Not getting enough fiber. Is this my problem? - 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community

benotnobodi · 10-01-2009, 01:44 PM

Hello. My name is Jen and im new to the boards. So, 2 weeks ago i lost 7 pounds, im not saying im going to lose 7 pounds a week, but i think i know why my weight loss is so slow and hit or miss losses on a week to week basis. I use sparkpeople.com and they have on there where you can log your food and see how many nutrients, calories and fat you get in your diet daily. 2 weeks ago when i lost those 7 pounds, i was eating between 19-22g of fiber a day. Last week and this week, i havent lost any weight. I have been eating between 7-12g of fiber. The recommended amount of fiber eaten a day is between 25-35. I only have small bowel movements once every 3 days or so and a large bowel movement once every 2 weeks. Is this my problem and will increasing my fiber slowly help with my weight loss? thanks in advance.

nelie · 10-01-2009, 02:09 PM

Well fiber is very important to your health. Also, you should be having more bowel movements than that. It is possible that you are constipated and fiber would help move things a long. Fiber also helps you fill fuller so you can eat less calories which can help weight loss.

Beyond that, fiber is a good preventative for colon cancer and also can help lower your cholesterol.

beerab · 10-01-2009, 02:29 PM

Cauliflower is a very good source of fiber

Also La Tortilla makes these AMAZING tortillas and they range anywhere from 7-13 grams of fiber depending on the ones you buy! They are also low carb, low fat, low calorie and DELICIOUS! I am amazed at how SOFT they are. I will eat like 1 of these a day so I know I'm getting a boost of fiber

SueSays · 10-01-2009, 02:48 PM

Getting enough fibre is important for your overall health, so for that reason alone you should be getting a lot more of it! Increased fibre will aid weight loss, but it's not magic - it just helps you to feel full for longer. I typically eat anywhere from 30-40 grams of fibre a day (all from food, not supplements), and rarely feel hungry between meals or suffer from crazy cravings.

You'll want to increase your fibre slowly, over a week or two, to allow your body time to adjust. Also, it's important to up your water intake at the same time if you currently aren't drinking very much.

There are so many whole foods that are high in fibre. Raspberries alone contain just over 8 grams of fibre in a 1-cup serving!! I typically eat oatmeal, All-Bran, or whole-grain toast in the morning (the bread I eat has 5 grams of fibre per slice), have brown rice with dinner, and get close to 10 fruit/veggie servings per day (emphasis on the veggies) - eating this way, you can't help but reach a high fiber target every day.

I've been amazed at the difference it makes, as I used to experience a real roller-coaster of cravings and hunger each day. I now feel like I'm on an even keel (barring TOM, where nothing seems to help!), and it's really made this whole experience feel easy.

JayEll · 10-01-2009, 02:56 PM

If you're wondering whether eating more fiber will make your weight loss faster, the answer is, probably not--not beyond increasing the size or frequency of your bowel movements. I'd say you should get more fiber to improve your colon health.

Weight loss has to do with the calorie intake, primarily. A loss of 1 to 2 pounds a week is considered a healthy rate of loss in that most of that weight is lost fat. If you are losing more than that, it's probably water weight along with some lean body mass loss.

So, take it easy! Be patient!

Jay

JerseyGyrl · 10-01-2009, 03:19 PM

Some interesting info regarding fiber:
http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/f...-fore-and-aft/

rockinrobin · 10-01-2009, 03:31 PM

Most, but certainly not all, high fiber foods are also lower in calories and THAT alone could aid in weight loss.

Fiber is great for many things, like's already been mentioned. It's a great disease preventive, keeps things running smoothly AND is incredibly filling and is found in things that are incredibly healthy - fruits, veggies, whole grains.

BUT if you don't adhere to a certain calorie allotment and are taking in more calories then is needed to create a calorie DEFICIT, then all the fiber in the world won't make you lose weight.

I would think that big first loss of yours had to do with it being the beginning of a weight loss program, where there's usually a large water loss. I suggest you track your calories, being consistent, trying to get in lots of fruits and veggies and some whole grains. Oh and protein too. And a smattering of healthy fats.

Taurie · 10-02-2009, 03:55 AM

Follow the suggestions above, drink lots of water and you'll be moving and grooving in no time!