Losing weight - getting started,Filling up with Fibre
Eating food with lots of fibre will help you feel full for longer, so you’re more likely to stick to your calorie limit. Fibre keeps your bowels healthy and can help reduce cholesterol. Most people eat only about 18g of fibre a day, but should aim to eat at least 30g. Increase your fibre intake gradually, though, as a sudden increase can cause cramp and constipation. And make sure to drink plenty of water - aim for 1.2 litres a day - to avoid cramp and constipation. Here are some easy ways to boost the fibre in your snacks and meals: Breakfast Adding some fibre to your breakfast can help you stay feeling full until lunch and reduce the urge for a midmorning snack. • Swap white bread for wholemeal or wholegrain varieties. • Swap sugary cereals for high-fibre cereals such as wholegrain wheat cereals, unsweetened muesli, or porridge oats, and don’t forget to check the salt content. Lunch and dinner Vegetables are a good source of fibre, so try swapping some of the things on your plate for more veg. Aim for two portions of veg on your plate at dinner. • Swap white rice and pasta for wholemeal versions – simply doing this can double the amount of fibre you’ve eaten. • Add pulses – beans, lentils and peas – into your meals. They’re a cheap, low-fat source of fibre, protein, vitamins and minerals. Add pulses to soups, casseroles, rice and pasta, or serve baked beans (choose reduced-salt and sugar varieties) on wholemeal toast. Snacks Stock up on healthier snacks containing fibre such as: • Fruit – fresh, canned or frozen. Don’t forget to eat the skin on fruits such as apples and pears. • Veg sticks – carrot, celery or cucumber sticks or a packet of sugar snap peas. You can enjoy these lowcalorie snacks if you feel hungry in between your meals. • Reduced-fat hummus. For a bit of variety, dip your veg sticks, wholegrain crispbreads or pitta bread in a tub of reduced-fat hummus. You’ll get the fibre from both the veg and the bread. • Air-popped, plain popcorn. Homemade is best, to avoid the high fat, sugar or salt content in some commercial brands. Don’t add any sugar or butter. Food with fibre 6 apricots: 4g 1 medium orange: 3g 1 medium apple: 2g 2 slices of wholemeal bread: 4.2g 1 medium jacket potato: 5g 90g of peas: 4g 90g of spinach: 2g 200g of new potatoes: 3g 30g of chickpeas: 1.5g 135g of sweetcorn: 2g 165g of baked beans: 5g 220g of brown spaghetti: 8g 180g of brown rice: 1.5g 1 large wholemeal pitta bread.