Eat More Fiber Per Day

And Avoid The Socially Awkward Side Effects

Fiber keeps you feeling full.  If you’re hungry again two hours after eating a meal, chances are your meal was deficient in fiber. The American Dietetic Association recommends eating 20-35 grams of fiber daily.

The more fiber that you eat, the more full you will feel.  Just make sure that you drink plenty of liquids too.   

If you’re trying to up your fiber intake, do it gradually or you run the risk of some socially awkward side effects (bloating and gas). If you find yourself facing this uncomfortable issue, try spreading out your fiber consumption over the course of the day, as opposed to “bulking up” in one or two sittings  By the way, on the positive side in this department, a high fiber diet will help ward off constipation – as long as you remember to drink a reasonable amount of water.

Try adding fiber to your breakfast by adding oatmeal to your menu.  Or try a high fiber, low sugar breakfast cereal such as Kashi Go Lean.

Increasing your intake of certain vegetables will also help get you going (no pun intended).

High fiber, low calorie vegetables include:  cauliflower, broccoli, celery, green beans, asparagus, and spinach.

If you’re a veggie-hater, here are some alternatives for upping your fiber intake: Orowheat makes a bread called “Double Fiber” which contains 6 grams of fiber in each 70 calorie slice.

Kellogg’s “Fiber Plus” Bars contain 9 grams of fiber in each 120 granola bar.  My two favorite flavors are chocolate/peanut butter and dark chocolate almond.  Delicious with a cup of coffee!

Fiber One Yogurt gives you five grams of fiber in each 50 calorie serving.

If you’d rather pop fiber pills or powders, a few popular choices include:
Metamucil, Fibercon, and Kirkland Fiber Tablets.