Saturday, April 18, 2009

Skinny Habit of the Week: Load up on Vegetables


Last week's Skinny Habit actually lasted about two weeks, so I thought it would be good to introduce the next one. Load up on vegetables. Another one that is so simple in theory, but I think it is hard to actually do every day.

I love vegetables. I love some raw, some cooked. I still don't think I eat enough of them, except at dinnertime. I think my difficulty is not having quick, easy, accessible veggie options. If I have to wash, cut and steam them,(except at dinner time, when that is normal) I probably won't eat them and will choose an easier snack or lunch option.

We know why vegetables are good for us, but why are they essential for losing and maintaining weight?

1. They are low in calories and high in volume
2. Most of them are high in fiber
3. They contain a lot of water which fills you up
4. They can help reduce food cravings
5. The nutrients from veggies can help our physical and emotional well-being

So my goal with this week's posts, is to explore all the possibilities with veggies. Any tips and advice on how you get more into your diet are welcome!

8 comments:

Andrea@WellnessNotes said...

Once a week I go shopping at a Farmer's Market. Shopping there inspires me to buy more fruits and veggies.

Also, as soon as I get home I wash and portion as many of the fruits and veggies as I can. I also steam whatever we'll eat that day and the next day. That way I can easily grab them from the fridge. I have invested in small class containers that can be easily stacked. I put them in the front in the fridge so that they are visible whenever I open the fridge.

Jennifer said...

I love your blog and the great tips I'll be using your tip on eating more veges this week

Krissy said...

Hey, I'm Beth Thomas' friend. I'm recently trying to eat more veggies too - this week I made myself a huge raw veggie tray to keep in my fridge for quick / spontaneous snacking - and made a dip out of cottage cheese and a little powdered ranch. It was delicious.

Kimberly Vanderhorst said...

I like to make an extra large batch of steamed broccoli with our dinner, and eat leftovers of it for a snack - warmed up with a small sprinkle of aged cheddar on top. So yummy and easy!

sian said...

I love your blog and I also love spring and summer for all the great variety of fruit and veggies out there that are FRESH ! keep up the great work !

Anonymous said...

I cut red, yellow, &/or orange peppers into fat slices and use them to scoop low fat cottage cheese. Instant lunch.

Jeanne said...

I'm with you! If I have to wash and prepare the veg's every time I'd never do it. BUT I have found a couple things that help me tremendously! First - one of the best things I do for myself is be prepared for the times when you do not have a lot of prep time. Cook several dishes, of varying tastes and textures all on a day or couple days - use some and freeze some for when you need a quick lunch or dinner. Right now I have 5 different kinds of homemade soup, of all different tastes and textures in my freezer. They are all portioned out, cal's noted on the freezer bag and i can heat one up in the micro if I want a quick lunch and if I want a spicey veg soup - I have it, if I'm in the mood for chili - I have it. I LOVE cooking bigger batches of things and freezing - it saves money over prepared meals, you know exactly what you put in the meals and the calorie counts. That goes for snacks too. I buy larger bag/prepard items so I can plan and I even portion out snacks. Like if I buy prezels - as son as I get home I dump the entire bag in a bowl, grab my baggies and sit down and put the correct portion in each baggie (17 prezzels per bag, or whatever it is)and I often fill up the origional pagkaging with the portions - so I put all the pre-portioned baggies back into the origional pressel bag. Then when you want a snack, you reach in grab a baggie and you there! No stopping to count or figure and you still got to "reach in the bag"...it's a psychological thing. So, cook and prepare ahead for your food - it's really a gift for yourself! Good luck!

Marianela said...

I love combining strawberries and cherries with veggies in a salad. A few spices can also make it a lot less boring =)