Fighting Holiday Weight Gain With Fiber

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Y'all know I like to talk about fiber. I am known as "The Regulator" for Mamavation. I write New Food Friday to focus on fiber rich foods and how you can add them to your diet.  I believe that fiber is a very good thing.

Did you know that fiber aids in weight loss?  Fiber-rich foods help you feel full longer, so you eat less. 

Think about the typical American holiday season.  From Thanksgiving to New Year's, your life becomes jam-packed with festivities, parties, and of course, food.  How can we survive this festive time of year and NOT pack on the pounds?  Part of the answer is : FIBER.

While you cannot control how everyone makes their holiday goodies, you CAN control your approach to your own goodies and parties that you attend.

Here's my high-fiber plan for merriment and weight-maintenance.

• When baking your holiday treats, substitute at least half of the called for flour with whole wheat flour.  White flour has no fiber.
• Add ground flax to your baked goods.
• Unless someone you know and love has nut allergies, add nuts when included in the recipe as "optional."
• Add dried fruit to your treats.  They add sweetness as well as fiber, so you might even be able to cut back a bit on the sugar.  
• Substitute unsweetened applesauce for half of the called for oil.  You are lowering the fat and increasing the fiber.

Other non-baking tips:

• Eat a high-fiber snack before hit the party circuit.  A cup of raw veggies, a slice of whole wheat bread.
• When not attending a party, cook at home with lots of veggies, fruits and whole grains.  I recently shared about how barley has become one of our favorite grain side dishes. 
• Limit sweets or at least, pair sweets with fiber and protein.  Get off the sugar-crash roller coaster which makes you reach for more sweets.
• Start every day with a high-fiber breakfast.  Oatmeal is our fave. 

Speaking of breakfast, my typical oatmeal breakfast contains 11-13 grams of fiber.  Want to know my secret?  I recently shared it with the ladies in Mamavation.

• 1/2 cup dry oats cooked with 1 cup water (I prefer water, use what you like)
• 2 Tbsp ground flax
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce (to act as a sweetener)
• 1 serving of fresh or dried fruit
• topped off with a dash of cinnamon

 My plan for the holiday season is not only to maintain weight, but to LOSE weight.  I'm focusing on fruits, veggies, and whole grains to keep my fiber intake up.  I'll be keeping up with my workouts as well.  I've worked hard this year, I don't plan on "re-starting" in the New Year.  I want to build on my success.

I wrote this blog post while participating in the Bookieboo and Coach's Oats Fiber blogging program, making me eligible to win a $50 American Express gift card and free product. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Photo credit: stock.xchng