One of the things Tracy and I have been tracking this past year, along with our 3 essential macronutrients, is our dietary fiber. The 2010 Dietary Guileless for Americans recommends a minimum of 25 grams of fiber per day for women, 38 grams per day for men. Chances are if you’re not paying attention to your fiber intake, you’re probably far below the recommended amount. Increasing your dietary fiber is beneficial for many reasons, most importantly for heart health, lowering cholesterol, keeping bowl movements regular, and to keep you fuller, longer. I’m going to share with you some common, easy to find foods, that you can start eating today to increase your daily fiber intake.
There are two different kinds of fiber: soluble and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber dissolves in water and slows down digestion. Soluble fiber is the kind of fiber that will keep you feeling full over a longer period of time. Insoluble fiber does not dissolve and remains intact throughout the digestive process. Insoluble fiber is what will help you to get things moving, if you know what I mean…Both types of fiber are equally beneficial and should be incorporated into your diet. As you work to increase your fiber, I suggest you just focus on getting the 25 grams per day from either source.
I reached out to all the Stay Fit Mom macro coaches and some of our amazing clients and asked what foods they most commonly eat to hit their fiber goals. They were quick to respond and shared a lot of great ideas. Can I just say that all our coaches and girls are AMAZING!!? Within the hour I had so many ideas, all of which I will share with you. Here is a list of the most common replies I got:
Now keep in mind that you may need to increase your daily fiber intake slowly. If you’ve been far below the recommended daily amount for some time now you may experience bloating, gas, and cramping. It’s a good idea to increase your fiber slowly overtime. Also make sure you’re drinking plenty of water daily to move the fiber through your digestive track. We always recommend you drink a minimum of half your body weight in ounces daily.
Need help calculating your Macronutrient Prescription?
Follow us @stayfitmom_Krista and @stayfitmom_Tracy on Instagram and on our Facebook page where we love getting personal. You can also subscribe to Stay Fit Mom for healthy recipes, workouts, and most of all inspiration and encouragement! We are on Pinterest and have lots of healthy recipes pinned!
No Comments