I received a wonderful gift about 5 years ago – a Breville Fountain Juicer. Everyone that watched me open the gift asked what it did.

“Well…I like to juice fruits and veggies so that I can have quick access to all of the vitamins and nutrients the fruits and veggies offer. It strips out the fiber and gets right into your system.”

There was a good chuckle in the room and everyone told me that someday I would want the fiber. I laughed along while thinking in the back of my head…maybe when I’m “old.”

Per usual, my mother and her peers were much wiser than me. Whether or not I am old at 25 32 I love my fiber. Consuming an adequate amount of fiber helps you feel more satisfied from your meals, experience accelerated weight loss, and improves gut health.

What is adequate fiber?

According to the American Heart Association, it is recommended that each person consumes 25-30g of fiber each day, from food NOT supplements. In the US, the average fiber consumption is 9-11g. WOW! What a difference. First step in adding more fiber into your diet is to find out how much you are consuming, and then gradually increase to meet your daily needs. It is not recommended to do it all at once.

Our Six Week Sparkers (who all just successfully completed the challenge!) were a little surprised that fiber had a full week of focus. However, they changed their tune when they recognized the benefits:

“Feeling lighter and have better digestion.”

“Eliminated my snack between breakfast and lunch. I am more alert teaching in the morning because I am not starving!”

“Fullness for longer periods of time.”

They achieved this the way you hit most other health goals! They ate more fruits and veggies, they prepared their meals and snacks, they logged their food to stay on track.

No matter the habit, the same themes for success keep popping up over and over again. Habits that are sustainable and engrained after six weeks of hard work!

Are you ready to add in more fiber? Give the below breakfast a try:

Raspberry Overnight Oats

• ½ cup oats
• ¾ cup milk (can be non-dairy version)
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds
• Dash of vanilla extract

Shake the above and leave in the refrigerator, covered overnight. In the morning, stir and top with 1 tablespoon almond butter and ¼ cup of raspberries.

About Laura Burdick

Laura is the Studio Manager at The Hot Room. She also teaches Original Hot Yoga, Inferno Hot Pilates, Hot Power Sculpt and Hot Power Vinyasa. As a certified health coach, Laura leads all of The Hot Room wellness programs. To contact Laura directly about your wellness questions, you can email her at laura@thehotroom.com.  You can also read more about Laura on her bio page.