Poop maxxing.

Fine, I said it.

Greetings from the Acela and a delightful ride from Boston to Baltimore! I’m a newly minted train convert/evangelist!

I spent the weekend at my old stomping grounds in Boston seeing a few clients. It was goddamned delightful. I hadn’t treated folks IRL in a good while, and it was a nice change of pace. Plus, alone time as a parent is pure gold: IFYKYK.

I’m working hard AF to launch what’s been a bit of a not-secret-secret this week: A movement platform dedicated to body autonomy and therapeutic movement. For all bodies and neurotypes. Short, focused practices that give you lots of options for making the work your own. It’s called Tidal Work.

This is the first platform that offers weight neutral, whole body pelvic floor and nervous system support with room for continuous evolution.

It’s effective movement without fitness culture.

It’s a big deal. I can’t wait to tell you more.

Until then, I’m… swamped.

So! Let’s briefly discuss Poopmaxxing.

I did not invent this term, in case you were concerned. I came across it on Instagram, obviously.

A lot of “poopmaxxing influencers” are…. influencers in every problematic way. Lacking qualifications, making claims that are in no way evidence based.

This is harmful and a really big fucking problem.

So Imma do my best to stay in my lane here and be really clear about what is and is not in my domain.

But first, let’s discuss why, yes, poopmaxxing is a great idea:

• Many people are constipated and have no idea. One of my favorite clients told me yesterday that she wasn’t constipated because she “still goes” but sometimes not very much and she has hemorrhoids and it takes a while. That’s a blinking red light for constipation, boo boo.

• Constipation is def not helping anyone’s incontinence or prolapse symptoms, I’ll tell you that.

• IBS and endo (and adenomyosis, and sometimes even fibroids) all come with a side of constipation and — guess what!? — it increased abdominal and pelvic floor tension and therefore, pelvic pain. BOO.

• Pooping feels good.

Have I convinced you yet!?

Related reading:

• I want to talk about poop. A primer on the basics.

• But what if you’re just secretly constipated? For those who think they’re “probably fine”.

• The other kind of leakage. For those of us who leak poop or farts. It happens.

• Get off the laxatives. For the miralax-inclined among us.

• The case of never-ending constipation. For those who just can’t kick it.

• What’s good with your IBS? The connection between constipation, IBS, and pelvic health.

The deep dive:

Okay! Let’s discuss a plan.

I interact with poop from a muscular perspective. If your butt muscles are tight, you have outlet constipation — and yes, it is the clinical term for being a tightass. (If this is you, here is a lovely little sequence to help release them!)

Here’s what we need from a muscular perspective to poopmaxx:

• butt muscles that move

• consistent pooping (i.e. you need a poop plan)

• a solid breath strategy for the event itself

What the fuck do you mean, Cait, a breath strategy for pooping!?

You’re welcome:

But what if you also have inlet constipation? That’s the one that folks are more familiar with: constipation driven by slow intestinal motility, diet, etc.

Movement matters a lot for inlet constipation, as does that poop routine listed above. But a lot of inlet constipation has to do with your actual gut. Your microbiome, if you will.

I am not a dietician nor a nutritionist, and unlike many influencers, I will not pretend to be one.

Many poopmaxxers are interested in — duh — maximizing the size and frequency of your poop.

I’m here to tell you that pooping is really fucking important to pelvic health. (See the million constipation articles listed above). While I don’t love laxatives long term, they serve a time and place, and at the end of the day, a short term course of them to get to the end goal of a dookie is going to be worth it. And long term use is appropriate under some medical circumstances.

Outside of the laxative convo, it’s not my domain to tell you what to eat. I would happily refer you to a nutritionist or dietician that meets your unique needs.

However. Here is my go-to list of recs for clients with constipation. I’m going to include personal anecdotes and professional observations, but this isn’t medical advice, k?

I think of this stuff as the low hanging fruit:

• Electrolytes. Extra important if you’re hypermobile or breast feeding. I like the chocolate salt from LMNT (despite the company not aligning with my values, but I fucking love chocolate, sorry) but Buoy does a good job of flavor free. I drink Good On Ya daily and am genuinely obsessed.

• Water. I like electrolyes because they maximize hydration, but you know what else you can do? Water. Or tea.

• Fiber. Yes, fiber. No, it’s not a panacea, but yes, it’s important. And listen, this is a personal anecdote, but my poop life changed dramatically when I began eating a good amount of beans every day. I do have nutritionist sources that say 45-55 g is ideal (which is double the US recommendation, so this is a controversial source opinion!). IMO, fiber is something to consider. If you’re struggling, acacia fiber is very well tolerated by a lot of my clients. (Talk to your doctor/provider/nutritionist!)

• Squatty potty. Obviously. Get whatever you’ll like and use! Here is a ridiculous video extolling its virtues.

• Magnesium. Generally speaking, many folks benefit from magnesium supplementation. I’ve seen both glycinate (my personal preference) and citrate work wonders. You can use pills, powders, gummies, whatever works! Again, talk to your provider.

• Walking. Again, movement. It’s the unsexy stuff, dude.

Other things that sometimes work, and sometimes do not, are the social media stuff. Ground chia and flax, flaxseed oil, two cups of beans a day. I’m not suggesting you should do this stuff. I’m saying that it’s helpful to get the unsexy stuff down first in a way that you can live with, and if that isn’t moving the needle, it’s worth reaching out to a professional for further in-depth support.

And if you’re certain you’ve maxxed out all the nutrition/intake strategies, maybe it’s time to reconsider your pelvic floor as the driver of dysfunction!

As always, I am rooting for you. See you on Thursday — I can’t wait to tell you more about Tidal Work!

Adventures in Vaginas (and other parts) is my labor of love, dedicated to you.

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