Are you getting enough?

Florence_J

Banana and Apple for Breakfast. Avocado, Carrots, Mushy Peas and Spinach for dinner.

VfM4meplse

I agree about the AJ. If you're thirsty, drink water; if it's the taste you crave, eat an apple. A one-off binge on AJ is unlikely to be harmful, but as the child of a mother who scoffed a diet of chocolate during her pregnancy (we are going back to the early 70s when it really was still a treat) I didn't stand a chance myself. I was nearly 10lb at birth and didn't realise until relatively recently it's because she had untreated gestational diabetes. I'm not suggesting that could happen now btw, screening and treatment is routine. It took me 43 years to kick the sugar habit

Back to the here and now, I got rid of my sabotaging food (generic Weetabix) this morning realising that I was going to dodge my fruit and veg whilst it was in the house. Today has been a 0:5 day, unlike the 3:3 I had planned, but at least my fridge stock is being consumed, even if it is just the fruit atm.

greenbee

This book is fabulous. If you need inspiration I can thoroughly recommend it.

hex2

Hello, Interesting thread - I'm another one who usually has too much fruit.

Today juice (breakfast), peppers, spring onions, carrots, tomatoes, banana (lunch) and for dinner salad so I make that 7.

I'll never make it if bananas and juice don't count, and yesterday was a 2 day so this is me trying.

burtha

Hi all, reasonable day ,
Banana for breakfast,nectarine and grapes for lunch and 1 wholemeal bread,supper of ( more) veg lasagne ( 5) and salad , lettuce,,radish,white cabbage,red cabbage,tomato.
So 3 fruit,about 10 veg

splishsplash

Salad for lunch - lettuce, tomato, cucumber, spring onion, grated carrot, pine nuts, vinaigrette.
Dinner was crispy chili beef, rice, steamed carrots and broccoli. Peppers, onion and garlic in the meat (maybe half a portion).

5.5:0

upoiupou

VfM4meplse wrote: »

I know the 5 is a figure plucked out of the air by the great and the good of the scientific community and not an evidence-based target to aim for.

Not exactly. There is evidence that more than five a day are advisable for health (eg http://jech.bmj.com/content/early/2014/03/03/jech-2013-203500.short?g=w_jech_ahead_tab ), but for various reasons five has caught on and is thought to be more achievable - something being better than nothing.

I have at least five a day (and vegetables rather than fruit), and have been thinking about why because I don't have any special willpower or anything. I have to say, I think it's easier if you aim to make them a routine part of your eating pattern rather than a daily challenge. For example, having some vegetable soup every day as a mid-morning snack. If you live on beans on toast add some salad to it (eg cucumber, tomatoes, lettuce, avocado). If you have breakfast cereal three times a day, first change just one meal a day, so that for one meal every day you're having something with veg. Or whatever would work for you, as long as it would be something regular that requires almost no thinking about.

Otherwise, it's a bit like deciding to exercise but every day wondering whether to join a gym, go for a run, take up trampolining, look for a zumba video on YouTube, swim, walk or try ballroom dancing... or not. You're more likely to succeed if you decide to go to X gym at a certain time on 3 specific days of the week (or whatever). New habits work best when they're... well, habits.

Even if it isn't as much as five at first, if it's consistent that will have a benefit. If you manage three veg a day every day, that's better than four on one day and none on the next and a piece of fruit the day after. And so much easier if it's a routine, no thinking, decision already made.

VfM4meplse

upoiupou wrote: »

Not exactly. There is evidence that more than five a day are advisable for health (eg http://jech.bmj.com/content/early/2014/03/03/jech-2013-203500.short?g=w_jech_ahead_tab ), but for various reasons five has caught on and is thought to be more achievable - something being better than nothing.

I have at least five a day (and vegetables rather than fruit), and have been thinking about why because I don't have any special willpower or anything. I have to say, I think it's easier if you aim to make them a routine part of your eating pattern rather than a daily challenge. For example, having some vegetable soup every day as a mid-morning snack. If you live on beans on toast add some salad to it (eg cucumber, tomatoes, lettuce, avocado). If you have breakfast cereal three times a day, first change just one meal a day, so that for one meal every day you're having something with veg. Or whatever would work for you, as long as it would be something regular that requires almost no thinking about.

Otherwise, it's a bit like deciding to exercise but every day wondering whether to join a gym, go for a run, take up trampolining, look for a zumba video on YouTube, swim, walk or try ballroom dancing... or not. You're more likely to succeed if you decide to go to X gym at a certain time on 3 specific days of the week (or whatever). New habits work best when they're... well, habits.

Even if it isn't as much as five at first, if it's consistent that will have a benefit. If you manage three veg a day every day, that's better than four on one day and none on the next and a piece of fruit the day after. And so much easier if it's a routine, no thinking, decision already made.

This post may be well meaning but I find it far from helpful.

If you knew anything about behavioural change and inter-temporal choice, you'd realise that throwing a load of information at someone about their bad habit is not persuasive.

The thread is about support not preaching. Let's keep it positive and non-judgemental.

greenbee

Let's hope that this thread is motivation enough to get us all to form new habits.

Breakfast was an omelette with onion, spinach and tomato (2), lunch is avocado, courgette, carrot/beetroot/orange/pomegranate salad, radishes, tomato and nori sprinkle (6).

moneyistooshorttomention

To me - I think it starts with having vegetables whenever its "obvious - innit?!" to do so.

I admit that any time I read accounts of some peoples diet and, for instance, they mention omelette or pizza - then I'm waiting for the next sentence to say "with salad" but it's surprising how often that's it. That being they don't put any salad with the omelette or pizza. An "egg and chips" meal has an "obvious innit?" with it of baked beans or tomatoes or peas.

Any rate - today's total so far being my usual fruit with breakfast porridge (note to self - really really must get to be more adventurous re what I have for breakfast). Lunch I treated myself to main meal out and that was nut burgers and about two-thirds of the plate had various salads on it.

Havent yet thought about dinner tonight - other than I'll be having some more fruit as part of it.