Eat Your Fruits & Vegetables!

Confession: While I love fresh fruits and vegetables, I do not eat enough of them.

On the new weight watchers plan almost all fruits and vegetables are free foods, worth no points. Even when I am eating the right amount of calories and points they aren't coming from the right places. I am not eating enough veggies or fruit. I really do love them so I am not sure why I don't eat them more often. I really need to make a conscious effort to incorporate them more. I eat too many starches!

One trick that my sister-in-law does is make smoothies a lot. She makes the oddest concoctions that sound gross but I have tried many of them and they are delicious. Just this week she had some crazy ones. Here are some of her recipes:

1. ice, honey, lime, spinach, pineapple, celery
2. ice, honey, collards, cucumber, pineapple, apple, spinach
3. ice, honey, celery, pineapple, green grapes, lime
4. ice, cantaloupe, green grapes, pineapple, greek yogurt
5. pineapple, strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, greek yogurt

Now she does have this amazing blender called the vitamixer that is like an industrial blender so it can break up all the lime rind, cantaloupe seeds, etc...this would not be so easy in a regular blender. But what a great way to get in tons of fruits, vegetables and antioxidants in a quick drink. I think I am going to try and make some more smoothies at least with fruit. The veggies are a little tougher in my blender.

Fruits and Veggies are so yummy; especially this time of year. They are low in calories, rich in fiber and antioxidants and can help guard against several chronic diseases (1). They are also full of vitamins and minerals. I have heard many people say that the more colorful your plate is the healthier it is! We need to fill our plates with more color and try new things. I actually don't hardly have a veggie or fruit I don't like. I am not crazy about hot peas but I can eat them. I love artichokes, asparagus, brussel sprouts, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower; just to name a few...and I love all fruit except prunes (if you can really call that a fruit...hee hee).

I am going to make an effort to eat more fruits and vegetables and you should too. What are some of your favorites. Any tips on cooking them? Please send ideas. I am going to try and have all of my snacks be fresh.

(1) According to the CDC

Veggie Greek Salad

This is a great recipe for you to get in lots of veggies and not have to eat lettuce which has not much nutritional value. This recipe makes 8 servings and the calories are mostly dependent on how much and what type of dressing you use. If you use 10 oz of regular Newman's Own Greek Dressing then it is 6 Weight Watcher points per serving, if you use 8oz of Kraft light Zesty Italian then it is only 3 points. I made it with the one cup of zesty italian and it had plenty of dressing and was very good. You can make this in 15 minutes; all you have to do is cut veggies. The longer it soaks in the dressing, the better it tastes.

Ingredients:

1 head of broccoli

1 head of cauliflower

2 cups cherry tomatoes

6 oz can sliced olives drained

6 oz tomato basil feta (crumbled)

2 TBSP Purple Onion (optional)

Zesty Italian or Greek Dressing

Chop veggies, mix in other ingredients, toss with dressing and chill overnight or for at least 2 hours.

Trampoline

My friend is moving and she offered to sell me her 15 foot trampoline that she got at Sam's Club for $45. SOLD! Not only will my kids have a blast on it for years to come but it is a fun way to burn some calories. I am going to wear my bodybugg and go jump for 10 minutes and report back but I have read that you burn about 50 calories in 10 minutes. Not a ton but I'd much rather go jump for 10 minutes than walk on the treadmill.

Here is a picture of my son Hudson. Yesterday he was playing in the backyard when he decided to strip down and go for a swim in our little pool, next thing I knew it...he was out there jumping in the buff. I definitely won't be doing that!

OK..I put on the bodybugg and it looks like I can burn almost 100 calories in 10 minutes. This is active jumping, bouncing and running. This is a great way for me to interact with Hudson in play and help me meet my goal. One of my workout friends wants me to throw another Wii Dance party & add trampoline! I think I will do it!

THE CHALLENGE: Starting Weight

So I really didn't want to post this picture but I promised it by noon yesterday and a few of you are holding me accountable. First reason I don't want to post it was that I was 169 a few days ago and then today when I got on the scale I was even more than when I took this picture I was 173. This means that I have lost nothing in quite a while. I am starting to lose hope! I am praying that it was the salty popcorn that I ate last night that must be causing me to retain water. I was so good last week!

Well, here it goes. 10 weeks to 20 pounds. I'll be posting progress every week. I have been working out pretty religiously at least 3 times a week but I need to step it up to five which would mean 2 workouts at home. I also want to put my bodybugg back on! This weekend we worked out in the yard for over 14 hours. I pruned, weeded, trimmed, watered, and more so I know I burned a lot more than laying out by the pool.

So frustrated but hoping that putting this out to the world will help. 20 POUNDS IN 10 WEEKS!! I read a quote the other day in an office while I was teaching CPR. It read "Do good today and every tomorrow will take care of itself". So true...One day at a time.

I know I said no more pictures but I wanted to at least take a starting picture. I am going to take after pictures on Labor Day weekend. This way I can see my progress. I am going to wear the exact same outfit in my after pics. We will see. I am hoping that this will help hold me accountable even more.