Eat the rainbow.
Simply put, fill your diet with tons of vegetables and fruits to boost your immune system.
Not to be cliché, but we're sure you all had a mom and/or grandma preaching this concept when you were a kid. Veggies and fruits are loaded with all of those little micronutrients that are just so darn essential for allowing the cells in your body to operate at their best.
Think of this as doing the resistance band drills for the little stabilizers in your shoulders and hips. Those drills may not help you lift 500 pounds directly; however, they will better enable your body to have the capacity for that feat.
Also, veggies and fruits tend to help you feel more full and reduce your overall calorie intake.
They also tend to reduce the level of inflammation your body is holding on to, which enables your immune system to better operate.
In theory, this is a relatively simple concept, but can be very difficult to execute at times. So the goal for today is to share a couple tips to improve your execution.
1. Prepare.
Success starts with preparation. You can't fill your diet with fruits and veggies if they are not in your fridge. So, add your favorites to your shopping list right now, purchase them when you're at the grocery store, and thus they'll be ready for you at home.
You could even go one step further and slice some veggies on a weekend and pack them in little baggies for a quick grab-n-go snack!
2. Be creative.
Find ways to add things you may not eat a ton of to other meals. A simple idea here is popping some spinach in with a blended shake. Add a sliced bell pepper into some scrambled eggs. Throw kale in with a soup or stew and let it simmer for a bit.
3. Plan.
Ok, we know this may seem a lot like prepare, but there is a difference! The idea here is
to plan your meals ahead of time. Take Sunday to plan out meals for the week, and as tip #1 says, go purchase those meals for the week.
Remember that you don't always have to buy fresh; frozen has been shown to be just as (if not more) nutritious and are more easily stored.
Have a few bags of frozen mixed veggies for the week that could easily go with your choice of protein. Take an hour on Sunday and roast a bunch of veggies to use in a variety of meals. The key concept, PLAN!
There you have it, a few tips that hopefully will help you to consume more veggies and fruits in your diet through better planning, being creative, and preparing for your busy life.
One of our favorite coaches has always said, "eat like an adult", and we think there is a lot of truth to that.
Be a great example for your kids and provide the proper nutrition your body needs to feel good, but also best fight off whatever crazy thing it encounters.
Let's make your mom and grandmas proud :)