Meal Plans High-Fiber Meal Plans 3-Day Meal Plan to Help You Poop This healthy meal plan will help move things along thanks to fiber and plenty of fluids. By Victoria Seaver, M.S., RD Victoria Seaver, M.S., RD Instagram Twitter Victoria Seaver is a registered dietitian and Associate Editorial Director for EatingWell.com. She completed her undergraduate degree in nutrition, dietetics and food science and her masters degree and dietetic internship at the University of Vermont. Victoria has been a part of the EatingWell.com team since 2015. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Updated on November 21, 2022 Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Instagram Jessica Ball, M.S., RD, has been with EatingWell for three years and works as the associate nutrition editor for the brand. She is a registered dietitian with a master's in food, nutrition and sustainability. In addition to EatingWell, her work has appeared in Food & Wine, Real Simple, Parents, Better Homes and Gardens and MyRecipes. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Share Tweet Pin Email Feeling backed up? This 3-day vegetarian meal plan can help give you the relief you need, thanks to healthy high-fiber foods and plenty of fluids-both of which help to move things along, naturally. We left out processed, high-fat foods from the meal plan as they have a tendency to plug you up even more when you're constipated. Plus, they don't do much good in the body at any time. Read More: Foods that Help You Poop Instead, the plan focuses on plant-based foods, like fresh fruits and veggies, beans and whole grains, for the extra boost of fiber. We've included healthy probiotic foods (like yogurt) that deposit helpful bacteria into the gut, as well as prebiotic foods (like oats and wheat) that feed the good-gut bacteria. Relieving constipation and maintaining a healthy digestive system isn't just about the foods you do and don't eat-other strategies, like exercising each day and dedicating some time to simply sit on the toilet, can also help you get on a regular poo schedule. Daily To-Dos to Help You Poop Pictured Recipe: White Bean & Veggie Salad Each Morning: Drink a warm beverage, like coffee or caffeinated tea, to get your bowel muscles moving. Exercise can also stimulate your gut (in addition to being good for your mood and the rest of your body), so go for a jog, run up and down your stairs or try simple jumping jacks to get things moving. Set aside 5 to 10 minutes to relax and sit on the toilet, even if you don't feel like you need to go. During the Day: Get your fill of fluids by drinking at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water and aim to get 30 grams of fiber throughout the day. If you're not used to eating high-fiber foods, start slow and increase you fiber intake by 5 grams per day. Or try incorporating just one of the meal ideas below each day until your body adjusts to handling more fiber. Too much fiber too soon could cause stomachaches and possibly diarrhea. Each Night: Before bed, combine 1 Tbsp. chia seeds with 1 cup water, fresh lemon juice and a dash of cayenne pepper. This chia concoction (we call it the Healthy Gut Tonic with Chia) forms a gel-like consistency in your gut and will work its magic overnight to make your morning bathroom routine smoother. The cayenne pepper contains capsaicin-the compound responsible for giving peppers their signature spice-that also acts as an intestinal stimulant. Read More: Top Fiber-Rich Foods for Good Gut Bacteria Day 1 You can thank whole grains, like the whole-wheat bread at breakfast and the quinoa at dinner, for the extra fiber today. Whole grains not only provide fiber, but also prebiotics that feed the healthy gut bacteria that help with digestion, boost immunity and even protect from certain cancers. Breakfast (250 calories, 9 grams fiber) White-Bean Avocado Toast 1 slice whole-wheat bread, toasted1/4 avocado, mashed1/3 cup canned white beans, rinsed1 tsp. olive oil Top toast with mashed avocado and white beans. Drizzle with olive oil and season with a pinch each of kosher salt, pepper and crushed red pepper. 8-oz. cup of coffee8-oz. glass of water A.M. Snack (68 calories, 1 g fiber) 2 dried apricots, chopped1/3 cup low-fat plain yogurt Mix apricots into the yogurt. 8-oz. glass of water Lunch (325 calories, 12 g fiber) 4 cups Green Salad with Edamame & Beets 16-oz. glass of water P.M. Snack (21 calories, 3 g fiber) 1/3 cup raspberries8-oz. glass of water Dinner (503 calories, 16 g fiber) 3 cups Chickpea & Quinoa Buddha Bowl 8-oz. glass of water Before Bed (54 calories, 4 g fiber) 1 serving Healthy Gut Tonic with Chia Daily Totals: 1,220 calories, 150 g carbohydrates, 53 g protein, 44 g fiber, 55 g fat, 1,786 mg sodium Day 2 With 7 servings of fruits and veggies throughout the day, you'll get both fiber and tons of helpful nutrients (like vitamin A, folate and vitamin C) to keep your body properly fueled. Breakfast (289 calories, 7 g fiber) 1 cup Coconut Overnight Oatmeal 8-oz. cup of coffee 8-oz. glass of water A.M. Snack (42 calories, 2 g fiber) 1/2 cup blueberries8-oz. glass of water Lunch (325 calories, 12 g fiber) 1 serving Veggie & Hummus Sandwich 16-oz. glass of water P.M. Snack (30 calories, 1 g fiber) 1 medium plum8-oz. glass of water Dinner (466 calories, 16 g fiber) 1 serving Rainbow Buddha Bowl with Cashew Tahini Sauce 8-oz. glass of water To enjoy later in the evening: 2 cups air-popped popcorn tossed with 1 tsp. olive oil & seasoned with salt and pepper to taste Before Bed (54 calories, 4 g fiber) 1 serving Healthy Gut Tonic with Chia Daily Total: 1,206 calories, 181 g carbohydrates, 41 g protein, 41 g fiber, 42 g fat, 1,053 mg sodium Day 3 Clocking in at 56 grams of fiber for the day, the meals on Day 3 pack in plenty of fiber-rich foods like raspberries, beans and chia seeds, which will do double duty during the day by keeping you feeling full and satisfied while moving things through your system smoothly. Breakfast (256 calories, 11 g fiber) 1 cup Blueberry-Almond Chia Pudding 3 dried apricots 8-oz. cup of coffee A.M. Snack (51 calories, 2 g fiber) 1 small peach8-oz. glass of water Lunch (360 calories, 13 g fiber) 4 cups White Bean & Veggie Salad 16-oz. glass of water P.M. Snack (32 calories, 4 g fiber) 1/2 cup raspberries8-oz. glass of water Dinner (472 calories, 22 g fiber) 1 serving Stuffed Sweet Potato with Hummus Dressing 8-oz. glass of water Before Bed (54 calories, 4 g fiber) 1 serving Healthy Gut Tonic with Chia Daily Total: 1,225 calories, 177 g carbohydrates, 41 g protein, 56 g fiber, 47 g fat, 917 mg sodium. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit