Ok folks, let’s talk about acutally implementing healthy eating changes and getting some traction on this wellness “thing” we all want to do.
When I got down to business about getting healthy and losing weight and all that jazz, adding in vegetables was an obvious thing I needed to do. The need to eat lots of veggies is not news to anyone. But somehow, it gets tricky to do in real life. No lie….there are a LOT of salads in my life these days, but here are a few tips I have for adding the essential rabbit food to your life.
1. Make a protein shake for breakfast and add spinach! It will make every shake/smoothie look gross, but the taste is fine and the benefits are amazing!
2. Clean and cut celery right away from the store, then package it up in grab-and-go bags for work or school. Celery is amazing for snacks and to add to any lunch quickly. Find a no-sugar peanut butter to add (1 Tbsp) and it will save your afternoon munchies.
3. Get a cucumber and slice it up. Cucumbers will cure that “need to crunch” urge that often drives us all to chips or crackers. Sliced up with a little salt is great; or let them sit for a 20 minutes in some vinegar and salt for a quick “pickle” type of snack.
4. Add kale or spinach to any soup for lunch. These leafies are easy adds to any canned soup and give that extra health boost.
5. Fix baked potatoes in the microwave. Keep them small, but this is an easy lunch or snack. Be sure to poke the potato all over with a fork, then cook in the microwave. Add some low fat cheese and some broccoli….and lunch is amazing.
6. Corn on the cob…..in the microwave!! Take a clean cob (fresh or frozen) and wrap in a damp papertowel. Microwave for 2-3 minutes (depending on if frozen, and check often) and you have delicious corn on the cob anywhere.
7. Keep frozen veggies. Even when I think I have enough, I still buy a bag of frozen veggies to keep at home. Then any meal, you are prepared.
8. Make a big salad. Get all of the salad makings you love at the grocery store, make a giant salad in a bowl and home, then separate into single serve continers for the week. If you use zip-lock type bags, you can get a great sized serving in the bag, zip it mostly closed, press as much air out as you can. Then use the trick of sticking a straw just into the top, zip closed to the straw, then suck out the air – and as you do, pull the straw out and zip closed quick. Instand vacuum packaging! And salads like that will actually stay in the fridge for a week with no problem.
So….those are some tips I have for adding veggies in. The health benefits are amazing and there are tons of experts to tell you all about it. But from a practical side, I can say that these little tricks will make it so you have fewer cravings, you are always prepared, and the stress is taken out of the equation.
Life as a NuurdyGirl 