It’s spring and summer is just around the corner. And with thoughts of summer come concerns about weight and how you can fit into those summer clothes. Yes, dieting is hard to do but there is one easy change you can make that will help you to lose weight and feel better too.

The trick? Eat more vegetables! Vegetables help you feel full, replace other foods that aren’t as good for you, and make you healthier at the same time. If health is your goal, along with looking good and feeling better, eat more vegetables!

How many vegetables a day? Eat 5 to 9 servings of vegetables a day. But that’s not nearly as hard as it sounds. A serving is about 1/2 cup or about half the size of your fist, so eat some at every meal. Start by filling half your plate at lunch and dinner with vegetables. Make your plate as attractive as possible by adding lots of colors—there’s more than one way to think of “eye candy”! To make it even easier for yourself, consider using a portion plate that takes the guesswork out of figuring out portions. I like the ones that are divided into three: 1/4 for protein (meat, fish, poultry, vegetarian protein), ¼ for grain or potato, and 1/2 for vegetables.

And yes, you read right! One-half of your plate should be vegetables, lots and lots of colorful, bright and appealing vegetables!

While potatoes are a vegetable, don't think of them that way. Most North Americans don't need more white potatoes, especially if they are fried or covered in butter and sour cream. Think of potatoes as a grain and keep their number small. Consider having a yam (sweet potato) instead of a regular potato. They are full of antioxidants and high in vitamin A, vitamin C and manganese. Just don’t slather them in butter or anything sweet; they are yummy on their own.

Again and again, studies have shown that people who eat more vegetables are healthier than those that don't.

Benefits include:

• lower risk of heart disease and stroke
• reduced blood pressure
• may decrease the risk for cancer
• improved stomach health
• better eyes and sight
• improved energy levels
• good body weight (which means you look great and feel better!)

Easy ways to get more vegetables:

• See if you can add one more vegetable a day. Don't just have one vegetable for dinner, have two or three! Steaming is easy – you can even steam multiple vegetables at the same time. But don't add butter to your steamed vegetables. If you want to add something to them, add a combination of olive oil and vinegar. Mix 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil with one tablespoon of a vinegar (red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, tarragon vinegar) or lemon juice and drizzle it over the vegetables. For carrots, just dust on a little bit of cinnamon to sweeten them.
• Create a colorful and flavorful mixed salad for lunch or dinner. Don't just have boring lettuce - use mixed lettuce and throw in cut-up vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, peppers, pea pods. And beautiful spring asparagus will soon be available that can be lightly steamed and added to your salad. You can also buy prewashed chopped lettuce or you can buy a mesclun salad mix that gives your salad some added interest.
• Eat some raw vegetables for snacks. A great ‘dip’ for vegetables is humus (garlic and mashed chickpeas) or guacamole (mashed avocado and garlic and onions) both of which can be bought pre-made and both of which give you another vegetable!
• Roast or grill them for sweet and succulent vegetables. Chop up vegetables of your choice (squash, peppers, mushrooms, onions). Toss with 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil and herbs of your choice. To roast, spread in roasting pan and roast in a 475 degree oven for 35-35 minutes. Or to grill them, toss them in a grill pan and grill for 5-10 minutes. Every time you turn on the barbeque, think of the vegetables you can throw on. Try eggplant, mushrooms and onions for a great combination.

Easy ways to add vegetables to meals:

• Add chopped carrots and peppers to chili.
• Add shredded carrots and diced peppers to spaghetti sauce.
• Keep a bowl of chopped organic spinach in your fridge so you can add it to all of your dishes such as pasta, rice, eggs, chili, soups, etc.
• Substitute spaghetti squash for traditional spaghetti. Or for a real bright mixture, use steamed French cut green beans instead of pasta. Add your sauce like normal.
• Add vegetables to casseroles.
• Make a frittata or an omelette with vegetables and just a touch of cheese or meat.
• Whenever possible, substitute veggies and beans for meat or poultry. If you do this regularly you will reap huge health benefits!

Time to prep vegetables getting you down? Then buy them already cut or even better, use a couple of the plastic containers that are designed to keep vegetables and fruits fresh. Buy enough vegetables for the week and wash and chop them into the size you need. Add a small amount of water under the tray (not to cover, just enough to keep the vegetables moist) and pop the vegetables in. You can stack multiple types of vegetables in the same container. Then all you have to do is grab them and steam. They also make it super easy to throw some in your lunch and take to work. And they are so much fresher then pre-cut store bought.

Your local farmers' market will be opening soon and it will be easy to get fresh vegetables. So if you want to lose weight and feel better, eat more vegetables. It’s easier than you think!

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