There
are a few key factors in successful weight loss goals:
- Good bacteria
- Reducing sugar
- Eating healthy fats,
protein and living foods
- Increasing fiber
The
bacteria that live in your digestive tract can contribute to optimal weight. By
balancing the good and bad bacteria, you may achieve your ideal weight.
Simply
reducing sugar and eating more fiber, vegetables and protein may help to
balance the gut bacteria.
Fiber is an important step
in weight loss. Most people don’t get
adequate amounts of fiber in their diet. Eating foods high in fiber helps fill
you up which in turn helps to control hunger. Hunger is affected by when you
eat and the amount of fats, carbohydrates, protein, fiber, and water content.
Fibrous foods can take longer to chew, giving your brain time to get the signal
that you have had enough to eat. If you choose high-fiber, water-rich foods
(vegetable soups, salads, fruits and vegetables), you can eat the same weight
of food but feel full on fewer calories.
Women should get at least 25 grams of fiber each day and
men 38 grams each day. Fiber is either soluble or insoluble. Soluble
fiber dissolves in water, insoluble does not. Both of these types are fiber are
found naturally in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and nuts.
Here are some
ways to get more fiber in your diet:
- Eat whole fruits instead of fruit juice.
- Snack on veggies.
- Make vegetables a main course.
- Add a filling vegetable salad instead of a starchy salad as a side dish with meals.
- Enjoy a bowl of vegetable-based broth soup before meals.
- Start the day with a high-fiber cereal topped with fruit and protein.
- Eat more beans.
- Make all your grains whole and limit them to a few servings each day.
- Add nuts and seeds to your weight loss plan, but keep the portions small because they can be high fat.
- Add more fiber.
- Add a protein shake for breakfast or lunch.
- Mona Claypoole, Director of Marketing & Wellness Support
