Fruits and Vegetables for beginners.

hoh2014
hoh2014 Posts: 1
in Food and Nutrition
I weigh 465 lbs. and just recently started counting calories through the myfitnesspal app. My goal for every day is about 2800 calories which I thought would be easy because I always hear of people eating less than 2000 calories, the problem is that I've never been a healthy person so I've never really had a taste for vegetables or fruits. So even though I'm eating slightly healthier I still end up close to 2800 every day. My question is what are some good ways to introduce vegetables and fruits into my diet that won't be overwhelming.

Replies

  • Meerataila
    Meerataila Posts: 1,885 Member
    I used to loathe fruits and veggies. I slowly got used to some by introducing them through the medium of pizza. Bonus if you make your own.

    For fruits, I really still prefer berries, although I'll eat bananas, too. You could try smoothies if they don't make you hungry.
  • badcemom
    badcemom Posts: 50
    If you live in an area that has Bountiful Baskets (just check their website), you can get a basket of fruits and veggies for $15, usually about 6 kinds of fruit and 6 kinds of veggies. You get different stuff every time, so you can sample new things you may not have tried before. You might find something you actually enjoy! When I started eating more of that stuff, my recipes were less healthy (more cheesy!), but the more I ate, the less I have felt the need to add extra fat. Many veggies taste great roasted in the oven or grilled with a little olive oil and kosher salt. As far as fruit, maybe put in in smoothies made with yogurt?
  • cardbucfan
    cardbucfan Posts: 10,571 Member
    Scramble some eggs in the morning and add onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, peppers (you don't have to add them all!). I eat a giant salad most days for lunch and I throw all kinds of berries in it with some goat cheese and ham. I don't even need a dressing because the berries are so sweet. Smoothies are good but I prefer to eat my food so I don't drink them much. My afternoon snack is usually one of three things. A gala apple, sliced with 2 T of peanut butter; steel cut oats (which I seriously had to acquire a taste for but love them this way) with a packet of sweetener, 1/2 cup of blueberries and 1/2 cup of raspberries, or some hummus and baby carrots. For dinner our veggies are either a green salad or I really like roasted veggies. Toss them with a T of olive oil, some seasoned salt and fresh ground pepper and roast at 350 for about 40 minutes-yum! Make a mango salsa and eat it with fish-I can actually tolerate salmon now with this. With steaks I love to have tomatoes sliced with mozzarella and fresh basil drizzled with balsamic vinegar and some sautéed mushrooms and carmelized onions.

    Just start trying things and soon you will find stuff you like and there will still be stuff you can pass on. Good luck!
  • pita7317
    pita7317 Posts: 1,437 Member
    I second roasted veggies ! Carrots, turnips, etc, root type.
    Fruit. Fresh pineapple and watermelon, current favorites.
  • rossraskolnikov
    rossraskolnikov Posts: 29 Member
    Try as many things as possible, in as many different ways as possible; however small the amount. Don't be discouraged if you dislike something, the variety available is huge, and everything has its own unique taste. Don't force it, you may create negative associations.

    If you eat any 'sauce' type meals (rice, pasta, spag bol, chili con carne etc); cook/steam/roast up a few veggies and sneak them and douse them in sauce. Veg is generally something that needs mediating with other flavours. Fruit is delicious in and of itself. I like refrigerating my fruit. There's nothing more refreshing than a chilled, succulent pear or citrus fruit.... Or strawberries, or white grapes. You'll be surprised at how quickly you can morph carvings for a can of coke into a craving for a nice, cold piece of fruit & glass of water.

    I've never been a big fruit and veg person (at all) But the last couple of months I've made the effort, and I'm now taking in ~1.5kilo/day. Juicing's good too.

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