How much weight do you carry in your bowels?

They discovered that poop weighs between 2.5oz and 1lb, on average.

thrillist.com - Here's How Much Weight You Can Lose Pooping - Thrillist

Can I eat apple and orange together?

Apples and oranges can keep your afternoon snack relatively low in calories so that you do not gain unwanted weight, and their dietary fiber helps...

Last updated Sep 6, 2021

What is the healthiest bottled water to drink?

Best Bottled Water Brand You Can Get In 2022 SMARTWATER. Smartwater's vapor-distilled water is famous for their range of hydrating electrolyte...

Last updated Feb 12, 2022

Tasty breakfast juice melts 59lbs of wobbly fat

A scrumptious morning smoothy based on the diets of among the healthiest, longest-living hamlet in the world.

Learn More »

Promotion

Daniel Fishel/Thrillist

Have you ever weighed yourself before and then after taking a dump? Of course you have! Who hasn't? The best part is seeing the scale budge in your favor after dropping the kids off at the pool. So it stands to reason that if you could poop more, you'd lose weight, right? Same for farting -- gas has mass, after all. Could pooping and farting be legit weight-loss secrets, or is it all just a lot of hot air?

How much your poop weighs To find out how much our stool adds to the scale, researchers (serious poop researchers do exist, folks) collected samples from people living in 12 different countries to get a comprehensive overview. They discovered that poop weighs between 2.5oz and 1lb, on average. Unsurprisingly, Westernized populations have the lowest poop weights, thanks to a severe lack of fiber that comes with a fast-food diet. Western samples only averaged between 3-4oz, which isn't nearly enough to make a difference in your skinny jeans. How much do farts weigh? And how do you even weigh farts? Very, very carefully. Gastroenterologists in England tried to determine a fart's weight by giving study participants 200g of baked beans in addition to their normal diet. Even scientists know beans are a magical fruit. To measure the toots these beans are known for, they used rectal catheters over the course of 24 hours, which raises serious concerns about the mental stability of the participants. Despite the method, the data collected may surprise you more. Scientists learned that the farts weighed between 16-50oz per day. That's right: You’re holding as much gas in your system as a small Sweetums soda. And in case you're wondering (you're obviously wondering), "Women and men expelled equivalent amounts," according to science. Can you lose weight by pooping and farting more? Now that you know how much poops and farts weigh, is it possible to incorporate this info into your New Year's resolution? Adina Pearson, RDN, says, "Yes, if you weighed yourself before and after a bowel movement, you would weigh less after." Unfortunately, she also says you won't "be slimmer or have less mass on your visible body." So what happens if you try to poop more? Pearson points out that while upping your water and fiber intake increases your bowel movements and ensures healthy digestion, naturally expelling more poo doesn't guarantee that you’ll be shedding extra pounds. Pooping to lose weight is actually a really bad idea Of course, there are those out there who see "poop can weigh a pound" and will try to up their poop game by taking laxatives. Bad idea. Robert Herbst, an 18-time world-champion powerlifter and one of the drug-testing supervisors at the Rio Olympics, says laxative-driven weight loss happens even at the highest levels of sport, and it isn't pretty. Herbst confirms that dropping a deuce will in fact budge the number on the scale, though it won't alter your body composition or muscle percentage, saying, "One pound in does not guarantee one [pound] out," because food is metabolized differently. Certain foods are absorbed more efficiently, while others pass right through (looking at you, corn). So while a pound of lettuce may work its way out to the porcelain water slide, a pound of pie will most likely stick to your thighs. Pooping isn't a total elimination of all the calories you eat, since that wouldn't make any sense. Your body needs energy, so it's not going to shit it all out. On top of that, Herbst's experience monitoring weigh-ins taught him that no one's going to see Biggest Loser-type results. He says you may see a 5lb drop (if that), depending on how much you currently weigh. If you're a big dude, you're going to expel more in weight and volume because you're already eating more. The majority of people will only be able to look forward to a mere 1-2lb difference (at most) if you're an active person. Those losses aren’t worth canceling your gym membership, and in extreme cases, excessive laxative use can lead to all sorts of nasty medical complications. So does this mean pooping all the time won't help me lose weight? Sadly, that's exactly what it means. Laxatives, pooping, and farting won't help you lose enough weight to show off a sexy before-and-after picture transformation on Instagram. Sure, you'll notice less bloating and a few pounds missing from the scale, but these losses probably won't stick around any longer than the corn you just ate. There's no lazy way around losing weight; focus on eating a balanced diet and get your ass exercising a few times a week. Boring advice is sometimes the best advice, though no one's stopping you from claiming your disgusting gas is your favored strategy for losing weight. Though Herbst acknowledges that laxatives will definitely help you clean out what's in your digestive tract, they're not a solid long-term option. In short, don't use laxatives to lose weight. Sign up here for our daily Thrillist email, and get your fix of the best in food/drink/fun.

What does inflammation in the body feel like?

Acute inflammation is the short-term form of inflammation that occurs when you get an injury or contract an infection. It often shows up as...

Last updated Mar 2, 2019

What is the most weight loss in 2 weeks?

Is there a limit to the number of pounds a person can lose in 2 weeks? It is surprising that the amount of weight a person can lose in just 2 weeks...

Last updated Nov 5, 2021

Fizzy juice “chews through” 63lbs of fat

This effective juice jolts the metabolism, boosts energy and burns fat all day.

Learn More »

Promotion

thrillist.com - Here's How Much Weight You Can Lose Pooping - Thrillist

Do sprouts cause gas?

Cruciferous veggies, such as Brussels sprouts, broccoli and cabbage, and vegetables that contain fructose, such as onions and asparagus, can cause...

Last updated Oct 26, 2019

Can Kojic acid permanently lighten skin?

Kojic acid is not cytotoxic (that is not harmful to living cells) and therefore cannot permanently lighten your skin tone. Jan 11, 2019

Last updated Nov 25, 2019

Tasty breakfast juice melts 59lbs of wobbly fat

A scrumptious morning smoothy based on the diets of among the healthiest, longest-living hamlet in the world.

Learn More »

Promotion

Which fruit is food of the gods?

Persimmons Diospryros: food of the gods (“Dios” means God; “pyros” means grain or food.). That's Latin for persimmon- and if you were one of the...

Last updated Jul 11, 2020

Common yard weed melts 60lbs of fat?

Made into a potent powdered supplement blended right into water or your favorite beverage to be appreciated as a scrumptious morning smoothy.

Learn More »

Promotion

Why have I been constipated for years?

You may become constipated if you don't eat enough high-fiber foods, such as vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. Eating a lot of high-fat meats,...

Last updated Nov 15, 2021