Eat your vegies

[KyleAaron]

Too many trainers focus on macronutrient ratios and timing and blah blah, when some more very basic things are missed - are they eating any fruit and vegies? If you get a 40yo accountant or 35yo soccer mum, both of whom are overweight with back pain, is their issue really that they're having 110g of protein a day vs 118g? Sumo vs conventional deadlift? Basics first.

The below was good for most readers as a guide on how to get more fruit and vegetables into your diet, and the benefits. But I am also intrigued that to learn that at cardiology conferences most of the participants can't think how to get more vegies in their meals. Even with people with more than a decade's post-secondary education in health struggle with what should be fairly basic stuff.

Perhaps we need to bring back Home Economics classes?

https://www.goodfood.com.au/good-hea...0190618-h1fhdz

[Ronin4help]

Gotta juice them. You can prepare multiple servings, refrigerate them and take them on the go.

[rdf1988]

One of my strategies is, when I cook dinner, cook enough for 2-3 meals worth. I get bored of the same meal more frequently than that, but if, at the very least, I can have the same meal for lunch the next day, that's a pretty simple solution. Load up half the plate with vegetables, 1/4 with something starchy (low-to-no added fat), and 1/4 with lean meat. Keeps things somewhat reliable.

For fruits, just replace other snacks with them. Make a fruit salad if you want. Or add fruit to foods you might otherwise want to add sugar to, such as oats.

You can still overeat doing this, but it's a pretty big step in the right direction.

[grubman]

Couldn’t agree more! Lifters get so obsessed with calorie dense foods and protiens that veggies are an afterthought. About a year back I started putting my focus on a more well rounded diet...in other words, eating more fruits and veggies. Since then I feel way better and more energetic and my body has done a re-comp all on its own, with less stored fat around the midsection.

My favorite “trick” is always keeping a bag of thawed out frozen veggies in the fridge. It’s so easy to throw a serving in my scrambled eggs every morning. I’ll also throw a serving on a frozen pizza, or in things like spaghetti and meat sauce...meals you might normally skip veggies. Not “gross” like you may think, actually makes everything better.

I also keep some powdered “super greens” (you can get them at Walmart...doesn’t get simpler than that) on hand for those weekend lunches when you might slam something like turkey hotdogs on whole wheat buns or a sandwich while mowing lawn...just whip up a serving of super greens and water to wash down that sandwich and a substandard meal becomes a well rounded one.

And of course, bananas...throw it into your protein shake for additional flavor and yet another serving or two of fruits and vegetables.

Eat your veggies, you’ll feel better, look better, and be healthier! It’s well worth getting in the habit IMHO.

[keepitfit2010]

Fruits and Veggies matter big time. I mean come on, they help make it easier time to use the bathroom when you gotta go. Nobody likes suffering on the toilet.

[Redfish225]

Spring/summer veggie garden crew, winter months no so much.