There are numerous myths regarding how to reduce weight, especially when it comes to stubborn belly fat. Many of the tips for losing belly fat that claims to be "quick solutions" are outright lies... and can even be quite hazardous (like swallowing cotton balls). What?
One common misconception is that you can reduce weight by focusing on specific areas. Unfortunately, the body does not work that way. However, some studies have found that some factors increase abdominal fat, such as heavy alcohol intake.
Fiber, on the other hand, is essential for shedding abdominal fat and maintaining a trim figure.
This vitamin is critical for keeping your digestive system working, but according to the USDA, most Americans are deficient in fiber. According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, this equates to 25 grams of fiber for women and 38 grams for men per day. To put that in perspective, an avocado contains about 10 grams of fiber, while one cup of oats contains about 8 grams.
What role does fiber play in weight loss?
Soluble and insoluble fibers are the two types of fiber. Soluble fiber absorbs water and forms a gel, which slows food as it passes through your digestive system and offers several metabolic benefits. Because we lack the digestive enzymes to break it down, insoluble fiber is primarily undamaged through the digestive system.
High-fiber foods fill you up and keep you fuller for longer, which can help you lose weight and keep it off. Fiber also adds weight to your stool, allowing meals to transit more quickly through your digestive system.
Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS, RD, and founder of the F Factor Diet told us! "When you digest food, your body expends calories." "Fiber is indigestible and has no calories, but your body makes an effort to digest it. The process of increasing the body's internal temperature and so speeding up your metabolism is known as thermogenesis. Your metabolism will speed up as you consume more fiber "According to Zuckerbot.
Fiber can also aid in the removal of toxins from the body. Fiber acts as a sponge in your stomach and intestines, according to Zuckerbot. "It binds to cholesterol, estrogen, and poisons, then excretes them from the body."
Fats and calories are in the same boat. Fiber binds to a portion of the calories and fat you eat and helps them pass through your system.
"Instead of 100 percent of those calories and fat entering your bloodstream and ending up in your thighs, hips, and belly, a percentage of those calories can combine with the fiber—which can't be digested because it's evacuated—and those calories and grams of fat end up in the toilet bowl," Zuckerbot explains.
Fiber, on the other hand, is not created equal. Focus on natural sources of fiber, such as vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains.