How often should you have a bowel movement?

According to Everyday Health, cycles for regular bowel movements vary from person to person. A person can expect to have a bowel movement as many as three times a day or as few as three times a week and have the movement frequency still be normal.

Everyday Health explains that when it comes to bowel movements, bowel patterns matter more than an isolated frequency number. WebMD says that some factors affecting bowel movement frequency are a person's age, activity intensity and what he eats and drinks; however, the more time fecal matter sits in the body, the more solid it becomes and the harder it becomes to pass.