Fortitude Fridays

Vol. 140: A Little More Fiber for Grilling Season & More

Welcome to Fortitude Fridays—part mindset training, part field notes from real life. I share what I’m learning, testing, and using to help you take better care of yourself, strengthen your mindset, and keep showing up—week after week.

Here are a few ideas as you head into the weekend.

Read time: 7 mins

This Week’s Snapshot:

• Quote: Do Anything
• Tactic: Powerhouse Duo
• Small Thought: Body, Heart & Mind

On Learning Quickly: Action produces information. If you're unsure of what to do, just do anything, even if it's the wrong thing. This will give you information about what you should actually be doing. Sounds simple on the surface-the hard part is making it part of your every day working process. -Brian Armstrong (Tech Entrepreneur) Direction rarely shows up before you start. More often, it’s created through the messy middle of trying, adjusting, and trying again. Small actions create awareness, awareness creates better choices, and better choices create momentum.

Our Grilling Season Needs a Fiber Plan

Everyone's loading up on protein this summer — and skipping produce over parasite headlines. Here's why that combo can backfire.

Protein is having a moment.

Social media says eat more protein. Trainers say eat more protein. Podcasts say eat more protein. Coaches say eat more protein.

I've talked about high-protein eating before in this newsletter, and honestly, it hasn't slowed down. If anything it's ramped up. Walk down any grocery aisle right now and everything is protein this, protein that. Protein bread. Protein pasta. Protein ice cream. I walked past protein soda the other day and just stood there for a second, genuinely not sure what to think.

And now it's grilling season on top of it, so protein is front and center on basically every plate too. Steak, burgers, chicken, salmon straight off the grates.

And honestly? They are not wrong that protein matters. It supports muscle, recovery, fullness, strength, and healthy aging.

But lately, I keep having some version of this conversation with clients:

"I'm eating high protein like everyone says I should… but my cholesterol went up. What gives?"

So let's give fiber its turn in the spotlight.

Because high-protein is not the problem.

High-protein without enough fiber might be the missing context.

Protein helps you build. Fiber helps your system run.

Fiber is a type of carbohydrate found in plant foods that your body does not fully digest. That may sound like a defect, but it is actually the point — because it passes through mostly intact, fiber can bulk up stool, feed gut bacteria, and slow down digestion in ways that fully absorbed nutrients simply can't. Fiber helps support regularity, gut bacteria, fullness, blood sugar, cholesterol, and colon health.

A high-protein diet can be helpful. But if "high protein" means fewer beans, oats, fruits, vegetables, potatoes, lentils, nuts, seeds, and whole grains, something important gets lost.

That can matter even more if most of the protein is coming from higher-saturated-fat sources like fatty cuts of meat, processed meats, lots of cheese, butter-heavy meals, or low-fiber convenience foods.

That does not mean steak is evil.

It means context matters.

A grilled burger with chips is different from a grilled burger with bean salad, grilled vegetables, corn on the cob, or a big side salad.

Same summer grill.

Very different support system.

A Word on the Colon

Quick nod to something I don't say lightly: colorectal cancer has been rising in younger adults, and a fiber-rich eating pattern is one of the habits consistently linked to better colorectal health. Not a magic shield, just worth knowing your family history, keeping up with screening, and not ignoring changes in your body.

The Simple Plate Upgrade

There are two types of fiber, soluble and insoluble. Soluble dissolves in water and turns gel-like — think oats, beans, apples, citrus — and it's the one that tends to help most with cholesterol and blood sugar. Insoluble adds bulk and keeps things moving, and shows up in whole grains, nuts, and the skins of fruits and vegetables. Most plant foods contain a mix of both, so you don't need to track which is which or hit a specific ratio. You just need variety.

A simple target for many adults is around 25–30 grams of fiber per day, but please do not go from almost no fiber to "lentils with every meal" overnight.

That is how people have a bad time. Usually leading to one or all of the following: bloating. Gas. Cramping. Regret. A deep and personal grudge against beans.

Start low. Build slowly. Drink water. Your gut can adapt, but it appreciates a heads-up.

The easiest approach is to build meals with protein plus fiber.

Start with protein, then add a fiber-rich plant. Add color. Add flavor so you actually enjoy eating it.

That might look like grilled chicken with roasted vegetables and a baked potato, or shrimp tacos piled with cabbage slaw and black beans. It could be salmon with quinoa and asparagus, or steak alongside grilled peppers and a potato with the skin left on. Even breakfast counts — Greek yogurt with berries, chia, and nuts is doing the exact same job.

Protein for strength. Fiber for the system. That is the combo.

Easy Fiber Wins

Fiber should feel doable. Normal. Something you can add into meals you already like.

Chia seed pudding and overnight oats are two of my favorite easy wins. Add chia, flax, berries, nuts, or Greek yogurt, and suddenly breakfast is working a lot harder without you doing much more.

Bean salad is another summer favorite. Cucumber, tomato, corn, herbs, olive oil, vinegar, and beans. It works with whatever is coming off the grill and is colorful, filling, easy, and very hard to mess up.

Berries are another simple one. Add them to yogurt, oats, smoothies, or cottage cheese. They bring fiber, color, and sweetness without making anything complicated.

A few other easy upgrades, if you're looking for more ideas: black beans or lentils can slide into tacos, bowls, soups, or salads without much effort. Roasted vegetables make a nice default side at dinner. Raw veggies with hummus, or popcorn, work well when you want something to crunch on. And a spoonful of ground flax stirred into yogurt or a smoothie barely changes the flavor while quietly doing its job.

One more thing worth mentioning: I have to say something about this parasite outbreak, because so many have brought it up lately. "I don't really want to eat fruits and vegetables right now, with that outbreak in the news" is a version of a conversation I've had over and over. I get it — some of those headlines are genuinely unsettling. But skipping produce entirely isn't the move. The CDC and FDA recommend the basics: wash your hands thoroughly with soap for 20 seconds or more, rinse produce under running water, scrub firm produce like melons and potatoes, cut away any bruised or damaged spots, remove the outer leaves of lettuce or cabbage, and skip the soap and detergent on the veggies themselves. Frozen fruits and vegetables can sub in if needed — just follow package directions. Don't panic, just use smart handling and you can still get the plants in.

What About Fiber Supplements?

One quick caveat here too: supplements like psyllium can help some people, but they're a tool, not the whole strategy. Whole foods bring more than fiber — vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, texture. If you use one, start small, drink plenty of water, and check with your provider or pharmacist about medication timing.

This Week's Tactic

Forget the whole list. Pick one fiber upgrade and do it every single day this week.

Maybe that's berries, chia, or ground flax on your breakfast, every morning, no exceptions. Maybe it's beans finding their way into tacos, chili, salad, or whatever bowl you're building for dinner. Maybe it's just one vegetable making it onto your grill plate alongside the protein, or swapping a peeled potato for one that still has its skin on.

Pick the one that sounds easiest, not the one that sounds most impressive. One habit, seven days, no overhaul. That's it.

Bringing It Home

Protein may be having its heyday, and I am glad people are paying attention to it.

But fiber is the quiet powerhouse many people are still missing.

So yes, enjoy the grilled chicken, burger, steak, salmon, turkey burger, or whatever protein is making its way onto your summer plate.

Just do not forget the plants. Your body's doing the work either way — might as well make it easier on yourself.

You've got this.

Small But Mighty: Your body, heart, and mind are the tools you use to produce everything in your life. Neglect them, and there's a ceiling on all you create. Which one needs your attention this week?

Medieval Cringe:

Thanks for reading. Enjoy the weekend, and I'll catch you next time.

You got this,

P.S. I am grateful for every single one of you. Truly. If something in this issue landed for you, consider forwarding it to someone who might need it today. You probably already know who that person is.

​​​​​​