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Weekly Challenge: April 4th-10th
Mjtckwnow
Posts: 528 Member
This week's mini challenge is to eat (at least) 5 servings of fruits/vegetables a day.
If you are already doing this, maybe try some different ones this week and you might find a new favorite. If you aren't getting enough fruits & vegetables this is the week to expand your diet and add them in!The American Heart Association recommends on a 1600 calorie diet to eat 3-4 servings of vegetables and 4 servings of fruit every day; eating a variety of colors and types.
Vegetable serving sizes:
1 cup raw leafy vegetables (about the size of a small fist)
1/2 cup cut-up raw or cooked vegetables
1/2 cup vegetable juice
Fruit serving sizes:
1 medium fruit (about the size of a baseball)
1/4 cup dried fruit
1/2 cup fresh, frozen, or canned fruit
1/2 cup fruit juice
Most fruit and vegetables are low in calories and fat, and high in fiber - three essential ingredients for successful weight loss.
Foods to consider this week:
1) Leafy Greens: Most types of leafy green vegetables are low-calorie foods and also rich in dietary fiber. Fiber helps keep your digestive system working well, prevents constipation and also helps you feel full for some time after a meal. Good choices include spinach, with 41 calories and about 4 grams of fiber in 1 cup of cooked, drained vegetable, and green cabbage, which has 50 calories and 4 grams of fiber in a wedge that's about 1/6 of a head.
2) Low-calorie/High Fiber Fruit: Good examples include berries such as strawberries, with 50 calories and 2 grams of fiber in a serving of eight medium berries. Citrus fruits are also good choices -- for example, one-half of a medium grapefruit contains 60 calories and 2 grams of fiber, while one medium tangerine provides 50 calories and 2 grams of fiber.
3) Other Great Choices: Choose green peppers often in your salads -- one medium pepper has only 25 calories but contains 2 grams of fiber -- and use green beans, with 20 calories and 3 grams of fiber per 3/4 cup, or asparagus, with 20 calories and 2 grams of fiber in five spears, as part of lunch or dinner. Although apples and pears are a bit higher in calories than some other fruits -- one large apple and one medium pear provide 130 and 100 calories, respectively -- they're also quite high in fiber, with 5 grams per apple and 6 grams per pear, so choose these healthy fruits as occasional snacks.
*data from Livestrong.com
Post here throughout the week and share your fruit & vegetables choices and how your week is going
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I recently started having a mandarin orange and blueberries as my afternoon snack. I used to have a coffee to pick me up in the after noon (loaded with sugar and creamer) . I get so excited about my fruit snack now, I didn't know I liked mandarins so much! Look forward to trying some other fruits and veggies that I've been neglecting.
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Tonight's dinner is creamy chicken and broccoli, so I made sure to put extra broccoli in the crockpot! I'm also hoping to have an apple or an orange when I get home from the gym tonight! If anyone wants to try the smoothies I drink in the morning this week, they give you about one serving of vegetables and about two servings of fruit - a great head start on the day! Here is what I put in them:
About two handfuls of kale (I use the kale greens kind that is already chopped up and I just keep it in the freezer)
One full banana
1 scoop of vanilla protein powder (I use a vegan protein powder)
1 tbsp superseed mix (found it at Vitamine Shoppe - ground flax, chia, and hemp seeds)
1 tsp fiber powder
2 oz aloe vera juice
1-2 handfuls of frozen strawberries
Water (I go up to almost the max fill line with my water, just depends on how thick you want the smoothie to be)
=296 calories (for the brands and amount I use)0 -
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@Mjtckwnow they're great! I love how they keep you full longer, and with making them ourselves, I never feel guilty for drinking them because I know what's in it!0
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I made Mashed cauliflower (omg so good) for dinner to replace starchy mashed potatoes and also had broccoli so I got at least 2 servings with dinner...maybe three because I made A LOT of broccoli.1
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hannahhooter wrote: »I made Mashed cauliflower (omg so good) for dinner to replace starchy mashed potatoes and also had broccoli so I got at least 2 servings with dinner...maybe three because I made A LOT of broccoli.
these are 2 of my favorites
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I had an apple today. Tomorrow I will get more servings in. Im very guilty of neglecting this. VERY GUILTY
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Coming back after celebrating my birthday. Stepped on the scale and .... it sucks but I enjoyed my birthday very much. Not crazy gain, but gained. Got back on track with apple cider vinegar smoothie this morning for breakfast.1
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Great challenge. Normally I get a lot of fruits and veggies but have been way off these goals for the last couple of weeks. Thanks for this challenge, an amazing reminder! Think I will go eat a banana now...1
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I am moving provinces/finishing school so I was eating what was left in my fridge. Last night was my final meal in my old place and I cooked the last of my fish and bought a Thai mango salad to go with instead of something more carby.! Today I've been flying which always throws me off but I'll try to maintain today. Baby steps!1
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Hope you made it safely. Congrats on school. Education completion is ALWAYS exciting.0
This discussion has been closed.