Incorporating more veggies into your diet is the sure pathway to a healthier lifestyle.
Vegetables are making me more healthy. I attribute the success of my, now 85 pound weight loss to incorporating vegetables into my diet. Working with my nutritionists I was reeducated on how to eat properly, this included being introduced to a balanced plate approach to eating.
The balance plate approach to eating is now endorsed by the Department of Agriculture; they have abandoned the "Food Pyramid" as this was a diet based upon carbohydrates is the base of healthy eating, it called for 50% of meals to be based in carbohydrates like: Bread, Cereal, Pasta and Rice. The New approach is limiting these with a emphasis on unprocessed, non bleached and whole grains.
My diet is a modification of the endorsed one being offered, as we strive to incorporate 50% of each plate to vegetables, with protean representing 25% and carbohydrates at 25% which includes Fruit and starchy vegetables. This structure ends up limiting my carbohydrate total to 3-4 servings (60 grams) per meal. Under my program I do not have a limit on non starchy vegetables which encourages healthy snacks.
Since January of 2012, shortly after being diagnosed with diabetes, I was referred to a Certified Dietitian- Laura Feinblum. Initially there is an education about what types of foods are heavy in carbohydrates (literally everything that is delicious), along with protean, fat and other components. Each meeting we would measure my progress then review and review long and short term health goals that could only be achieved by incorporating healthy eating habits. Education is really only have the battle; execution is something different but having some accountability really helped keep me focused on making immediate changes in how I was consuming food. On my first first visit and even today she is ready to hand me a healthy recipe. I am truly grateful and owe a lot of my success to her continued guidance and support.