question about fiber intake
 

I am posting it on here as I have a 2 part question. I am doing atkins or low carb life style change, would increasing my fiber intake make the weight come off easier. I was thinking about getting some sort of fiber powder to mix in with my food. Also, I have a feeling I will be posting on here quite a bit as I get discouraged easily. I tend to lose the weight, then my clothes don't fit right, and start thinking, I can't afford new clothes I might as well gain the weight back and fit in my clothes properly. I know it is a warped way of thinking and I am working hard on not doing that. The lowest size I have in my closet is a 16 and I put them on today and they fit!!:carrot:So that is a plus! Anyone else out there kind of like me??Thanks!

Powdered fiber is a good idea if you are Atkins. Also try eating fiber rich veggies such as spinach.

As for the clothes. You cannot allow yourself to gain weight back because they don't fit and you can't afford new ones. A good idea is to find consignment shops in your area and trade your too big clothes for ones that fit. I've done that and have gotten some very nice, hardly worn clothes for no or very little money. Goodwill is another great place and they often have big time savings at different times of the week and month. I just bought my daughter 4 pairs of nice looking Levis and paid $15 in total. :carrot:

Keep posting and don't give up on yourself. :hug:

Hey! :wel3fc:

Just wanted to add that it hasn't been demonstrated scientifically that fiber helps you lose weight. Fiber is important for other reasons, such as good bowel health and regularity, and if you're on Atkins, you may find that regularity is an issue.

Benefiber is what I use--it is odorless, tasteless, dissolves completely in water. Be sure only to use it as recommended.

Jay

I eat tons of fiber daily. Waaaay more then the recommended amount of 25 gms per day. I don't use the powder, so I can't tell you too much about it. I get my fiber from vegetables and fruits. The fiber rich foods that I eat hellp to keep me satisfied and my stomach full longer, thus allowing me to stay on plan, therefore enabling me to lose weight and now to maintain the loss.

Not to mention that soluble fiber is heart healthy and lowers cholesterol! :)

If you don't feel you can get enough fiber from your regular diet, then I would go for a supplement. You may have to try a few different brands and types (powder, pill, chewable, etc..) before you find one that is best for you. Some can produce extra gas, bloating, etc...so don't be quick to spend a lot on one kind because you may want to experiment with a few different ones.

Is there any website like fitday.com that include tracking your fiber intake?

Don't increase your fiber all at once. You have to sneak up on it. If you've been tracking your fiber and feel you are low (ex. 10 gm), don't try and double it in a day. If you do, you will be in the bathroom giving wall shaking thunderous performances. Try increasing it by about 5 gms a day, not 10.

I read somewhere, I think it was Brenda Watson's Fiber 35, whereby she states that for every so many grams of fiber you intake, a lb will go away. Now that doesn't mean daily. It is over the course of a week. Maybe someone on here has that book and can cite what she said.

Also, let something like Beano or Gas X become very good friends. Gas X or something like that is cheaper than Beano.

Good luck on this. Don't give up and don't use the defeatist attitude of not being able to afford new clothes. Pita is right, there are ways to find cheap clothes. Remember, we are at year end. Many people will be donating clothes to get the tax writeoff. I'm serious! Many years ago, I found a beautiful long evening type gown and paid $15 for it! I saw it in a store and just couldn't justify paying $200 for something I'd seldom wear. I feel the 10 or so wearings I got out of it was worth the $15. I donated it and deducted $15 on my own tax return. With the exception of underwear, there was a time in my life whereby I couldn't afford to dress myself and my DD. Thrift stores were a way of life for me.

You can do this. I know I got off topic but I want you to have faith in yourself. You are worth it.

Bingo! Someone gets it.

This is one reason why a vegan whole food diet is so effective in long term weight loss.

But let me tell you about fiber. True eating a lot of fiber tends to fill your stomach up but also the tiny fibers softly scrape the lining of your digestive system, thus pushing toxins and other waste out of your body and allowing better mineral & nutrient absorption basically like a detox. Also fiber isn't absorbed by the body so it can't turn into fat. So yes you'll lose some weight and your overall health will benefit as well.

I get so much fiber per day from organic hemp seed which has 14g of fiber per serving and tastes yummy.
Remember milk, meat & eggs contain no fiber so staying away from those will aid in weight loss as well.
So in closing eat as much fiber as you can as long as it's from whole unprocessed foods because that is in fact the key to staying full while losing weight.

diet fiend

Hi dietfiend. I see you are new here. Welcome to 3FC.

Yes, I do love my fiber. But please, let's not knock low fat proteins!!! I'm not much of a meat eater or a milk drinker, but I do love my eggs. They too have played a role in my weight loss. I eat egg white omlettes most days of the week. IMO, I don't think people have to stay away from them, or lean meat or skim milk for that matter, though not my preference, in order to lose weight. It's not only fiber that aids in weight loss. The proteins found in the foods you mention also play a vital role.