Quickest Way To Lose Weight

A high fiber diet is essential for good health and fitness.

Unfortunately a great many people the world over do not eat enough foods with fiber.

High fiber foods are going to help you to maintain good digestion, aid in the avoidance of heart disease and colon cancer, lower your cholesterol and help to prevent some types of diabetes.

A list of high fiber foods for your high fiber diet will not contain any meats or meat products (unless fiber has been added to them).

You won’t find any dietary fiber in fruit juices, either.

In fact fruit juices are really not a healthy option in your diet (unless they’ve been modified; check the label).

Sure, fruit juices contain minimal or no fat, but they are generally very high in sugar, a simple carb that converts readily to fat if you do not use up the energy they provide by doing regular exercise.

You can drink your dietary fiber if you need to – plenty of dietary fiber supplements exist, but they are no substitute for foods with fiber. Plant foods give us our fiber naturally along with other nutrients and minerals that your body is probably also missing out on if you currently have a low fiber diet.

In the USA, the average fiber intake is around 12grams per day. Here in Australia, it is less than 20grams. The figure you should be aiming at is 25-35grams of dietary fiber per day. Once you hit the magic number of grams of fiber you will be passing firm stools at least once a day. They will be about the size of a small banana.

Your bowel motions should be quick and without discomfort or straining.

Be warned, however, if you increase your foods with fiber intake suddenly rather than gradually, you are going to suffer stomach and intestinal cramps for a period of time. Best to increase a few grams a day.

There are 2 types of dietary fiber.

Soluble Fiber.

Soluble fiber excretes bile acids from your small intestine and helps you to digest your food properly. It helps to lower blood cholesterol.

For your share of soluble fiber in your high fiber diet, make choices from within this list of high fiber foods.

Fruits Berries Vegetables Psyllium Seed husks Flax seed Oat bran Barley Dried Beans Dried Peas

Insoluble Fiber.

Insoluble fiber is also known as roughage. It absorbs water, increases your fiber bulk and helps to clear out your gastrointestinal waste.

Eating plenty of insoluble fiber means you need less calories to feel full for a greater length of time. Goodbye food cravings.

To get your share of insoluble fiber in your high fiber diet, make choices from within this list of high fiber foods.

Wheat bran Corn bran Rice bran Wholegrain cereals Wholegrain breads Dried Beans Dried Peas Nuts Seeds

To get the best understanding of exactly how much fiber a particular fruit, nut, vegetable or grain will afford you, it is worth investing in a cheap little calorie counter book that will also give you fat, protein and carbohydrate values of foods.

Foods with fiber will do wonders for your general health as well as your fat loss program.

In order to be able to consume 25-35grams of fiber in your high fiber diet, try the following tips.

1. Drink at least 2 liters of water a day

2. Ditch the refined grains in breads and breakfast cereals – the less processed the food, the better for you. Go for wholegrain breads, flours and cereals.

3. Always eat breakfast within an hour of getting out of bed. A homemade muesli mix of dried fruits, nuts, whole oats and bran with low fat yogurt is ideal.

4. Add high fiber foods to your usual meals and snacks. Bran can be readily added to yogurt, chickpeas, lentils or kidney beans will add depth of flavor to a casserole.

5. Eat fruit, raw nuts and vegetables throughout your day as between meal snacks.

6. Get some regular exercise. Exercise strengthens your abs and gets your gut working.

If you find all of this a bit difficult all at once, consider a fiber supplement to get you going (in more ways than one!)