How did you figure out your optimal fibre & fat intake?

kiela64

I swear I’m always getting too much or not enough for life to ~go smoothly~ so to speak. Does the kind of fibre matter? Eg the fibre in fibre cereals vs veggies & fruit vs beans and whole grains?

It seems like I get a handle on one part (getting enough protein) and I discover another issue!

Fat is another area I’m super inconsistent with, and what I can’t figure out is if dairy fat (ultimately where I end up getting most of my fat with cheese/milk/yogurt/butter) is a bad one (it seems to be). I also get some fat from vegetable oil in cooking and peanuts but not really any other sources,

I’ve looked at food guides and still feel confused about all this haha.

lynn_glenmont

There are basically two types of fiber -- soluble and insoluble. The insoluble type is what has the effect on how smoothly your digestive tract operates. (The soluble kind seems to help with serum cholesterol.) Most whole plant foods will have some of the insoluble kind. A lot of them will also have the soluble kind. It's not either-or based on which food you eat. Some people's digestive systems are more sensitive than others to variations in how much fiber they're getting; many people's digestive systems do not react well to sudden increases in insoluble fiber.

I don't try to avoid saturated fat entirely (that's the kind of fat that predominates in dairy in dairy products), but I try to be sure I'm also getting a fair amount unsaturated fats as well, and some good sources of omega 3 fatty acids.

As far as "optimal" goes, I aim for at least 14 g of fiber for every 1000 kcal I consume and at least .3 g of fat for every pound of body weight -- so those are more minima and than optima.

SModa61

This is coming from someone who finally had to have a hemorrhoidectomy in December so fiber is something I now monitor. Most days I start with 3/4 cup of fiberone cereal and for 21 grams of fiber (FYI 3/4 cup is 1.5 servings so you could dumb it down), and then my coffee has two teaspoons of benefiber added for another 3 grams. Also, due to my issue miralax is still part of my daily routine, and may have to be for life - that is just full disclosure and not targeting your question. The big piece of advice I will give you is if you use "added" fiber unlike fruits and veggies, be sure to stay well hydrated (benefiber in coffee helps to guarantee some of that).

As for saturated fat, I personally don't worry about it. If I have been informed correctly, you brain needs it structurally.

Oh, and just remembered a new diatary add in that I have only beed doing a few days. Chia pudding with fruit. Yesterday's combo using blueberries was another 19 grams for the day. My full day total was 57 grams.

Yesterday 1400 calories, 140 carb, 50 fat, 115 protein, 57 fiber, 54 sugar.

SModa61

on last piece of advice, pre-track you day. it let's you see the value or consequences of each choice before hand and let's you tweak your plan. I pretract full days or even partial days for even a week out if I have knowledge about that day/meal.

kshama2001

kiela64 wrote: »

I swear I’m always getting too much or not enough for life to ~go smoothly~ so to speak. Does the kind of fibre matter? Eg the fibre in fibre cereals vs veggies & fruit vs beans and whole grains?

It seems like I get a handle on one part (getting enough protein) and I discover another issue!

Fat is another area I’m super inconsistent with, and what I can’t figure out is if dairy fat (ultimately where I end up getting most of my fat with cheese/milk/yogurt/butter) is a bad one (it seems to be). I also get some fat from vegetable oil in cooking and peanuts but not really any other sources,

I’ve looked at food guides and still feel confused about all this haha.

My mom has IBS and does have to pay attention to soluble and insoluble fiber. Do you have IBS or other medical conditions we should be aware of before we answer?

What is your exact issue - constipation?

How many grams of fiber are you currently getting per day?

What does your fat percentage average?

kiela64

kshama2001 wrote: »

kiela64 wrote: »

I swear I’m always getting too much or not enough for life to ~go smoothly~ so to speak. Does the kind of fibre matter? Eg the fibre in fibre cereals vs veggies & fruit vs beans and whole grains?

It seems like I get a handle on one part (getting enough protein) and I discover another issue!

Fat is another area I’m super inconsistent with, and what I can’t figure out is if dairy fat (ultimately where I end up getting most of my fat with cheese/milk/yogurt/butter) is a bad one (it seems to be). I also get some fat from vegetable oil in cooking and peanuts but not really any other sources,

I’ve looked at food guides and still feel confused about all this haha.

My mom has IBS and does have to pay attention to soluble and insoluble fiber. Do you have IBS or other medical conditions we should be aware of before we answer?

What is your exact issue - constipation?

How many grams of fiber are you currently getting per day?

What does your fat percentage average?

I don’t have IBS as far as I know. I have dealt with constipation for most of my life and didn’t realize it was a problem until it got pretty bad about a year ago. I started taking psyllium which helped and was pretty good. However if I get any more fibre (eat less bread/more beans & quinoa) I can get the runs now. If I take less psyllium I get stuck again. 🤷🏻‍♀️

I’ll edit this back for grams. Ranges from about 30-45g of fibre per day. My fat tends to be lower like 20% of my day. But all/most from dairy so saturated.