What do Megyn Kelly, Katie Couric and Miss Universe — as well as a number of socialites, models, actors, Wall Street financiers and CEOs — have in common? They all swear by the F-Factor Diet, created by Manhattan-based dietitian Tanya Zuckerbrot. These elites reportedly pay $15,000 for 10 sessions and 24/7 access to Zuckerbrot’s help with their diet challenges.
Celebrities aren’t generally known for promoting the healthiest diet programs. Remember the Master Cleanse Diet of cayenne pepper lemonade? The Cookie Diet? The Baby Food Diet? All were popular among celebs — and all were over-hyped fads that set dieters up for failure.
[See: 8 Food Trends Nutrition Experts Pray Will Never Return.]
That’s why I’m so happy that a sound diet program, which was developed by a dietitian colleague whom I’ve known for most of my career, has become so popular with A-listers and the media. F-factor stands out from many other celebrity-endorsed diets because it’s actually a science-based eating plan that’s focused on fiber, hence the “F” in in its name.
Even though you may not be able to afford one-on-one diet coaching from Zuckerbrot and her team of dietitians, you can still follow the principles outlined in the Zuckerbort’s first book, The F-Factor Diet: Discover the Secret to Permanent Weight Loss.
Among its many powers, fiber — a type of calorie-free, non-digestible carbohydrate found in whole grains, fruits and veggies — helps fill you up, clean you out, lower your blood sugar and cholesterol levels, reduce your blood pressure, whittle your waistline and improve your sleep. Fiber also enhances satiety, so the F-Factor program — which recommends up to 40 grams of filling fiber from foods, not supplements, for optimal weight loss — helps curtail a downfall of most diets: hunger.
[See: 7 Diet Mistakes Sabotaging Your Weight Loss.]
Better yet, you don’t have to shell out thousands to incorporate more fiber into your diet. If you’re like the average American adult, you get a mere 15 grams of fiber in your diet daily — well below the 25 to 35 grams recommended in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Here are some ways to boost your intake — and reap the weight-loss benefits:
1. Get to know these fiber-rich foods.
Add more of these fiber-rich foods to your diet; they will help fill you up without weighing you down. They are among the highest-fiber finds in their respective food groups. For more hunger-crushing benefits, look for foods that have a combination of fiber and protein, like several highlighted here:
— 3 GG Scandinavian crispbreads (18 grams of fiber)
— 1 slice of German rye or pumpernickel bread (6 grams of fiber; 3 grams of protein)
— Bowl of high-fiber cereal like All-Bran or Fiber One (10 to 14 grams of fiber)
— 1 cup of blackberries and raspberries (7 to 8 grams of fiber)
— 1 medium artichoke (7 grams of fiber)
— 1/2 cup of legumes such as beans, peas or lentils (5 to 8 grams of fiber; 5 grams of protein)
— 1 tablespoon of chia seeds (5 grams of fiber; 3 grams of protein)
— 1 medium apple or pear (4 to 6 grams of fiber)
— 4 prunes (4 grams of fiber)
— 1 cup cooked barley oatmeal (4 grams of fiber; 5 grams of protein)
— 49 pistachios (3 grams of fiber; 6 grams of protein)
— 1 cup of cooked broccoli or Brussels sprouts (3 to 4 grams of fiber)
2. Combine protein with fiber.
While protein is often touted as the most filling nutrient, a recent study from Food & Nutrition Research found that bean burgers (rich in the power pair of fiber and protein) were more filling than a calorie-matched veal or pork burger (both of which are rich in protein, but not fiber). In another study in the Annals of Internal Medicine, participants who upped their fiber intake — without changing anything else in their diets — lost about five pounds and kept it off. Take a cue from them and incorporate protein and fiber into your meals and snacks to enhance satiety further and to encourage your body to hold onto more muscle mass while you lose weight. Try, for example, adding protein-rich almond butter to your fibrous apple, enjoying a bowl of protein-packed plain, Greek yogurt topped with fiber-filled raspberries or making turkey or chicken sandwiches with high-fiber, whole-grain bread or wraps.
[See: 8 Food Combinations to Embrace (and 3 to Avoid.]
3. Fiber up slowly.
It’s important to up your fiber intake slowly. If you eat significantly more fiber quickly, you may experience cramping, bloating, gas and even constipation. Also, the more fiber you eat, the more water and other beverages you should drink. Aim for at least 64 ounces each day and remember: even caffeinated beverages count.
More from U.S. News
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What Is the F-Factor Diet? originally appeared on usnews.com
