Once upon a time – does anyone remember the 80s? – fibre was a word only spruiked in breakfast cereal TV ads targeting old people.

Fast forward a decade or two, we recognise that dietary fibre is vital for everyone, not just your grandparents.

Dietary fibre is found mainly in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes and is essential for keeping healthy. It helps us absorb vital nutrients from food, lowers cholesterol, stabilises blood glucose levels and makes us feel fuller for longer. If we don’t eat enough fibre, it can lead to an increased risk of weight gain, diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Fibre also keeps us ‘regular’ and wards off constipation.

On average, Australians consume far less than the Heart Foundation’s recommended daily fibre intake of 25-30g per day.

So, why are so many of us dragging in the daily fibre intake stakes?

The excuses range from lifestyle choices to inconsistences in eating habits, and insufficient fresh produce, hydration and exercise.

The easiest way to add fibre to your diet is by eating more high-fibre rich fruits and vegetables. Aim to eat more fruit such as bananas, oranges, apples, strawberries and raspberries as well as vegetables, including carrots, broccoli, spinach and potatoes.

Beans and legumes are fibre-filled and can be added to salads, soups and homemade dip (as a creative topping).

Wholegrains are also a great way to add extra fibre to your diet. Choose breads such as rye, cracked wheat or pumpernickel – they’re dense and will leave you feeling fuller for longer.

Swap white rice for brown or wild rice or give bulgur wheat a go! When choosing cereals, look for ones that have more than five grams of fibre per serve and are not high in sugar.

If you tend to snack throughout the day, go for nuts like almonds and pistachios or pumpkin and sunflower seeds for a healthy alternative to the sugary treats. Just remember, some nuts can be very high in calories too.

Lastly, add some Slendier to your diet. From bean pastas to our staple konjac range, our products are high in fibre and low in calories – they’re great for your waistline without compromising on taste.

In the battle of the bulge, the best of intentions and an iron will are no match for an empty stomach.

That’s where konjac comes in.

The weight loss wonder food boasts a slimming secret called glucomannan, a natural dietary fibre extracted from the root of the konjac plant.

Konjac has been used for centuries throughout Asia in meals and medicine, and it’s now proving a powerhouse skinny alternative around Australia and the world.

The key to satiating hunger is boosting fibre intake, which makes konjac the ideal base for many of Slendier’s popular rice, pasta and noodle products.

The water-soluble fibre keeps you feeling fuller for longer due its amazing ability to absorb liquid.

So when it’s inside your stomach, it absorbs water and expands, staving off the carb cravings until your next meal.

Similar to tofu, Slendier konjac products have no distinct taste, instead it takes on the delicious flavours that you pair it with, whether it’s a rich tomato based sauce, or a hearty bolognaise.

Unlike other alternatives to traditional wheat pasta, our noodles and pasta still have a hearty texture, but, incredibly, they have roughly the same calories as a glass of water.  T

his makes it easier on your waistline to say “more cheese please”, or “ok, one small cheeky glass of wine’ or even just to kick back and say “today has really been a Good Food Day”.

Whether you’re already a Slendier convert or haven’t yet got around to trying the range, you’ll love our latest launch. Our new combo boxes come in three sizes – sample, small and large – and feature a number of products.

Stock up for the upcoming winter months and ensure your pantry is full of easy to prepare and, most importantly, healthy meal options.

Open your box and you’ll find our konjac range, bean pastas, pasta sauces, Ready To Eat meals and smoothies. Basically, there’s a meal or snack for morning, noon and night.

If you struggle to come up with ideas for dinner or find time to do the shopping, you’ll love the convenience of ordering online and having the new combo boxes delivered straight to your door. Open them to discover your favourite low-carb, low-calorie, gluten-free ingredients – did we mention they’re also vegan? – that you can stash in the cupboard until you need them.

The new Slendier combo boxes are available exclusively at slendier.com – you can save up to 30 per cent on the price of the individual items too!

The boxes start at $100 for the sample box; the small favourite product box is $150 and the large is $200.

Order one now and you’ll be cooking them up within days! Check them out

As 2018 draws to an end, many of us are already thinking about our goals for the new year – and for more than a few of us, this includes making changes to our health and fitness. But with so much pressure to succeed, setting achievable goals can seem overwhelming at best. Fortunately, making significant changes to your lifestyle is not as impossible as it seems. Here are a few simple, totally-doable ways to have you kicking your health and fitness goals in no time.

Be specific

Vague and generalised goals are no use to anyone – so if you’re serious about seeing change, you’ll need to be specific. If you want to lose weight, be precise about how many kilos. If you want to improve your running, be clear on the distance and time. Being specific in your goal-setting will help you see exactly what needs to be done in order to achieve your goal, while eliminating room for slacking off and making excuses.

Develop a timeline

Once you’ve identified and clearly defined your goal, break it down and lay it all out on a detailed timeline. This will give you much smaller goals to work towards, while helping you stay on track and keep perspective. Use a wall or desk planner that lets you view your timeline as a whole, with plenty of writing space to track your achievements and progress.

Start small

If you know you have an uncontrollable sweet-tooth, cutting sugar out of your diet probably won’t be as easy as going cold turkey – you’d need to begin by limiting your intake and opting for natural sugars. Use this same approach for all of your health and fitness goals. Start with making small changes and work your way up to bigger ones. In the end, your mind will barely notice the difference while your body will reap the benefits.

Buddy up

We all know friends make even the worst days more bearable, and it’s the same when facing a particularly daunting personal goal. When setting your health and fitness goals, aim to buddy up with a friend with the same or similar goals. You’ll be able to provide each other with much-needed support and encouragement, while forcing one another to stay accountable and on track.

When it comes to frozen summer snacks, most people think of cooling down with a popsicle or a bowl of ice-cream – but if you’re trying to maintain a healthy diet, these summer favourites probably won’t make the cut. But it’s not all doom and gloom! Here are a few simple and delicious options to help you beat the heat without compromising your healthy lifestyle.

Frozen fruit popsicles

So easy, yet so delish! As long as you have a popsicle mould, you can create virtually any fruity flavour you like. Simply chop and blend the fruit in a blender with water or fruit juice, then pour into the popsicle moulds and freeze – not forgetting to add a popsicle stick once semi-frozen. Try summery flavour combinations like peach and mango, mixed berries, or watermelon and passionfruit to find your favourite.

Fruit & yoghurt ‘cheesecake’

Easier and healthier than a traditional cheesecake, but every bit as delicious! In a food processor, blend plain oats, coconut flakes, and a handful of your favourite nuts until the mixture is crumbly and fine. Then, add in a tablespoon of coconut oil to bind the mixture, forming the base of your ‘cheesecake’. Chill the base in the freezer and, once frozen, top with your choice of yoghurt. Decorate with chopped berries before freezing again, and you’re all ready to serve!

Watermelon slushies

When it comes to cooling down in summer, slushies never fail to do the trick – but did you know a regular-sized slushie contains at least 20 teaspoons of sugar? To avoid the unnecessary sweetness, opt for frozen watermelon slushies instead. Just dice and freeze a few cups of watermelon, and blend once frozen. Then, simply add a squeeze of lime juice and enjoy. Plus, you can get even get creative with flavour combinations, by adding fruits like kiwi or strawberry, or even cucumber. The choice is yours!

Banana ‘nice-cream’

Surely the best way to use up overripe bananas! Just pop the banana’s in the freezer and allow to freeze. Once frozen, peel, chop and blend into a thick, smooth mixture. Then, dress it up with blueberries, dark chocolate chips or peanut butter, and allow to freeze again. The result? Ice-cream so healthy you could eat it for breakfast.

We all know how vitally important it is to keep fit and active, and yet for many of us, finding time to get to the gym can feel impossible. But maintaining a healthy lifestyle doesn’t have to mean sweating it out on the treadmill for hours on end. In actual fact, all it really takes is a short burst of high-intensity exercise to get your body moving and your heart pumping. So, if you’re struggling to find time (or motivation), try this quick and easy exercise routine and get the job done in just 10 minutes flat.

Two minutes of star jumps

An easy but effective way to start your routine and get your heart pumping. Make sure to get your whole body into it, and try not to pause between jumps. Exercises like star jumps make for a great full-body workout, yet don’t require any equipment.

One minute of burpees

Another great full-body exercise that requires no equipment, but packs a serious punch! While there are a few different burpee variations out there, a standard burpee will certainly do the trick – start in the plank position before tucking your legs in to form a low squat. Then jump up as high as you can, making sure to extend your arms, before jumping back down into the plank position and repeating the exercise.

Two minutes of sumo squats

Sumo squats are perfect if you want to seriously work your thighs and glutes in a short amount of time. Stand with your feet approximately one metre apart, and bend your knees into a squat. Remember to squeeze your glute muscles as you go and squat as low as possible, before pushing back up with your thighs – not knees.

Two minutes of tricep dips

Tricep dips are one of the most effective ways to tone that pesky upper-arm jiggle, and they can be done using nothing but a chair! Find a chair (or table) approximately one metre from the ground. Position yourself with your back facing it and your hands gripping the front edge of the seat. Then, bend your knees into a squat, focusing the effort on your triceps. Push up, focusing again on your triceps not elbows, and repeat.

One minute of Russian twists

A great exercise to work your core, and one that can be tweaked to incorporate other areas, too. Sit on the ground and lean back slightly, bringing your knees up. Place your arms across your chest and, activating your abs, rotate from left to right. Make sure the movement comes from your core, not hips or lower body. For an added challenge and to work your upper arms, try holding a medicine ball as you rotate.

Two minutes of leg lifts

Leg lifts are one of the best ways to target your lower abdomen, and are also a great way to end your routine. Using a yoga mat, lie on your back and pop a flat cushion or folded towel under your tailbone, ensuring you don’t lift your bottom too high off the ground. With your ankles together and legs outstretched, lift your legs approximately 45 degrees and slowly drop them down again – ensuring you stop just before your heels touch the ground – and repeat.

Where you can buy Slendier products

Hear all the news from us first