As I tell all my clients, losing weight is 80% diet.  And by “diet”, I don’t mean a certain marketed regimen, I mean healthy eating habits.  Naturally, our bodies need nutrients to perform everyday and believe it or not, less than 10% of Americans’ diets consist of fruits and vegetables.  It is recommended that we take in 5 servings of fruits and vegetables throughout the course of the day for a healthy lifestyle and for beginners I encourage you to try and eat those 5 servings of whichever ones you like.  Are there better fruits and vegetables than others?  Absolutely.  But we’ll get to those another time.

Fruits and vegetables are critical factors in weight loss because they fill you up without high fat and calories counts.  They also provide essential nutrients that will naturally boost your energy levels!  Eating foods high in bad fats neglects your body of proper nutrients, which in turn slows you down.  We eat and eat and eat these “bad foods” until we feel full and still have not gotten all the nutrients we need.  Then we’ve fed ourselves with high amounts of calories and fats and ultimately begin to show it.  Here’s some tips (5 servings) you should try and incorporate throughout the day:

• Eat an apple with breakfast
• Banana for a snack
• Side of a leafy vegetable with lunch (Very little dressing)
• A cup of any berries for a snack
• Broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, corn, peppers, etc with dinner

Make it your goal to add these in to your everyday eating habits and I promise you will see improvements!  Throw in an intense workout program and watch your body transform into what you’ve always wanted!

“To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.” – Steve Prefontaine