It is time you got rid of the notion that the excess weight you carry on your body is the result of overeating. Many of you would welcome such a revelation because who knows for how long you have suffered because of the pangs of hunger in your stomach being brutally suppressed for the sake of losing weight.
The term 'diet' has become a dreadful word, associated with things like hunger pains and starvation. But that is a total misinterpretation of the term. A diet refers to eating healthy food, not starving. A good diet should supply bulk to fill the stomach and at the same time cut down on excessive calories.
A scientifically executed weight management program allows you to choose foods that have fewer calories by volume. This is referred to as 'low-energy-density.' Brenda Watson, natural health advocate and author says in her book The Fiber35 Diet that fiber is the prime example of low-energy-density food. This includes whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables.
In contrast, the high-energy-density foods contain a lot of calories and are high on fat per bite. For instance, a bowl of fiber rich blueberries contains much less calories to a similar bowl full of chocolate candies. In fact, Ms. Watson's book says that it is safer to eat three and a half cups of blueberries instead of a classic candy bar containing almost 270 calories.
People are waking up to the fact that fiber can be used effectively as an aid to weight management. Fiber allows you to consume larger servings of fiber rich foods without the fear of increasing the intake of calories. In addition, fiber can also provide support to maintain a healthy blood sugar balance. It helps to slow down our body's conversion of carbohydrates to sugar. It also helps us keep our blood chemistry stable by providing a slow drip of energy into the blood stream so that we don't feel the need to munch sugary snacks between meals.
Fiber, like fats, also promotes the release of satiety hormones in the intestine. This means that fiber consumption encourages your body to produce a hormone that creates a feeling of fullness. This hormone is called cholecystokinin (CCK) and it conveys the messange to the body that it is full and cannot take more. Therefore, fiber can actually take care of your appetite, so you can eat less, and yet feel full for a long time.
According to the recent studies published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, healthy weight management is all about the caloric content of the food choices we make. So, we should try and find foods with lower caloric count but are filling. Fiber fits the picture ideally. Fiber rich diets are an easy solution to the common problems associated with weight management. Fiber shows you the light at the end of the tunnel so that you can eat more fiber, and forget about your growling stomach and feelings of deprivation.
