Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Fiber for Fat Loss

by Kris Pitcher

It's time to get a jump start on those resolutions I'm going to later tell you not to make. We might as well just start now, there's no sense waiting! To do that, we are going to pay attention to two things. Fiber, and protein.

We've learned about fiber before. There are two types. Soluble, and insoluble. We are concerned about the latter. Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water. Simple.

The great thing about fiber is it helps us feel full. It also decreases the rate at which we digest our food. It slows it down. This is why complex carbohydrates are thought of as time-released. They digest more slowly because of their fiber content.

Fiber also reduces our risk of heart disease and diabetes. But I know you don't care about that! You just want to fit into that little black dress for the holiday party! Women should get 21-25 grams of fiber each day, and men should get 30-38 grams. Here are a few items that might be in your fiber arsenal:
pear with skin       5.5 gms
apple with skin     4.4 gms
1 C oatmeal          4.0 gms
1 oz almonds        3.5 gms
1 C broccoli         5.1 gms
1 C turnip greens 5.0 gms

As you increase your fiber intake, you also want to increase your water. They work hand in hand to help keep your system working smoothly. The other piece of the fat loss puzzle is protein.

A very modest recommendation for a sedentary person is 1 gram per kilogram of body weight. Yes! I'm going to make you do math. Divide your weight in pounds by 2.2 to determine how many kilograms you are. If I am 128 pounds, I am 58 kgs. IF I were sedentary, I would consume 58 grams of protein. I'm not.

It's well recognized that "special populations" require more protein. Pregnant women require more, endurance athletes require about 50% more than a sedentary person; bodybuilders may need up to twice as much; and dieters also require more. This vague information comes from webmd. It is nice to know that if you are not sedentary, you are "special". Maybe it should be the other way around...but we'll save that for another day.

Adequate protein intake is important for people seeking to lose fat, build or maintain muscle, and exercise frequently. No big surprise there. Most recommendations would call for 1 gram per pound of body weight for an active person. The key as we work toward our pre-holiday fat loss is to pair our fiber & our protein together, and to eat frequently. Four meals & two snacks. At least.

This is a good time to focus on fiber for fat loss. It will give you a little something to think about as you are reaching for the party platter...broccoli = fiber! Great choice! Why not get a jump start?

1 comment:

  1. certainly not the food that I want but definitely what I need. I could choose to ignore this and regret it much later or choose to work on this now and feel great on a wholesome level. I would choose the latter for health's sake as I am not getting any younger. Are there also food which would help prevent osteoporosis? I hope you could also discuss it in your next post. Osteoporosis scares me because I don't want it affecting my hip bones. The reason--I am wary of hip replacement surgery. Just reading about the many complaints that followed the DePuy hip replacement recall put me off the procedure.

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