Better Gut Blueprint: 10 Simple Steps to Constipation Liberation
Struggling with constipation and bloating can feel like that clingy ex who keeps sliding into your DMs—unwelcome, persistent, and impossible to ignore. Beyond the discomfort of unrelenting bloat and embarrassing gas, these issues can drain your energy, sour your mood, and disrupt your ability to show up fully in life.
If you’ve ever felt like you’ve “tried everything” only to end up staring at an empty toilet bowl, you’re not alone. Many people get stuck in cycles of elimination diets, random supplements, laxatives, and endless Google searches with little relief.
Here’s the truth: solving constipation and bloating isn’t just about eating more fiber or switching to a healthier diet. It’s about understanding how your habits, lifestyle, and gut health work together—and making adjustments that actually work.
If I had to start over today, here’s the step-by-step blueprint I’d follow to show my gut some love and finally get things moving again—with results that actually last.
10 Simple Steps to Constipation Liberation
1. Transit Test and Stool Tracking
You can’t fix what you don’t measure. A transit test shows how long food takes to pass through your system (normal transit is 12 to 24 hours), while stool tracking helps identify how well your body is processing and eliminating waste. This data is like a road map, guiding your next steps so you’re not just guessing.
Action It: Use sesame seeds or corn as a marker and track how long they take to appear in your stool. More than 24 hours? You may benefit from a daily motility agent! (See below.) Keep tabs on stool consistency and satisfaction to measure progress.
2. Assess & Address Hydration and Fiber
Constipation's besties? Dehydration and low fiber. Without enough water, your stool can harden into something resembling concrete. And without fiber, there's not enough bulk to keep things moving. Most people fall short on fiber, so boosting your intake is a game-changer for most (but, it's still just one piece of the puzzle, so if you already eat tons of fiber, keep reading!).
Action It: Aim for 9 cups of water daily (women) or 12 cups (men), and at least 25-30g of fiber from whole, plant-based foods like veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds, and legumes. If you're new to fiber, add it gradually, pairing it with water to keep things smooth and bloat-free.
3. Start a Motility Agent
A motility agent gives your gut muscles a little nudge (or a big shove, depending on what you use) to keep things moving. This is crucial when your digestive highway is backed up. Think of it as your gut’s jumpstart while you work on the long-term fixes with diet and lifestyle.
Action It: Choose an agent based on your transit time and take it consistently. Don’t stop until your gut has learned the art of regularity through the other steps below.
4. Gradually Add High-Fiber Foods
Jumping headfirst into a high-fiber diet is like trying to run a marathon without training—you’ll end up bloated and miserable. Slowly increasing fiber gives your gut time to adjust, making this transition easier on you (and your jeans).
Action It: Start with low-FODMAP options like zucchini, carrots, or kiwi, and build from there. Breakfast is a great place to sneak in a little extra fiber.
5. Pay Attention to Your Food
Eating while scrolling your phone, answering emails, or watching Netflix sends your brain the message that digestion isn’t exactly a priority. Guess what? Your gut listens. The result? Bloating, gas, and yep, more constipation.
Action It: Sit down, put your fork down between bites, and chew your food thoroughly (because, your stomach doesn’t have teeth!). Treat mealtimes like sacred moments, not multitasking marathons.
6. Reduce Common Constipation Triggers
Some foods, like dairy, ultra-processed snacks, and sugary treats, are basically gut gremlins—they slow motility and disrupt your gut bacteria. Cutting back on these can give your system a much-needed breather.
Action It: Experiment with reducing one potential trigger at a time and notice the difference. Swap cow’s milk for organic soy milk, heavy cream for coconut milk in coffee, sugary treats for fruit (nature’s candy), or chips for roasted chickpeas.
7. Build Routine Into Your Day
Your gut thrives on routine—think of it as a creature of habit. When your schedule is all over the place, so is your digestion. If you want your gut to poop on a schedule, you need consistency in your daily routine to help your body get into a predictable flow.
Action It:
Morning routine: Give yourself time to sit and relax in the morning. Your body needs to be relaxed to poop, and rushing around to get out the door doesn’t help with this.
Bowel retraining: You can train your body to poop at the same time every day. It starts by picking a regular time (like after breakfast) to sit on the toilet for 5 minutes. Relax and tune into body cues and sensations, like gurgling or pressure. Be patient. Over time, your gut will catch on!
Eat regularly: Three meals a day, ideally at the same times, to establish regular input and output cycles.
Move daily: If you don’t move, neither does your gut. Find an activity you enjoy, and make it a regular practice. A 30-minute walk or yoga session are great forms of exercise for constipation.
Sleep schedule: Poor sleep can derail everything, including your gut. Aim for 7+ hours and consistent wake/sleep times.
Rest and play: Chronic stress can slow digestion, while rest and joyful play help reset your nervous system and support motility. Relax daily with activities like reading or stretching, and schedule moments of fun to nurture your gut and mind.
Sunlight and fresh air: Morning sunlight boosts your circadian rhythm for better sleep, calms your nervous system, and supports gut health with vitamin D. Start your day with 10–20 minutes outside!
8. Build a Balanced Plate
Your body wasn’t designed to run on nothing but kale or steak—it needs balance. A mix of veggies, protein, healthy fats, and carbs keeps digestion running smoothly and provides the nutrients your gut needs to thrive.
Action It: Build your plate with ½ non-starchy veggies, ¼ lean protein, and ¼ whole grains or starchy veggies, like sweet potato or squash. Add a dollop of avocado or drizzle of olive oil for healthy fats.
9. Build Diversity Into Your Diet
The best gut health predictor? Plant diversity. More variety in your diet means a more diverse microbiome, which equals better digestion and overall health.
Action It: Aim for 30+ different plant-based foods weekly. Keep a tally—it’s more fun than you think! Herbs and spices count too.
10. Gradually Wean Off the Motility Agent
As your diet, habits, and lifestyle improve, your gut will become less reliant on the motility agent. You’ll know it’s time to wean off when your body gives you consistent, happy signals (read: regular poops).
Action It: Start by reducing your dose slightly and see how your body responds. Listen to your gut—and adjust accordingly.
This isn’t just about getting your gut moving again; it’s about giving your body the tools it needs to thrive for the long haul.
Feeling uncertain about how to implement these steps into your life? Book a free discovery call and let’s create a personalized plan to get you feeling great again. By the end of the call, you’ll know exactly what your issues are and where you need to focus your attention to fix them.
Your gut deserves the care it needs to help you thrive—not just survive. Let’s make it happen!
