Help: I Don’t Like Fruit and Veggies!

I had a great question from one of my readers recently, and wanted to share the answer with everyone:

The question is about trying to lose weight when you don’t like fruits and vegetables, and live with someone who often cooks unhealthy meals.

How to eat a healthy diet

One of the most important things you can do, when trying to eat healthier, is to make small changes, which you can stick with. So, rather than trying to change everything at once, take it step by step, accomplishing one or two goals at a time.

Something you may want to try is Goal Setting, as this is an excellent way to focus your mind on what you want to achieve. To get started try using my Goal Setting Chart, to record a few goals which are important to you right now.

Guidelines for daily healthy eating:

• Plenty of fruit and vegetables (aim for 1-2 portions of fruit, and 3-4 portions of vegetables)
• Plenty of bread, rice, potatoes, pasta and other starchy foods – choose wholegrain varieties whenever you can (5 portions)
• Some milk and dairy foods (2-3 portions)
• Some meat, fish, eggs, beans and other non-dairy sources of protein (2-3 portions)
• Just a small amount of foods and drinks high in fat and/or sugar (0-3 portions)

To find out more, check out my Series on Balanced Nutrition.

What to do if you dislike fruits and vegetables

For those who dislike most fruits and vegetables, unfortunately there is no magic pill which can take their place. Eating a variety of different coloured fruits and vegetables is essential when it comes to achieving optimum health. Without adequate intake we put our bodies at risk for certain diseases, illnesses, and possibly even vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

1) Go with what you have initially

If you already enjoy eating particular fruits and vegetables, this a good starting point. My advice would be to regularly serve the vegetables and fruits which you enjoy, and then try to increase the variety of your intake little by little. It’s important to try out new varieties as often as you can – there really are so many to choose from, you’re sure to find something you enjoy!

2) Try out new methods:

Remember, that some vegetables can be disguised in meals -

• Grate carrots or zuccini into curries or stews.
• Mash white beans into minced beef.
• Blend vegetables and add to pasta sauce.

Experiment with different styles of cooking -

• BBQ, or roasted vegetables taste very different to boiled, or steamed vegetables.
• Try eating your vegetables raw for extra variety, and crunch.
• For quick cooking options, vegetables can be microwaved in a little water.

If fresh fruits and vegetables are too expensive -

• Opt for those that are in season, as they tend to be cheaper.
• Have a selection of frozen and canned (choose low salt/sugar versions) vegetable options, as these are also acceptable.
• Keep a supply of frozen and canned (in natural juices) fruit for quick and easy desserts, or snacks.

Mealtimes –

• For lunch always try to have a salad with, or in, your sandwich, for example dark green lettuce, peppers, tomatoes, onion, cucumbers, and grated carrot etc.
• Take care with sauces, dressings, and other condiments etc as they tend to be either high in fat, sugar, and salt, or a combination of all three. Try flavouring your foods with herbs, spices, olive oil, lemon juice etc.
• For dinner try adding some mixed vegetables (fresh or frozen) to noodles/potatoes/pasta/rice dishes, and serve along with lean meat, beans, or egg dishes etc.
• Ultimately the responsibility lies with you as to what you put into your body. Therefore, if unhealthy foods are served, choose for example to eat chicken and vegetables, and opt not to have the French fries. If you still feel hungry have a slice of wholegrain bread, and a piece of fruit afterwards.
• Check out my article, A Visual View of Serving Sizes Using Everyday Items, to learn about portion sizing.

Eat well at work to help you reach your fruit and veggie portions:

• Have a piece of fruit, or fruit salad, on hand for an easy mid-morning snack
• Prepare sliced raw vegetables, as a mid-afternoon snack.

Finding time for exercise

If you really want to lose weight, the fastest way to do so is to combine a healthy diet with exercise. This doesn’t necessarily mean expensive gym membership, or joining a fitness class; however you should choose an activity that will raise your heart and breathing rate, and aim for 30 minutes a day, at least 5 days each week.

If you’ve been inactive for some time, you can start with 10 minutes each day, and gradually increase the duration, as your strength improves. Here are a few examples of aerobic exercise:

• Brisk walking
• Aerobic classes
• Swimming, or water aerobics
• Playing tennis, squash, or badminton
• Cycling

You should also try to incorporate strength training in your routine a couple of times each week. This will help to build strong bones and muscles. If you can’t afford to join a class, or gym, you could lift weights at home, however take care to learn exactly how to use them safely.

It’s important to be as active as you possibly can throughout the day, as every little helps! Check out my previous articles, for more tips on how to achieve this:

• How to Increase your Physical Activity While you Work
• 6 Top Tips for Increasing your Physical Activity

Here are a few additional tips from Diet and Fitness Resources:

• Park at the far end of the car park.
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator.
• Walk the dog for an extra 5 minutes.
• Go for a walk during your lunch break, or walk to buy your lunch.
• Walk to the corner shop instead of driving.
• Walk to a friends houses instead of driving.
• Get friends and family out of the house for a game of football or Frisbee.
• Remember, gardening and household chores count as well.

One final question: How many calories does it take to burn one pound?

There are 3,500 calories in one pound of body fat. If you divide 3,500 by 7 days in the week, you get 500 calories. Therefore, you should focus on creating a deficit of 500 calories a day, which over the course of one week, theoretically will result in one pound of weight loss.

This can be achieved either by creating a caloric deficit through your diet, burning the calories through exercise, or a combination of both. I suggest a combination of both as the best option. Again, try to work on making a few small changes in your diet to create a 250-500 calorie deficit, then by adding 30 minutes of exercise each day you will be well on the way to losing 1-2 pounds a week, which is safe, and healthy weight loss.

You may also want to check out, Overcoming Weight Loss Failures.

If you have any other tips or suggestions, please feel free to comment below.

Best wishes!

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