The Skinny on Fiber and Weight Loss
Did you know that our body lacks the enzymes to digest fiber?
This is huge for the weight loss community because this means fiber doesn’t have any calories and causes one to become full faster and stay full longer. A diet high in fiber will naturally bring down the calorie, fat and sugar intake.
It’s all about “mind over matter” at this point. Our mind and our stomach need to be connected. Once your plate of chicken and veggies is complete, listen to your stomach and not your mind. Since fiber will make you full faster and longer, our minds can start to play tricks on us, telling us that we should eat more… but listen to your stomach it the real voice to reason ?
Therefore a high fiber diet will not make you lose weight, but it will help you lose weight if you listen to your stomach and not your mind.
So, where do you find fiber?
Fruits: Apples, Avocado, Bananas, Blackberries, Blueberries, Mango, Oranges, Peach, Pears, Raspberries, Strawberries, lemons. Wild berries has twice the amount of fiber compared to other fruits.
Veggies: Broccoli, Beans, Carrots, Cauliflower, Corn, Green Beans, Green Peas, Greens, Legumes, Peas, and Potatoes with Skin
Nuts: Almonds, Peanuts
Whole Grains: Brown Rice, Wheat bread, Bagels, low-fat popcorn, whole-grain pretzels
Not too sure how much fiber you need? Check out this cool FIBER CALCULATOR that will give you a more precise recommendation.
If you are planning on upping your fiber intake, make sure that you are increasing your water intake as well. Fiber is considered a natural laxative because it move food through the body and aid digestion by attracting water to the small and large intestines. Together fiber and water keep your food bulky and soft, so it can move easily through your system without putting too much pressure on your intestines.
Don’t take my word for it, go eat your fiber for the day and let me know how much better you feel!
Tags: Constipation, Diet, Fiber, Fiber Diet, Foods High in Fiber., High Fiber Foods, Nutrition, Sparkpeople, Weight loss, Weight Watchers
July 29th, 2009 at 10:15 am
I’m proud to say this is one area where I’m doing pretty well!
BTW: I’m having a giveaway on my blog. 
July 29th, 2009 at 5:09 pm
I really like all the suggestions on where you can get fiber. I seem to go in spurts. Sometimes I do fabulous, other times not so much. Thanks for the reminder to pay attention to all areas of nutrition!
July 29th, 2009 at 5:44 pm
Fiber is a great addition to our diets, especially in natural form. Good post!
July 29th, 2009 at 7:13 pm
Hey! Thanks for checking out my blog. I’d love to chat with you about how you do your advertising and contests. I’m relatively new at this and I’m trying to increase visibility. Any suggestions?
I loved your suggestions on burning 200 calories without working out!
July 30th, 2009 at 6:33 am
I love that getting fiber in your foods lately has become so much easier. I mean I love Fiber One bars but then I also love fruit. I feel like there are so many more options now than there used to be.
July 30th, 2009 at 6:47 am
Mm, I love fiber! I guess that’s kind of a weird thing to say, butttt as a vegetarian I get so many fruits and veggies that I’m not usually lacking in that department!
July 30th, 2009 at 6:47 am
Fiber totally makes a difference in my day! If I am traveling and don’t eat a lot of fiber-filled foods, it really has an effect! I love using Fiber One for breadcrumbs, pie crusts, etc.
Btw–love the Fiber Calculator; cool!
July 30th, 2009 at 6:48 am
I also eat a LOT of fiber, because my diet consists of mainly fruit, vegetables, nuts and legumes. I don’t count calories, but I once wanted to find out whether I was reaching the RDA for nutrients, so I worked out my meals for the day on Spark People. Well, I had four times RDA for fiber! (And I was on track for every other nutrient, even though I ate no animal products or grains that day.)
July 30th, 2009 at 6:53 am
yay for the new layout, i love it! i am going to add you to my blogroll so i can keep up better!
i love me some fiber – just not too much, you know what happens then haha
July 30th, 2009 at 7:17 am
Thanks so much for leaving me a comment!
The Nakd Lemon Raisins are basically flavoured raisins that were sent to me to review by the lovely people at a UK company called Natural Balance Foods (www.naturalbalancefoods.co.uk) They’re just raisins, citric acid and natural flavouring. They’re definitely not a diet food or low calorie, and they’re extremely high in sugar (obviously: they’re raisins!) but they’re a fun treat to have every now and then. I wouldn’t buy them due to the aforementioned sugar content and the fact that, despite using natural ingredients I’d rather stick to raisins au natural that haven’t been tampered with, but I still appreciate being given the chance to try them : )
Love the website: you’ve got some great fitness and nutrition tips and it’s great to see some advice out there from someone so knowledgeable and clearly qualified to give it. Can’t wait to read more!
July 30th, 2009 at 9:07 am
Thanks for stopping by my blog! Love yours!
August 1st, 2009 at 8:56 am
[...] The Skinny on Fiber and Weight Loss [...]
August 1st, 2009 at 8:23 pm
Fiber really does help keep me feeling fuller longer. On days when I don’t get enough, I struggle with letting my tummy be the voice of reason.
BTW, did you know that 1 ounce of Chia Seeds have around 11 grams of fiber? I like to let mine soak awhile in yogurt or a smoothie because they expand and make me feel even fuller than eating them right off the bat.
Thanks for stopping by my blog, love your site!
~ Sandy
August 2nd, 2009 at 2:03 am
very informative nice article
August 4th, 2009 at 12:17 am
[...] – Mixed with low fat yogurt, a small amount of honey, and Fiber One Cereal [...]
August 27th, 2009 at 9:01 pm
[...] Rogers presents The Skinny on Fiber and Weight Loss posted at She-Fit, saying, “Fiber is very important in weight loss. It helps to keep you full [...]
April 6th, 2010 at 12:04 pm
This is very true about the fiber and water consumption. I did this myself about 7 years ago lost 70 lbs! I just need to get that motivation back and the frame of mind i had then back now.
June 24th, 2010 at 5:37 pm
That was wonderful information. You have done a good job communicating your message. Keep up the good work.