Food IV

If weight watchers counts zero points for all fruit and veggies than we can eat them to our belly is content right? I am a firm believer that fruit and veggies can’t contribute to weight gain, even if I do eat 3 bananas at 150 calories a day as a snack. It has to be better for you than eating 3 granola bars right?

Yes fruit contains sugar but it is sugar in it’s natural state. Studies have shown that people who ate 20 pieces of fruit a day for a few weeks did not see any negative effects on their weight or blood pressure, they did see a drop in LDL cholesterol and an increase in trips to the bathroom.

Twenty pieces does seem a bit excessive but during the summer I can easily reach about 10 a day….blueberries, bananas, apples, nectarines…bananas being my favorite! Another great benefit of fruit is that some of them can reduce belly fat. Ruby Red grapefruits, watermelon, Pink Lady apples, nectarines, peaches, tart cherries, berries….the list is long! Oh Snap!! My fave comes up on the list too! Bananas are loaded with potassium which obviously makes them filling but they also…wait for it…they somehow boost the metabolic rate and that means that it melts belly fat!!! That is bananas!!! (sorry I had to do it!)

Fruit are great for hydration too; watermelon (duh!), strawberries, grapefruit, cantaloupe and peaches are loaded with water. Although some veggies contain more water than that; cucumber, lettuce, zucchini, radishes and celery are on top of the list. I am not a big fan of the last two…they need some ranch dressing and that is not on the “healthy” list!

When it comes to veggies; 3 to 4 servings a day is the best way to go. You may eat non-starchy vegetables all day but take it easy with the starchy ones such as potatoes and corn. Broccoli, spinach and green peppers are awesome and they can even aid in weight loss. I love broccoli and I will take the only side effect that it can make you gassy…as will other cruciferous veggie like kale, cabbage, Brussels sprouts…They won’t make you fat but maybe just a little bloated. Huge difference!

Is there a thing as too much salad? I am pretty consistent when it comes to my laziness. I am as lazy as it comes to taking care of my feet as I am when it comes to prepping dinner. I love salads and they are so easy to make. I do add tofu or grilled chicken for protein. Since this lazy girl forces herself to moderately work out…I need some protein in my life! My dad, who happens to be a very smart man, pointed out that I may be consuming too many nitrates by eating like a rabbit. How do rabbits survives one may wonder? Or is that just me? I thought nitrates were high in treated meats like hot dogs and bacon. The good news is that the nitrates found in fruits and vegetables are not bad for you “at reasonable levels”.

Once again Food III it has a lot to do with the white stuff you add to your veggies and/or salad; butter, mayo, salad dressing….stick to clearer stuff instead…stir fry with olive oil and stick to balsamic dressings for your salad.

The reason why I title these blogs “Food” and not “Diet” is because I don’t believe in “diets”. It’s about lifestyle changes and moderation. If I feel like eating chips…I’ll eat chips…snack size baggie…as a treat…on a bad day….and I am by no means “skinny” but it’s more about health to me. As we get older we have to take better care of ourselves whether we like it or not!