Latest news with #TheFibreFirstDiet
Daily Mirror
03-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
'I lost three and a half stone without exercising - here's the key food for weight loss'
Steve Bennett has spent years researching what to eat to lose weight, and after shifting three and a half stone without exercising, he feels he's got the key to success Steve Bennett had spent years doing everything he thought was right. He went to the gym, cooked at home, followed the low-fat rules - and still, the weight wouldn't shift. At his heaviest, he tipped the scales at over 15 and a half stone. Now 59, Steve is a picture of health at 12 stone - and he credits his transformation not to intense workouts or calorie counting, but to one overlooked nutrient: fibre. "I was doing it all wrong," says Steve. "I exercised daily, but I was still obese. I followed all the usual advice - eat low fat, burn more calories - but it just didn't work." The wake-up call came on a trip to Tanzania, when his wife told him she was pregnant. He was about to become a dad again - at 50. Steve began researching nutrition in depth, and what he discovered turned decades of dieting advice on its head. "The idea that exercise alone leads to weight loss just isn't supported by the data," he says. "Exercise is great for your health and I still do it every day - but for losing weight, it's all about food. And fibre is the key." That revelation led Steve to create The Fibre First Diet, based on the principle of putting fibre-rich foods at the start of every meal. "When you eat fibre first - think salad, leafy greens, seeds or nuts - it slows down your digestion. You feel full sooner, and you eat less. "Plus, it helps manage blood sugar and insulin levels, which are crucial for weight control." Steve explains that when insulin is present in the bloodstream - typically after eating carbs - the body struggles to burn fat. That's why he avoids most starchy foods like bread, rice and potatoes, focusing instead on natural fibre sources. "The trick is in the fibre-to-carb ratio," he explains. "Not all fibre-rich foods are helpful if they come with a load of sugar. I stick to foods where fibre is higher than carbs - things like seeds, nuts, leafy greens, berries and avocados." He's also strict about cutting out ultra-processed foods (UPFs), which he believes are at the root of the nation's health crisis. "People are starting to realise that crisps and fizzy drinks are bad for you, but they're still eating things like protein bars and processed ready meals thinking they're healthy." "If something in the supermarket has a big health message on the front - 'low fat', '100% natural' - it's probably hiding something," he says. "Real food doesn't need a label. You don't see signs on broccoli saying 'high in fibre'. But you'll see a protein bar with 'gut healthy' written all over it – and it's got more sugar than a Mars bar." For Steve, a good rule of thumb deciding whether it's something your grandparents would recognise as food. "If your grandmother wouldn't recognise it as food, don't eat it. "Fish should look like fish - not be breaded, frozen and shaped into a rectangle. If it comes in a shiny packet and it's shelf-stable for a year, you should be asking questions." And his results speak for themselves. "Once I started putting fibre first, cutting back on processed carbs and focusing on real food, the weight just came off. I've lost three and a half stone, and I've kept it off. I feel better at nearly 60 than I did in my 40s." Steve's meal plan Breakfast One-pan eggs and greens: fry two eggs, wilt spinach, and warm sliced mushrooms in the same pan, top with Parmesan Fibre smoothie: almond milk, cocoa powder, peanut butter, and a few strawberries Greek yoghurt with berries and a handful of nuts Leftover meat or fish with half an avocado Protein shake with frozen berries and a handful of spinach Lunch Hard-boiled eggs with cherry tomatoes and salad leaves, drizzled with olive oil Leftover roast chicken with coleslaw and a handful of nuts Tinned fish mixed with avocado and pre-cut vegetables Cold salmon fillet with tzatziki and baby spinach Dinner Sautéed vegetables with salmon, nuts, and cherry tomatoes Roast chicken with root vegetables and pumpkin seeds (keep the skin on) Stir-fried Asian greens with pork belly and sesame seeds Roasted Mediterranean vegetables and pine nuts with baked fish Slow-cooked lamb shoulder with vegetables and crushed walnuts
Daily Mirror
02-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Everyday 'healthy' foods that are actually ultra-processed as dad reveals top tips for losing weight
Steve Bennett lost three and a half stone after completely switching up his diet, revealing his top tips for weight loss and healthy eating as he vows to banish ultra-processed foods A dad-of-five has revealed the truth behind so-called "healthy" products you find in your local supermarket - and it's bad news if you love a protein bar before the gym. Behind many supermarket labels shouting about 'natural sugar' or 'low fat' lies a hidden world of ultra-processed ingredients that could be quietly sabotaging your health. Steve Bennett, 59, knows the dangers of these so-called 'healthy' foods all too well. Once obese and struggling with his weight despite regular exercise and home-cooked meals, it wasn't until a wake-up call at 50, when he became a father again, that he began to question everything he thought he knew about diet and nutrition. Now in the best shape of his life and the author of The Fibre First Diet, Steve is on a mission to debunk the myths around processed foods, starting with the ones most people still think are good for them. "Anything in a supermarket that comes in a packet and claims to have a health benefit is usually hiding something," he tells the Mirror. "You'll never see a label on broccoli or salmon saying '100 per cent natural' or 'packed with goodness' - because real food doesn't need marketing." He points to products like protein bars and high-fibre cereals as prime offenders. "There's this perception that if something is marketed for fitness or wellbeing, it must be good for weight loss,' he explains. "But most protein bars I've seen are no better than a Mars bar. They're full of sugar and refined carbs. If you're trying to build muscle, maybe there's an argument, but if your goal is weight loss or general health, they're a disaster." Even products long considered diet staples come under scrutiny. "Fish fingers, chicken kievs, ready meals – even the 'healthy' ones – are usually packed with chemicals, fillers and additives to make them taste good and last longer on the shelf," he says. "It's not just the obvious culprits like crisps and fizzy drinks. It's the things you don't expect." Steve believes the public has been misled by decades of clever marketing. "If it says 'low fat', you can bet it's high in sugar. If it says 'all natural', it probably isn't. The more a product tries to convince you it's healthy, the more suspicious you should be." For anyone looking to clean up their diet, his advice is simple - eat real food and lots of fibre. "Food should look like food. If your grandmother wouldn't recognise it, don't eat it. Fish should look like fish, not be mashed up, breaded and frozen into a shape." He recommends starting every meal with a source of fibre - a technique he credits with helping him shed over three stone. "Fibre slows digestion, helps control appetite, and is crucial for weight loss," he says. "But not all fibre is equal. The key is the fibre-to-carb ratio. You want foods where fibre is higher than carbs. "Seeds, nuts, leafy greens - they're all brilliant. Some fruits too, like berries, apples, and avocado. Apples are great, pears are borderline, and bananas are a no-go if you're trying to lose weight." He adds that food labels can often be misleading when it comes to fibre content. "Some cereals boast about high fibre, but they're still loaded with sugar and refined grains. It's not just about having fibre - it's about the overall balance." Steve is calling for more consumer awareness around healthy eating. " Supermarkets will keep selling what people buy. If we start demanding real food, they'll supply it. But first, people need to know what they're actually eating." He says the first step is learning to spot ultra-processed foods - especially the ones hiding behind health claims. "If it's in a shiny packet and sounds too good to be true, it probably is. You don't need a degree in nutrition to eat well. Just stick to foods that look like they did in nature."
Daily Mirror
01-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
'I became a dad at 50 - it forced me to lose three stone with food, not fitness'
Steve Bennett transformed his life after finding out he was going to be a dad at 50. After losing three and a half stone, he believes he's found the secret to successful weight loss without exercising At 59, Steve Bennett is in the best shape of his life - but he didn't get there through hours at the gym or cutting calories to the bone. His health transformation, which saw him lose more than three stone, began almost a decade ago when he was set to become a dad aged 50. Steve, a father of five and author of The Fibre First Diet, was on a trip to Tanzania when his wife rang with big news - she was pregnant. While staying with a local tribe, one of the warriors questioned his habits. "He asked why I'd gone running that morning," Steve recalls. "I told him I wanted to become lean and fit. He said, 'It's not working'. That hit me hard. I'd been overweight for years, despite exercising regularly and cooking at home. I realised that everything I'd believed about health and weight loss was probably wrong." That encounter sparked a total rethink. Steve started diving into the science of nutrition and metabolism - and came to the conclusion that exercise alone doesn't cause weight loss. "Don't get me wrong - I exercise daily. It's essential for wellbeing, mood, and strength," he says. "But if you're trying to lose weight, it all comes down to what you eat. The most overlooked factor is insulin. When you eat foods that spike insulin - mainly carbs without fibre - your body can't burn fat." He explains that not all carbs are the enemy. "Carbs in vegetables are fine. It's the refined, fibre-less carbs - white bread, rice, potatoes - that cause the problems. I completely avoid those now. I always start meals with fibre. A handful of salad, seeds, or nuts. It slows digestion and helps you eat less." That single shift, prioritising fibre before anything else, changed everything for Steve. He now weighs 12 stone down from over 15 and a half at his heaviest. His diet is simple: whole foods, nothing ultra-processed, and plenty of fibre. "If your grandparents wouldn't recognise it as food, it probably isn't," he says. "My gran wouldn't have known what a fish finger or pot noodle was." Steve is on a mission to raise awareness about the dangers of ultra-processed foods, or UPFs, which he believes are at the root of the nation's health crisis. "The term 'processed' can be misleading. The real issue is the sugar and chemicals added to these foods. Most people know that crisps and chocolate are bad. But what about things that are marketed as healthy? Protein bars, fish fingers, chicken kievs – they're often just junk in disguise," he shares. He points out that many supermarket products use clever marketing to appear wholesome. "If something has to shout about being healthy on the label - 'low fat', 'natural sugar', 'high protein' - you should be suspicious," Steve explains. "You never see health labels on a head of broccoli or a piece of salmon. That's real food. Most protein bars people eat to 'be good' are no better than a Mars bar in terms of sugar." Steve says change starts with education and awareness. "Years ago, I spoke to the CEO of Tesco. He told me he'd love to stock healthier foods, but people don't buy them. The power lies with consumers. If we stop buying junk, supermarkets will stop selling it." For families trying to eat better, Steve says the key is keeping things simple. "Dinner can be vegetables and some meat or fish. That's it. I don't ban carbs completely - if I'm on holiday and there's a beautiful piece of fresh bread, I might have some. But the foundation of my diet is fibre and real food." As a dad, he takes a balanced approach with his children. "If you make everything forbidden, they'll just rebel. Occasionally, they'll have cornflakes or something sugary, but it's a treat, not the norm. My older kids can eat carbs in moderation. But for adults trying to lose weight, you have to be much more mindful," Steve says. He also warns against the hidden UPFs we often overlook in the weekly shop, "If it's in a packet and looks nothing like its natural form - be suspicious. Fish should look like fish. Chicken should look like chicken. Not be processed into a nugget or finger. People assume that if it's on a supermarket shelf, it's safe. That's not always the case." As for the building blocks of a high-fibre diet, Steve recommends foods where the fibre content outweighs the carbs. "Leafy greens, seeds, nuts, berries - they're all great. Avocados are excellent. Apples are good, pears are borderline, bananas are a no from me," he advises. Now nearing 60, Steve says he's stronger, leaner, and has more energy than he did at 40 - and it's all down to changing how he eats. "Becoming a dad again made me realise I had to be around for the long haul," he says. "And the solution wasn't in the gym. It was on my plate."
