Whether we’ve had weight loss surgery or losing weight through a organized program or diet, getting the most nutritional bang for our calorie buck is important. Essentially, we need to maximize our nutrition for the calories we spend on an item. One of the best food choices for the bang/buck equation are vegetables.
Our mothers were right to tell us to eat our vegetables. After protein, vegetables are a wonderful food choice along with lower glycemic fruits and complex carbohydrates. I’ve changed my habits so much that vegetables are now a food that I crave and look forward to. If you’d told me that 10 years ago I would have laughed hysterically as I ate my Big Mac. Whether vegetables are your favorites or a dreaded necessity, that are a must in a healthy nutritional plan. Not only do vegetables charge us low consumption of calories but high in nutrition AND fiber.
To incorporate vegetables into your eating program, check these out:
1. Try at a new vegetable each week. Go to your local farmer’s market and discover a new vegetable find. Farmer’s markets are great because you patronize your local farmers plus you can ask about the vegetable, how best to prepare and enjoy it. You can also pick out something in the produce section at the grocery store that appeals to you and give it a try.
2. Make a meal out of a salad. Not as a salad bar loaded with cheese, mayo-laden salads and croutons. Rather, use mostly lettuce, add in some vegetables, and throw on some chicken, turkey, steak, tuna or cottage cheese for added protein. Top with a spray dressing, fat free vinaigrette, or low-calorie option.
3. Use pre-made salad mixes from the grocery store. Its an easy and fast way to eat your vegetables. Change your definition of fast food to pre-made salad mixes available in bags and even pre-cut vegetables. Now – that’s fast food, healthy style.
4. Add vegetables into an omelet. The protein from the eggs and added vegetable make the perfect meal for breakfast, lunch or dinner. I also love scrambled eggs and one of my personal favorites is to add vegetables to cook with my eggs. Tomatoes, spinach, peppers or mushrooms add flavor and color to plain eggs.
5. Use celery sticks or cucumbers as dippers versus crackers or bread. Dip vegetables in hummus, tuna or chicken salad for a nice meal or snack. Extra nutrition for lower calories and carbs.
6. Try roasting or grilling vegetables. Coat chunks of peppers, zucchini, squash, onions and eggplant with some vegetable spray and a sprinkle of balsamic vinaigrette and grill or bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes, turning occasionally. One of my favorite things to do in the spring, summer and event fall is to grill vegetables on the bbq. Vegetable skewers are absolutely delicious.
7. Keep cut vegetables front and center in your fridge. If you open the refrigerator for a snack, you’re less apt to search for something else if you have pre-cut vegetables ready to eat.
Enjoy all the colors and brilliance of spring not just in the blooming flowers but in the magnificence taste, texture and nutrition of vegetables.
Believe In Yourself,
Cathy, CLC
Certified Life Coach, Weight Loss Surgery Coach
Certified Back On Track Facilitator
Would you sit down and eat spoonfuls of sugar? Thinking of it is actually gross. Nutritional experts say our consumption of sugar shouldn’t be more than 10 teaspoons of added sugar per day. How much is that exactly? How does that translate to what we eat?
When you grocery shop, were do you spend most of your time? Do you spend your time going up and down the inner aisles or hang out around the outer parameter?
One of the best ways to lose weight is to grocery shop regularly. As a former junk food addict, if I didn’t have anything at home that I wanted to eat or prepare, I ate out. I drove my way through 147 excess pounds! 
If you find it challenging to get into the vegetable habit, you don’t have to eat huge plates of broccoli and cauliflower. You can include (okay, okay, hide) serving-sized portions of vegetables into meals you already enjoy. Here’s some ideas:
Let’s face it…Going out to dinner is fun. No dishes, no cooking or preparation, people to wait on you! Food is entertainment. The problem is that when we go out to eat, we want it to be a special occasion. We don’t want to spoil the fun by eating “healthy.” Make a few small adjustments in your restaurant choices can make a big difference. Something as simple as not putting sour cream on your baked potato or skipping that extra piece of bread. 
As we know, vegetables are packed full of nutrition and antioxidants. To maximize the antioxidants you obtain from your vegetables, eat them raw or steam them. Using other cooking methods to prepare veggies can result in a significant loss of antioxidants.
