How to Lose Weight AND Decrease Your Risk of Breast Cancer

Okay, so you want to decrease your risk of breast cancer, but maybe you’ve also been struggling to manage your weight for various reasons. Maybe you’ve found it more difficult to maintain or lose weight as you get older, or maybe you’re taking a medication for the treatment of breast cancer, like anastrozole, which can make maintaining your weight very challenging!  

Well, one way to help decrease your risk of breast cancer AND lose weight is to increase your fiber intake. 

Studies have shown that women who have a high-fiber diet have a lower risk of breast cancer compared to those with a low-fiber diet. And, studies have also shown that a diet high in fiber (especially soluble fiber) can help you lose weight.

So how much fiber should you aim to get each day? 

25 - 30 grams

But remember, it’s the soluble fiber that really helps with weight loss. Soluble fiber triggers the release of GLP-1 (this is the same hormone that Ozempic mimics) and another hormone called PYY. These hormones help you feel full faster and for a longer period of time, and they help regulate blood sugar. 

So try adding more fiber-rich foods to your diet!

Here’s a list of some good whole foods sources of soluble fiber:

•  Fruit
  •  Apples (with skin)
  • Apricots
  • Avocados
  • Bananas
  • Blueberries
  • Figs
  • Guava
  • Kiwi
  • Nectarines
  • Oranges
  • Pears
• Vegetables
  • Broccoli
  • Brussels sprouts
  • Carrots
  • Green beans
  • Summer squash
  • Sweet potatoes
  • Turnips
  • Zucchini
• Whole Grains
  • Barley
  • Oats
• Legumes, Nuts, & Seeds
  • Black beans
  • Flax seeds
  • Garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
  • Hazelnuts
  • Kidney beans
  • Lentils
  • Lima beans

You can also use a fiber supplement–just be sure it’s not high in added sugar and be sure to drink PLENTY of water with it. 

Happy fiber-ing!

And, if you're interested in personalized help with weight loss or with decreasing your risk of breast cancer (or both!), I offer private coaching sessions. You can check out more by clicking HERE.