Congratulations to our book winner,
Christy Troxell-Thomas
Veggies are so awesome that even though they?re complex carbs, we?ve given them their very own group in carb cycling! In fact, you can eat 2 handfuls of non-root/non-starchy type veggies with every. single. meal. 🙂
So why do veggies deserve such a distinction? They are packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber, and have amazing health benefits:
- Decrease bone loss
- Boost your immune system
- Strengthen your heart and reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke
- Help prevent kidney stones (based on my kidney stones experience from November, this is one awesome benefit!).
- Lubricate your joints
- Lower your risk of vision and digestive problems
- Provide cancer-fighting antioxidants
- Reduce obesity risk
- Help prevent Type 2 Diabetes
- Lower your blood pressure
Veggies pretty much nourish every part of your body! And one of their main benefits? They are so low in calories that you can fill up with veggies without even making hardly a dent in your daily calorie bank account. Try doing that with any other food group!
I?m often asked about fresh vs. frozen vs. canned veggies. While fresh, in season veggies are best, frozen and canned are great alternatives because fresh veggies start to lose their nutrients within days. Since the frozen and canned variety are picked and then processed at their peak, they continue to hold the majority of their nutrients for an extended period of time. Processing actually increases the lycopene found in tomatoes, which protects you against heart disease and even some cancers. And what?s the best part about choosing frozen or canned veggies? They allow you to eat your favorites year-round! They?re also quick and easy to prepare, and you?ll save money because you?ll throw away less due to spoilage. Just be sure to choose no sugar and low or no salt added varieties.
Since most people consume only about half of the recommended servings of veggies each day, here are some ideas to help you add more of these nutritional necessities into your diet:
- Add a handful of spinach to your smoothie. You won?t even know it?s there!
- Buy pre-washed bags of salad.
- Pre-package your own veggies for a healthy, on-the-go snack.
- Add veggies to sandwiches and soups.
- Choose to snack on veggies instead of other not-so-healthy options.
- Get creative?try something new! You might discover a new favorite. 😉
- Make sure your veggies are colorful!
- Just gotta? have ranch dip with your veggies? Try this healthier version: 1) Mix together equal parts each of onion powder, dried dill, and garlic powder. 2) Mix in three times the amount used for the ingredients in step 1 (if you used 1 tablespoon for step 1, use 3 tablespoons in this step) of dried parsley. 3) Add sea salt and pepper taste. 4) Add this mix (to taste) to plain nonfat Greek yogurt and enjoy!
What creative things do you do to incorporate more veggies into your day? Share your ideas in the comments below. Winner of the?autographed copy of Chris? book, Choose to Lose?was chosen randomly and announced on Friday, March 14, 2014.
Now go eat your veggies! 🙂
142 Responses
Thank you very much for the information and help. I wanted to ask if you count the calories of vegetables or not. If I eat 1200 caloriesa a day . Do I add the calories of vegetables? (I eat another 200 calories) or should I eat a total of 1200 cal a day with vegetables?
Thank you very much
Hi Tehila: It’s best to count everything you consume to keep you accountable, but veggies are pretty low cal, so that shouldn’t be anything to worry about. 🙂
I forgot to mention, I’m following the Extreme Cycle! Thank you!
Hi there! Just a couple of questions. When preparing recipes from the book or just putting together my own meal, are the ounces listed for meats, raw or cooked ounces? Do I weigh before I cook them or after?
Also, when putting foods in their proper category and combinations, I was wondering if spaghetti squash is considered a “carb”or a “veggie?”
Thank you!
Hi Nicole: Each recipe will specify if you’re to used cooked meats or not. If it calls for raw, then measure raw. If it calls for cooked, then measure cooked. And all squash are considered veggies. 🙂
Dear Chris thank you for helping me I lose 20LB off my wents great I keep it going thanks 15lb again off my wents Your site food is great I love it love you Angela
Congratulations!!!!
I’ve lost 8 lbs since starting this 6 days ago. I had already lost about 7 before I started this so I know it’s not water weight. I don’t know how it’s working but it is!
Hey Mrs. Powell I was wondering if only liking and eating corn, green beans , peas, lettuce, and raw carrots a bad thing? My son and I are not fond of tomatoes, onions, broccoli , but we do eat the other ones I mention before. Do you think we will still be somewhat healthy ?
First of all I used to hate veges. In order to make myself learn to like them I ate nothing but protein shakes and veges for three weeks. Now I love them because I taught myself how to make a few key recipes. I also learned to include them in every dish I make. For instance, I add pureed squash to brownie mix one time. Another time I made vege dip out of blending up avocado, onions and artichokes. Instead of break I’ll use sliced veges. Zucchinni is my favorite “bread.”
First I want to thank you for all the advice and inspiration you and Chris have been giving us on FB. I do not do anything too special with my veggies, but I do cut them up when I get home from the grocery store and put them into individual snack bags so they are easy to grab and go. By the way, thanks for the ranch dip recipe I am a dipper.
I chopped up my veggies to snack on the night before. Yellow, orange and red peppers, celery and seedless cucumbers. I eat them with a little garlic hummus. I also add spinach to my egg beaters every morning. I have made a conscious effort to increase my veggie intake since the beginning of the year and I am down 18 lbs so far.