Benefiber

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jaxkipi
jaxkipi Posts: 233
in Health and Weight Loss
I have been doing so well on my new healthy eating patterns. I can see myself making these changes permanent now. I've been eating healthier now for about just over a month. I have lost weight the healthy way and am down 14 pounds. The 1st 9-10 pounds flew off! I think they said that was normal. I was so enthusiastic and motivated when I lost that weight. Then there was a couple of days in the past month that I questioned what I was doing and if it was really going to work. I saw all the food adds on tv and watching the serving sizes we're being coaxed into buying at resturants...the TV adds. It just hit me one day and I went out...although I made healthy choices, the taste of that chocalate cake in my mouth set off a whirlwind of wonderful flavors I do so desperately craved. The next day, my husband and I went out to eat at the Olive Garden. Again, I made healthy choices, but the servings were enormous! I backslid for 3 days. I knew I needed to get back on track. I maintained my weight and then somewhere in the scheme of things, I gained a pound. One little fluctuating pound. It got me back on track. I have since lost 2 more pounds for a total of 14 pounds.:drinker:

On to the next topic. CONSTIPATION. Something as a female, have had issues with off and on with PMS anyway, but when I went to my doctor, I told him that I would have thought that the constipation would have been better since I was eating better and eating more fresh fruits and veggies. He mentioned that since I have elimated a lot of fats from my diets and I'm not drinking enough water, that I will get constipated. It was one of those DUH moments. :laugh:

So he said to add benefiber to y diet. I was amazed at how it curbs my appetite as well. Keeps me full for a long time. And I'm regular again. Still, yet another DUH moment....I knew that fiber can cause "fullness," but I didn't think it would to the extent that it has.

Anyway, I just wanted to share that with everyone. Was thinking about it the past couple of days and wasn't sure if anyone else could benefit from what I was going through!

Have a great week!

:bigsmile:

Replies

  • jaxkipi
    jaxkipi Posts: 233
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    I have been doing so well on my new healthy eating patterns. I can see myself making these changes permanent now. I've been eating healthier now for about just over a month. I have lost weight the healthy way and am down 14 pounds. The 1st 9-10 pounds flew off! I think they said that was normal. I was so enthusiastic and motivated when I lost that weight. Then there was a couple of days in the past month that I questioned what I was doing and if it was really going to work. I saw all the food adds on tv and watching the serving sizes we're being coaxed into buying at resturants...the TV adds. It just hit me one day and I went out...although I made healthy choices, the taste of that chocalate cake in my mouth set off a whirlwind of wonderful flavors I do so desperately craved. The next day, my husband and I went out to eat at the Olive Garden. Again, I made healthy choices, but the servings were enormous! I backslid for 3 days. I knew I needed to get back on track. I maintained my weight and then somewhere in the scheme of things, I gained a pound. One little fluctuating pound. It got me back on track. I have since lost 2 more pounds for a total of 14 pounds.:drinker:

    On to the next topic. CONSTIPATION. Something as a female, have had issues with off and on with PMS anyway, but when I went to my doctor, I told him that I would have thought that the constipation would have been better since I was eating better and eating more fresh fruits and veggies. He mentioned that since I have elimated a lot of fats from my diets and I'm not drinking enough water, that I will get constipated. It was one of those DUH moments. :laugh:

    So he said to add benefiber to y diet. I was amazed at how it curbs my appetite as well. Keeps me full for a long time. And I'm regular again. Still, yet another DUH moment....I knew that fiber can cause "fullness," but I didn't think it would to the extent that it has.

    Anyway, I just wanted to share that with everyone. Was thinking about it the past couple of days and wasn't sure if anyone else could benefit from what I was going through!

    Have a great week!

    :bigsmile:
  • winwin
    winwin Posts: 134 Member
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    I've tried benefiber as well and find the same results, very full. I was checking back through my food diary for the past month and checking all my levels on the different days. We have kidney beans that I boil myself and don't add salt or anything mixed with 1 tbsp of roasted red pepper cream cheese or herb and garlic cream cheese. Very tasty for 1/2 cup and lots of fiber. If we have this for dinner, that is all we need for dinner, and sometimes that is hard to get through. We've also tried this with whole wheat fusilli pasta. Another great treat.
  • SoupNazi
    SoupNazi Posts: 4,229 Member
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    Does it have any calories?
  • nik433
    nik433 Posts: 57
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    So all you'll eat for dinner is 1/2 cup of kidney beans and that fills you up? How do you even reach your daily minimum of calories to stay healthy? And how long does the satiety last for real? My stomach must be way stretched out because I'd be eating my own hand in less than an hour afterwards! :laugh:
  • auntkaren
    auntkaren Posts: 1,490 Member
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    :drinker: :drinker: Congratulations on your weight loss, and thanks for the information on the Benefiber and water. I am having problems as well.:smile:
  • yesIcan
    yesIcan Posts: 66 Member
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    Its funny that your bringing up benefiber, because it's really been on my mind lately. Well not exactly benefiber per se, I have tried it (mix a bit with my coffee in the morning... that weird?) but found it kind of expensive. My doctor recommended to me to try metameucil, so I thought I'd give it a try.
    Man oh man I love the stuff. I don't know if they make an unflavoured kind, all I can find is orange flavour but if you mix it with just some plain straight up water it tastes just like tang. I don't drink anything except water and coffee and it's just like having juice only with heath benefits and virtially calorie free. I actually look forward to it every day. And it DOES make you full longer by slowing down the rate at which you digest your food which in turn reduces your blood sugar level and helps prevent diabetes. More reasons to up the fiber intake. The south beach diet actually recommends it to help with weight loss.
    But yeah, the reason I was thinking about this was, I like it so much, I was wondering, can you get addicted to it?? What if I want to stop and I'm dependant?
    Its not a medication so i doubt there would be any physical dependancy except your body getting used to having a certain amount of fibre every day which you probably could replace with other souces if you wanted to..
    hmm, i believe i answered my own question
    bottom line, i'm pro-fiber suppliments
    :drinker:
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,104 Member
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    YesIcan,

    It is just pscyllium seed husks and a bit of splenda and flavoring (like all flavored drinks.). As long as you "take as directed", you should observe no adverse effects.

    I like it too, when I can't get in enough fiber in a day. I like it at bedtime, so I go to bed feeling full.
  • lesliemassage
    lesliemassage Posts: 30
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    Not to be too personal, but does it cause you to have more gas than normal? :embarassed: I've also been curious about trying it.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,104 Member
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    YesIcan,

    It is just pscyllium seed husks and a bit of splenda and flavoring (like all flavored drinks.). As long as you "take as directed", you should observe no adverse effects.

    I like it too, when I can't get in enough fiber in a day. I like it at bedtime, so I go to bed feeling full.

    I am quoting my own post, because according to the packaging, the SUGAR FREE Metamucil contains not Splenda, but Aspartame: in addition to maltodextrin, citric acid, natural and artificial orange flavors, & FD&C Yellow #6.
  • yesIcan
    yesIcan Posts: 66 Member
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    I don't notice any more gas... than usual. :blushing:

    Aspartame... ah I figured as much... it just feels so worth it to me. I'd rather drink it that any other diet pop i've ever tried, and I don't drink more than the recommended dose. I think they say 1-3 and I usually have 0-2 a day.
  • Life_is_Good
    Life_is_Good Posts: 361 Member
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    I eat Fiber One Cereal... 1/2 cup 60 calories, 14 grams fiber...

    It was the lowest cal fiber cereal I could find. I pour a cup each day & keep it at my desk to snack on. The taste is pretty good, too, a little sweet. Keeps me full & with the fiber content, the calories are almost zero.

    It made me feel bloated at first, but that only lasted a couple of days.
  • kimber607
    kimber607 Posts: 7,128 Member
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    Hi

    Just wondering how much benefibre you take?
    I've been having problems with constipation since eating better...go figure...
    I've heard though, if u use benefibre and don't drink enough water, it can constipate you more...FYI
    I tried benefibre for my 4yr old when he was battling constipation and it didn't help at all

    Kim
  • catlover
    catlover Posts: 389
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    I eat Fiber One Cereal... 1/2 cup 60 calories, 14 grams fiber...

    It was the lowest cal fiber cereal I could find. I pour a cup each day & keep it at my desk to snack on. The taste is pretty good, too, a little sweet. Keeps me full & with the fiber content, the calories are almost zero.

    It made me feel bloated at first, but that only lasted a couple of days.

    I ran fiber as one of the things I watched for a couple of weeks and was pleasantly surprised at how much I do get just from my regular eating and not from additives. I do love fiber one cereal and I buy a double fiber whole grain bread. A bowl of cereal in the morning, one slice of bread with lunch, and with all the veggies I get, I do great. But we're each one different and unique and I love to hear what other people are finding success with.
  • jaxkipi
    jaxkipi Posts: 233
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    15 calories (serving size: 2 tsp). Not bad. Good question tho. :smokin:
  • jaxkipi
    jaxkipi Posts: 233
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    Its funny that your bringing up benefiber, because it's really been on my mind lately. Well not exactly benefiber per se, I have tried it (mix a bit with my coffee in the morning... that weird?) but found it kind of expensive. My doctor recommended to me to try metameucil, so I thought I'd give it a try.
    Man oh man I love the stuff. I don't know if they make an unflavoured kind, all I can find is orange flavour but if you mix it with just some plain straight up water it tastes just like tang. I don't drink anything except water and coffee and it's just like having juice only with heath benefits and virtially calorie free. I actually look forward to it every day. And it DOES make you full longer by slowing down the rate at which you digest your food which in turn reduces your blood sugar level and helps prevent diabetes. More reasons to up the fiber intake. The south beach diet actually recommends it to help with weight loss.
    But yeah, the reason I was thinking about this was, I like it so much, I was wondering, can you get addicted to it?? What if I want to stop and I'm dependant?
    Its not a medication so i doubt there would be any physical dependancy except your body getting used to having a certain amount of fibre every day which you probably could replace with other souces if you wanted to..
    hmm, i believe i answered my own question
    bottom line, i'm pro-fiber suppliments
    :drinker:

    Lol...I only drink water and coffee too. And no, it's not weird...I added benefiber to my coffee too. Doesn't change the taste, but yeah, it IS expensive. I'll have to try meteumucil. Thanks for the tip. Yeah, I wondered the same thing...will my body become dependent on it...I'm not really sure. I'll have to ask next time I see my MD. :drinker:
  • jaxkipi
    jaxkipi Posts: 233
    Options
    Hi

    Just wondering how much benefibre you take?
    I've been having problems with constipation since eating better...go figure...
    I've heard though, if u use benefibre and don't drink enough water, it can constipate you more...FYI
    I tried benefibre for my 4yr old when he was battling constipation and it didn't help at all

    Kim

    Hey Kim. I have been regular on 2 tsp's added to 6oz of water (sometimes with ice) a day. It says on the bottle that you can have that up to 3 times a day.
  • jaxkipi
    jaxkipi Posts: 233
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    Not to be too personal, but does it cause you to have more gas than normal? :embarassed: I've also been curious about trying it.

    Yes. It does for me. :blushing: Imma hootin' tootin' :laugh: Not super bad tho.
  • jaxkipi
    jaxkipi Posts: 233
    Options
    YesIcan,

    It is just pscyllium seed husks and a bit of splenda and flavoring (like all flavored drinks.). As long as you "take as directed", you should observe no adverse effects.

    I like it too, when I can't get in enough fiber in a day. I like it at bedtime, so I go to bed feeling full.

    I am quoting my own post, because according to the packaging, the SUGAR FREE Metamucil contains not Splenda, but Aspartame: in addition to maltodextrin, citric acid, natural and artificial orange flavors, & FD&C Yellow #6.

    Ah....benefiber has 4g carbohydrate. 15 cals in 2 tsp's. Ingredient is: wheat dextrin (not sure what that is). And it is gluten free and sugar free. It is pricey tho. But a large bottle lasts me a long time....there's 90 servings in a 12.3 oz bottle...and I only use 2 tsp's a day....

    I feel like I'm doing a benefiber commercial. Lol...

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