Side-by-side TikTok screenshots comparing a young man on Day 1 versus Day 30 of No Poop July, showing a dramatic change in facial expression.

No Poop July

2020video challengesemi-active

Published November 10, 2026

No Poop July is a fictional TikTok challenge where participants pretend not to defecate for the entire month of July, usually acted out through daily 'Day X' update videos of red-faced men fighting the urge. TikToker @okcron started the format on July 1st, 2020, and by July 2022 the trend had grown large enough that TikTok itself flagged his videos as dangerous and NBC News ran an article relaying doctors' warnings.

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Overview

Participants usually film themselves sitting in a chair while the camera slowly pans across their strained face, with Meg & Dia's song 'Monster' playing in the background2. Each clip is captioned with the day of the month ('Day 1,' 'Day 6,' 'Day 13,' and onward), and the performer looks progressively sweatier and more red-faced as July goes on5. NBC News noted that the videos are clearly jokes and that posters are not actually withholding bowel movements for weeks1.

The bit follows the shape of challenge-themed months like No Nut November and No Fap September, keeping a straight face while the premise is gross-out comedy7. Later videos in the format often include cheering crowds and theatrical suffering as the performer edges toward 'failure'1. Doctors interviewed by NBC News warned that actually holding in bowel movements could lead to hemorrhoids or a temporary dependence on laxatives, even though the trend is a joke1.

Origin & Background

Platform
TikTok
Creator
@okcron
Date
2020

On July 1st, 2020, TikToker @okcron uploaded a video captioned 'Day 1 of No Poop July' that showed him sitting in a chair while the camera slowly panned across his face, scored to Meg & Dia's 'Monster'2. The post drew more than 85,000 likes over the next two years5. @okcron followed with daily updates through the rest of the month, first using TikTok's Duet feature to react to his own earlier days, each time looking more strained, sweaty and visibly uncomfortable than the last5. His day six update picked up more than 100,000 likes, pushing the series further into TikTok's recommendation feeds3.

How It Spread

In July 2021, @okcron brought the series back, this time as standalone videos rather than Duets, and his day 13 update of that year drew over 445,000 likes, roughly five times what his origin post had earned4. NBC News later reported that Google Trends data showed the term about tripling in worldwide popularity in July 2022 compared with the prior year1.

When July 2022 arrived, so many participants were posting daily 'Day X' videos that TikTok placed a warning on @okcron's day five update of that year, labeling the trend a hazardous activity similar to the flag it had placed on the Milk Crate Challenge in 202165. By July 27th, 2022, the #nopoopjuly hashtag had amassed over 129.8 million views on TikTok5. NBC News published an article on July 26th titled 'No Poop July jokes are all over TikTok,' quoting pediatric gastroenterologist Dr. Steven Miller of Johns Hopkins Children's Center and Dr. Austin Chiang of Jefferson Health, both urging viewers not to attempt the challenge for real1.

The joke has returned each July since, with the Urban Dictionary entry for the term defining it simply as the month 'where you arent allowed to poop'7.

Timeline

2020-07-01

TikToker @okcron uploads the first 'Day 1 of No Poop July' video, soundtracked by Meg & Dia's 'Monster'[2].

2020-07-06

@okcron posts a day six Duet update that picks up over 100,000 likes, cementing the series as a recurring bit[3].

2021-07-13

@okcron's day 13 update from his second year draws more than 445,000 likes, well ahead of the 2020 numbers[4].

2022-07-05

TikTok places a warning on @okcron's day five update, flagging the trend as a hazardous activity[6].

2022-07-26

NBC News publishes an article on the challenge, quoting gastroenterologists urging viewers not to try it for real[1].

2022-07-27

The #nopoopjuly hashtag passes 129.8 million views on TikTok[5].

Frequently Asked Questions