My official theory on little pouch days

First, let me say I pay far too much attention to my body. Well probably not too much...but a lot.

And I see a lot of people get perplexed about the phenomenon known as "little pouch days." For new-newbies this likely isn't something you've picked up on yet as EVERYDAY is a little pouch day for you but when you get further out you'll likely find there are some days you can eat everything that isn't nailed down where other days you eat two bites and are down for the count.

I think I've figured this out (for me at least) and I've even figured out how to get RID of a little pouch day intereasingly enough (I don't know if that's good information for me to know or not). So I thought in the spirit of acadamia I'd share with all of you.

Over time, I noticed that there are a few other events that happened around my little pouch days, namely:

a) that they occurred just after "big pouch days"
b) that my little pouch days were often short lived and that
c) they usually were followed by a "Come to Jesus" experience in the bathroom (don't make me say anymore about that...you know what I mean)

So my theory is this. We only have so much room in our digestive systems. A good portion of our intestines have been bypassed. I think that little pouch days are when our digestive systems are, for lack of a better term, full of food. Not necessarily to the point of "there is no space left in the intestines" (but I'll get to that statement again in a minute), but our systems have as much food as they can deal with at the moment. So when you put food into your pouch on those days...I think it sorta stays there, which is why you feel full very fast. The food can't move on until something gets out of the way.

Then you have your glorious bathroom experience, more room is made in your intestines, food moves down along the line and your pouch is willing, again, to accept food. Depending on how prolific your bathroome experience, I theorize you can even be hungriER after a little pouch day than you were before.

SO...how have i applied this information. Well the only days I really feel compelled to do something about a little pouch day is on heavy workout days. I have learned it's not smart to go into a workout under nourished OR overstuffed. So in those cases I do the following:

I take in a little bit of the most easily digestible HEAVY protein or fiber source I can find. This is usually a few sips of protein shake or a handful of Fiber cereal that I've chewed really well. What does this do? Again, I'm only theorizing, but both are heavy. Both push stuff down, down, down. The fiber is actually INTENDED to clean out your system.

So for me putting just a little bit of something protein or fiber heavy in my system sends me straight to the bathroom where I know it will all work itself out.

Again, everybody's body is different and I don't know that my observation do or should change the way you view your eating habits. But just thought I'd share so in hopes that you'll start to take notice of what causes these pesky days with you. If you like little pouch days (and some of us do) do nothing. If you don't, pay attention to your body. It often tells you everything you need to know to get to the bottom of these things.

Happy Monday!

I think you're onto something here! I'm currently in the throws of a little pouch day and what you say makes complete sense to me. I 'go' regularly but every once in a while have one of those 'Come to Jesus' episodes that leaves me starving in a couple of hours. I've never really put it all together until now, reading the way you laid it out. Again...we are more alike than we know!

BTW...I picked up some Mio at Wally World this weekend....I love it! The Peach Tea is goodd but my favvorite so far is the Berry Pomegranate. I had no trouble getting in all my water this weekend!

Hi Dee - it's Dee!

So the Mio is good? I can barely tolerate the Crystal Lite sticks now, I don't know what happened. So I'm looking for something to substitute and I'm pretty much open to ANYTHING.

That's one thing I like about it is you control how strong you make it. The Peach I like very light flavoring but with the Berry I like it stronger.  I've never been able to staomach Crystal Lite, it burns my pouch something fierce! The walmart and Kroger brand of drink mix sticks are OK but I seldom ever used a full one...ever had a partial one spill in your purse?!?! 

Get some of this and try it....bet you'll like it!

I wish you lived next door to me. I don't think we'd EVER stop laughing.

I love love love reading your posts!  I think like you...on many things...and because this is all new to me, your posts feel like second nature to me.

I listen to my body very carefully, and have learned the talk.  I can totally see how your theory would be true.  I have not experienced it yet, but I will definitely remember this post much later when I start having "little pouch days".