Fruits and Vegetables and Why They're Important

The eating plan that worked for me is based on a balanced diet, and you can't have a balanced diet without fruits and vegetables. It's that simple. These healthy complex carbohydrates are extremely important because they provide energy, vitamins, antioxidants, fiber and water--all of which are necessary to lose weight, not to mention be healthy and have a healthy digestive system. After I began cutting portion sizes, I was naturally looking for more to eat, so I turned to fruits and vegetables first. Every day, I tried to include and surpass the five-a-day servings of fruits and vegetables, and you know what I noticed? Not only did I continue to lose weight, but I wasn't hungry or irritable. A typical lunch for me is a plateful of veggies--carrots, cucumbers, red pepper, chick peas--eaten with a judicious portion of hummus or another healthful dip, some whole-grain crackers and another lean protein. This lunch keeps me full for hours, and it satisfies nearly all my cravings: sweet, crunchy, creamy, salty. If I want more sweet, I'll have fruit later in the afternoon, perhaps an apple with some peanut butter, or a banana. Summer is my favorite season for fruits because it offers so much variety: berries, melons, peaches, cherries. Try experimenting with the different colorful fresh fruits at your local market to see which you like the best.