Why do people need to eat their vegetables? Why is it such a big part of the Phase 1 program and ultimately in all of maintenance?

• Vegetables are loaded with essential nutrients, macronutrients, micronutrients, vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
  • provides cardiovascular/heart health. Good for all organ systems and provides less inflamation.
  • good for gut health
• In Phase 1 we’re getting rid of all the refined carbohydrates and starchy foods, all the things that turn to sugar in our system.
• We’re also improving the pH level of your body to bring it more alkaline

I am a picky vegetable eater, what do I do?

• We’re going to encourage you to start slow and just go.
• Find a few favorite vegetables and find different ways to incorporate them in recipes.
• Then we’re going to ask you to do baby steps.
  • Work on small goals and try a new veggie by the end of the week
  • Eventually we want to see 10 different veggies in your weekly rotation
  • Work on getting 4 to 5 different colors in your weekly rotation
• There are many recipes tips and tricks to incorporate veggies
  • Meal recipes can easily hide veggies so that you cannot taste them
  • Cookies, cakes and other dessert recipes can hide vegetables
  • Smoothies-You can blend such things as spinach, cauliflower, rhubarb and chayote into smoothies
• Journaling is pivotal in being successful and knowing what is going into your body

How do we make veggie prep easier?

• Preparing and planning is key
• Be flexible- buy what’s on sale at the store
• Correctly storing vegetables is critical to their longevity
  • Cut them up after returning from the store
  • Store them in airtight containers or ziploc bags
• Frozen and canned vegetables are ok- just make sure it is only that vegetable and water (citric acid ok)

Why are Occasional Vegetables only occasional?

• They are higher in sugar and higher on the glycemic index
  • glycemic index is a number associated with the carbohydrates in a particular type of food that indicates the effect of these carbohydrates on a person’s blood glucose level.

How do Select Vegetables curb hunger?

• Select vegetables are high in fiber and water which makes you feel most satisfied
• Drink water when you are hungry
• If you are truly hungry, unlimited veggies will satisfy.
• Veggies can be broken up throughout the day, they do not need to be eaten only at meals
• Learning to like vegetables and incorporating them throughout the day are key to long term maintenance