The Objective: Share with everyone something you have done that affected your health in a positive way. You can share an awesome low cal low fat tasty recipe. Post simple tips to lose weight. Or a testimony on what has helped like joining Weight Watchers. Recommend a routine like P90X or Insanity. Or stretches one can do while sitting in their office chair working or writing. We’re sure people have countless great tips and ideas they would love to share.
So... um... (this shouldn't be hard, I'm a gym instructor... yep, I did slip in a link to my other blog there!) My head is teeming with tips and advice, but choosing one or two things is really hard.
Okay, here's my toppest tip... Eat your veggies! With everything! Buy frozen!
When I was a kid, veggies were a Sunday roast treat, when we would have two or three types. The rest of the week consisted of egg and chips (no veg), fish and chips (with peas, but nothing else), cheesy mash and pickled onions (definitely no veg - and yes, folks, that was a very regular meal, potatoes!)
Fast forward to my kids... veg with everything - I expect they really dislike me at meal times. Sunday roast consists of at least five types, and my cottage pies and bologneses are crammed with sweetcorn, mushrooms and carrots. Every meal has several different types.
Beans on toast? Add sweetcorn.
Omelette? Throw a salad on your plate - leaves, tomato, peppers.
Cheese sandwich? Grate up half the amount of cheese and grate a carrot into it.
In short, veggies have a huge amount of nutrients, they're low fat and low sugar, high in fibre, can bulk out a meal so you need less high fat cheeses and meats and therefore lower the overall calorie content of your meal.
Bonus tip... Move! Studies have shown that people who fidget are slimmer than non-fidgeters - some of the figures quoted seem absurd (300 - 500 extra calories per day), but it all depends what you mean by fidgeting.
Personally, I jump up and down on the spot while I'm waiting for the kettle to boil, shadow box when I'm bored, I walk a lot, I balance on one leg while I'm brushing my teeth (perhaps practise this without the toothbrush in the first instance, just in case!), I dance to my favourite songs on the radio. It all adds up, you know!
Great tips, Annalisa. I love my veggies too. Interesting fact about the fidgeting although I can now picture you jumping up and down in your kitchen and boxing fresh air! I sometimes run up and down stairs just for a bit of exercise, especially if I've been sat down a while.
ReplyDeleteGood tips Annalisa, which I'm sure we all wil benefit from.
ReplyDeleteYvonne.
Some great tips here, I've recently started trying to add veggies to all of my meals. I'm quite good with them, but sometimes I would have an easy meal that contained no veggies at all. Now I buy frozen ones and make sure I have at least one type with every meal :)
ReplyDeleteHi Annalisa .. thankfully we always had vegetables and fruits from the garden growing up, and I eat very little meat - love fish .. and generally eat very sensibly. Love water too .. but your ideas for nabbing every moment to stretch, squeeze, jump, hop, dance and walk .. makes so much sense ..
ReplyDeleteCheers Hilary
We've tried to have at least one vegetable and one fruit at each meal. We've done this since our kids were very little and the upside is that now they enjoy vegetables and think that's the only way to do it.
ReplyDeleteIt does add up! We eat a lot of vegetables at our house. With almost everything. (Not too good on breakfast cereals though.)
ReplyDeleteThanks for participating in our bloghop.
I love that idea about using less shredded cheese and adding some grated carrot! I've been trying to do more "fidgeting" - like using hand weights when on the phone or leg lifts when waiting for my coffee to heat in the microwave.
ReplyDeleteI'm totally adding carrot to cheese from now on! I do eat a lot of veg - we ate quite a similar diet to you as kids, actually. Apart from the mandatory live and onions I had once a week because I'm a chronic anaemic (still). YUK!
ReplyDeleteShah X
http://bit.ly/13Y93DV
I live for veggies. We're cut down on the consumption of meat in our house. :D
ReplyDeleteI love a good veggie omelette. That's what I'm having for breakfast this morning. And Souplantation is a must once a week for us too.
ReplyDeleteWe have been eating a healthy, balanced diet for years, but I guess too much (in my case anyway). You are so right about fidgeters, my husband fidgets constantly and has never had any problem with weight. He also does isometrics, nowadays without knowing he's doing it. As a young man he was a gymnast and played every sport you can think of. Your weekly meals as a kid sound somewhat English in content.
ReplyDeleteJO ON FOOD, MY TRAVELS AND A SCENT OF CHOCOLATE
Veggies and movement work well for me. I've found that since I'm exercising more, I'm also eating more salads, not because I have to or anything, but because for some odd reason that's what I really want to eat. btw, Wendy's has some delicious salads. Instead of fast food, I just pick up one of those when I really want to splurge and get a quick snack on the way home.
ReplyDeleteVeggies are great! And fidgeting definitely burns calories - I was way slimmer when I fidgeted more . . .and now I'm trying to regain my fidget habits from childhood.
ReplyDeleteEvery bit of movement counts.
I was prepared for a good post from you and made sure yours was on my to-visit list! I am not a fidgeter and in fact, am sometimes amazed at my great capacity for stillness. I wish I was more!
ReplyDeleteOMG! I brush my teeth on one foot too! I didn't think anyone else did that. My kids like veggies, but only raw which is a good thing. Sometimes when I don't feel like making a salad I can just throw some carrots, cucumbers and peppers on the platter and that's what they'll have with dinner:)
ReplyDeleteGreat tips Annalisa! Especially the veggies- on good weeks, when things haven't exploded on me, I make a huge salad at the beginning of the week so we can eat a little every night with dinner.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment and for introducing yourself!
Nice tips and I used to be a big time fidgeter. Maybe I'll take it up again and shed more pounds :)
ReplyDeleteI love veggies and I agree its important to make part of every meal. knock on wood, so far my 2yrd old twins are so used to eating them that they are drawn to eating those first wherever they go ;)
ReplyDeleteEating vegetables is a good suggestion. I need to do better with that. I do like a good salad. Is chocolate a vegetable?
ReplyDeleteLee
Wrote By Rote
What I took away from this post: FIDGETING SAVES LIVES.
ReplyDeleteThank you. :)
First, Annalisa, I love your name. Have a passion for A names--three daughters all have them!
ReplyDeleteVegetables are so important and so is all that fidgeting!
Mary Montague Sikes
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHi Annalisa, nice to meet you. New follower here. Veggies are super healthy and do keep the cholestrol level and calories in check. I read somewhere that all the fidgeting that we do burns a few calories :)
ReplyDeleteYum, carrots on a cheese sandwich sounds really good!
ReplyDeleteEven as I'm reading this, I'm getting the kids' lunches ready ... with kale snuck into their wraps, and carrot sticks on the side! I'm so much better about putting veggies on my kids' plates than my own, though. Gotta break that bad habit - both to set a better example for them, and for the sake of my own health!
ReplyDeleteHi, Annalisa, great tips! I never thought about adding shredded carrots to a grilled cheese sandwich. Have you ever added chopped broccoli or cauliflower to a grilled cheese sandwich?
ReplyDeleteI love raw veggies better than cooked. I've read that about fidgeting. My youngest son was always a fidgeter and he's a rail.
ReplyDeleteGreat news about the fidgeting! haha. And yes, mom, I'll eat more blechy veggies... actually, must husband has started a vegetable garden this summer, so we should be in for a healthy summer. :)
ReplyDeleteVeggies! Lots of veggies. Veggies are your friend. Because they are so low in calories.
ReplyDeleteVeggies are the best. Growing your own is even better. Dancing is a great and fun way to burn calories without even noticing.
ReplyDeleteI am not a fidgeter, but it's a nice thing to consider when standing in one spot! Sounds like major veggie deprivation as a child--good thing you have made a different experience for your children.
ReplyDeleteThat's funny: 300-500 calories for fidgeting. I'll take it! =) Your advice is great, Annalisa. I especially appreciate the idea of adding carrots to a cheese sandwich. I never thought of that specific combo. I'm going to try it, and I think I'll like it. Thanks.
ReplyDeletexoRobyn
Great tips! I'm not a fidgeter nor do I like many veggies at all. Makes things hard for me to teach my son to like veggies. I try to include more than I grew up with, but it's difficult. Have a wonderful weekend and enjoy your blog-sitting duty next week! :)
ReplyDeleteExcellent! Sir Poops and Hair Ball love carrots, spinach, and peas. Thanks for stopping by to visit them. They love visitors.
ReplyDeleteHugs and and chocolate,
Shelly
I grew up with the potatoes all the time too. We had veggies but they weren't cooked right, which makes a huge difference! Fidgeting is a good thing. I used to do that a lot more than I do now.
ReplyDeleteLove the tips! Balancing on one leg while brushing teeth...never thought of that one before. :) I hula hooped and texted/chatted- great way to have a conversation and still get in some exercise. :) Have a great day.
ReplyDeleteExcellent ideas! But knowing that I am so clumsy I could fall over a feather, think I'll give the toothbrush balancing a miss!
ReplyDeleteSuzanne @ Suzannes Tribe
Veggies with everything? Yes please! It's a tried and tested way to maintain good health!
ReplyDeleteWriter In Transit
We grow a HUGE veggie garden each summer, then can, freeze or otherwise preserve them for the rest of the year. I'm rather a veggie addict so I say amen! to this post. And LOL on the try it without your toothbrush first...
ReplyDeleteTina @ Life is Good
I like your tip, now if I can find a vegetable besides broccoli that I like. Any suggestions?
ReplyDeleteLIke the hopping around on one foot while brushing your teeth tip, Annalisa! I need to try that one. I fidget too .. I never sit still.
ReplyDeleteVeggies are an awesome way to stay fit. Adding spinach into an omelette with mushrooms and a bit of cheese is DELICIOUS... Have you ever cooked it in just water. It works well and no extra calories with butter or oil.
Argggghhhh! Help! Another blog hop! Phew, that's better. Stay calm, Gary. It's better for your overall health.
ReplyDeleteAh yes, eat your veggies, maintain a healthy exercise program and find positive resources. Mental and physical well being are intertwined.
Cheers, Annalisa.
I'm going to sob uncontrollably now! :)
Gary
Definitely a good blog hop to take part in. ;)
ReplyDeleteI recently discovered the power of green smoothies for breakfast. They taste good AND they make you poop better. /TMI
Wow, that's a cool fact about fidgeters. I should fidget more than I already do, then I'd probably lose that extra 5 pounds I've got hanging around my belly. :)
ReplyDeleteGreat advice about veges. I don't particularly like carrots, but I eat them because they are easy to pack and easy to munch on throughout the day.
I'm a fidgeter, I find it hard to sit still, but I try to make use of it too. I do leg kicks or squats sometimes while waiting for various things. Trouble is fidgeters usually have nerves on high alert.
ReplyDeleteI'm impressed with all the ways you sneak veggies in.
My boys have to be begged to eat meat, they love veggies. We just started harvesting lettuce and spinach in our garden - we're in veggie heaven!
ReplyDeleteI used to serve veggies or fruit with every meal. I've gotten bad now that my boys are older. Have you tried a slice of apple on a cheese sandwich? It's really good if you toast it in the toaster oven for a few minutes. Of course, then you have to watch how much butter you put on the bread. Thanks for the tips!
ReplyDeleteI like veggies; I wish I had more money so that I could eat them more often. But then again, I'd probably have more money if I stopped buying coffee.
ReplyDeleteWow, you really do eat a lot of veg. I know it's something I should do more of and this post may have just prompted me to do something about it! Thanks Annalisa :)
ReplyDeleteVery inspiring! These are great tips that are very simple to incorporate, even for a non-gym/nutrition person like me. and I'l tell my sister that it's okay for the boys to fidget. :)
ReplyDeleteYes to veggies! We have veggies with every meal too and when I make vegetable soup, I always put in at least 5 different kinds, though from what I've read, I should be putting in more. (:
ReplyDeleteMy parents were vegie pushers. We had them in everything. Then I married my meat and potatoes husband (he'll pick the onions out of chili!), so now we have split the kids. Three are vegie lovers like me and one is a vegie phobe like him.
ReplyDeleteExcellent toasted cheese sandwich...toast provolone with spinach leaves and roma tomatoes, I add a little garlic salt and it is sooo good. Now I want one!! I'll have to try the carrot slices.
Oh boy! I came here to respond individually, but there are far too many posts!! My fingers have burnt out with all the commenting on YOUR blogs :-)
ReplyDeleteSo here's a group reply - I am completely jealous of everyone who's able to grow their own vegetables, both through space and ability. I have neither! I'm pleased to see how many people took the advice of cheese and carrot sandwiches - they really are lovely, and if you add spring onion they become amazing!!
I'm also pretty glad that I'm not the only one who does daft things while brushing their teeth - there's lots of us :-)
Thank you all for the comments, and especially to my new followers - I'm off to follow you now :-)
I thought I visited you? These were great~ Yes, we have to eat a rainbow to feel like one :D
ReplyDeleteNicely done!
Thank you