Happy Tuesday! 

How are you? I hope all is well.

I wanted to pop in with a quick tip that will up-level your nutrition, particularly your breakfast as well as other meals of the day. It's a simple tip that will lay a solid foundation for your nutrition all day long starting with breakfast!

Whether you eat breakfast at 7, 9, 11, or even 12, the first meal of the day will set the tone the for the rest of the day!

I hope you already know the importance of protein as it relates to your hunger, energy, and cravings, but there is another nutrient that I know a lot of us can afford to increase.

Adding this nutritional tweak/increase to your diet will:

1. Keep you feeling fuller even longer.

2. Keep your hunger and blood sugar in check.

3. Be simple to add to what you're already doing/eating.

4. Help you feel and look healthier!

Sounds pretty amazing, right?! It's such a simple tweak that will have you feeling better.

It's FIBER!

Increasing your veggies, of course, is right up there as well, as we all know. When you increase your veggies or get at least eating 5-6 servings a day, you will hit your Fiber intake easily!

It's kind of weird to think that a nutrient that moves through our system basically untouched can make such a difference … but it does!

And when your nutrition is a little "off" (as it tends to be during the holidays), being consistent with your fiber intake can be a huge gift for your digestive tract.

Your gut – aka your digestive system – is filled with microbiota (tiny organisms) that affect your body in pretty much every way possible, from your mood to your bathroom habits and even aches and pains in various body parts.

On top of that, fiber can help with weight management because it keeps you feeling full for hours after you eat.

How much fiber to aim for per day? About 25-30 grams.

Here are some ways to increase your fiber intake at breakfast as well as lunch, dinner or even an in between meal otherwise known as snacks:

1. Chia seeds:

1 tablespoon (14 grams) = 6 grams of fiber

- add to oatmeal, yogurt, smoothies

2. Rolled oats - my favorite brand is Bob's Red Mill Rolled Oats, they don't get soggy like Quaker Oats.

1/2 cup (48 grams) = 5 grams

3. Raspberries or whatever berries that you like. I love all three. I eat berries just about everyday.

1 cup (125 grams) = 8 grams of fiber. (The same amount of blueberries = 4 grams fiber, strawberries = 3 grams fiber)

- Add berries to your smoothies, greek yogurt, oatmeal, eat them on the side.

- Frozen is fine too!

4. Black beans or any bean that you like.

¼ cup (42 grams) = 5 grams fiber

- Add to your eggs or breakfast wrap

5. Squash or pumpkin seeds

1 oz (15 grams) = 5 grams of fiber

- Add these to a smoothie or your oatmeal.

6. Add veggies to your sandwiches. Ain't no banning of sandwiches over here.

7. Roast, bake, or grill some veggies to go with various meals throughout the week.

These are just some ideas to get you started! You might not feel the effect immediately, but over time your body will definitely thank you. You should start to notice a change in your hunger, energy, and cravings!

I'm here to help you with all your health and fitness goals, don't ever hesitate to reach out. If you would like help breaking own a simple step-by-step action plan to help you reach your goals to finish out 2019 STRONG and set yourself up for success in 2020, I've got time for three STRONG3R You Success mapping calls this week!

If you want one, reply back to this email ASAP before the spots fill up!

I'd be honored to be apart of your strength and nutrition journey!

Have an amazing day, thanks for reading, and I hope this was helpful!

In Strength

Xo

Candace

P.S. If you eat a low-fiber diet now, be sure to SLOWLY ramp up your fiber intake over the course of a few weeks.

Also, make sure you drink a little extra water when you bump up your fiber because it can soak up water in your system. You want to keep that fiber pushing through your digestive tract!