How do YOU really eat that many servings of veggies and fruit?

Recently I had a "Come to Jesus" talk with my mother about her diet and lifestyle choices. I admit, it was preachy. Given her past medical history, the silence from her internist, cardiologist, gastroenterologist, and oncologist and my affection for her it was necessary. Albeit, not well delivered but necessary.

My "advice" to my own mother can be easily summarized:
-Your daily dietary choices matter
You can make a difference everyday in your longevity with your eating habits. Its just that simple. What you eat matters, it matter a lot.
-Eat more vegetables and fruit
Once again more matters. The protective health benefits of vegetables and fruit are associated with the highest intakes. Aim for 2-3 servings at every meal. Focus on getting the bulk from a wide variety of veggies
-Move more

Her response, "How do YOU really eat that many servings of vegetables?"

This is how I try to do it, I:
-Plan a weekly dinner menu and shop once for it. I scrutinize where more vegetables and fruit can be added to the entree. As a rule I double or triple the amount of veggies called for in almost every recipe. If they can't be added to the main entree, we start the meal with a big bowl of spinach salad or I wilt spinach and we eat it on the side.
-Have a couple of quick veggie heavy good-ole stand-by's to go to when dinner just does not happen the way you planned. For me they are: Big bag of frozen Asian vegetables and shrimp stir-fry; pan-fried tofu and spinach; bag of Italian veggies covered in tomato sauce on pasta or whole grain toast
-Eat the left-over of those veggie-heavy dinners for lunch
-Make salads that are actually good left-over. Example: Countless variations on cole-slaws.
-When eating out make your selection considering how many vegetables it will fuel you with. Consider getting a side-salad if your main course is low. Eat your veggies first: Make sure your salad comes before your meal and literally eat your veggies in your main course first, especially if they served on the side. They will get cold quickest and likely benefit from it the least.
-Have a highly visible fruit bowl
-Eat veggies as snacks. For me: carrots/celery/bell peppers and hummus; spinach (and sometimes celery) added to my smoothies; avocado on whole-grain crackers; edamame

It can be initially challenging to eat more veggies. It can also be challenging to brush your teeth before going to bed at night. Few will disagree that getting up to brush is almost always the best choice. You just feel better after you have done it. Its the same with eating your veggies.

Evolving Food Philosophy

I recently read

that in conjunction with seeing these two great TED talks has really made me re-evaluate how much meat my family eats. While never a "meat makes the meal" kinda of a gal, heck I was mostly-vegetarian for damn-near ten years, weren't we all in our teens/twenties? More recently we had recently fallen into a string of meals based around more animal based protein.

Campbell, Wahls and Li all present A LOT of compelling research and personal antidotes for a largely plant based, whole foods diet. While not advocating for exactly the same diet there is commonality: Eat more vegetables. 

I suspect dietitians, nutritionists, doctors will never agree on the ideal diet. Likely because humans evolved in a wide range of environments with a huge variety of edible food stuffs available to them. Meaning we are hard-wired to thrive on any number of styles of eating. Hopefully, we can all agree on just two points and speak with a loud, clear and strong voice:  1. None of us evolved in environments rich with overly processed foods (think Velveeta) and 2. You just can't go wrong with more (like way more) whole vegetables, fruit, and whole grains.

While not "giving up" meat or dairy product completely we are making a conscious effort to eat more (like way more) veggies around here. 

March Photo-A-Day Food Edition - Week 1 Recap

March Photo-A-Day Food Edition

While internet consistency has never been my strong point, I thought it might be fun to try my hand at one or two of the Photo-A-Day challenges that have been circulating Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and the like.

2012 Food Lover's Cleanse

It seems so cliche but its true, I love fresh starts.  I always have. The first day of school (or a fresh semester), the first day of a new season, the first day of a new job, the first day of the month. Even a Monday (or even better a Tuesday after a long weekend) seems so fresh, unmarked, an opportunity to start anew with renewed intention. Unequivocally, New Year's Day is the biggest fresh start of all for most of us.

I like the crop of obvious newbies at the gym. The streams of people with their carts full of fresh fruit and vegetables at the grocery store. It restores my faith that in their heart-of-hearts people know what is good for them and not only want to change their lifestyle but are trying to.

Last year I stumbled across Bon Appetit's "Food Lover's Cleanse" a few weeks into the New Year. Our household loosely followed the two-week plan to get our eating patterns re-aligned after weeks of holiday meals and treats. Designed by a dietitian the plan focuses on eating more fresh vegetables and fruit, whole grains and modestly incorporates meat, dairy and sweets. With two weeks worth of meal plans and menus, it takes the thinking out of healthier eating and allows you to focus on reestablishing the habit of cooking and eating well. Its a sound way to eat throughout the year, a good kick start.

This year we are loosely following the plan again. It can be found at "Food Lover's Cleanse 2012". I already love the improved day-to-day interface, the emphasis on using a "pantry" of prepped  items throughout the week, and the incorporation of left-overs easing the time commitment of preparing fresh food. Unlike last year I no longer live in the mecca of fresh ingredients. Dark, cold and land locked my shopping options are much more limited. I am adapting some of the days to what's available to me, what I already have on hand, and just what makes sense for us.

In the spirit of fresh starts I intend to post more frequentl at "What Taryn Ate Today".

 Happy New Year!

Breakfast Snack - Saturday 3/5/11

Coffee (2 cups)  - 1% Milk (1/4 cup) - Agave Syrup (~1 tablespoon)
Coffee  I start almost everyday with a cup of coffee. While once thought to be unhealthy habit, on par with drinking (booze) and smoking, recent research has dismissed this idea for the general population. Regular consumption of coffee may help protect against type 2 diabetes, Parkinson's disease, liver cancer, and liver cirrhosis. Researchers at Harvard have recently found that people who regularly drank coffee actually had a somewhat lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease than those who rarely partook. So, I enjoy my cup of coffee in the morning with no hesitation.

Ryvatia Cracker -  Laughing Cow Cheese (1 wedge)
Recently this has been my go to snack. Its less than 100 calories, with a few grams of protein and a few grams of fiber to help me feel full longer. It is simultaneously crunchy and creamy,  a texture combination that appeals to many of us.

 Breakfast snack eaten at home, on my way out the door to exercise

Welcome to "What I Ate Today"

As a Registered Dietitian, I am considered a food and nutrition expert.

I KNOW what I should eat for optimal health and wellness. The general premise has been well summarized, most notably by Marion Nestle: Eat less, mostly vegetables, move more, stay away from junk food. The truth of the matter is: It is not that easy. Not for me, probably not for most. I am busy. I am surrounded by food (good stuff and "bad") everywhere I go. I like sweets. And even though I KNOW what to eat, I don't always make that choice. I try... but it doesn't always work out.

My initial goal is to post/tweet twice a week. In many ways this will be a public food journal/diary. You can expect some nutritional tidbits here and there. Keeping a food journal/diary is commonly recommended to individuals. It can do several things:

• Make an individual more aware of their choices, often illuminating habits and patterns
• Instill a sense of personal responsibility to good food choices
• Provide information to health care professionals

Keeping a food journal/diary has been identified as a powerful weight loss tool. Two or three days a week provides a better picture than any single day could. But honestly, food journaling is work, three days a week provides enough information without being too burdensome.

"What I Ate Today" is a commitment to document what I eat and why. It is an effort to both educate others about the realities of making thoughtful food choices and introduce new information, 

strategies, products and recipes.