Fiber for Weight Loss: Tips and Real Success Story

Let’s play a quick game of Two Truths And A Lie: Dietary fiber isn’t important. Most people are deficient in fiber. And fiber helps with weight loss… Hopefully you spotted that first one as the fib. To hear more nutrition truths, keep reading to learn how to easily harness the under-utilized tool of fiber for weight loss. Plus, check out one woman’s inspiring fiber-related weight loss success story at the end!

What is fiber?

Fiber is a nutrient, although less talked about than the three macronutrients of protein, fat and carbs. It is a unique type of carb-like nutrient that our body can’t absorb so the fiber portion of foods contributes no calories to our daily calorie count. However, this humble dietary component does wonders to ease digestion, control cravings and improve weight loss. The problem: up to 97 percent of Americans are deficient in fiber, reveals ob-gyn Mary Claire Haver, MD, author of The Galveston Diet. 

Why are people so deficient in fiber?

There are two main factors driving fiber deficiencies in modern society. Americans are eating fewer whole foods (like fiber-rich fruits, veggies and legumes) and more ultra-processed grains (like cookies and crackers). Food manufacturers often remove plant fiber from processed products to lengthen the food’s shelf life in grocery stores. They also increase the amount of sugar to improve palatability of processed products.

“We have a metabolic health crisis…too much sugar; too little fiber.” -Robert Lustig, MD

Foods lacking fiber wreak havoc on our health

“We have a metabolic health crisis,” according to Robert Lustig, MD, author of Metabolical. He notes that 45 percent of adults have fatty liver disease, 50 percent are diabetic or prediabetic and 65 percent are overweight or obese. And how did we get to this unhealthy state? Dr. Lustig, an alum of both MIT and Cornell, says, “I can sum it up with two concepts: too much sugar; too little fiber.”

Those two moves—removing fiber and adding sugar to our diets—have caused untold damage to our health and waistlines. Dr. Lustig explains, “The sugar causes fatty liver, insulin resistance and chronic disease. The lack of fiber means the sugar gets absorbed immediately, driving inflammation and more chronic disease.”

How much fiber do we need?

Now for the good news. If fiber deficiency is harming our health, eating more fiber can help turn things around. In fact, everyone benefits from eating fewer processed foods and more fiber-rich foods. So how much fiber is needed? The RDA for fiber is 25 grams for women daily. The guidelines don’t specify if it should come from soluble or insoluble fiber sources. But some experts advise that about 25 percent of our daily fiber total should come from soluble sources such as psyllium, beans and oats. 

5 ways to use fiber in your weight loss journey

Consider the different powerful mechanisms at play when you consume delicious fiber-rich foods…

Fiber cuts cravings and makes people feel full

Think: big salads, satisfying bowls of bean chili and hearty helpings of oatmeal. These foods are naturally filling, without adding empty calories. Reaching for fiber-rich snacks and meals is a smart weight-loss strategy that can help you feel satiated so you don’t overeat.

Fiber improves digestive regularity

There are two main forms of fiber that function differently inside the body. Insoluble fiber doesn’t dissolve in water so it stays intact to bulk up loose stool or diarrhea. (Whole grains, nuts, seeds and fresh produce fall into this category.) And soluble fiber dissolves in water to transform into a gel and keep waste moving smoothly through the system to relieve constipation. (Oats, chia seeds and psyllium husk swell and gel in liquids this way.) This second type can cut down on painful belly bloat and remove trapped waste that is adding unwanted pounds and inches to your frame. (Learn how psyllium husk helps with weight loss and how another form of fiber called resistant starch can help too.)

Fiber prevents blood sugar spikes

Enjoying plant-based foods, especially as an appetizer, can helps ward off the blood-sugar spikes that are often triggered by any carb-rich entrées that follow. How? The fiber coats the lining of the gut so sugar is absorbed more slowly into the blood stream. This is one popular blood-sugar hacking tip from Georgetown University-trained biochemist Jessie Inchauspé, also known as the Glucose Goddess, that is helping women steady their levels and reach their weight-loss goals.

Fiber promotes healthy gut bacteria

The fiber in many foods acts like a prebiotic that feeds our healthy gut bacteria. This allows many cellular and biochemical changes to occur that support and promote healthy weight loss. Another benefits: When our best gut bugs thrive, then bad, damaging bugs get crowded out of the gut, reducing our risk of inflammation and leaky gut syndrome that can drive unwanted weight gain.

Fiber can reduce fat storage

You’ve heard how regular fiber can fill the stomach and create a sense of fullness. But a new supplement containing a special, engineered fiber called Monch Monch is getting some buzz in the weight-loss world. The fiber, created in part by Dr. Lustig, is being described as a 3D microscopic sponge that soaks up sugar in our system. It is proven to keep blood sugar stable, which prevents fat storage.

Fiber success story:  “I dropped from a size 16 to 6!”

Carrying extra pounds while growing up in the Southwest was uncomfortable for Rossi Goin. The skin on her legs would chafe in the heat. She reveals, “I became a wallflower. I was self-conscious to the point it was crippling.” Everything changed the morning she realized, I don’t have a single piece of clothing that fits.

Over the years, Rossi had tried every fad diet without lasting success. But a turning point came when she noticed how processed foods made her overeat. As an experiment, she cut out packaged fare and focused on eating more protein and fiber-rich fruits and veggies, plus drinking more water. She shed 50 pounds and felt calmer, more in control. “I found there was life in between my meals. I no longer needed constant grazing.”

Rossi kept working to improve her gut health. She learned fiber-rich grains like corn bran helped. She shed another 15 pounds and “reshaped” her body.  In all, she traded her size 16 clothes for 6s. “I found my real size!” Since then, Rossi has maintained her weight loss for years with moderation and exercise. Now, the Processed-Free America supporter says, “Life is better than ever. I feel younger and more alive!” 

This content is not a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis. Always consult your physician before pursuing any treatment plan.