Fresh vegetables and fruits are the
foundation of a healthy diet and successful
weight loss. Most processed foods, regular
sodas and sweets contain a lot of calories
in just a small portion. Vegetables and
fruits are the opposite — lots of bulk and
few calories. You can eat generous
portions while consuming fewer calories
and feel full at the end of your meal.
How:
-You don’t need to like all vegetables
and fruits — just some of them.
Explore different types and varieties
of vegetables and fruits for appealing
tastes and textures.
-Vary between raw and cooked
vegetables. Lightly cook or steam
them for softer texture. Sprinkle them
with herbs for flavor.
-Add a banana, strawberries or
another favorite fruit to your cereal or
yogurt.
-When you’re in a hurry, have readyto-
eat frozen vegetables handy as a
quick addition to meals. Or use fresh
vegetables and fruits that require little
preparation, such as baby carrots,
cherry tomatoes, cauliflower and
grapes.
-Vegetables, fruits and whole grains
should take up the largest portion of
your dinner plate. Eat these foods
first, rather than reserving them for
the end after you’ve finished other
items.
-When planning meals, think first of
dishes that contain vegetables or
fruits as the centerpiece and then
build the rest of your meal around
those.
-Think fresh! Because dried fruit and
fruit juice are higher in calories than
fresh or unsweetened frozen fruit, the
“unlimited servings” rule doesn’t
apply to them. Eating them could
significantly increase your calorie
intake.
-Snack on vegetables or fruits
anytime.
-Look for ways to incorporate
vegetables with other foods or into
existing recipes. Add them to soups,
casseroles and pizzas, and pile them
onto sandwiches.
-Explore a local farmers market. The
freshness and variety may encourage
you to try new kinds of produce.
-When traveling, pack some ready-toeat
vegetables and fruits as quick
snacks.
On this program you have the green light
to eat veggies and fruit whenever you want
and as much as you want. Take advantage
of it! Eat them first during a meal to make
sure you get them in. Reach for them as
snacks. If you’re hungry — eat!
