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I\u2019m the type of person who doesn\u2019t feel normal unless her bowel movements are, too. That means I try to be somewhat conscientious of my fiber intake<\/a>, but I still find myself with the nagging feeling that I could be doing more\u2014especially since data show that up to 95% of Americans are coming up short in this department.<\/p>\n Trends like fibermaxxing<\/a>\u2014and, more recently, its more relaxed cousin, \u201cfiber layering\u201d\u2014are pretty strong proof that I\u2019m not alone with this concern.<\/p>\n While fibermaxxing\u2019s intense reputation has always stopped me from giving it a try, I\u2019ve been looking for some kind of fiber-boosting daily habit to make sure I am getting enough of the nutrient. So when fiber layering hopped on the scene offering similar benefits\u2014like improved digestion, less hunger between meals, and a more balanced blood sugar response\u2014with a more easygoing pace, I knew it had potential to be the solution I had been looking for.<\/p>\n Before committing to it entirely, I decided to give it a two-week trial run to determine if it was as manageable as promised and if its purported benefits were the real deal. But first, I consulted a registered dietitian to find out exactly how to fiber-layer and what effects I could expect to feel. Here\u2019s what happened when I tried fiber layering, how you can do it yourself, and everything you need to know to decide if it\u2019s right for you.<\/p>\n Meet the experts: Elizabeth Klingbeil<\/a>, Ph.D., R.D.N., an assistant professor of instruction in the department of nutritional sciences at the University of Texas at Austin and a national spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.<\/p>\n What exactly is fiber layering\u2014and how does it differ from fibermaxxing?<\/p>\n Despite the buzzy new name, fiber layering is a dietary pattern that registered dietitians and health professionals have actually been recommending for a very long time, says Elizabeth Klingbeil<\/a>, Ph.D., R.D.N., an assistant professor of instruction in the department of nutritional sciences at the University of Texas at Austin and a national spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.<\/p>\n It\u2019s actually pretty simple: \u201cFiber layering involves consuming fiber in reasonable amounts in a variety of forms throughout the day,\u201d she explains. The difference between it and fibermaxxing is that it promotes relying on whole foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and legumes over supplements and \u201cfibermaxxed\u201d processed foods to meet daily needs, even if that means coming in slightly under the recommended amount (about 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men).<\/p>\n Where fibermaxxing is all about eating as much fiber as possible from the jump, fiber layering encourages a gradual incorporation of the nutrient. This provides a more enjoyable and sustainable path to building a new habit. And the slower pace is also key for preventing the adverse side effects that can arise from eating too much fiber too quickly<\/a>, like constipation, bloating, and excess gas\u2014the exact problems we want fiber to resolve, not cause, Klingbeil says.<\/p>\n How exactly do you fiber-layer?<\/p>\n Because I already try to eat a fair amount of fiber, Klingbeil gave me the green light to start shooting for that 25-gram target right away. To reach it, she suggested I aim to eat two to three different fiber sources per meal, five to eight per day, and roughly 20 to 30 per week\u2014ideally a mix of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes.<\/p>\n What this could look like: a bowl of oats with banana, almond butter, and chia seeds<\/a> for breakfast, a BLT with whole-wheat bread, lettuce or spinach, and an apple for lunch, and roasted chicken with Brussels sprouts, bell peppers, and brown rice for dinner.<\/p>\n While that\u2019s what she recommended for me, just remember, these ranges aren\u2019t hard-and-fast rules. While research shows that this kind of variety is most linked to improved health and lower mortality risks, fastidious tracking isn\u2019t a requirement, Klingbeil says. After all, the goal is to feel better, not stress yourself out even more trying to meet an impossible standard. So, if you can\u2019t quite hit her suggested amounts for different fiber-rich sources per day or week, you can at least challenge yourself to keep adding a bit more than what you\u2019re already eating.<\/p>\n What happened when I fiber-layered for 14 days<\/p>\n After two weeks of fiber layering, I\u2019m happy to report that it delivered quite a few quick and positive effects\u2014and one that was somewhat\u2026less desirable.<\/p>\n To start, I constructed a meal plan that primarily consisted of a different dinner recipe per day\u2014such as pasta with chickpeas and spinach or curried lentils with rice, not to mention a couple of veggie-forward treat meals like fajitas with guacamole, salsa, and bell peppers.<\/p>\n For breakfasts and lunches, I figured I\u2019d have the most success by keeping things simple, so I stuck with a rotation of two or three go-to dishes to avoid overcomplicating matters. That included a lot of oatmeal with fruit and nuts in the morning, and dinner leftovers or the occasional quickie salad for lunch. Most days I was well within (and sometimes beyond) Klingbeil\u2019s recommended range of five to eight different fiber sources per day. In fact, I ended up with a whopping total of 28 different sources by the end of my first week and 25 by the time my experiment wrapped up.<\/p>\n As for how I felt, let\u2019s just say that the digestive sluggishness I had been experiencing prior to starting this experiment had disappeared completely. My bowel movements, which had decreased to once every few days since I entered the second trimester of my pregnancy, became more regular and returned to their normal, daily frequency. I also found myself able to get through my day without as many hunger pangs between meals and noticed fewer extreme energy crashes to boot, both of which can be attributed to the satiating and blood-sugar-balancing effects of fiber, says Klingbeil.<\/p>\n Add Prevention as a preferred source in your Google search results.<\/p>\n Use your Google account to add this to your settings.<\/p>\n Add to Google settings<\/p>\n I have to admit one downside: The gas I passed has literally never been stinkier. But Klingbeil said that this is both totally normal and likely to resolve itself if I keep the fiber layering going long term. \u201cThe bacteria in your intestines are fermenting the fibers and will produce gases that indeed have a stronger smell,\u201d she explained. And while my gut microbes are having a strong (smelling) reaction to all these new fiber sources, that effect will likely diminish as they grow more accustomed to this increased and varied load.<\/p>\n Benefits of fiber layering Improves gastrointestinal health<\/p>\n Fiber feeds gut bacteria, and happy, diverse gut microbes contribute to a whole host of health benefits. That includes the kind you\u2019d notice right away, like more consistent bowel movements<\/a> and decreases in constipation and diarrhea, as well as reducing the risk of conditions that can form over a longer period of time, like colon cancer, obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, says Klingbeil. So remember that when you\u2019re eating fiber, you\u2019re not just feeding yourself\u2014you\u2019re feeding those bacterial helpers, too.<\/p>\n Stabilizes blood sugar levels<\/p>\n Dietary fibers are a form of complex carbohydrates, which are digested and absorbed into the bloodstream more slowly than refined carbs like white-flour pasta because of the other nutrients at play, Klingbeil explains. Carbs provide energy because they are mostly made of sugars, so when you\u2019re more regularly eating the types that also contain fiber, you\u2019re more likely to get a gradual and sustained energy boost than the type of rapid rise and blood sugar crash foods like candy or white bread may cause.<\/p>\n Increases satiety<\/p>\n The fact that fiber moves more slowly through your digestive system than other forms of carbohydrates also contributes to feelings of fullness, says Klingbeil. The longer it takes for the food to break down and be absorbed, the longer you can expect to feel satisfied\u2014which means that eating more fiber will make it that much less likely that you\u2019ll feel prematurely hungry between meals.<\/p>\n Can you eat too much fiber? <\/p>\n![\"Google\"](\"https:\/\/www.prevention.com\/_assets\/design-tokens\/fre\/static\/icons\/social\/google.1467f37.svg\")
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