Focus on Nutrient Rich Fruits and Veggie! Drop the DIET eat for LIFE!

Ok, so we all know we need to eat more fruits and veggies, but HOW can we possiblly fit 7-9 servings of fruits and vegetables into our daily meal plan. Well, I have listed some quick and easy tips and tricks to squeeze those antioxidant packed foods into your life for good!


Fill up on fruits and vegetables first! One of the main reasons that people eat fewer fruits and vegetables during the winter months, and particularly during the holidays, is because they fill up on other types of food first. Try to prioritize fruits and vegetables, and eat other types of food once you have reached your quota for fruits and vegetables.

Keep it simple-Do not over think this whole fruits and vegetables idea—just work it into your daily plan. Try these ideas:
Look at every time that you eat as a challenge and an opportunity for creativity. Work some produce into the mix, even if it is not a full serving.

Here are 20 Tips to Sneak Vegetables into Your EVERY MEAL!
*Twenty Ways to Increase Your Veggies*

1. Eating vegetables, whether canned or frozen is better than not eating any vegetables at all.
2. Grow a vegetable garden. There is nothing like the flavor of a homegrown vegetable. If space is limited, try planting in a pot of soil.
3. Change the texture of vegetables from cooked and soft to raw and crunchy. For example, instead of serving cooked carrots with a meal, try crisp raw carrots instead.
4. Adorn a favorite food with vegetables. Try topping your pizza with chopped bell peppers.
5. Do not be afraid to add a little butter or margarine if that makes the difference between eating vegetables or not. Also, try different recipes and cooking methods for preparing vegetables. MIX IT UP!
6. Enhance veggies with fresh herbs: such as garlic, ginger, and basil. YUM
7. Steam in a flavorful broth: such as low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth.
8. Throw some vegetables on the grill, either whole or large skewer pieces.
9. Always double your normal portion for vegetables and decrease your starches such as bread, pasta, and sugar. 1/2 of your plate should be fruits and veggies, 1/4 lean protein, and the remaing 1/4 starches.
10. Try low sodium v-8 juice for a beverage-it counts as a vegetable serving.
11. Try one new vegetable or vegetable based recipe each week.
12. Take advantage of packaged fresh salad greens like romaine, spinach, and spring mix blend for an instant easy salad.
13. Serve a festive vegetable-snacking platter at home or for parties. Include bell pepper rings and broccoli in addition to the usual veggies. You can make a quick dip like hummus or yogurt based ranch dip.
14. Add chopped tomatoes and other vegetables to burritos, tacos, and wraps.
15. When eating out, plan your meal around vegetables.
16. If eating fast food, try adding a side salad with your meal and always double your veggies.
17. Chop a variety of different vegetables and toss them in your salad.
18. Add leftover vegetables or frozen veggies to your favorite soup.
19. Stock your freezer with frozen vegetables so that even if you have been on vacation or haven't gone grocery shopping-you have no excuse not to eat them.
20. Trade out one meat dish for a vegetable based dish at least once per week. (for example, meatless monday)
See, you can do it, just have to put a little effort and pre-planning and now you can create a nutrient rich, high fiber powerhouse of fruits and vegetables. If you follow these tips- you won't have much room for other junk!

Who is the Nutrition Expert? A Registered Dietitian

If you need to remodel your kitchen, you call a licensed contractor. When your car has trouble, you take it to a mechanic. So why would you cut corners when it comes to your health by taking food and nutrition advice from a friend, Web site, or other non-expert?

“I have met people who wouldn’t dream of changing the oil in their car by themselves but will follow advice from a total stranger in a forwarded e-mail when it comes to losing weight,” says registered dietitian and American Dietetic Association Spokesperson Sari Greaves.


When seeking expert guidance on food and nutrition, “Look for the RD credential. While some registered dietitians call themselves nutritionists, not all nutritionists are registered dietitians. There is a very big and very important difference between the two.” While some states have licensure laws that define how a “nutritionist” can legally practice, in other states, virtually anyone can call him-or-herself a “nutritionist” with little or no education or training.

Lara Munding Veazey's Weight Loss Tips-Article featured in Tulsa World Newspaper

1. “Stop dieting because DIET means restriction. For sustained weight loss, you must make lifelong behavior changes. Listen to your body’s hunger cues and provide your body with healthy options. Instead of trying to just eat diet foods and low-calorie items, focus on eating healthy nutrie...ntrich food to fuel your body for energy and try to shoot for a protein and fruit or vegetable with fiber every meal.
”2. “Accountability is key for weight loss. Start tracking your calories by keeping a food diary and exercise journal.”
3. “Planning is key. Plan out your meals and snacks at the beginning of each week and make a grocery list with your meal plan. Always eat breakfast every morning and eat smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day to keep your blood sugar in control and to prevent out-of-control hunger and snacking.”
4. “Adding an exercise plan along with eating healthy is very important for weight loss. Exercise should be performed on most if not all days of the week. Include cardiovascular, strength training, and stretching in your exercise plan. Exercise goal should be a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity of any cardiovascular activity most days of the week at 50 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. Also, get off the couch and get active and increase your nonexercise activity such as cleaning the house, walking the dog, taking the stairs, playing outside with your kids, etc. It all counts.”
5. “Portion control is crucial. Measure out portions frequently and use smaller plates. When dining out, split meals with a friend or ask to have half of your meal bagged up. Also be sure to ask for dressing and other high calorie condiments on the side to save on calories.”Read more from this Tulsa World article at http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=17&articleid=20090319_4_D3_Nutrit565433&archive=yesSee MoreTulsa World: Losing is contagious
www.tulsaworld.com
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