How to Use F&V to Manage Your Weight

If you've read my blog much at all, you know I am a fan of tossing in veggies when I cook to stretch out high calorie dishes/meals. In other words, I rarely make a plain pasta sauce. Instead, I'll saute whatever veggies I have on hand and toss them into a jar of sauce to make a lighter and healthier pasta primavera. Similarly, I try to beef up (he he) my oatmeal with dried fruit, my soups with added veggies or beans, and add spinach, onions and celery to nearly everything.

So when I was recently looking over some information on the CDC's website, it came as no surprise that they recommend the same methods for increasing F&V as a means of weight loss/management.

In addition to the suggestions I just gave, here are some ideas for you to use this easy/healthy method of weight loss:

• Substitute some sauteed spinach, onions, or mushrooms for one of the eggs or half of the cheese in your morning omelet.
  
• Cut back on the amount of cereal in your bowl to make room for some cut-up bananas, peaches, or strawberries.
• Substitute vegetables such as lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, or onions for some of the meat in your sandwich, wrap, or burrito.
• Add chopped vegetables, such as broccoli, celery, carrots, onions, tomatoes, or bell peppers to your favorite broth-based soup. Add beans to add even more fiber and some protein.
  
• Add chopped vegetables such as broccoli, tomatoes, squash, onions, or peppers, while removing some of the rice or pasta in your favorite dish.
  
• Take a good look at your dinner plate. Vegetables, fruit, and whole grains should take up the largest portion of your plate. If they do not, replace some of the meat, cheese, white pasta, or rice with beans and veggies. This will reduce the total calories in your meal without reducing the amount of food you eat.
• Choose fruits and veggies as snacks throughout the day. Try an apple with a little peanut butter, celery with Laughing Cow cheese, dried fruit and nuts, homemade fruit salad with a with a little greek yogurt, slices of red pepper and hummus, etc.