What if I told you that you could start dropping pounds without dieting, without exercising and without depriving yourself?  Would that get you excited? 

I know, you've tried every diet trick that you can think of, so this sounds too good to be true.  Well, it's not too good to be true.  It is really that easy.

So, what is this magic secret of weight loss that will help even emotional eaters and weight loss junkies?  The answer is..........fiber.  That's right, fiber.

If you increase the amount of fiber you eat, you will lose weight without even trying.  Here is how it works:

When you eat more fiber, it gathers up some of the fat and keeps your body from absorbing it.  It also causes the digested food to pass more quickly through your system, which causes less calories to be absorbed by your body.  And, there are other reasons as well.

You know that signal that arrives about 20 minutes after you've eaten too much?.  High-fiber foods generally take more time to chew, which allows your body time to let you know that it is full.  Also, a high-fiber diet tends to fill you up more and take longer to digest, so you stay full for a greater amount of time. Most high-fiber diets also tend to be less "energy dense," so they generally have fewer calories per serving.
 
So, how much can that mean on the scale?  By eating 35 grams of fiber per day, you can eliminate about 250 calories that you body would normally absorb.  That means you can lose a pound every other week without any other changes.

Go slow with changes like this in your diet. Adding too much fiber too quickly can cause intestinal gas, abdominal bloating and cramping. Increase your fiber intake gradually over two or three weeks.  Make sure you drink plenty of water as well.  The fiber will absorbs the water, helping absorb waste and making your stool soft. Without the added water, you could become a bit constipated and feel bloated.

So what foods are your best choices?  Start with more whole foods.  Make sure to keep the skin on fruits and vegetables. Many breads, cereals and pasta are being made with whole grain and more fiber. Check the label to see how much fiber they have.  Here is a list from the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, which shows the amount of dietary fiber in several types of foods.