Growing up, I was one of those people who felt that the act of pooping was a big secret. Poop? Me? No way. Never. Not me.

Really, though, I had lots of tummy issues growing up.  I’ll go ahead and assume it was the McDonald’s, Chinese food, Swiss Cake Rolls, et cetera. Pooping was not a pleasant experience, if and when it even happened.

I had friends who never hesitated to announce their hardships with having to poop at school (because as open as you can be about needing to poop does not always mean you can comfortably do it in a stall in a bathroom with five other people around), but I kept my mouth shut.

Now that I’m older and completely comfortable with who I am and the natural order of every human’s existence, I’m cool with the poop discussion. I wanted to address this topic because not everyone feels comfortable discussing his or her bowel movements. Don’t worry, readers, this is safe place. We’re all adults.

Your daily diet plays an enormous role in your ability to poop. Fiber intake is extremely important, as we all know. You can get fiber through eating vegetables (broccoli, carrots, eggplant, etc.), legumes (“beans, beans, they’re good for your heart…”), whole grains, and other fresh, whole foods. Or, you can be like my boyfriend, and get your fiber from gummy supplements! He needs extra help in the tummy department.

Basically, in an ideal world, we would all poop once a day. Not everyone is so blessed. If not everyday, you should be striving towards most days per week. If you’re not achieving that, then you may need to assess your daily diet and determine where you are lacking in fiber and how you can remedy that situation.

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RECIPE! I found this recipe online and have since found it with slight variations and different names: “Protein Poppers”, “Fiber Treats”, or as I like to call them, “Energy Balls”. I don’t even know why.

This is how I make them with my own twist. These require no baking or cooking of any kind. It’s a bit messy, but they are DELISH.

NOTE: As delicious as they are, don’t eat too many. They have fiber. Have too many and you could be at risk for shitting yourself.

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INGREDIENTS:

1 cup dry oatmeal

1/3 cup coconut flakes

½ cup nut butter (I generally mix organic almond butter with organic peanut butter – NOT THAT JIF SHIT)

1/3 cup ground flaxseed

1/3 cup raw honey

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

You may add ½ cup of: chocolate chips, dried cranberries, raisins, chopped almonds, etc.)

      1. Mix everything together. This is a struggle. This is a bit of a workout in itself. I recommend using a wooden spoon, however, I usually get impatient and throw my hands in there. Be prepared for flaxseed under your nails!

***PRO-TIP: I added dark chocolate chips to my mixture, but in previous batches, I found that the chips were too big so I whipped out the SLAP CHOP. I’ve never felt so brilliant in my life. Chop those fools down so they blend easily and make your balls chocolaty throughout (yeah, I just said that).

    2. Chill the mixture in the fridge for about an hour. Chilling the mixture makes it easier to roll them into balls. Trust me – I’ve tried making them into balls before chilling them (i.e. this time). It doesn’t work too well.

    3. Roll into balls! I keep mine in the fridge for storage.

Let me know if y’all try this recipe! Remember – everything in moderation. Until next week, Fitties!