Just Lose It Challenge: Add more vegetables to your day

1. Discover fast ways to cook. Cook fresh or frozen vegetables in the microwave for a quick-and-easy dish to add to any meal. Steam green beans, carrots, or broccoli in a bowl with a small amount of water in the microwave for a quick side dish.

2. Be ahead of the game. Cut up a batch if bell peppers, carrots, or broccoli. Pre-package them to use when the time is limited. You can enjoy them on a salad, with hummus, or in a veggie wrap.

3. Choose vegetables rich in color. Brighten your plate with vegetables that are red, orange and dark green. They are full of vitamins and minerals. Try acorn squash, cherry tomatoes, sweet potatoes, or collard greens. They not only taste great but are also good for you, too.

4. Check the freezer aisle. Frozen vegetables are quick and easy to use and are just as nutritious as fresh veggies. Try adding frozen peas, corn, green beans, spinach, or sugar snap peas to some of your favorite dishes or eat as a side dish.

5. Stock up on veggies. Canned vegetables are a great addition to any meal, so keep in hand canned tomatoes, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, mushrooms, and beets. Select those labeled as “reduced sodium,” “low sodium,” or “no salt added.”

6. Make your garden salad glow with color. Brighten your salad by using colorful vegetables such as kidney beans, sliced red bell peppers, shredded radishes. Chopped re cabbage, or watercress. Your salad will not only look good but taste good too.

7. Sip on some vegetable soup. Heat it and eat it. Try tomato, butternut squash, or garden vegetable soup. Look for reduced- or low-sodium soups.

8. While you’re out. If dinner is away from home, no need to worry. When ordering, ask for an extra side of vegetables or a side salad instead of your typical fried side dish.

9. Savor the flavor of seasonal vegetables. Buy vegetables that are in season for maximum flavor at a lower cost. Check your local supermarket specials for the best in-season buys. Or visit your local farmer’s market.

10. Try something new. You never know what you may like. Choose a new vegetable-add it to your recipe or look up how to fix it online.

Just Lose It Challenge: I want to live to be 100

I always say, “I want to live to be 100!” But what was I really doing to ensure that?

After attending the kickoff meeting for the Just Lose It Challenge, the speaker spoke about a study they did on centarians (people who live past 100) and my ears perked up. I think I started to cry at one point because in the past I was not taking it serious. I do want to love a long, healthy life…but I know I wasn’t treating my body like I wanted to.

Here are the top five things that’s centarians have in common:

1. Have strong social groups (positive)-Having a network of friends feeding you POSITIVE energy will prolong your life! Yes, simple, huh. Get rid of negative friends. Laugh EVERY day. This helps you to stay on track and focused.

2. Gardens-They all had their own garden. If you can’t have your own garden, shop at the Farmer’s market often. Fruits and veggies in their natural state (raw) is the best for you.

3. Smarts-They continues developing their minds, always learning new things. Keep your brain active!

4. Active-They did something active every day! And when you’re doing your activity, LOVE IT, don’t make it out of a choir.

5. Small portions or non-processed foods-Eat till you are half full! Pick foods that have not been processed. Nothing from a box, can, bag or frozen or additives added to it.

These five steps look pretty darn easy to me! So I will do my best to live my life according to these five rules, not just for weight loss, but just to have the healthiest body for the longest time.

Week 1 Just Lose it Results: 4 pounds down!