7 Day High Fibre Diet Plan For Women

Fiber is a vital part of a balanced diet, and after 40, it becomes even more important. Playing a vital role in gut health, hormone detox, stable energy, and postmeal fullness.

Women over 40 experience a decline in estrogen levels, leading to menopause, signaling the end of their reproductive years. This results in symptoms such as increased appetite, weight gain, gut issues, and issues.

Dietary fiber can not only alleviate these symptoms but help optimize health for later life, post-menopauses.

In this article, we explore the 7-day high-fiber diet plan for women. Covering why fiber matters, recommended daily requirements, the best high-fiber foods, and how to prevent bloating.

Why Fiber Matters — Especially After 40

Fiber is an important nutrient that has several positive effects on the body. Below, we discuss what fiber is, what it does, and how many grams you should be consuming each day.

What Is Dietary Fiber?

Dietary fiber is an essential part of a healthy diet. Sources explain that fiber is a form of non-digestible carbohydrate that comes in two forms: Insoluble and soluble.

Insoluble fiber stays in the intestines and helps to soften and bulk stools, which improves bowel movements. Soluble fiber helps decrease bad cholesterol in the blood while decreasing glucose levels after meals.

Fiber in both of its forms contributes to stabilizing energy levels, improving gut health, reducing bad cholesterol, and improving regularity.

Health Benefits of a High-Fiber Diet

There are several benefits to consuming a high-fiber diet. For example, when insoluble fiber passes through to the colon where it becomes a food source for healthy gut bacteria, improving digestive health.

During this process, insoluble fiber stays in the intestines, slowing the digestive process, which can lead to greater satiety, while binding to bad cholesterol and preventing it from being absorbed into the bloodstream, and as mentioned, also acts as a bulking agent, helping to improve regularity.

Collectively, these benefits are phenomenal for women over 40, addressing many of the challenges they face during menopause, midlife, and beyond.

How Much Fiber You Really Need

The recommended daily allowance for fiber for women is 25–32 g per day for women. To make this achievable, we recommend aiming for between 6–8 g of fiber in each meal, through foods such as oats, chia seeds, avocado, lentils, raspberry, and sweet potatoes.

7 Day High Fiber Diet Plan

Now that we have identified daily fiber requirements and their benefits it’s time to show you how to create your high-fiber diet plan. This 7-day diet plan contains 28 delicious, high-fiber meals which have you easily hitting your daily fiber requirements.

Day 1

Breakfast

• Oatmeal with Greek yogurt, topped with chia seeds raspberries, and crushed almonds

Lunch

• Chicken, lentil, and vegetable soup with whole grain rye bread

Dinner

• Air-fried salmon, quinoa, steamed broccoli & carrots

Snack

• Apple slices with peanut butter

Day 2

Breakfast

• Poached eggs on whole grain toast with avocado, cherry tomatoes, crumbled feta cheese, & flaxseed

Lunch

• Grilled Turkey and chickpea salad with spinach, cucumber, red onion, and vinaigrette

Dinner

• Stir-fried tofu with brown rice, bell peppers, bok choy

Snack

• Handful of mixed nuts, 70% dark chocolate & a pear

Day 3

Breakfast

• Greek yogurt with granola, blueberries, crushed walnuts, and ground flaxseed

Lunch

• Grilled chicken, black bean & veggie burrito with whole wheat wrap

Dinner

• Baked sweet potato topped with ground turkey, black beans, corn, avocado, light source cream, coriander

Snack

• Hummus with raw carrots, cucumber, and celery sticks

Day 4

Breakfast

• Protein Smoothie (1 scoop) with banana, Greek yogurt, spinach, oats, chia, and almond milk

Lunch

• Lamb with quinoa tabbouleh with chickpeas, lemon tahini dressing, and Greek yogurt

Dinner

• Whole grain pasta with beef lentil marinara and roasted zucchini

Snack

• Orange and a few walnuts

Day 5

Breakfast

• Buckwheat pancakes with mixed berries and hemp seeds

Lunch

• Grilled chicken and barley veggie bowl with tahini drizzle

Dinner

• Grilled mackerel with lentil salad and roasted Brussels sprouts

Snack

• Popcorn (air-popped) and a kiwi

Day 6

Breakfast

• Chia pudding made with almond milk, topped with kiwi and pumpkin seeds

Lunch

• Split pea soup with whole grain rye crackers

Dinner

• Baked tempeh with wild rice, sautéed kale, and carrots

Snack

• Greek yogurt, topped with banana, crushed walnuts, and honey

Day 7

Breakfast

• Oats with chopped apples, cinnamon, and walnuts

Lunch

• Falafel wrap with whole wheat pita, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and tahini

Dinner

• Roasted eggplant and chickpea stew with bulgur

Snack

• Fresh berries and sunflower seeds

The Best High-Fiber Foods to Add to Your Week

Several foods are high in fiber, however, some foods may surprise you. Below are listed the best high-fiber foods to help you build your ideal high-fiber diet.

Fruits and Vegetables with the Most Fiber

Fruits and vegetables while not the richest source of fiber compared to other foods on this list can be used in a high-fiber diet to boost fiber intake.

Foods such as pears and apples are excellent standalone snacks, which can improve satiety between main meals. Meanwhile, vegetables such as sweet potato, carrots, kale, and spinach can be combined to increase the total fiber content of your main meals.

Whole Grains and Seeds

Whole grains and seeds stand out as the most fiber-rich of all food groups listed above. Leading the way are chia seeds and flaxseeds, containing a whopping 27–40g per 100 g, while barley and oats provide a solid amount of 17.6 g and 10.6 g respectively.

It should be noted that seeds are calorie-dens, with 100 g of chia seeds containing 490 calories. Needless to say, quantity should be limited to the recommended serving size of 1–2 tablespoons per day to reduce the risk of exceeding your daily calorie limit.

Legumes and Fiber-Packed Protein Sources

Lastly, legumes and fiber-packed protein sources provide double the benefits and contain both protein and fiber which work together to maintain fullness.

For example, pinto beans contain 9 g of fiber and 21 g making them incredible for improving fullness and gut health. Similarly, chickpeas contain 7.6 g of fiber and 19 g of protein. These two foods highlight the benefits of legumes in a balanced, high-fiber diet.

Hidden Sources of Fiber in Everyday Foods

While there are certainly hidden sources of fiber, nothing beats meeting your daily requirements through everyday foods.

Food such as oats, carrots, spinach, apples, pears, avocados, and beans are readily available in most regions, reducing the effort required to meet daily requirements.

How to Prevent Bloating When Increasing Fiber

Increasing your fiber intake is undoubtedly an excellent way to improve your health. However, loading up on fiber too quickly can lead to bloating and discomfort. Below, we discuss how to increase fiber without bloating, to help you meet your dietary fiber requirements well after the initial seven days.

Increase Gradually

Sources show that switching quickly to a high-fiber diet can lead to bloating. As we know, fiber is beneficial for gut bacteria, however, time is required for the gradual increase.

To remedy this, fiber can be increased gradually to reduce bloating and gas. For example, if you have not been consuming enough fiber (below 10 g/day), try consuming just 10 g for the first few days of the week, limiting your intake of fiber-rich food such as oats, beans, and avocado.

If after the initial week, bloating has stopped, increase fiber intake by a further 5–10 g/day, and repeat the process until you meet the recommended daily intake of 25–32 g/day.

Drink More Water

Another simple and effective way to reduce bloating is by drinking more water during the day, and before and after meals. Hydrations have been shown to improve digestion, and proven to reduce constipation, helping to alleviate various other causes of bloating, contributing to overall relief.

Move More to Move Things Along

Exercise and general physical activity is another excellent way to reduce bloating. Research shows that this can be attributed to abdominal muscle contractions, encouraging movement. For relief, consider taking a walk after your meal. This can help naturally reduce bloating and discomfort.

Recap: A Gut-Healthy Week of High-Fiber Eating

The 7-day high-fiber diet is an amazing way to boost your gut health for women over 40, helping regulate appetite, blood sugar, and energy levels. Best of all, it can be done with accessible, affordable, delicious whole foods.

Top Takeaways from the 7-Day Plan

Here is a list of the top takeaways from the 7-day plan:

• Aim for 25–32 g/day fiber per day.
• Maintain exercise and hydration, and reduce bloating.
• Beginners should gradually increase fiber to reduce bloating.
• Couple high-fiber foods with lean protein sources to increase satiety.
• Add lesser sources of fiber such as fruit and vegetables to boost intake.

Small Shifts, Big Changes

As mentioned, switching to a high-fiber diet may not be as easy as you think, especially if you are well below the recommended daily requirements.

We recommend making small shifts by gradually adding fruits and vegetables to your diet. These contain modest amounts of fiber, allowing you to gradually increase your intake, reducing the risk of bloating and discomfort.

From here, you can begin adding fiber-rich foods including oats, quinoa, beans, and avocado.

Staying Consistent Beyond One Week

Staying consistent beyond the initial week can be challenging, but it is far from impossible. The key is to find the balance between a balanced and predictable routine while keeping your diet fresh and interesting.

To do this, we recommend picking your favorite high-fiber meals from the initial week and cycling them through to the following week. This can reduce decision fatigue which comes from constantly having to decide what to eat.

From here, we recommend experimenting and trying one of two new high-fiber meals each week to keep things interesting. This will reduce the restrictive feeling which can come from dieting, without leading to the overwhelming feeling of constant decision-making.

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