Healthy Habit #2 is....to eat LOTS of fruits and veggies!

Hi everyone!


I hope you are all having a great week and completed last week's challenge of drinking enough water!  Time to step it up a notch and add another challenge that will drastically improve your life.  Now keep in mind, I'm still not asking you to give anything up yet.  I'm not asking you to deprive yourself of your favorite candy bar or that trip through the drive thru.  I am, however, asking you to add something to your diet.  I want you to start adding all different varieties and colors of fruits and veggies into your diet.  A LOT of them.  Nine to ten servings a day.  That may seem like a lot to you, especially if you're not used to it, but here is how I get them all in:


1. Smoothie for breakfast.  
This is the smoothie I had for breakfast this morning, along with oatmeal and coffee.  I put 1/2 banana, 1/2 orange, 5 frozen strawberries, 1 T of ground flaxseed, 1/2 cup soy milk, 1/4 cup apple juice.  I usually use this as my base and add other things here and there, like a scoop of chocolate or vanilla protein powder and a handful of spinach.  What are your favorite smoothie recipes?

2. Eat one salad a day.   My go-to salad is spinach, baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, a hard-boiled egg, chicken, pecans, whole natural almonds, feta and shaved parmesan with extra virgin olive oil and either balsamic, white wine, or red wine vinegar.   I have an overload of fruit in my house right now from Costco, so I have been making this yummy salad the last couple of days: spinach, apples, pears, cherry tomatoes, blueberries, dried cranberries, dried mangos, pecans and almonds with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  Delicious salad!! **It is important to note that not all salads are created equal and some salads are not that good for you because of all the junk that is put on them.  Try and keep your toppings clean and natural, no processed toppings!  Also, I put nuts and dried fruit on my salads but you want to use both these toppings sparingly, only about 10 almonds and a tablespoon of pecans and a sprinkling of the dried fruit.  They have benefits in moderation but too much and you are loading your salad up with fat and sugar.**


3. Eat a small salad or veggies with dinner. If you cook or steam your veggies with dinner make sure not to cook them too long.  The longer you cook them, the more nutrients you lose.  Raw has the most nutritional impact, but lightly steaming them is ok.  My favorite way to season steamed veggies, especially if I'm eating them with brown rice, is with fresh lemon juice.  Yummy!


4. Snack on fruit and veggies between meals. If you want an energy boost mid-day, skip the coffee and pick up some fruit instead.  It packs  a more powerful, lasting punch.  Take easy to carry fruits throughout the day, like apples, bananas, pears, and berries.  Take veggies like carrots, celery and cucumber slices with you in a tupperware and dip them in hummus for a filling, nutritious treat.


5. Try Juicing It can be a little time consuming, and the clean up is a little messy, but juicing is a great way to get a LOT of fruits and vegetables into your diet and the fresh juice will make you feel amazing!  I just started juicing again and will keep you updated on my juicing adventures! ;)


Ok, guys, hope these tips help and that you are taking on this challenge with me this week!  I know you can do it!!  Check in with me and let me know how you are doing!


Lots of Love <3,
Monica