What to eat each day

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Pixie8504
Pixie8504 Posts: 174 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I really want to eat more healthy foods. Right now I don't eat many fruits or veggies. I am targeting for 1200 calories a day. How many servings should I try to have each day?

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  • PaytraB
    PaytraB Posts: 2,360 Member
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    The Canada Food Guide says tha an adult female should eat about 7 servings a day (serving = 1/2 cup) . I looked that up once becasue I had no idea what the daily requirement looked like. It at least gives a bit of perspective.
  • Firefox7275
    Firefox7275 Posts: 2,040 Member
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    The research supports the weight equivalent of about nine servings for an adult, depending on portion size which varies from country to country. Be sure to eat from the full rainbow of colours including blue/ purple, red, green, orange/ yellow.
  • candirose69
    candirose69 Posts: 149
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    Here in Aus we are meant to have 2 fruit and 5 veg (serving size is about 1/2 a cup)

    I've been trying to hit this in my 1200 calories and have felt much fuller
  • spramn
    spramn Posts: 67 Member
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    I've seen alot of examples of people eating alot of "Healthy Foods" but still not loosing weight, unsure if this applies to you or not, but sharing incase it helps. Just because a food is "Healthy" if they provide more energy (calories) than your body will burn during the day you will gain fat. While a balanced diet has many benefits ( Carbs, Fats, Protein, Fibre etc) still try keep your eye on the prize, its good you have your calorie goal set. I personally would not stress too much if your not getting exactly 5 serves of veg and 2 serves of fruit for example.

    The term Serve is abit misleading also. If you track your Fibre it will give you a good goal to aim for as it helps give you something abit more accurate to base your serving sizes on.
  • bdamaster60
    bdamaster60 Posts: 595 Member
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    I don't eat much vegetables or fruits, maybe a banana a day, that's about it, and im fine.
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
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    Try and add them in as part of each meal - for example you could have berries with your breakfast, celery ssticks and an apple as snacks, salad with lunch, veggie side dish of asparagus or brocoli with dinner....
  • Firefox7275
    Firefox7275 Posts: 2,040 Member
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    I've seen alot of examples of people eating alot of "Healthy Foods" but still not loosing weight, unsure if this applies to you or not, but sharing incase it helps. Just because a food is "Healthy" if they provide more energy (calories) than your body will burn during the day you will gain fat. While a balanced diet has many benefits ( Carbs, Fats, Protein, Fibre etc) still try keep your eye on the prize, its good you have your calorie goal set. I personally would not stress too much if your not getting exactly 5 serves of veg and 2 serves of fruit for example.

    The term Serve is abit misleading also. If you track your Fibre it will give you a good goal to aim for as it helps give you something abit more accurate to base your serving sizes on.

    There are numerous non starchy vegetables that are very low in calories, it's extremely difficult to go over your calorie goal eating these. Even most fruits are far less calorie dense than protein, fats or starchy carbs weight for weight because they are so high in water. Are you seriously suggesting fast weight loss is more important that getting the full range of vitamins, minerals, fibre, antioxidant phytonutrients and maintaining health along the journey? Are you aware that research suggests a number of antioxidants in certain fruits, veggies and plants can boost fat loss? Who wants to be slim but with cancer?
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
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    I really want to eat more healthy foods. Right now I don't eat many fruits or veggies. I am targeting for 1200 calories a day. How many servings should I try to have each day?
    Work them into your snacks or with lunch -

    Hummus with sugar snap peas, baby carrots, sliced red bell peppers for dipping.

    Slice up an apple and munch it with a mozzarella cheese stick, or dip the slices in a tbs. of peanut butter.

    Have a half cup of plain greek yogurt topped with fresh blueberries (and a little honey if you need it sweeter), or cottage cheese with some fresh fruit.

    Citrus is coming into season - navel oranges or the small mandarins (the little Cuties!) make a good snack.

    For dinners, I have found that almost any veggie tastes better when it's roasted. My current favorite is to dice up butternut squash, slice some mushrooms, toss them with some olive oil, salt, pepper & smoked paprika, toss in some pumpkin seeds, and roast on a shallow pan at 350º for 30 to 45 minutes. So very tasty!
  • Calantorntain
    Calantorntain Posts: 172 Member
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    I don't eat much vegetables or fruits, maybe a banana a day, that's about it, and im fine.

    Then what on earth do you eat?!
  • bahacca
    bahacca Posts: 878 Member
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    If someone isn't eating a lot of fruits/veggies, then they are eating carbs and proteins.

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