Is fibre maxxing the key to weight loss?

Health trends come and go but fibremaxxing seems to be a big one at the moment that’s not going away. And for once, it’s a health trend it can get behind. Increasing fibre has lots of benefits like improving digestion, reducing risk of certain cancers, and helping to manage weight. 

So is it time to fibre maxx?

What is fibre maxxing?

Fibre maxxing is significantly increasing the amount of fibre in your diet. I’ve seen people adding beans, seeds, and vegetables to just about every meal possible as a way to sneak more fibre in.

Adding more fibre to your meals can:

• Increase the good bacteria in your gut which helps with immunity
• Help your bowels become more regular if you’re struggling with constipation
• Lower the risk of colon cancer
• Lower ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol and lower heart disease risk
• Maintain stable blood sugar levels

What is fibre?

Fibre is found in plants and is a type of carbohydrate our bodies can’t fully digest. 

There’s 2 types of fibre:

• Soluble fibre dissolves in water and forms a gel in your stomach. This slows down digestion and can help lower blood sugar levels and cholesterol. It’s found in oats, fruits, and avocados. 
• Insoluble fibre does not dissolve in water and helps food move through the gut. It also adds bulk to your poo. It’s found in foods like nuts, wholegrains, and beans.

How much fibre do we need?

Adults need 30g of fibre a day, but the majority of us don’t get this with the average being around 16g a day. 

I am all for people increasing the fibre in their diets, the benefits are second to none. But that doesn't mean people have to go to extremes. Social media wants you to think that nutrition is all or nothing but small additions can make a big difference. 

What’s the harms of fibre maxxing?

Suddenly having lots of fibre can have a negative effect on someone, as their body won’t be used to it. It can lead to bloating, stomach cramps and pain, diarrhoea, and gas. 

I always encourage people to increase fibre slowly, over a period of 3-7 days to allow their body to adjust. It’s also important to drink more fluids as you increase your fibre to help everything move through your gut. 

Does fibre maxxing lead to weight loss?

Adding fibre to the diet has been shown to support weight loss. It does this in a few different ways, some of which are not fully understood.

Fibre can keep you fuller for longer as it stays in your gut for a long time. This reduces your hunger levels and can mean you’re less likely to snack. It also helps keep your blood sugar levels stable which can reduce appetite as you won’t get a sudden sugar crash which can leave you hungry.

How to add more fibre into your diet:

Getting more fibre from food sources as opposed to supplements will be more beneficial as you’ll get all the other nutrients from the food too. 

Ways to add fibre to breakfast:

You can add the following to cereal/porridge/yoghurt/overnight oats for a fibre boost:

• Add 1 tablespoon of milled flaxseed for 4.5g of fibre
• Add 1 tablespoon of chia seeds for 5g of fibre
• Add a small handful of almonds for 6g of fibre

To spruce up your toasts:

• Add half a medium avocado for 7g of fibre
• Add half a tin of baked beans adds 8g of fibre
• Swap your usual loaf for seeded or multigrain bread which adds 4g of fibre

Ways to add fibre to lunch/dinners:

• Swap your rice/pasta/wrap to a wholemeal version to almost double the fibre
• Add a tin of lentils to your bolognese to add 12g of fibre
• Add a tin of chickpeas to your curry to add 15g of fibre
• Add 80g of roasted root vegetables as a side to your meal for 4g of fibre
• Add 1 tablespoon of milled flaxseed to your side salad for 4.5g of fibre

Don't forget to add fibre to your snacks too:

• A medium pear has 3g of fibre
• Yoghurt with 80g of mixed berries has 3g of fibre
• A small handful of roasted corn and peas has 2g of fibre
• A single serving bag of popcorn has 2g of fibre

I hope the trend of increasing fibre is here to stay, and even if you don’t max out on fibre, any increase is useful. And if you want more weight loss tips, you can find them in my book.

Key points:

• Fibre maxxing is increasing the amount of fibre in your diet.
• Eating more fibre has health benefits like lowering cholesterol, improving your gut bacteria, and helping manage weight.
• Adults should aim for 30g of fibre a day.
• Fibre should be increased slowly to avoid stomach cramps and bloating.
• Increasing fibre can support weight loss by keeping you fuller for longer and reducing hunger.
• Adding seeds, nuts, and wholegrains to your diet are good ways to increase fibre.

I hope you enjoyed this post!

Bye for now 👋

References: 

Types of fibre:

https://www.bda.uk.com/resource/fibre.html

Fibre and weight loss:

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11356871/

Fibre intake in the UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-diet-and-nutrition-survey-2019-to-2023/national-diet-and-nutrition-survey-2019-to-2023-report

Fibre health benefits:

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6566984/

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41575-020-00375-4