{"id":168024,"date":"2025-11-30T18:59:21","date_gmt":"2025-11-30T18:59:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/168024\/"},"modified":"2025-11-30T18:59:21","modified_gmt":"2025-11-30T18:59:21","slug":"i-ate-50g-of-fibre-every-day-for-a-week-heres-how-it-affected-my-energy-and-digestion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/168024\/","title":{"rendered":"‘I ate 50g of fibre every day for a week \u2013 here\u2019s how it affected my energy and digestion’"},"content":{"rendered":"

When the \u201cfibremaxxing<\/a>\u201d trend first emerged, I knew I was just the person to try it. Fibremaxxing\u2014the social media trend that went viral in summer 2025\u2014centres around eating more fibre<\/a> for better digestion, fullness, and blood sugar and cholesterol control. The digestion part is what grabbed me, since the rest of my health is pretty on point. Even though I reach the daily recommended fibre<\/a> goal for women most days\u201425 grams\u2014I still feel like I hover on the edge of constipation<\/a>. I figured that if I started eating more fibre, that would change.<\/p>\n

As a refresher: fibre is a type of carbohydrate that isn\u2019t easily digested by your small intestine, so it supports digestion by speeding up your movement of waste, regulating blood sugar, lowering LDL (\u201cbad\u201d) cholesterol levels, and promoting fullness, per the FDA<\/a>. <\/p>\n

However, the amount of fibre that technically counts as fibremaxxing is a bit unclear. \u201cI’ve seen some recommendations on social media that encourage people to meet their daily fibre goals, while others suggest eating 50 to 100 grams of fibre per day, which is probably too much,\u201d says Natalie Rizzo<\/a>, RD, a New York-based dietitian. (For context, the daily rec is 22 to 28 grams for women depending on age.)<\/p>\n

To see if my ~movements~ improved, I wanted to see what would happen if I consistently overshot my fibre RDA for one week \u00e0 la the fibremaxxers on my social feeds. Here\u2019s how it went. <\/p>\n

How I fibremaxxed<\/p>\n

I\u2019d already been logging food through MyFitnessPal<\/a> to track my protein intake<\/a> (I\u2019m trying to hit a high-protein goal at the recommendation of a doctor). So, I was able to look back at how much fibre I normally get as well, and I was averaging about 37 grams per day. <\/p>\n

Rizzo suggested I aim to eat \u201cup to 50 grams per day,\u201d to get the aforementioned benefits without overdoing it and causing symptoms like diarrhea and bloating<\/a>. So, I aimed to hit 50 grams every day for a week. I also made sure to stay hydrated, drinking my normal 80 ounces per day, since Rizzo informed me that \u201cfibre works best when you\u2019re drinking plenty of water to help keep digestion smooth.\u201d<\/p>\n

Disclaimer, you may need to start lower if you decide to follow suit. Rizzo cautioned that it\u2019s best to avoid increasing fibre too quickly as it can cause gas and discomfort. She recommends starting at your usual baseline for fibre, then gradually increasing by five grams every few days. (I went straight to 50 grams, but a more gradual increase probably would\u2019ve been ideal.)<\/p>\n

To make life easier and minimise how much time I\u2019d spend logging my food, I generally stuck to the same meals each day, which provided 51 grams of fibre total. I associate fibre with chia seeds<\/a>, salads, and beans<\/a>, so I looked at recipes I already had saved which featured those ingredients. By planning my meals in advance rather than eating random meals and trying to make up for any fibre deficits at dinner, it was easy enough to hit my goal every day.<\/p>\n

This was the blueprint: Breakfast: blueberry protein chia seed pudding<\/a> topped with Greek yoghurt and granola (14.5 grams fibre)Lunch: chickpea tuna salad (4 grams) over romaine (4.9 grams) with extra beans (12.4 grams)Dinner: green salad with pistachios and edamame (6.2 grams), popcorn with olive oil (6.5 grams), and cottage cheese with peanut butter powder (2 grams)\"a<\/p>\n

Renee Cherry<\/p>\n

After a week of fibremaxxing, my body felt different in a way I didn’t expect<\/p>\n

My week of fibremaxxing was slow to start\u2014eating more fibre didn\u2019t immediately seem to improve my digestion. The first day, I\u2019d just gotten back from a work trip, and air travel can cause constipation for reasons unrelated to fibre intake; the humidity on planes is really low, which can lead to dehydration<\/a>, one of the leading causes of constipation, Rizzo says.<\/p>\n

Things quickly improved, though: the second day, my movements were back to normal, and I successfully hit my daily fibre goal while having a busy day on the go. However, I had to dedicate additional time to tracking my food and planning out how to hit my fibre goal. <\/p>\n

I had my usual blueberry chia pudding, but was out around lunch time, so I ordered a buffalo chicken salad from Just Salad, which had seven grams of fibre. I went out for drinks with friends, and when I got home, I assembled a grilled cheese (made with high-fibre keto-friendly bread from Aldi) alongside roasted potatoes and Greek yoghurt with peanut butter powder, to account for my remaining 25 grams of fibre.<\/p>\n

I realised that dining out in general is more difficult than cooking for yourself when you\u2019re trying to hit a high-fibre goal. When choosing my lunch spot, I was surprised to find that my first two choices\u2014both national fast casual chains\u2014didn\u2019t have fibre values listed on the nutrition info on their websites. Rather than estimating, I chose a different lunch spot that had the values listed. <\/p>\n

Over the five remaining days, I noticed subtle improvements in the frequency and ease of my bowel movements, even passing smoother stools on occasion. It wasn\u2019t a dramatic difference, but I did feel like all the roughage was having some effect. <\/p>\n

Thankfully, I didn\u2019t experience any of the negative side effects that can come from increasing your fibre intake too dramatically, too fast. This might\u2019ve been because my body was already adapted to handling a somewhat high fibre amount, which meant that I was less likely to experience issues, says Rizzo. \u201cAdditionally, everyone’s gastrointestinal (GI) system is unique,\u201d she adds. \u201cSome individuals are highly sensitive to certain fibre-rich foods like beans or cruciferous vegetables, while others can tolerate them easily\u2014it seems like you naturally have a system that handles fibre very well.\u201d<\/p>\n

I actually noticed more obvious changes when it comes to fibre’s satiety-boosting and blood sugar-regulating effects. While I usually get hungry about an hour before my meals and experience an energy dip around 2 p.m., I enjoyed steady fullness and energy while getting extra fibre. This felt like a true \u201cfood as fuel\u201d approach. Also, I didn\u2019t mind repeating the same meals\u2014but I can imagine that some people might get bored from eating the same foods over again.<\/p>\n

Moving forward, I don\u2019t plan to continue fibremaxxing in such a strict sense. I\u2019m not interested in the precise planning that goes along with it while also tracking my protein, and I prefer more of a flexible approach. That said, I want to continue emphasising high-fibre foods like chia seeds and beans now that I\u2019ve seen how they impact my satiety, digestion, and energy levels.<\/p>\n

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