Are you getting enough fiber in your diet? How can you tell? It turns out eating more foods high in fiber has plenty of health benefits that can help you reach your diet, weight and fitness training goals. Here’s how that works, and the best sources of fiber you can find.

FIBER PROMOTES WEIGHT LOSS

Many high-fiber foods, such as vegetables, contain a low amount of calories per serving. You can eat a cup or two of vegetables and still consume fewer than a few hundred calories in some cases. However, you aren’t left feeling empty at all. These foods move slowly through your digestive system, which is what keeps you feeling fuller longer. If you feel full, you won’t eat excess calories, which makes you much more likely to shed some pounds.

LOSE FAT AND GAIN MASS

Along with working out, there are specific foods that can help you burn fat and bulk up. This is more about what you’re probably not eating if you’re focusing on eating anywhere between 20 and 40 grams of fiber every day. (For some perspective, a potato with skin has 8 grams of fiber). If you fill up on fruits and vegetables and plant proteins like beans, you’re much less likely to choose high-calorie, high-fat processed foods.

BEST SOURCES OF FIBER

You’ll find that the foods that fill you up and keep you full are also foods you’re already familiar with.

• Vegetables – broccoli, green beans, cauliflower, potatoes, sweet potatoes
• Fruits – tomatoes, bananas, grapes, apples, berries
• Nuts and seeds – peanuts, cashews, almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds
• Grains – whole grain breads and pastas, brown rice, wild rice

Now, you don’t want to eat too much fiber. It’s important to drink plenty of water if you’re going to increase your intake at all, unless you enjoy dealing with constipation. Include a healthy source of fiber with each meal and in at least one snack and you should be fine. No more feeling hungry after eating. No more inexplainable weight gain. Sound good? We thought so.

Source

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/sclark13.htm