your day.
DO NOT hold the poo!
If you feel like you have to go, do your best to stop whatever it is you’re doing and go!
Our bodies usually have to go around the same time, so try and schedule your appointments in a way that you’ll have enough time for a bathroom break.
After doing all these things for about a year now, I’m happy to report that I no longer have to deal with constipation while traveling. I feel that taking the extra fiber from Regular Girl twice a day while traveling is what really made the difference for me since I was already doing everything else but getting constipated.
Next time you’re traveling make sure you follow these tips! You’ll be surprised at how easy it will be to go.
Do you have you any tips and tricks when it comes to staying regular while traveling? If so, share them in the comments.
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