What exactly is fiber training?
Fiber training is exactly what it sounds like: training your body to handle fiber better. It’s all about “slow, consistent increases in fiber to help build tolerance… while minimizing possible symptomssays Nielsen.
You can think of fiber training as preparing for a competition. “Just like you wouldn’t run a marathon tomorrow if you didn’t run a mile before,” says Nielsen. Dr. Ganjhu similarly compares it to a weight lifting regimen. Instead of lifting 50-pound weights right away, “you have to slowly adapt,” he says. “You start with 10. When it gets easy, you go to 20, then 30,” and so on.
According to Nielsen, fiber training is especially important if you are constipated to begin with, as many people are. Even though fiber can help to prevent and relieve constipationtoo much at once can actually exacerbate an existing problem by overloading your intestines. “Adding a ton of fiber to an already supported system is like a bottleneck on the freeway,” says Nielsen: If you try to squeeze four lanes into one lane, you’re stuck.
How to start fiber training
Now that you know that fiber training involves steadily increasing your fiber intake, you’re probably wondering what that looks like on a more practical level. Before we share the details, some context how much fiber do you really need? may be useful. According to the association Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025women should aim for 28 grams of fiber a day between the ages of 19 and 30, 25 grams a day between the ages of 31 and 50, and 22 grams a day from the age of 51, though some experts recommend even more—a useful set of parameters if you’re not sure where to start.
While the ideal amount of fiber to add to your diet while building fiber can vary from person to person based on health needs (such as constipation), most people are “probably looking at (adding) three to five grams at a time,” says Nielsen.
With this in mind, it’s a good idea to choose foods that are high in fiber—say, an apple (about four grams of fiber), half a cup chickpeas (about five grams of fiber), one tablespoon chia seed (about five grams of fiber) or two tablespoons of ground flax (about four grams of fiber)—and take one serving every day until you feel like your body has adjusted (read: you don’t experience any more bloating, gas, or anything else. GI side effects). According to Nielsen, this process usually takes five to seven days, but everyone’s digestive system is different, so don’t worry if it takes more (or less!) time. “It’s really about listening to your body and personalizing your rate of growth,” says Nielsen. “You need to follow your symptoms and take it slow,” agrees Dr. Ganjhu.
