Some habits are easy to break, others hard. The same goes for establishing new habits.
I used to bite my fingernails. I quit when I noted how disgusting it was when I viewed others doing the same.
How did I quit? Well, to paraphrase Nike "I just did it". Every time I put my finger in my mouth to bite my nail, I took it out. Before long I quit putting my finger in my mouth. If you're not going to bite your nail, why bother? If only breaking bad eating habits could be so easy!! Or establishing good or better eating habits.
Continually I work on eating enough fruits and veggies on a daily basis. Too often I fall short. Good health warrants that I feed my body what it needs.
An idea struck me and I'm implementing it post haste. It is easy and just might work so I decided to share it with you. Here goes.
Breakfast: eat 2 fruits
Lunch: eat vegetarian
Supper: eat protein
Not saying I can't mix it up but am saying each meal will focus on one of those. For my first meal I'll choose one of the 3--fruit/veg/protein. Next meal, I'll choose from the 2 remaining, so on and so forth. Simple? Yes!!!
The beauty of this is that it reduces the strategy to a 'no brainer'. Forget about multiple course meals...or balanced meals. Over the course of the day you will be sure to get in your fruit and veg first, then the all important protein. You can enhance the flavor of all of these with good fat. You can keep it as simple as I've outlined, or expand on it. But making one of the three the foundation of the meal, instead of trying to get all three in every meal, makes it simple.
I started my day with a banana and some unsweetened mango applesauce stirred into my oatmeal (which I prepare with milk). I've already gotten in 2 fruit servings..as well as some dairy/protein. I could have eaten the fruit plain.
Now lunch is yet to be. The plan is veggie tacos. I'll saute some corn and green beans, top with some tomatoes and wrap it in a tortilla, top it off with a little sour cream. Three veg, lots of yum. In all liklihood I'll throw in some cheese, which will give me some protein. But the main point is I'm getting in my veg.
And tonight you can bet I'll be getting my protein fix. I'll likely round out my protein with more veg and/or fruit..but even if I don't, I've gotten the minimum 5 in my tummy.
How easy is that? We are all short on time. This method keeps it simple-- easy to track, easy to prepare. And you ingest the good stuff--the fruit and veg--early in the day, so there's less chance of forgoing it..falling short of the quota.
Five is the minimum recommended number of combined servings of fruit/veg per day. Focus on that number and feel like a success. Above that number, it's icing on the cake, almost.
I've wasted too much time feeling like a failure because I didn't get the 5-9 servings!!
Finally--note the given range. The reason there is a range? We all come in different sizes!! Those short people like me who require less fuel overall need only aim for the lower number. Wish someone had told me that sooner. Trying to get in nine servings every day is tough for someone trying to eat 1200 calories, like I did back in the day.
Until next post, be well.
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