How to Become a Veggie Lover

How to Become a Veggie Lover
JORGE’S DAILY FIT TIP
By Jorge Cruise, Chief Diet and Fitness Expert
Published January 17, 2011

Spinach. Brussels sprouts. Carrots. Oh my! If you’re not a fan of vegetables, you probably haven’t cooked them correctly. If you’ve ever eaten over-cooked, mushy, tasteless veggies, it’s no wonder you push aside your peas. Not only are overcooked veggies bland and unappealing, they’re also devoid of a lot of the nutrients and antioxidants that fresh vegetables offer. Learning how to properly prepare veggies can solve this crisis – and it is a crisis because vegetables are chockfull of the good stuff your body needs. So, I challenge you to give vegetables another chance.

The best methods for cooking vegetables are grilling, steaming, blanching, or sautéing them in a little bit of olive oil. Vegetables only need to be cooked until they are just tender and still al dente (like pasta) inside. Once they become soft, they lose their taste and texture. If you still need a little extra pizzazz, punch up the flavor by adding lemon or lime juice, garlic, herbs or seasonings, none of which will add calories to your meal.

Your coach,
Jorge Cruise

For information on Jorge's fitness program and to get a free copy of his Belly Fat Cure Report, visit jorgecruise.com.

MY THOUGHTS

i love veggies. it's preparing them that i find cumbersome. you peel, you slice. you core. just thinking about it makes me tired. if you have the time, why not? but if you spend 10-14 hours at work, another 2-3 hours driving to and from home, how can you squeeze in veggie cooking. of course, salad is the easiest way. try having salad for a week and you'll definitely crave for something else. worse if you're always on the road. veggies are hard to come by.

Kitchen Essentials for Weight Loss

Kitchen Essentials for Weight Loss
By Jennifer R. Scott, About.com Guide
Updated January 10, 2010

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board

If you're just starting out with weight loss, you'll need to make sure your home is set up for diet success. Make sure you have the kitchen essentials for weight loss:

* microwave
* full set of microwave dishes
* blender
* quality chopping knives
* medium cutting board
* basket steamer or microwave steamer (e.g. microwave rice cooker)
* microwave steaming bags
* non-stick broiler pan
* non-stick skillet
* countertop grill
* electric chopper
* storage containers
* measuring spoons
* measuring cups
* large measuring cup with handle
* food scale

As you can see by this list, cooking healthy doesn't really require anything fancy or expensive. You probably already have a microwave and will find your microwave indispensable as you cook for weight loss. From making brown rice in a rice steamer to steaming veggies or even chicken or fish in the special steaming zipper bags that are now on the market, you will find that many meals can be prepared without any additional equipment or utensils.

A blender and an electric food chopper can be handy for making your own fresh salsa, smoothies, low-fat yogurt shakes, and more. (For example, I especially like to use my chopper to chop several hard-boiled eggs at a time so I can add some protein to salads when they serve as my entire meal.)

A broiler pan will allow you to broil chicken breasts, and a non-stick skillet will allow you to cook while using less fat than a regular skillet. A countertop grill is a practical, easy way to grill indoors, which comes in handy in winter or if you're living somewhere that doesn't allow outdoor grills.

Lastly, measuring tools will allow you to keep your portions in check, and a good set of knives and a medium-sized cutting board will make chopping up plenty of fresh veggies for snacks, salads, and recipes, less of a chore.

MY THOUGHTS

i will vouch for microwave. i can survive without a stove. but a microwave is a necessity for me. it's not only perfect for people who wants to lose weight. it's perfect for people who hasn't got much time. just make sure you have those steamer type container so food will not harden or rubberize. i also found this egg boiler where you can microwave eggs without having them splatter allover the microwave.