If there’s one thing we want you to take away to make healthy living easy to do today, it’s: Eat Your Fiber First.
Why Vegetables Matter
This may seem like an obvious piece of advice, but have you ever wondered why moms everywhere seem to be taught to say, “eat your vegetables?” Contrary to what TikTok might lead you to believe, it’s not to become internet famous via a meme.
Beyond the numerous studies citing the many reasons why eating vegetables can make you smarter, boost your immunity and help you lose weight, there is actually a very simple reason why fiber can help you with most if not all of your dietary goals.
Fiber takes a long time to digest.
By eating your vegetables first, your body:
- Has less room for less healthy foods
- Becomes busy with absorbing the many micronutrients
- Will spend less time absorbing sugars of less-good-for-you-foods
But I Really Don’t Like Vegetables
Let’s be honest, no one likes vegetables. Don’t believe us? Then why are there surveys outlining America’s most hated (and most liked) vegetables? You won’t see surveys stating “America’s Most Hated Cakes” or even “Meats Americans Just Won’t Eat.” Vegetables are an acquired taste. This may be one reason why you might remember older friends telling you that dry wines and beers are something you grow to like over time.
Bitterness in vegetables is often caused by plant stress. And some of the world’s most bitter vegetables are also chock full of phytonutrients that are good for humans. And while that may not convince you to pick up a vegetable habit overnight, nothing worth doing ever comes easy.
However another tip that might help you start: blend it or put it in a soup. You don’t have to chew the vegetables to get the benefit, but you do have to swallow it. Also, keep in mind that fiber is not just found in vegetables; it is abundant in fruits, roots, legumes and beans, whole grains, nuts and seeds and mushrooms. Variety is the key to health. Eat less processed foods and keep these foods whole and you are guaranteed to find fiber in it.
I Just Can’t Do It
You can do it. You just have to get in the right frame of mind.
If you start with the mindset that you can’t, you put yourself at a disadvantage as you are left dreading the task and will look for every avenue to get out of it.
Worse yet, if you try to give up everything else and quit cold turkey, you have a higher chance of experiencing withdrawal symptoms. And while you might think that withdrawal only relates to drugs, you have to keep in mind that your body is designed to search out fats, carbohydrates and especially protein. But our bodies aren’t designed to process the amount of these macronutrients we get in today’s modern age. It’s why we get the meat sweats and seem to get sick and tired when we eat too much of what our body craves.
It’s important to take a change in habits one step at a time:
1. Set an achievable goal- An ideal weight, a healthy resting heart rate or even being able to take a 10 minute walk without feeling winded is a great way to start
- By eating high fiber plants, you will make yourself feel full, and you get all the benefits we already outlined
- Don’t starve yourself and then suddenly let yourself binge; you’re more likely to stop if you don’t have something to look forward to with every meal. Instead, save a small treat for the end of your meals so you can psychologically motivate yourself to keep moving forward
It’s that easy. You can do this, and we are here to help!