Your #1 Weight Loss Weapon

Today we celebrate the wonder of fiber!  Use fiber as your secret ally during this holiday season when temptations to overeat abound.  In the Gene Smart Diet Study, fiber was the single most important factor in helping our participants lose weight. Moreover, nearly all reported that they lost weight without feeling hungry!  That’s because fiber helps keep you feeling fuller longer, and in turn, avoid excess calories.

Best of all, you can get your fiber from a variety of nature’s most delicious bounty, including fruits, vegetables and legumes.   Read on to find easy, creative, and surprising ways to incorporate more fiber into your diet, and you’ll be on your way to weight loss in no time!

Avocado – One medium avocado has nearly 12 grams of fiber! Try adding a few slices of avocado to your sandwich instead of mayo, or adding avocado to your salad. Top chicken tortilla soup with avocado. Avocado is delicious alone as well – try it with a squeeze of lemon juice and a dash of salt and pepper.

Raspberries – Just one cup as raspberries provides 8 grams of fiber! Raspberries make a delicious snack and a great addition to many other foods. Top your morning cereal with raspberries, or blend raspberries into fat-free cream cheese and spread onto a whole grain bagel for a sweet treat. Looking for a healthy dessert? We love frozen raspberries and blueberries – they’re sweet, and *bonus* - are filled with polyphenols too!

Lentils – These powerhouse legumes pack nearly 16 grams of fiber in just one cup! Many people enjoy lentils on the side, but they make a great main course too! Try baking lentils with carrots, onions, red & yellow bell peppers, and any of your other favorite vegetables. Top with feta cheese for a satisfying and heart healthy meal.

Brown rice – making simple swaps, like brown rice instead of white rice, can offer tremendous benefits. One cup of brown rice supplies you with nearly 8 grams of fiber. Whole grain pastas are another simple swap that you can make to increase your daily fiber intake.

We recommend 14-16 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories that you consume, or about 30 grams of fiber for a 2,000 calorie diet. If you are currently on a low fiber diet, start by increasing your fiber slowly, adding a little more each day to avoid unpleasant side effects (such as gas and bloating) that can come with eating too much fiber too quickly.

For a full list of fiber foods, download our handy High Fiber Foods List.

Words of Wisdom

-Albert Einstein