Fit Bottomed Girls is having an October High-Fiber Challenge, and Rubberbanditz is ready to take it!

The challenge is this: up your fiber intake. Work yourself up to the recommended 25 grams/day for women and 35 grams/day for men.

Fiber is awesome for you. It improves your blood sugar, helps with weight loss and reduces cholesterol.

We all think of oatmeal as the go-to fiber source, but there are actually a lot out there. Fit-Bottomed Girls cited a great article on the Mayo Clinic’s Web site. You should check it out!

And to get started, here’s a recipe to spice your regular bowl o’ oats up. Almond for some extra fiber, and pumpkin for extra fiber, vitamins C and E, and potassium, and flax seed for even MORE fiber and your Omega-3.

Just remember what Fit Bottomed Girls recommend – work your way up to 25 grams/day, don’t just jump right in! You will not be a happy camper.

Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal (Chocolate Chip Optional)

½ cup oats

1 cup water (or milk, or combo)

½ tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. nutmeg

¼ tsp. ginger

¼ tsp. all spice

1/3 cup pumpkin

1 tbsp. almond butter

1 scoop ground flax seed.

Sprinkle of chocolate chips (optional)

Bring water/milk to boil. Add oats and spices and reduce heat. Cook for the suggested time, depending on the variety of oat.

Once oats are ready, stir in almond butter, flax seed, pumpkin, and the chocolate chips if you want.