How to Get More Fiber
The good news is that fiber is relatively easy to incorporate into your daily life, especially when you view it in the context of food, rather than focusing solely on the nutrient itself. A simple shift in perspective might be the catalyst you need to kick-start your journey toward a fiber-rich diet.
Kelly Kennedy, RDN, a program manager and dietitian for Bousquet Sport in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and a previous manager of nutrition at Everyday Health, works with her patients to identify gradual strategies for including more nutrient-rich foods.
“I wouldn’t say, ‘You need to eat X, Y, and Z,’ because that doesn’t help people to be successful,” Kennedy says. “What would work for me wouldn’t necessarily work for another person. It has to be very personal.”
Kennedy encourages her patients to make small swaps that build fiber into their diets without eliminating foods they’ve grown up on or have always loved. For example, she might suggest substituting whole-wheat pasta for white pasta, or brown rice for white rice. She maintains a “progress over perfection” mindset.
“Continue to try new foods, try different brands, make a swap half of the time or even one-fourth of the time,” she says. “It doesn’t have to be perfect. It’s just about trying to improve and build on where you’re at now.”
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