High Fiber Foods: Your Ticket To A Slim Waistline

Odds are, you are looking for the secret of successful slimming. Like most Americans, you’re concerned about your expanding waistline, tummy or cellulite. You’ve tried everything from diet pills to cabbage soup and nothing is working. While most experts agree that the time-tested way of losing excess pounds is through a healthy diet, balanced caloric intake and sensible exercise, many of us are unsure how to begin. And, while healthy exercise is possible without a gym membership, healthy food choices are more difficult to make, and few of us can honestly say we know how to properly create a menu plan for weight loss.

In her latest book, The Fiber35 Diet, New York Times best selling author Brenda Watson shares that with just a few simple changes, you can achieve vibrant health, optimal weight, and wellness for life. What is her secret? Consuming 35 grams of fiber per day, which is in line with statistical recommendations coming from the National Institutes of Health and the Surgeon General. Since fiber is essential for healthy blood chemistry, digestive wellness and cardiovascular health, The Fiber35 Diet outlines the importance of getting sufficient quantity in the diet.

Fiber is the indigestible parts of plants. There are two types of fiber, soluble and insoluble. Both types of fiber provide bulk or roughage to the system, which helps us feel full faster. However, soluble fiber, provides a special benefit to those who are hoping to lose weight. According to Brenda Watson CNC, soluble fiber also works on a hormonal level, to gently suppress the appetite.

Considering that the average American gets between 10-12 grams, it is no surprise that obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease is on the rise.

An exciting benefit of high fiber foods is that they are low in calories. Fiber itself is indigestible, therefore it passes through the system without absorption. Because fiber is virtually non-caloric, by eating high fiber foods, we can eat a lot without increasing our caloric burden. And, because fiber-rich foods take up a lot of space, they increase your feelings of satiety, or in simple terms, you feel full because they fill up your stomach when you eat them.

Additionally, studies conducted by researchers at the Department of Human Nutrition and Food Science at the University of Kiel in Germany showed that fibrous foods naturally cause your body to eliminate excess calories in your stool. Brenda’s book calls this the ‘fiber flush’ effect, and it means that for every gram of fiber you eat you eliminate about seven calories. So if you eat 35 grams of fiber per day, you can simply flush away as much as 245 calories per day, making good headway toward a flat belly.

Lastly, because fiber tends to slow down the conversion of carbohydrates into available blood sugar, it supports healthy blood chemistry and prevents excessive snacking. By eating plenty of fibrous foods we are taking an active part in maintaining a healthy diet and promoting weight loss.

In Ms. Watson’s book, individuals are directed to eat 35 grams of fiber per day, and they can get that from a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains. When a perfect diet is difficult, supplements are encouraged to assure the balanced intake of sufficient fiber.

About The Author Cassandra Cox is a 10-year veteran of the natural products industry. Having received her credentials as both a Nutritional Consultant and Digestive Care Specialist, she is passionate about nutrition and optimum digestive care. http://www.fiber35diet.com