There are so many diet plans to choose from, and some of them are pretty complicated. But focusing on getting more fresh fruits and vegetables into your diet can help you lose weight in an almost effortless way. Replacing simple carbs like bread and pasta with more complex, fiber-laden produce will make you feel full longer and less inclined to snack. Although animal products contain larger amounts of peptides, researcher Ryan Smith, Lexington KY has found that peptides are present in plant-based foods as well.
Make it Easy on Yourself
First, get rid of the crackers, cookies, pasta and white bread. If they aren’t there, you won’t eat them. Next, stock up on produce. Bagged and precut salad and vegetables can be real time-savers, but buying whole vegetables and preparing them yourself will save you money. Many people find spending a few hours on a Sunday afternoon prepping veggies for the coming week, while listening to music or an audiobook by a favorite author, to be very relaxing.
Be Prepared
Now that you have an assortment of fruits and vegetables to choose from, pack them in lunches and take them to work for afternoon snacks. A jar salad makes a great lunch. Simply put a tablespoon of vinaigrette dressing in the bottom of a wide-mouth jar and then fill it with greens and chopped veggies. Add some cooked beans for protein and some toasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds for crunch. Bring along an apple or some carrot and celery sticks for a pick me up later. Give the kids fruit and yogurt parfaits topped with a sprinkling of crunchy granola as an afterschool snack.
Expand Your Horizons
Take this opportunity to try something new. Add an unfamiliar fruit or vegetable to your grocery cart every week. Try sliced kohlrabi or jicama to salads or slice a kiwi in half and eat it with a spoon. Soon you will have lots of new favorites.
Adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet is as easy as stocking up, being prepared and exploring new possibilities. You will feel the difference!
